Weather Helm

Hi All,
I have sailed other boat types but I am new to Lasers and I went for my first sail/race last weekend. I had a great time, it was really good fun but I must be doing somthing wrong. Going upwind in about 15 to 20 knots I had a truckload of weather helm, any help would be really appreciated.

Seeya
Fatboy

ease the main about 4 inches and hike like hell

keep the boat flat !!!!!!!!!!!! hike harder or ease a bit of main sheet and make sure that you have enough boom vang on (when you are block to block and ease the main the boom should go side ways not up). And heaps of downhaul.

hope it helps

The laser rudder is so small in relation to the boat it only really works when the boat is flat. As other people have said, hike harder and play the main more to keep the boat as flat as you can.

Krycek said:

ease the main about 4 inches and hike like hell

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can you really keep the boat flat in 15-20kts with just 4 inches of ease from block to block??

if so I am even more depressed at what lousy shape I'm in!!!!

It's the feathering thing... easing and steering up. I'm by no means in shape at 6' 0" and 225 lbs. It's the feathering thing that keeps you able to move up wind in breeze. The pinching kills some of the efficency and the easing spills wind off the top part of the sail. It takes practice but it is effective.

knot_moving said:

can you really keep the boat flat in 15-20kts with just 4 inches of ease from block to block??

if so I am even more depressed at what lousy shape I'm in!!!!

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Sure you can just crank the cunningham on more. I find I can often keep block to block if I get enough on. Also helps being relatively fit.

Hi All,
Thanks for the tips, sailed again last weekend and there was a definate improvement upwind.

seeya
fatboy

Another tip I found on here and that works OK is to lift the centre board about 10-15cm. As long as you keep moving, the higher speeds mean you don't have too much lee slip and it seems easier than constantly sheeting in and out when its gusty.
Keep the boat flat AND keep it moving.

abenn said:

Another tip I found on here and that works OK is to lift the centre board about 10-15cm. As long as you keep moving, the higher speeds mean you don't have too much lee slip and it seems easier than constantly sheeting in and out when its gusty.
Keep the boat flat AND keep it moving.

Click to expand...

I find this only really pays if you are stupidly over powered. This is because the Laser foils are so small you need as much in the water as possible. The other thing that will help is to bring your weight back a bit as the centre of effort moves back as it gets windy. You can feel this in that you wont be needing to use the rudder quite so much and the boat feels more balanced and is easier to sail.

Make sure the rudder is all the way down too. It is canted back at its most down position, and even a degree or two of further tilt and you get tons of helm.

Make sure you are vanged on hard, and give a decent sized ease in the puffs. I'm a career pincher, and you just have to resist the urge to pinch too much.

I am small also, and find pulling the board up in 15+ helps as well.

Of course, the biggest thing is to Hike Hike Hike!

Weather helm - I've heard that before, what's weather helm?

Weather helm upwind is mostly caused by a loose outhaul. If the foot of your sail is too deep, the leach will only want you to head up because it's effectively further off the wind (more on a reach) than the front of the sail, so the back edge of the sail is 'oversheeted', hence the tiller extension is around your ear trying to bear away!

In 15-20kn the sail should be 3/4 inches from the boom depending how big you are. Keep the boat flat and you'll find you only have to move the tiller a few inches either side of the traveller cleat to steer over waves etc.

Hope this helps.

Thanks heaps to all who have replied. I have had two sails now since I put my question up on the forum. I have lots to think about from all your tips and have no doubts that I have improved upwind.

Fatboy

One aspect of weather helm that has not been mentioned is the effect of rudder angle. The rule allows a rake of 78deg. When I measured my new rudder mine was way off and I got a big improvement in helm by getting it exactly to 78deg.( by filing off some of the head where it hits the stock.) I think that when they make the foils they set them up so that they are not too close to the 78 deg. (and this out of class), but this will make the helm heavier. When I did it to mine it moved the rudder tip ~1 1/2inches.