What is the purpose of the mast base safety pin? Is it only used during stepping of the mast, or is it kept in at all times?
Would it prevent a de-masting if turtled?
Also, are you SC-17 sailors able to get weather helm by raking the mast back? Just would like the boat to turn upwind if no one is at the tiller.
thanks,
Jon
Mast Base Safety Pin, SC-17
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Matt Haberman
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Jon,
The mast base pin serves several purposes and should be left in place when sailing. The two main purposes is that it keeps that mast on the ball when steping the mast and second it keeps the mast on the ball when using the single handed righting system / shroud extender.
Two things you can look at to change the feel of the tiller are toe-in on the rudders and mast rake. The leading edge of the rudders should be slightly toed-in, say 1/16 - 1/8" compared to the trailing edge.
Mast rake should start of at approx. 5 degrees compared to the deck of the hull (just in front of the forward beam). You can go forward or back from there to affect the weather helm.
The mast base pin serves several purposes and should be left in place when sailing. The two main purposes is that it keeps that mast on the ball when steping the mast and second it keeps the mast on the ball when using the single handed righting system / shroud extender.
Two things you can look at to change the feel of the tiller are toe-in on the rudders and mast rake. The leading edge of the rudders should be slightly toed-in, say 1/16 - 1/8" compared to the trailing edge.
Mast rake should start of at approx. 5 degrees compared to the deck of the hull (just in front of the forward beam). You can go forward or back from there to affect the weather helm.
Thanks Matt,
good tips. I noticed today in 10 knot wind that there was weather helm when on a starboard tack, but (what's the opposite of weather helm, lee?) the opposite when on a port tack. The only things i could think of were a shorter shroud on the starboard side, or a rudder raked differently on the port.
Jon
good tips. I noticed today in 10 knot wind that there was weather helm when on a starboard tack, but (what's the opposite of weather helm, lee?) the opposite when on a port tack. The only things i could think of were a shorter shroud on the starboard side, or a rudder raked differently on the port.
Jon
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Matt Haberman
- Administrator
- Posts: 602
- Joined: November 10th, 2003, 8:22 pm
- Location: Minnesota
- Contact:
Jon,
If you have weather helm on Starboard and Lee Helm on Port tack you probably won't be able to cure it by rigging changes. There is a 99.9% chance that the problem has to do with one or both of the rudders being assymetrical.
Take a straight edge and lay it on the side of the rudder so it is running fore and aft. Compare what you see with regards to the foil section from one side to the other. My bet is that you will see a "Cup" or Concave shape on the port side of the rudder while the starboard side will look compartivly convex or "bulged" towards the trailing edge.
It can be fixed by filling, sanding and fairing the profile so both sides are symmetrical. It can also be a very touchy process where only a few mil's difference in paint thickness will affect the feel of the helm. If this sounds like too much to take on, give us a call and we might be able to rework the rudders during the off season.
You should also check the pivot hole in the center of the rudder to make sure it isn't wore out. It should fit the pivot bolt closely, but if it is wore out, it could also be attributing to your weather/lee helm problems.
If you have weather helm on Starboard and Lee Helm on Port tack you probably won't be able to cure it by rigging changes. There is a 99.9% chance that the problem has to do with one or both of the rudders being assymetrical.
Take a straight edge and lay it on the side of the rudder so it is running fore and aft. Compare what you see with regards to the foil section from one side to the other. My bet is that you will see a "Cup" or Concave shape on the port side of the rudder while the starboard side will look compartivly convex or "bulged" towards the trailing edge.
It can be fixed by filling, sanding and fairing the profile so both sides are symmetrical. It can also be a very touchy process where only a few mil's difference in paint thickness will affect the feel of the helm. If this sounds like too much to take on, give us a call and we might be able to rework the rudders during the off season.
You should also check the pivot hole in the center of the rudder to make sure it isn't wore out. It should fit the pivot bolt closely, but if it is wore out, it could also be attributing to your weather/lee helm problems.