Weather helm on a Westerly 22

[webcraft]

On behalf of a friend who won't believe that it is worth the effort of logging on here . . .

Anyone got any suggestions for reducing weather helm on a Westerly 22?

- Nick

 

[samwise]

Any number of reasons and solutions. More info required. Tempted to say that if your mate can't be bothered, let him pui up with tiller wrestling.

 

[VicS]

He could try the Westerly Owners Yahoo group or their web forum. Both are available to non members and can be reached via http://www.westerly-owners.co.uk/

 

[Wansworth]

On google there some stuff on westerly nomad,added a bowsprit and changed the rudder.

 

[andy_wilson]

I could tell him exactly what to change to improve or even cure this, but I don't believe it's worth the effort either.

 

[Aardee]

Buy the latest issue of YM. Nice article on reducing weather helm...

 

[Wansworth]

I am thinking of buying a Westerly Nomad,can you tell me?

 

[richardabeattie]

Yes you can reduce weather helm on a Westerly 22 - I have done it on the Gunter rigged version. You add a short bowsprit and put a small jib out beyond the genoa.
Use a long bolt throught the anchor roller and on through the bowsprit and another down through the inboard end of the bowsprit through the deck. Put some sort of metal collar on the sharp end with an eye on top and on bottom. use the lower eye to fix a chain or wire down haul/bob stay to an eye bolt through the stem just above the water line. Using the upper eye fix a wickham martin furling gear then a wire stay to the bottom eye on a block hanging from a point on the mast a bit above the existing forestay. Rig the sail onto the new forestay and bring its halyard up through the block and down the luff to the furling gear.

Not only will this reducet he weather helm, it will enable you to put one headsail on each side going down wind. You will also look 3.8% cuter and people will photograph you as they go by.

 

[andy_wilson]

A good place to start on these oldies is with good rig tuning, to make sure the mast is in the right place.

Clearly this needs to be followed with a decent pair of sails, correctly trimmed so they push you forward rather than over or round.

 

[WayneS]

Sold our Gunter rigged version some years ago and can confirm that we had a massive battle with weather helm.

Is the one in question and gunter or Bermudan rig?

If it is Gunter, then the most likely cause is the relatively large main in relation to the foresail. Not a lot that you can do about that except as someone has suggested, add a bowsprit.

We tinkered with a few things which did help some but not a lot.

1. Fitted the biggest foresail that we could.
2. We slotted the top hole in the tabernacle so that we could rake the mast forward. It looked horrible, this little boat with a mast that leaned forward but it did help.
3. Learned to put a few rolls on the main roller reefing early. Did not slow us down but def did help with helm.

The way we solved it permanently was to throw a lot of money at the problem and buy a bigger boat.

Good luck

W

 

[WayneS]

By the way, if anyone knows the whereabouts of the Westerly 22 "Harnser", please let me know. Would like to see her gain.

W