[C320-list] Steering Friction

[Dennis Cookson]

Hello Jack,

Thanks indeed for the helpful tips and observations below. Certainly no offence taken by me as it’s always useful to hear what other 320 owners have found useful and you are obviously doing a lot of things well in terms of sail trim and balance. I can see that I need to pay more attention to flattening the main in stronger winds. As mentioned I would typically have set a reef in such conditions, which would ensure that the outhaul is well tensioned but I tend to ignore the traveler, which is awkward to use on my boat due to the cam cleats fitted forward of the spray hood. I can’t release them without going around the hood each time.

I suspect that I may be over-reefing the genoa too, which would reduce lee helm and so increase weather helm. My genoa is marked with indicative reefing points for first and second stage reefing but I suspect that they don’t really mean much, and don’t match up with the two reefing positions for the main. 

One question: you refer to your headsail as a jib - do you mean that it is actually a relatively small sail, ie not overlapping the mast? That puzzles me as it would tend to result in increased weather helm under full main sail, would it not?   I believe that my standard headsail is a 135% genoa which together with an unreefed main would surely result in less weather helm than a non-overlapping jib?

I agree with you that the 320 is a great boat. I just need to understand it better so I can handle it optimally under the conditions I find myself sailing in!   

Regards,
Dennis Cookson
Catalina 0577, 1999


> On 19 Oct 2023, at 02:56, Jack Brennan via C320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi all:
> 
> Just trying to think out loud here. Not trying to offend or question anyone about their abilities and their boats.
> 
> I suppose I’m one of the lucky ones because my 320 behaves really well without any genius input from me. I just set the sails and everything goes well. The EV 100 mostly handles things, except in really tough conditions, and I think this is the best boat I’ve ever owned.
> 
> But, reading comments from other owners, I suspect there are other factors that can make individual boats more difficult to handle. What they are, I have no idea. So I suppose I’m posting this to start a speculative discussion on what that could be.
> 
> First, my wheel turns very easily, even with the EV-100 wheel pilot (and the wheel latch down). If this doesn’t happen on your boat, it obviously is either something in the autopilot or something in the rudder/shaft/quadrant/cable. That is where I would start.
> 
> I oil the chain and cable regularly. I’ve also made sure that nothing is catching on it. I run a rag along the cable to make sure no strands are breaking. Do you have your bottom cleaned regularly? Could barnacles be making the wheel difficult to turn?
> 
> If it turns easily but is hard to handle under sail, there are a number of places to look.
> 
> Sails and rigging have been talked about as the most obvious source of problems. Another, if you have the EV-100, is the placement of the digital compass. Is it level? Is metal too close? I replaced the connector to the motor because it wasn’t providing enough juice to turn the wheel.
> 
> One place to start is to sail the 320 under jib only. On my boat, it is impossible to struggle under jib only in any conditions under 25 knots. No matter whether I did a crappy or good job of setting the jib, it will sail with the wheel almost straight up. Speed is the only issue.
> 
> I have a loose-footed main. Normally, I have a small belly in the main. I try to keep the main spoke straight up, adjusting the traveler as winds get up. I set the jib so the tell tales are straight back, then adjust the main to mirror the jib’s shape.
> 
> No genius there.
> 
> Maybe it’s a good idea to review some of the basics. Tension the outhaul until the sail reaches the black stripe on the boom. After raising the main, tension the boom vang and, obviously, let go the topping lift. I consider adjusting the jib track to be a good deed but, frankly, I don’t always do it.
> 
> What other ideas are out there? I obviously don’ have a monopoly on wisdom here. But it seems like we should be able to figure it out. I really do believe the 320 is a great boat.
> 
> Jack Brennan
> Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
> Tierra Verde, Fl.
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