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STOP WEATHER HELM?


shy thunder

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Stop Weather Helm?

Well I mean stop the tiller being wrenched out of your hand due to the rake you now carry producing weather helm.

How?

MOve the bottom tips of the rudder blades forward.

This can be done three ways the most popular first etc.

1. Most boats at the nationals and NSW state titles have the blade "undercut" this means where the blade contacts the front of the rudder box fibre glass is removed to allow the blade tip to travel forward that assists with neutralisation of the helm pressure by placeing some of this force on the forward side of the pivot line run down from the pintle pin.

2. Redrill the pivot hole of the blade to do the same thing, this can be done not as many times or you will end up with a swiss cheese of a blade so it has to be right first time or you weaken the blade.

3. Pack out the top fitting on the hull to change the angle, this is very hard as most of the boats are older and the corrsion between the stainless steel machine screw and the "alloy plate" inside the hull cannot be broken so caution if attempting this way of doing things.

Big question now, "how much to undercut?"

Always start with alittle removal of "glass" at a time and ensure both blades are raked the same when finished and trialled.

5-8mm at a time best if you have no others available to look at in your area.

cheers

d.

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There is a very big difference between cutting the blades under at the bottom of the case and the method involving packing the case out at the top.

By cutting the rudder under at the bottom of the case you are moving the blade further forward of the pivot point whilst maintaining the same axis. If you pack the case at the top you are changing the axis the blade turns through. Both will work but will have different effects depending on the rest of the boat setup.

ie if you have weather helm upwind but lee helm downwing you might be better to pack the rudder case at the bottom of the case out a little and then pack the top of the case a bit, this will even the helm out a bit.

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