lee/weather helm

   Hi!
Got a Topaz 16CX, brilliant fun!   
However, I have a minor set up issue.  It has slight lee helm on starboard tack and slight weather helm (which I can live with) on port tack.
I have both rudders hard forward against the stocks, so no more adjustment there.
Sailing it single handed with jib and main rigged.
Any ideas?
Gordon

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Multiplex Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Groupie Joined: 02 Mar 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 42	Post Options Post Reply Quote Multiplex Report Post Quote Reply Topic: lee/weather helm Posted: 12 Apr 08 at 12:31pm
	Hi! Got a Topaz 16CX, brilliant fun! However, I have a minor set up issue. It has slight lee helm on starboard tack and slight weather helm (which I can live with) on port tack. I have both rudders hard forward against the stocks, so no more adjustment there. Sailing it single handed with jib and main rigged. Any ideas? Gordon

alstorer Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 02 Aug 07 Location: Cambridge Online Status: Offline Posts: 2899	Post Options Post Reply Quote alstorer Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 12 Apr 08 at 1:58pm
	I'd check your rig alignment is right- you might need to fiddle with your shroud settings. Don't always belive the settings that come with the boat- sometimes there can be suprisinly large differences in shroud length.

Scooby_simon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 02 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2415	Post Options Post Reply Quote Scooby_simon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 12 Apr 08 at 3:08pm
	Do both rudders have the same rake for/aft? Given you have different results on each tack it's pointing at either rudders or different length shrouds!
	Wanna learn to Ski - PM me..

ASok Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Sep 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 739	Post Options Post Reply Quote ASok Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 12 Apr 08 at 4:42pm
	Also check the rudder alignment. Are they both straight when the tiller is held in a central position?

WhitstableToby Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 20 May 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote WhitstableToby Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 12 Apr 08 at 9:17pm
	Had a similar problem on a Hobie Tiger and it turned out that the pre-drilled holes in the rudders were not in the right place when the rudders were compared with each other. The stocks have to be unbolted and then line the rudders up with each other and check if the holes are in the right place. Hobie quicklty replaced the blades, I'm sure Topper will if this is the issue.

Worthy Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Dec 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 511	Post Options Post Reply Quote Worthy Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Apr 08 at 8:04pm
	How much play do you have in your rudders? Lift the back of the boat up on the land and put the rudders down. If you hold the bottom of the rudder blades how much sideways and fore/aft play is there? If it is set up correctly there should be none. It can take time to tighten everything up enough, also padding and, you guessed it, even duck tape on my boat to keep it all stiff!