Readers ask: What Causes Lee Helm?
The root cause of lee helm is when the center of pressure exerted by the wind on the sails falls too far forward of the center of resistance of the hull—the natural point at which the hull tries to pivot. This tends to push the bow of the boat away from the wind.
How do you correct lee helm?
You correct lee helm with the opposite strategy: Move the center of effort aft. Trim the mainsheet and boomvang and ease the outhaul and cunningham to increase the main’s power. Ease the jib to reduce sail power forward. If you have a lot of weather helm sailing to windward, check the shape of your mainsail.
How do you stop weather helm?
Five Steps You Can Take to Reduce Weather Helm
- Increase weight to windward. Move your crew to windward to reduce heeling and flatten the boat.
- Ease the mainsheet and Genoa sheets.
- Slide the mainsheet car to leeward.
- Move Genoa sheet blocks aft.
- Reduce sail area (reefing; smaller headsail).
What causes Weatherhelm?
Sailing off the wind, weather helm may be caused by the imbalance due to fore-and-aft sails all being sheeted out on the same (leeward) side of the boat. As weather helm requires pulling the rudder through the water at an angle to the intended course, it produces drag and impedes the boat’s progress through the water.
What is helm sailing?
Helm – A tiller or wheel and any associated equipment for steering a ship or boat. Ours is a wheel and we let our passengers take the helm at times during the cruise.
What is the difference between weather helm and lee helm?
Lee helm is the tendency of a sailboat to turn away from the wind while under sail. It is the opposite of weather helm which is the tendency of a sailboat to “round up” into the wind.
How did ships begin to sail into the wind?
On a sailboat, wind blowing against the boat at an angle inflates the sail, and it forms a similar foil shape, creating a difference in pressure that pushes the sail perpendicular to the wind direction.
What is feathering in sailing?
Feathering means sailing by angle of heel instead of maintaining a constant angle to the wind as indicated to the headsail telltales. If steering upwind when a puff hits, let the boat head up slowly to balance the helm and maintain a constant angle of heel.
Which way is leeward?
In sailing terminology, windward means “upwind,” or the direction from which the wind is blowing. An island’s windward side faces the prevailing, or trade, winds, whereas the island’s leeward side faces away from the wind, sheltered from prevailing winds by hills and mountains.
What is standing rigging on a sailboat?
Standing rigging comprises the fixed lines, wires, or rods, which support each mast or bowsprit on a sailing vessel and reinforce those spars against wind loads transferred from the sails.
What is CLR sailing?
The Center of Lateral Resistance (CLR) is the geometrical center of the yacht while in the water.” All I can say is, “WHUUH!”, muy importante stuff. So what does this all mean is layman’s terms? Basically, there are forces acting on a boat above the water; the wind flows on either side of the sail, causing lift.
What does hard a’lee mean?
hard-a-lee. The situation of the tiller when it brings the rudder hard over to windward. Strictly speaking, it only relates to a tiller which extends forward from the rudder-head; now many extend aft, in which case the order remains the same, but the tiller and rudder are both brought over to windward.
What part of the boat is the helm?
The definition of helm is the steering part of a boat, or a leadership role. An example of a helm is where the captain steers the ship. An example of a helm is the role of guiding a group through a difficult time. (nautical) The steering gear of a ship, especially the tiller or wheel.
What does it mean to sail by the lee?
What is sailing by the lee? “ Sailing downwind with the wind blowing over the leeward side of the boat.” L-36.com. Think of sailing by the lee as “bearing off past dead downwind.” The shroud telltales will point away from the mast.
