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 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
 Catalina 250 Specific Forum
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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts
Initially Posted - 03/07/2006 :  17:15:47  Show Profile  Visit AADIVER's Homepage
Even with my foresail reefed, I have too much weather helm in 12 to 15 knots of wind. What is the best, most efficent way to correct this 250 problem without "major surgery"? Yeah, I can luff the main but that slows me to a crawl. Anyone...
Frank Farmer
Long Beach, CA
aa.diver@verizon.net
http://mysite.verizon.net/aa.diver

PRETTY PENNY
'01 C-250 WK, Hull #558
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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts
Response Posted - 03/07/2006 :  20:26:26  Show Profile
This article from the Tech Tips on Weathehelm by Bill Holcomb is an excellent read...

[url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/tech/snkhelm.asp"]Weatherhelm[/url]
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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts
Response Posted - 03/07/2006 :  20:34:52  Show Profile
Frank,

This response is not going to help you I don't think, but it may be of interest to folks in general.

I have an '06 C250WK. It is stock, and I am unaware of anything changing particularly from model years past that would make a difference, but:

1.) I had a couple of folks who have an earlier year C250WK sail my boat with me. They commented that "this boat does not have weather helm like ours".

2.) I sailed it last weekend in 15 knots of wind. Whether the main was reefed or not, I never noticed any more than the tinyest weather helm until the angle of heel exceeded 30 degrees. Maybe that is what everyone is talking about, but at 30 degrees of heel, I am starting to do something to get the boat flatter anyway, because folks on this site have advised that the C250 sails best at about 15 degrees. The boat was overpowered without the reef in these conditions, and I was spilling the main a bit in the puffs to stay below 30 degrees heeling.

So anyway, I am not experiencing the weather helm problem that has been reported so many times on this site. I have only two thoughts about why, but I have really no idea why.

1.) I have only the stock battery in the aft compartment, and no weight added under the V berth. Most boats have more batteries added aft, maybe that makes a difference. I have a Yamaha 8HP outboard, about 125 lbs, that would be about average I would think.

2.) My boat was rigged by a pro rigger, and he set the upper shrouds very tight. The have almost no slack when pulled on by hand. When beating, the lower shrouds are visibly loose on the leeward side, but the uppers are not. Arlyn wrote once that proper tight rigging had an effect on weather helm.

Maybe I just am not experienced enough as a sailor to recognize what other people are seeing, but I can sail my boat with one finger on the top of the tiller at heel angles of up to 30 degrees in 15 knot winds.

My rudder is stock. Maybe the other folks have older rudders.

I am mystified.
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cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts
Response Posted - 03/07/2006 :  20:56:52  Show Profile
Frank -

Do you have a reef in the main at 12-15 knots? If not, try that.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.