Donald wrote:
I've got some difficulty trying to imagine sailing in 25 kts (30
app.) with
the helm lashed.

Katysails wrote:
We couldn't either. I think it's a crab crusher thing, not a fin
keel thing...Chanteuse
wouldn't like it at all....


Yes, it would depend on the boat. Modern light weight boats with most
of the stability from the fairly wide beam, fin keel and spaderudder
are not suited to be sailed without continuos corrections of the
rudder.
My boat sails itself well in 25 knots if closehauled. I don't even
have to lash the helm (Wheel). The ability to act this way is normally
sacrificed for extra speed. Boatdesign is always a compromise.
In some cases you can balance the boat by oversheeting the jib a bit
or letting a bit out on the traveller (main) keeping the main flat and
without to much twist - but it will probably only work if the boat
are reasonably well balanced and has a bit of directional stability.


"katysails" skrev i en meddelelse
...
Donal stated: Maybe my boat is a bit lighter than most??? I really
cannot see myself
trusting a lashed helm with 30 kts over the deck.

We couldn't either. I think it's a crab crusher thing, not a feep fin
keel thing...Chanteuse wouldn't like it atall....

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should
relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein