Re: [Paddlewise] Weatherhelm

All these comments on weathercocking, etc.:  I've noticed my Sea Lion does it
when empty.  However, when I'm inside, if I stop paddling in a wind and allow
the boat to reach equilibrium, the hull gradually pivots about my weight and
stabilizes perpendicular to the wind direction.  I don't know what this is
called and I wonder if general design makes a boat do one or another.  (I'm not
complaining:  the pivoting is minor, so it's more a feature than a bug.)

735769 wrote:

> I have received a question off list about the difference between
> weathercocking and weather helm.  Maybe the list will find this helpful.
>
> Weathercocking - To have a tendency to veer in the direction of the wind.
>
> Weather helm - The rudder angle used to counteract the tendency of a boat to
> turn into the wind.
>
> When a boat has "weather helm" it means the boat has a tendency to turn into
> the wind. Thus, if a boat has weather helm  it weathercocks.
>
> People who sail seem to prefer to say the "boat has weather helm" while sea
> kayakers seem more comfortable saying "the boat weathercocks".
>
> I was also asked about the oft quoted 10% increase in drag caused by
> rudders. I wasn't present so can't really comment on the validity of this
> Before doing so or before accepting it as gospel I would want to know the
> rudder area, the area of the boat, if the rudder vibrated  or wobbled in its
> head, if the rudder was locked fore and aft, what kind of surface finish it
> had, what kind of section shape it had, what kind of edge treatment it had
> and if the results reasonably conform to the resistance one would calculate
> using the normally used formulas for calculating resistance.
>
> That information would help in determining the  accuracy of the tank results
> and to what degree one can apply the results to all rudders.
>
> As many have pointed out, the tank measures resistance in a limited range of
> conditions and that can tell you a lot about boats.  It doesn't, however,
> tell the whole story. For example, the rudder may add x% of resistance but
> may reduce the overall effort required to paddle the boat under certain
> conditions. Having heard so many paddlers tell me how much they like their
> rudders I  suspect that rudders are not the great evil that I once thought.
> Of course, I  will get drummed out of the Evangelical Church of Rudderless
> Paddlers for saying that but what the hell. I still feel rudder design could
> improve so maybe I can keep an associate membership in the church. :-)
>
> Cheers,
> John Winters
> Redwing Designs
> Web site address, http://home.ican.net/~735769
>
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