Eva Posted July 1, 2003 Report Share Posted July 1, 2003 When sailing to weather, I have to pull on the tiller MORE than slightly to make the boat go straight - in fact pulling on the tiller takes all my energy, so much so I can't even THINK of getting out on the wire. Have any other Maricat owners experienced this problem, or is it just me? Any suggestions please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HooD Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 Maricats seem to be highly sensitive when it comes to rudder rake, and weather helm. you have to make sure that when the rudders are locked down there is absolutley no slack in the tied down rope, even 1mm can make a huge difference. If your still having preblems, replace the tie down ropes with vectran rope, it has a very low stretch factor. If pain still persists, take the rudders off the boat, and drill some new holes to allow the rudders to tuck under the back of the boat. Cheers Darren Lauderdale Yacht Club www.lyc.catsailor.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HooD Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 If you want to know the in and outs of a maricat, we have an ex aust champ in the club, give him an email pete@lyccat.net he loves to chat about the mighty mari's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shy thunder Posted October 13, 2003 Report Share Posted October 13, 2003 TO BEAT WEATHER HELM YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE TIPS OF THE RUDDER BLADES FORWARD ABOUT 40MM OF A LINE DRAWN DOWN FROM HE PINTLE PIN, THIS PLACES SOME OF THE EFFORT ON THE FORWARD SIDE OF THE PIVOT (SKIPPER'S SIDE), GO SLOW, A BIT AT A TIME. EASIER TO FILE SOME OF THE FRONT EDGE OFF THE BLADE WHERE IT CONTACTS THE CASTING. CHEERS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shy thunder Posted October 13, 2003 Report Share Posted October 13, 2003 EVA ALSO CHECK OUT YHE MARICAT NSW WEBSITE FOR TIPS DAVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmessee Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Weather helm can be decreased by raking the rudders forward under the boat - just how far is a bit of trial and error. To start with, have both rudders locked down tight and sight across the two to see if they have the same rake to begin with. If one rudder is trailing slightly, release the down lock and bump the rudder forward into the rudder box so that it leaves a dark mark from the aluminium casting on the rudder. With a course file or rasp, file off the dark marks and repeat this procedure as long as necessary while locking the rudder down occasionally to compare the rake with the other rudder. When the rudder is adjusted sufficiently forward, lock it down and do the same to the other rudder until it comes forward to line up with the first rudder. I suggest a maximum of 10 mm adjustment at any one time (measured at the leading edge of the bottom of the rudder) then test the boat on the water. The other way is to pack out the top rudder mounting on each stern of the boat but remember that there is a s/s bolt into an aluminium casting and very few of these like to be removed. (from the Maricat website http://users.bigpond.net.au/graham_heap/index_maricat.html) I have just filed mine as I have recently bought a boat the needs plenty of loving. I still have some more to do as I have a little helm still pulling against me, but it is 100% better. Good luck. Bring your boat to the state titles over easter and get all the tuning tips and tricks you could ever want. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl J Barrett Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 WEATHER helm is caused by the centre of effort of the sails being to far behind the centre of lateral resistance of the hulls, HEAVY helm is when the helm is as it sounds HEAVY. Heavy helm is always caused by the way that the rudders are set up in relation to a line carried down through the rudders from the two pivot points of the rudder system (pivot at the pintles/gudgeons). to balance the rudders there should be a percentage of the blade forward of that pivot point.If that percentage is to great the tiller can literally be ripped out of your hands either pointing up or bearing away. Weather helm is caused by a number of things. If the mast is extremely "aft" raked the centre of effort of the sails are moved astern and will apply considerable sidesway pressure on the rudders resulting in the boat wanting to "round up" to wind ward. If a boat is relatively well balanced and the crew (particularly on trapeze) take their weight well forward of the mast step, thereby depressing the bow and lifting the transom, the bow shape moving through the water will resist much better any sides way, "off wind" movement but the stern will have little resistance to that same pressure except for the rudders and the result is that the boat will want to round up to windward. The same applies if the weight is to far aft, the bows will want to bear away. Sometimes sailing on a high reach, weather helm can be induced simply by oversheeting the main with the traveller too central, and at times by oversheeting the main without an equivelent balance on the jib (if sloop rigged). An old training course that was taught some years ago was that before you were issued with a pass for the course you had to sail around a triangular course on a sloop rigged boat WITHOUT rudders and/or centre boards. The principle being simply, to bear away ease the main, sheet on the jib, to point up ease the jib, sheet on the main. The rest was done by useing the movable ballast (the crew) at the correct position on the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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