Hobie's "One Size Fits All" Practice on Critical Components PeteCress wrote:
chadbach wrote:
I wish I knew how everyone is getting this weather helm... I typically sail in 5-10 mph winds with gusts around 15 mph, I usually experience slight lee helm and some balanced helm. The only time that I've ever experienced weather helm was in strong gusts or strong winds (I'm guessing 15+ mph), or weirdly enough, if I pull up the rudder. I could very well be doing something wrong, but I don't know what... I've tried everything that I can think of, now I just accept it.
My experience is similar.
I am guessing that strong-enough gusts bend the mast in a way that moves the sail's CE aft.
Weather helm = Good.... The last thing you want is a boat that turns off the wind unattended. You want it to weathervane.
CB, you are never going to get any weather helm in winds "5-10 mph." On my TI, I was getting weather helm at steady following winds of 12-13 mph. We were loaded with maybe 500# camping gear and people--that makes a difference. On my AI 2, I get weather helm at about 16-17 mph w/ full sail out--I'm willing to furl the sail a turn or so at 16 mph to avoid it.
PC says, "Weather helm = Good...", but
only if you don't have to fight it a lot with the tiller.
This is another case of Hobie's "one size fits all." They have
1 size aka brace shear pin, and it is supposed to
serve well the the 2007-2014 AI, the 2015-2016 AI 2, and the tandem. I don't think that makes sense. Now, we have the
large sailing rudder. It was introduced for the 2010 Tandem and the 2011 AI. It is still in use for the Tandem and, now, the 2015 AI 2. You have to wonder how one rudder would
serve properly such a wide variety of boats. The fact is that rudder does not serve all boats well. My 2011 had no weather helm, even with the sail out full. My AI 2 has weather helm up around 16-17 mph when fully loaded for camping. My TI experienced weather helm at 12-13 mph winds when loaded with 500#, maybe a bit more.
Keith