Balance is transmitted to you directly by the rudder-you can feel the turning pressure. Either a slight weather or lee helm can be effectively controlled and a straight course maintained by holding the rudder at a small angle with pressure on the tiller or wheel. When the center of effort is directly above the center of lateral resistance, the helm feels very light, or neutral. If you release the helm when it is in neutral, the boat sails a straight course.

Ideal balance

The most desirable balance to windward is a very slight weather helm. To steer a straight course with weather helm, pull the tiller to windward or turn the wheel to leeward. Set at an angle of 2 to 4 degrees to correct slight weather helm, the rudder actually works with the keel to generate lift like a sail or wing as the boat moves through the water- the boat can actually sail faster and point closer to the wind.

Weather helm also provides an important safety mechanism: If you release the helm, the boat automatically turns into the wind, spills pressure from the wind in the sails, slows down, and then stands upright.

In addition, a slight weather helm increases steering feel and responsiveness. The light pressure from the rudder gives you direct feedback, or feel for the boat's movement and balance. The tendency to point into the wind when the helm is eased makes for lively and responsive steering.

Changing balance

Balance is dynamic. It shifts with wind strength and angle, sail trim and shape, angle of heel, and position of weight. You can adjust many of these variables to fine-tune the helm and improve the overall performance of your boat.

You can raise or lower the centerboard if you have one, change sail trim and shape, move crew weight, and shift the position of your sails by moving the mast. These strategies fall into two major categories: (1) moving the center of effort fore and aft and (2) moving the center of lateral resistance fore and aft.

Centerboard. If your boat has a centerboard, you can use it in combination with sail trim and weight placement to adjust balance. When you raise the centerboard, the boat's center of lateral resistance moves aft, reducing weather helm (Fig. 2).

Shift weight. You can move crew weight to adjust balance. An upright boat presents a neutral, symmetrical shape to the water, but as a boat heels, the hull shape loses its symmetry and forces the boat to turn (Fig. 2). The larger curve on the leeward side pushes the bow to windward, increasing weather helm. The greater the heel, the greater the push to windward.

In addition, the sails and center of effort move outboard as the boat heels. This gives the center of effort more power over the center of lateral resistance and adds weather helm. As the wind builds and weather helm increases, move crew weight to the windward rail to reduce heel and weather helm.

Conversely, if you experience lee helm in light air, shift crew weight to leeward to heel the boat and build weather helm. Remember, make small changes in weight placement and check the effect on your helm each time.

Sail trim. The trim and shape of your sails determine the position of the boat's center of effort. When you feel excessive weather helm through the rudder, the sails' center of effort is too far behind the center of lateral resistance. Moving the center of effort forward reduces weather helm. To do this, either decrease the power of the main or increase that of the headsail. You can ease the mainsheet and boomvang, flatten the sail by tightening outhaul and cunningham, or trim the jib. In high winds, reduce mainsail area with a reef.

You correct lee helm with the opposite strategy: Move the center of effort aft. Trim the mainsheet and boomvang and ease the outhaul and cunningham to increase the main's power. Ease the jib to reduce sail power forward.

If you have a lot of weather helm sailing to windward, check the shape of your mainsail. The draft of a sail tends to move aft in heavy wind. This hooks the trailing edge, or leech, of the sail to windward, increasing weather helm (Fig. 3). To correct this problem, pull the draft forward by tightening the cunningham and flatten the sail by tightening the outhaul. You can also ease the mainsheet and boomvang.

Change the mast rake. You can also change the angle, or rake, of the mast, moving the total sail area, or sail plan, forward or aft (Fig. 3). Raking the mast toward the stern moves the center of effort aft relative to the center of lateral resistance and reduces lee helm. Do this by loosening the headstay and tightening the shrouds and backstay If you have weather helm, rake the mast forward. Always make small adjustments and test the results under sail.

Listen to your helm

As you work to achieve balance, remember your rudder is the best gauge of the boat's performance. Feel the pressure against the tiller, make small, individual adjustments, and monitor their effects. Eventually you'll become more familiar with the characteristics of your boat, and you'll be able to achieve balance and optimum performance quickly and confidently when sailing to windward.