Hmm. Interesting. I have always set my boats to self-steer on a
slight weather helm.

This has little bearing on the "serious" problem Donal felt he was having at
the helm, now does it?
I'm sure Donal will come back and explain how gusty the conditions were! Big
surprise!

RB

I'd love a sailing locality with steady, uniform winds,
rather than funnels, flukes, bounces and reversals of my home
ground. We were just unaware that Donal's cruising grounds were
so uniform.

I'd love to see a helm on a properly trimmed boat that acts like there's a
"serious" problem!
Bwahahahahaha!
Sometimes trolling with the truth works best!

Goodnight taddy!

RB

So are you saying that a smaller rudder is always better? Would you advise everyone to
downsize their rudder?

"CANDChelp" wrote in message
...
No, not what I was saying. Moving from a powerful/big rudder to a
small rudder leads to differences in response,

Taddy, PLEASE read what Donal wrote again. He indicated "difficulty" with the
rudder and helm. He also mentions the "small rudder" which clearly shows he
thinks this was the whole problem. The 31 will steer with a feather touch when
trimmed correctly.
He did not say he had problems coming through a tack, or through heavy chop, or
being overpowered.
Furthermore, the idiot writes...

"I thought that there was a serious
problem with the wheel steering. "

A "SERIOUS" problem??? Bwahahahahaha! Okay, Taddy!

RB

Would you advise everyone to
downsize their rudder?

Lose the rudder and steer with your sails. CLEARLY that's where I was going
with this!

Bwahahahahahaha!

RB

CANDChelp wrote:

We just assumed that there would always be
gusts.

Why? You've never had steady conditions? What type of gusts does it take to
overpower you into a wrestling match with the helm?

RB

The only steady conditions I've ever sailed in are light light
airs in summer, where one could die from boredom, and rainy days
on Sydney Harbour long ago. The rest of the time is described in
http://www.ace.net.au/schooner/mlakes.htm and can be checked via
the Oz Bureau of Meteorology. The landlocked portions of my
sailing grounds have the sort of funnels, backdrafts and odd
eddies that one expects in landlocked areas with a good oceanic
breeze coming in. I'm sure you must have even worse close in to
high-rise areas.

Wrestling matches with the helm: here are some, although I grant
most are racing in Flying Tadpole II: wind funnelled through
gullies off land to blast across narrow portions of the lower
Murray river. One makes use of these ot pass the less brave, who
let their sheets go in panic (as I did until I got my local
knowledge). 40knot gusts in a 30knot wind. 180 degree wind
shifts with no pause at force 5-6(-7). Backdraft off cliffs in
narrows where the boat _must_ be kept on track.

Again: I don't "wrestle with the helm" on Lady Kate because the
small rudder makes it unproductive: one wrestles with the sheets,
traveller, snotter instead.
--
Flying Tadpole

-------------------------
Learn what lies below the waves of cyberspace!
http://www.internetopera.netfirms.com

With sails set properly (ie, furled and set in their covers), I can walk
away
from the helm of Ghost or Alien
without locking the wheel. If you're fighting the wheel in reasonable
conditions, you need a sailing lesson.
Sorry.

Good post, Skitch! care to dispute it?

Bwahahahaha!

RB

No. Glad to see you confirm it. Thanks.

Bwahahahaha!

RB

No. Glad to see you confirm it. Thanks.

You should still engage autopilot or lock if available.

RB

Again: I don't "wrestle with the helm" on Lady Kate because the
small rudder makes it unproductive: one wrestles with the sheets,
traveller, snotter instead.

So you agree that Donal needed to trim.
Thanks.

RB

Why not just leave the docklines on and use your imagination?

When you get a boat, you'll understand these things. For now you can keep up
your subscription to Cruising World!

RB

"CANDChelp" wrote in message
...
Hmm. Interesting. I have always set my boats to self-steer on a
slight weather helm.

This has little bearing on the "serious" problem Donal felt he was having
at
the helm, now does it?
I'm sure Donal will come back and explain how gusty the conditions were!
Big
surprise!

I will explain .... later!!! In the meantime, I'm having far too much fun
watching you making a complete idiot of yourself. You are doing a much
better job than usual. Top marks!




Regards


Donal
--