Rounding up vs your Old steering

[deniseO30]

I'm very cautious when hit by a gust or and my boat wants to round up. I quickly decide if there is room, no other boat in danger and if the stress on my old edson cable steering can handle the stress.

Most of the time I let her round up, rather then push the limit. If I try to hold the course with very strong effort on the wheel and the boat well heeled over, I sense the cable can't take much more of that so I start making adjustments in the sails, and the next gust is not as bad. Anticipation helps allot too by reading the water. I don't think a new cable (if I could afford it) would last much longer.

Thoughts?

[Hartley18]

FWIW, I think you're doing the right thing, Denise.. Putting more effort on the wheel will only slow the boat down and make the rudder more likely to stall out causing you to lose control completely. I'd be worried about the rudder itself - not the cable.

A better tactic is to try and work out what is causing the excessive weather helm in the first instance. Perhaps you can't dump the main quick enough??

[deniseO30]

It's typical river sailing Here, wham! rounding up in a heartbeat. Yes sometimes it's hard to dump the main with the traveler then the main sheet too if necessary. Oday's have very large rudders too.

[Hartley18]

Denise, from the pic, it looks like your rudder will stall out rather quickly.. Having done a bit of river sailing myself, I know what you mean. Gaps between buildings can be unpredictable at best!!

Forget the traveller - I found that the best thing to do in a gust (especially in a race) is to have someone ready to dump the mainsheet and able to get it back in almost as quickly. The best system I've seen for this is one with "coarse/fine" adjustment for the mainsheet: basically a 2 or 4:1 purchase with a 12:1 or so on the inboard end for getting the mainsheet in hard when it isn't so gusty. It may mean a couple more blocks on the mainsheet, but if it makes life less "interesting", I think it would be worth it..

[deniseO30]

I've a garharuer traveler and mainsheet. it's pretty hefty but the main sheet will scream out when released. double blocks on the trav. and car, what's that 4 to 1? forget. I'd love to have a main sheet control with the 3 blocks on the boom someday.

[Faster]

It does sound like you could use a more powerful tackle on the mainsheet - rope burns suck however you look at it.

But you really should have confidence in your steering gear, and if you're that concerned about the cable, you should have it properly inspected/replaced for peace of mind. In good shape it should be able to withstand any loads you might normally subject it to.

Nothing worse than always being ill-at-ease because you're unsure of your boat and/or its gear when the going gets going - there's usually already enough anxiety to go around without those concerns by then.

[deniseO30]

Thanks Faster, and I'm more likely to err on the side of taking easy too. One reason I don't race my old boat. I agree that the occasional need for more purchase in the main sheet would be nice to have someday like most things.. someday

[tdw]

Denise,
Have you thought about getting a rigger to check your rig tune ? When we first bought Raven she was damn near uncontrollable in a gust. When we had our standing rigging replaced and the rig tuned as part of that exercise, she came back a boat transformed.

[puddinlegs]

Denise, can you post a picture of your mainsheet + traveller?

[deniseO30]

I think this is it from the online catalog.. won't be on the boat for a few days yet.

forget which model I used for the mainsheet. I'm sure it' s only 4 to 1.

TDW I should tune the rig but she's not uncontrollable in a gust. I'm just cautious of my steering cable. A couple of times I did hold her on course but she was heeled awaaaaaaay over fun but pointless imho. I've seen racers that have Catalina 30s break cables in less wind. lately with the better sails I got from Bacon (used) she literally seems like a new boat to me! and handles like a sailboat instead of a slug