Since some people reading this forum are new to sailing, or at least new to cat sailing, I think it bears stating that the primary way to adjust helm pressure is by the position of the traveler car. Many newer sailors leave the car centered or close to it most of the time, even when off the wind. They then 'trim' the sails by the mainsheet tension only, sheeting out farther when off the wind. This creates heavy windward helm due to a big mismatch in the Cl and Clr. You can't really adjust the Clr but you can adjust the Cl with the mainsail. The solution is to ease the traveler out and sheet in the main. Of course you want a little wind helm, but any more that a little and the boat is fighting the rudders and going slower.
On a non-spin boat I would use traveller and main downwind to get the right twist going for speed. I would also drop it when first turning downwind to speed up the turn. I've never adjusted it for helm pressure.
So who on a 2 person spin boat out there drops the traveller at all other than as an emergency dump valve or last depowering move in big big wind?
We leave the traveller centered upwind and down wind on the Tiger - occasionally playing it a few inchs downwind in big puffs to avoid turning down too far and dropping the windward hull down. Upwind it's a rare day we travel down at all - there are so many other depowering moves to make first of all.
As far as helm pressure goes isn't mast and rudder rake a better adjustment? Well designed modern cats carrying their normal complement of sails and typical mast/rudder rake seem have have very little weather helm - compared to some Hobie 16's I've sailed
Chris.
