tom52
Active member
Any rig tuning or sail trimming tips to reduce weather helm ?
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Weather Helm
- Thread starter tom52
- Start date
bedouin
Well-known member
Lots - but you need to be more specific about under what conditions you get it. The three main causes are the rig being poorly set up, having too much sail up, or being heeled over too much.
If it is only a problem as the wind gets up then putting a reef in early is often the easiest and most effective solution, particularly if you are cruising.
As an alternative you can try flattening the sail using the kicker, outhaul, cunningham or flattening reefer as appropriate; letting the traveller down to leaward, or increasing the twist in sails (move the genoa car backwards, slacken the mainsheet & move the traveller more to windward)).
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If it is only a problem as the wind gets up then putting a reef in early is often the easiest and most effective solution, particularly if you are cruising.
As an alternative you can try flattening the sail using the kicker, outhaul, cunningham or flattening reefer as appropriate; letting the traveller down to leaward, or increasing the twist in sails (move the genoa car backwards, slacken the mainsheet & move the traveller more to windward)).
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tom52
Active member
Thanks for the advice.
The heaviness of the tiller is only really a problem as the wind increases.
However it can be difficult to make the autohelm work in moderate winds.
I am suspicious of the rig set up which all feels a bit slack.
Which particular defects of rig tuning produces weather helm ?
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The heaviness of the tiller is only really a problem as the wind increases.
However it can be difficult to make the autohelm work in moderate winds.
I am suspicious of the rig set up which all feels a bit slack.
Which particular defects of rig tuning produces weather helm ?
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davidwf
Active member
Check that the mast is not raked too far back, there was an article in PBO a few yesrs ago on setting up the rig. Essentially hang a heavy weight on Main halliyard and measure how far along the boom it comes, around 9" as a rule is OK. If its more take some length out of the forestay.
If rig is slack as you indicated it should not be, so first tighten everything up has hard as you can (Within reason) slack rigs are the ones that tend to fail. If in doubt its worth talking to a local rigger they normally are happy to give advice.
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If rig is slack as you indicated it should not be, so first tighten everything up has hard as you can (Within reason) slack rigs are the ones that tend to fail. If in doubt its worth talking to a local rigger they normally are happy to give advice.
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bedouin
Well-known member
Assuming the boat is not healed over too far, weather helm is caused by having the CE (Centre of Effort) of the sail plan too far back. The main problem with the rigging set up is likely to be having the mast raked too far back.
With the sails, the main acts to increase weather helm, while the genoa tends to reduce weather helm. It is worth practicing getting the boat balanced under sail - with a boat like a Moody that should be easily achievable. The best way to do that is to set the Genoa correctly, and then to adjust the main to get a small amount of weather helm on the tiller. This is usually done by adjusting the traveller, although other sail controls also affect it.
I would recommend getting a good book - like Ivar Dedekham's "Sail and Rig Trim" (or some name like that) which will give a good introduction to all aspects of setting up the rig, and trimming the sails.
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With the sails, the main acts to increase weather helm, while the genoa tends to reduce weather helm. It is worth practicing getting the boat balanced under sail - with a boat like a Moody that should be easily achievable. The best way to do that is to set the Genoa correctly, and then to adjust the main to get a small amount of weather helm on the tiller. This is usually done by adjusting the traveller, although other sail controls also affect it.
I would recommend getting a good book - like Ivar Dedekham's "Sail and Rig Trim" (or some name like that) which will give a good introduction to all aspects of setting up the rig, and trimming the sails.
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Dominic
New member
I am assuming that we are talking about a bermudan sloop.
Probable cause is that the mainsheet is too tight; let your boom out.
Second cause is too much sail for the wind strength; put in a reef.
Do you have "tell tales" on the trailing edge of the main ? If not put some tapes/threads/strings there. They will tell you how the air is flowing over the sail.
When the mainsheet is too tight the tell tales will be curled back against the leeward side of the mainsail. Ideal is when they fly out with a tendency to flicker back.
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Probable cause is that the mainsheet is too tight; let your boom out.
Second cause is too much sail for the wind strength; put in a reef.
Do you have "tell tales" on the trailing edge of the main ? If not put some tapes/threads/strings there. They will tell you how the air is flowing over the sail.
When the mainsheet is too tight the tell tales will be curled back against the leeward side of the mainsail. Ideal is when they fly out with a tendency to flicker back.
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AndyL
Member
tip for Tiller pilot
Rig a bungee to help it. I know this does not solve the weather helm problem which has already been well answered, but a bungee from the end of the tiller to some point on the gun'l or coaming reduces the load and power required from the tiller pilot.
On mine I can actually see the balance by watching the twist in the TP lever. It will cut down power consumption and simply need adjustment from time to time depending on the wind strength.
Reefing the main will help, but you also need to consider reducing the fore-triangle to move the CE forward.
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Rig a bungee to help it. I know this does not solve the weather helm problem which has already been well answered, but a bungee from the end of the tiller to some point on the gun'l or coaming reduces the load and power required from the tiller pilot.
On mine I can actually see the balance by watching the twist in the TP lever. It will cut down power consumption and simply need adjustment from time to time depending on the wind strength.
Reefing the main will help, but you also need to consider reducing the fore-triangle to move the CE forward.
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chrishewett
New member
I know I am a bit late but I have just got back from France. I thought the following may be of interest.
I used to sail with a friend in an old 30ft GRP sloop, cant remember what it was. We could never control the weather helm when the wind got up and it was a real handfull. We even broke the steering in mid channel in a f6 once. Later when my pal took the boat to Port Carmargue someone suggested the cure. Cutting away the grp at the mast step revealed that the block of teak that the mast sat on had turned to jelly(water getting in vhf co-ax hole). This was replaced and made good and the problem was cured. The message is no amount of tweaking will be of any use if the mast can move when under preassure.
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I used to sail with a friend in an old 30ft GRP sloop, cant remember what it was. We could never control the weather helm when the wind got up and it was a real handfull. We even broke the steering in mid channel in a f6 once. Later when my pal took the boat to Port Carmargue someone suggested the cure. Cutting away the grp at the mast step revealed that the block of teak that the mast sat on had turned to jelly(water getting in vhf co-ax hole). This was replaced and made good and the problem was cured. The message is no amount of tweaking will be of any use if the mast can move when under preassure.
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ghilliedhu
New member
I had problems with weather helm on my bermudan sloop. The main was old and baggy which pulled the centre of effort back. The cure in the short term was racking the mast forward and reefing early. A small amount of rake makes a large difference. A new flatter main will hopefully solve the problem and be more efficient.
Good luck!
David
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Good luck!
David
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