Rig tuning a 40' cutter

[Ian McColgin]

I don't understand Brian Duff's response. Normally moving the center of sail effort aft increases weather helm.

I am not a big advocate of fooling about with mast rake to solve a weather or lee helm problem until one is sure that the boat is floating correctly fore and aft. Many boats with a rep for wicked weather helm are really just a bit down at the head. Since water is ever so much denser than air, it takes less movement of lateral resistance to get near balance than it would moving the sail area. Both are important, but think of hull trimming ballast as the coarse adjustment and sail fore and aft as fine.