I have been sailing/racing my I-17R since spring 2000. I have adjusted my rudders between neutral (no weather helm) going to weather and having "some" weather helm. In both modes, I experience some lee helm after raising the spinnaker. The amount seems minimal. I prefer the neutral setting going to weather...there are times I want to set the helm down to do something else. Under these conditions, I can set the helm down going downwind and not suffer significant change in speed or direction, although I try to minimize the time that I am not holding the tiller. I always let the tiller go when taking the spinnaker down, usually very close to the leeward mark. The I-17R behaves beautifiully all around the race course! In my 23 years of racing catamarans, 19 years on single-handed Catamarans, nothing is as much fun to sail as the I-17R!
Regarding Tom's comments on the new rudders, I would like to have the new rudders also! Although I have had my rudders stall, I have been able to get them to re-attach by oscillating the tiller. I think they would help with coming out of tacks, too (anytime the boat is going very slowly). We should contact Performance and get it made Class legal. Just join the I-17R Class first...they are the only ones who get a vote! Membership runs from 1-Jan thru 31-Dec, no matter when you join!
