R22 Discussion Group

On Jun 2, 2021, at 5:40 PM, Allyn Baskerville <allynb at adsne.com> wrote:

Hi Allyn,

The pin-to-pin forestay measurement is 27 ft, 9-5/8 inches.  Again, this is the distance from the center of the pin holding the headstay to the masthead toggle to the center of the pin holding the furler assembly to the bow chainplate.  This measurement sets the overall tilt of the mast and it affects the weather helm/lee helm balance of the boat.  Making the forestay longer tilts the mast aft, moves the center of effort (CE) of the sail plan aft, and increases weather helm.  Conversely, making the forestay shorter tilts the mast forward, moves the CE forward, and increases lee helm.  If you think your R-22 has too much weather or lee helm, now is a good time to fix it.  Realistically, you can only change a few inches +/- from the above measurement without running into other issues with your standing rigging, like running out of adjustment on the backstays and lower sidestays.  But, it will have a noticeable effect on your weather helm/lee helm balance.

It’s almost impossible to have neutral helm throughout the wind range.  For example, S/V Dynamic Equilibrium is setup to have neutral helm in light air, slight lee helm once the angle of heel gets > 10 deg, transitioning to neutral helm, and then slight weather helm as the angle of heel increases.  Neutral helm in light air is OK because you’re going so slow you don’t have any steering feel anyway.  Going from slight lee helm to neutral helm back to slight weather helm as the wind speed increases means you are having to use much less rudder correction, which adds drag, and the boat has less tendency to round up in a moderate puff of wind.  But, by the time you are putting the leeward rail in the water, you want weather helm and a tendency to round up in a gust because it’s safer than lee helm or neutral helm.  As you might imagine, it took a lot of hours on the water to fine tune this setup.  But, I’ve owned my R-22 since 1987 and I lived on a lake.  This is how you set the mast up for racing.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

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From: ROGER PIHLAJA<mailto:roger_pihlaja at msn.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 5:57 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] CDI Furler Wire Halyard Snapped - What's at the top?

Allyn,

The measurement you need is from the center of the pin at the masthead to the center of the pin at the bow chain plate.  I’m due to be released from the hospital tomorrow evening.  I am certain I have that measurement written down in my Harken Roller Furling manual because I had to specify it when I ordered the new forestay from Harken.  I upgraded from the CDI furler to a Harken Unit 0 furler many years ago.  The Harken furler has upper and lower swivels in order to take full advantage of a foam luff pad on the genoa.  When I get home, I’ll look up the measurement and forward it to you.

Over the years, I’ve replaced nearly all the standing rigging on my boat.  I like the West Marine rigging service.  Look in the back of their catalog.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

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The Rhodes 22 Discussion Group

ROGER PIHLAJA

CDI Furler Wire Halyard Snapped - What's at the top?