Okay, Charles, I get it now...
<br>I only mention the jib 'cause, I sometimes forget to sheet it in a little, off the wind, as the apparant wind moves forward. It's kinda a toss up; on the one hand, a hard jib induces lee helm, or reduces weather helm, but on the other, it contributes to burying the bow, which, as you point out, lifts your rudders.
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<br>Like you, I"m a great believer in Rick's logic, regarding CLR/CE and weather helm... in Cat Racing For the 90's, he mentions that, although some truely fast skippers don't agree with him, he feels that on symetrical hulled boats, weather helm is far less valuable than on asymetrical hulled boats, and the drag of the rudders through the water may quite likely make any weather helm a bad thing in symetrical hulled boats.
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<br>I really see his logic clearly when he suggests to look at your crossbar to see if if is centered when the boat is going to weather. Regardless of the "feel" of the tiller, if the ruders aren't straight, then you've got drag, and should adjust your ce/clr accordingly. Rick makes it sound so obviuos!!!
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<br>Good luck with your next attempt, Charles, I wish I could fly along with you!!!<br><br>