Hauling this one out of the archives to build on.
Recent dismasting at the tabernacle was fixed by cutting off the damaged bits and ordering a longer "bottom" from Dwyer. New shrouds, new tabernacle, and I'm good to go. Am trying to sort out a (perceived) new excessive weather helm. I've read the NS tuning guide and the forums pretty extensively. When I based my rake on the NS to-transom measurement, I had really aggressive rake to eye, and horrid weather helm. After reading Mike's suggestion:
Mike Gillum wrote:I would start by getting the Mast plumb in the boat by attaching a Plumb-Bob weight to the schackle on your Main Halyard, launch your boat, and with your boat loosely tied to the dock in calm water end-up with the weighted Main Halyard hanging...
...I did so and found the mast head was somewhere above the cuddy lip, some 14" aft of the partner. I loosened my shrouds and cranked on the tension up front using the winch and was able to get it forward to about 6" or so of offset before I was afraid I was going to tear something out of the boat. I still feel like I have inappropriately strong weather helm, though much better now. This boat will never be a competetive racer, but I'd like it to sail as fast and balanced as reasonable. I'd like to achieve a little less rake, however, I'm out of adjustment at the shrouds--theyre as long as they get. I have a little but more room on the forestay--it has maybe another 1/2" before it's all the way tight-- but I'm wary of trimming the mast shorter because I'm afraid even a tiny bit of material removed will make the forestay too long to get good tension. I would also prefer to find a solution with the adjusters in their range to allow for future tweaks and stretching. Other factors worth mentioning: the mast step is already shimmed up 3/4" on a rectangle of wood by a previous owner. I don't know why--whether to correct for a previous dismasting, to deal with stripped mast step screws, or to achieve a position slightly out of line with the stub under the cuddy? It appears to line up with the stub as best I can tell. Also this boat used to have a CB that only went down about 45 degrees, and I have to wonder if a PO didnt correct for that change in CLR by moving the mast?
Questions:
If other people have plum-bobbed their masts, about far back from the partners is your head when the boat's on her lines? I've been measuring rear of the sheave up top to rear of the mast at the partner, which ought to be the same as on-centers. This would be really useful information to understand if I am way off here.
I've read on the forum that moving the step forward/back in the cuddy only affects rake on keelson stepped masts, but that on boats with mast hinges, the lower part only provides support. I can not wrap my head around how this could be true--it seems like if I scoot the base aft a little bit, it should be create less rake up top hinge or no hinge. Am I missing something? BUT, this will still present me with the same issue regarding shroud/stay length won't it?
Last question: I know that sailing the boat flat makes a huge difference. I don't seem able to do that--I'm usually singlehanding (or with a labrador, who exacerbates the problem by sitting on the leeward bench) and I sail with pretty robust tides and river current. If the breeze is light enough for me keep the boat flat, I'm barely moving through the turbulent water. If it stiffens up enough to have some fun, even with my feet in the straps fully hiked out I'm nowhere near flat--this is when I'm so frustrated with the giant brake of a rudder I'm holding. Is this simply my problem and the rake and helm is fine and the issue is simply that the unballasted daysailer is poorly suited to singlehanding in this location?
The boat's on a mooring and is a pain to haul out, but I'm open to doing so if I understand what I'm trying to do. In the meantime I'm still enjoying sailing her!
Thanks for any input,
Luke