| Handling and boat balance
on the
C250 may benefit from some increased lateral resistance aft as
witnessed
by the effects of raking the center board aft. I decided to add a
test skeg made from dense foam which is fastened to the hull bottom
with
3M spray adhesive. Admittedly, I made another modification (balancing the rudder) at the same time and cannot be sure to what degree the skeg contributes. What can be said is that the two mods combined produced great handling gains in that rudder torque was brought into check and a problem with pulling out of rudder lock turns was eliminated. Those two problems eliminated the use of my autopilot in any thing beyond light conditions. Following the two mods, the autopilot will handle almost anything the boat will throw at it with the exception of a very strong quartering sea where it cannot anticipate setting the rudder to vane to the oncoming swell.  |
 The skeg is not large. It was never finished properly (glassed) but remains looking as it did when first installed. If it falls off or deteriorates and is removed.... then perhaps I will then be able to critique what effects it offered. With the difficulties of turning out of rudder lock turns solved... I've been hesitant to remove the skeg. When I tested the 3rd generation rudder, an aft portion of the skeg had to be cut off to give clearance for the balanced portion of the rudder. Not liking the rudder, it won't be used and this left me wondering about the remaining portion of the skeg. I seem to have lost a little tracking stability with the removal of the most aft and thickest portion of the skeg. My plans are to remove it and observe any further differences in handling characteristics. If any further significant loss is observed, my thought is to try twin small skegs. These would be constructed with asymmetrical foils and set far enough outboard that when heeled, the windward skeg will lift from the water. The leeward skeg will then produce an unopposed windward lift to counter the yaw of the C250 when she heels. A racer wouldn't consider adding wetted surface... but a cruisers needs are somewhat different. Asymmetrical skegs would likely reduce or eliminate increasing weather helm caused by heeling and at the same time, provide increased lift to weather while heeling. Good tracking and a heeling forgivness zone while the helm is in control of the pilot are important. And... I've discovered that the small skegs can be added very simply by glueing on with spray adhesive. They stay on and hold up well. This wouldn't be true for a slipped boat however, they would foul and be too soft to clean unless they were glassed. |