[Paddlewise] modification to reduce weathercocking

Ken wrote:


I was out in a wind that blew from my starboard aft quarter a few days ago,


and had to paddle several miles at that attitude.  It required constant


correction to overcome a persistant weather cocking tendency...SNIP...Before I
undertake this correction, which involves structural work to the boat, I'd
like to hear any arguments against


the idea, especially regarding the possibility of some other adverse steering



problem I might create.





Hello Ken and Paddlewise,


there are lots of factors here: 


What is the design load of the boat and what load did you have in it;
underloaded boats will not be tracking right.


Trim; if your boat is down by the bow, the bow will have more "bite" and
consequently the stern will be high and trying to overtake the bow.You can
test the above points by temporarily ballasting your boat, using water sacks.



Wave action; if wave action is lifting the stern out of the water and strong
wind is hitting the rear quarter, it will try to weathercock whatever you've
done to the keel.


For one thing I would play around with ballast and trim before considering any
major (possibly adverse) alterations to the boat, for another, the keel acting
as a skeg at the bow is an advantage in most situations, pity to lose it.


Cheers,


Kevin D





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