Electric Toilets Dept Blog: Maintaining Good Boat Balance
Good Boat Balance Comes From Listening to Your Helm
Raritan Engineering Company your electric toilets specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to maintain good boat balance.
When I’m running clinics, and even at regattas, I often see teams that are struggling with the amount of helm they’re carrying. It even happens occasionally on my boat. With excessive helm, the driver is working against the boat’s natural course.
What contributes to excessive helm? There are three main factors:
1. Sail trim
2. Boat balance/heel
3. Centerboard position
A boat sailing to windward in a strong breeze may feel as if it is traveling on rails, being pushed or pulled straight ahead by a single driving force, but this is not the case.
Achieving a proper balance of these forces makes a boat faster, easier to sail, and more responsive. But what are the forces involved? What is their proper balance, and how do you achieve it?
Sail Trim
Generally speaking, if you understand the concept of how the sails affect the way the boat goes through the water, you are already ahead of the game. For many, we do understand, but we don’t always use the sails to help us listen to the helm.
See your choice of electric toilets here at Raritan Engineering, where we always take care of your marine sanitation supply needs.
On a boat that is “mainsail driven,” such as Interlakes, Lightnings or Etchells, we need to focus more on the mainsail, as it contributes most to the helm. Your marine toilets experts talk about how on smaller boats, some remove the mainsheet cleats, forcing themselves to hold onto the mainsheet, constantly adjusting the main as it relates to the amount of helm. I have a mainsheet clean and always will—just my style.
Ideal balance
The most desirable balance to windward is a very slight weather helm. To steer a straight course with weather helm, pull the tiller to windward or turn the wheel to leeward. Set at an angle of 2 to 4 degrees to correct slight weather helm, the rudder actually works with the keel to generate lift like a sail or wing as the boat moves through the water- the boat can actually sail faster and point closer to the wind.
Weather helm also provides an important safety mechanism: If you release the helm, the boat automatically turns into the wind, spills pressure from the wind in the sails, slows down, and then stands upright.
In addition, a slight weather helm increases steering feel and responsiveness. Your marine toilets suppliers talk about how the light pressure from the rudder gives you direct feedback, or feel for the boat's movement and balance. The tendency to point into the wind when the helm is eased makes for lively and responsive steering.
So don't forget these great tips for maintaining good boat balance. 1) Make sure that you understand the concept of how the sails affect the way the boat goes through the water; 2) for a straight course with weather helm, pull the tiller to windward or turn the wheel to leeward; and 3) remember that a slight weather helm increases steering feel and responsiveness.
A woman who was on a boat with her family helped an osprey to get up in the air
This is not a usual rescue story, but something we don’t get to witness every day. A hawk in trouble that was happy to stumble upon just the right people who didn’t think twice before offering help.
While on a boat trip ride, Cindy and her family noticed the bird that was struggling to take a flight, but it was way to exhausted to be able to take off and reach the sky. They came closer to the hawk and were ready to help.
The bird was standing still at the middle of the water, not knowing what to do. Then Cindy got the idea of handing the oar to the poor bird in hopes it will be able to reach it and get on it.
This was an amazing experience for the people on the boat, so they shared it online and many praised Cindy’s act. Take a look at the unusual rescue scene below.
Raritan’s Marine Products Legacy
For more than fifty years, Raritan has been meeting our customers’ needs for outstanding service and product reliability establishing ourselves as “the most dependable name on the water.” Our customers continue to be our focus, and the primary source of the ideas for our new marine products and product enhancements. The median length of service for Raritan employees is about twenty years, an unusual number in the fast-changing world we live and work in. It is a measure of the dedication of the men and women who design, manufacture, distribute and support Raritan’s marine products. Visit our website today for the best quality electric toilets in the marine sanitation industry.
via Listen to your helm for boat balance
via Balance Your Helm For Speed
via A woman who was on a boat with her family helped an osprey to get up in the air
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