boat balance

[barryg]

Went out sailing thursday Portsmouth max gusts 26 knots, boat is a lightweight drop keel Jeanneau sun 2500 had main up only with both reefs in, sail nice and flat. In gusts had lots of weather helm when close to wind, dumped main to eleviate but would a bit of jib helped balance the situation? Normaly in that type of wind I go under jib only.

 

[damo]

Presumably your Centre of Effort is too far aft on that boat with that sail arrangement. Some jib would bring it forward and reduce the weather helm.

 

[mandlmaunder]

I would also consider using the mainsheet car to move the boom around and see if the redistribution of effort that way makes a difference, if dumping the main worked so should this less radical move

 

[William_H]

Yes puting up some jib would theoretically help to move the centre of effort forward. However I think it is your heeling over that causes the boat to turn up wind. So a larger jib may in fact cause more weather helm. The answer ... another reef and a small jib. olewill

 

[Impaler]

Kemp sails website has some useful downloads on sail trimming, rig set up etc. Maybe basic stuff but I found it useful.

 

[snowleopard]

A modern flat-bottom hull will gripe up to windward if the boat is allowed to heel too far. In a dinghy under those circumstances you'd have the tiller behind your ear, the rudder cavitating and it would still round up.

No reason you shouldn't sail under just a reefed main but try dropping the sheet traveller to leeward and pulling the sail board-flat, then steer to keep the boat at a small angle of heel. Don't expect to point as high as you would in light airs.

 

[mikemonty]

I don't know if it's much help because my boats a long-keeler but I posted some pics on my webspace HERE which shows my setup for F5 - 6 helm balances very nicely with just a pound or two of weather helm. Actually could probably have done with only one reef, but nervous (and brave for doing something they really didn't want to do) crew need pampering!