excessive weather helm

Submitted by sail4w on Sat, 08/25/2012 - 23:18
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Racer's Rap

Hi guys.
I seem to be fighting excessive weather helm up wind during our racing.  I am familiar with proper crew position, vang on, board up slightly ( but how much) going to weather and have even tried making the jib a bit more powerful with slight ease on the jib halyard to get better sail balance, but still can't get the boat flat and seem slower than others on a beat.  I have a snug rig with sails cut for that and believe I have set up the boat right for that according to the sailmaker.  I would be open to suggestions to help keep the boat flatter yet making my course to the weather mark good without needing to foot off too much in order to decrease my weather helm.
What is an optimum sailing angle on a beat for the Scot?  Does one let the jib's windward telltales dance a bit as we do on larger keelboats, (eg. San Juan 24 )on a beat or should the jib  telltales on a Scot both be streaming back ?
Thanks.  Skip

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FS5516

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 18:44

Try easing off the main, and see if that helps.  Check the rake too.

sawyerspadre

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 20:51

I would check the rake as well.  Also check to see what the tension is on the forestay.  If the outhaul  is too loose, the sail will have a lot of draft, which you don't need in a blow.Snug the Cunningham to pull the draft forward, and crank on the vang, which flattens the sail.

sawyerspadre

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 21:31

See this link for the North Tuning Guide.  Most of this is accurate, no matter which sailmaker you have.http://www.onedesign.com/Portals/106/docs/Tuning%20Guides/north-flyingsc... 

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sail4w

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 23:58

thanks for the comments.  I have checked my mast rake at 28'5'' with forestay tension measured at 94#, needing the forestay adjuster plate to get that.  I already have max outhaul on and use cunningham so I'm not sufe what more I can do to decrease my weather helm.  Maybe it's just a matter of letting out the mainsheet more although it seems similar to the other boats now. Any other thoughts?  Also when going on closehauled course, does one have the windward jib telltales dancing a bit or streaming aft like the leewards?     Thanks      Skip

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FS5516

Mon, 08/27/2012 - 07:34

Try easing the main as discussed and see how that works.  As for the jib, both jib telltales should be straight back.  As the boat picks up speed, start to slowly head to wind to just lift the windward telltale.  Turn slightly to windward or leeward as needed to keep them streaming and allowing the windward one to just start lifting.  Good luck!

blough

Mon, 09/03/2012 - 13:52

you may enjoy a thread from late 2007, about four pages below, about keepingthe boat flat even with light crew, especially the comments of jay lott

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FS5516

Mon, 10/29/2012 - 11:58

Another item to check.  Make sure your rudder blade is down. If it is not all the way down, you will certainly get more weather helm. There are two schools of thought on the rudder angle, the factory setting and the other a vertical edge, instead of the slight angle as set from the factory.  I sailed with both and actually prefer the factory.  Reason being you will feel weather helm sooner than the vertical edge.  Again, boat balance, sail trim all play into the weather helm.  I find it hard to believe that moving the main sheet block on the rudder back will actually help.  Just my 2 cents!