Hi everyone, I've found that when my chute is up the boat REALLY wants to turn toward the sail. I have to steer to windward in order to keep the boat from turning and as a result the rudders are generating a ton of turbulence, drag and noise.

The rudder alignment is straight on and I still have this problem even with the daggerboards down.

I do not have any problems with the helm sailing upwind or without the chute.

I was told to rake the mast way back but it's back as far as it will go!

Any ideas? I'm using an I-20 chute.

Thanks

Are you keeping the traveller near centered with a nice tight leech?

Yeah, I am! I'm starting to wonder if I've over-raked the mast? I'm going to check it tomorrow. I'm told that I should rake back to the transom, if not a bit further.

rake your rudders forward, worked with my express.

Interesting idea.

you also have to re-drill the rudder pivot holes a half inch forward

Rake the rudders, and pull UP the boards about half way, not down.

;-)

Been there, done this.

It's hard to see but in the avatar, that my old 6.0 was spin rigged in the pic.

It was sporting my homemade, tube-like snuffer. That snuffer worked really well. Never hung too low and got soaked like a bag down so low, etc. It was mid pole, (after my e-o hoop got dragged down in heavy seas.)

Relaunching my N6 NA this weekend with all new Calverts. Unfortunately had to get an all new mast too. Will be ready Friday. Building a pole set up for the screecher next week. I have ended up replacing almost all of the blocks/ ropes/ lines etc etc. It looks absolutely cherry and i cannot wait. Probably should have bought an inter for the amount of dough piled in but gotta love ebay/ Craigs for Harken and Ronstan.
Looking to correspond with similar old/ new N6 boat afflicted folks here in Texas. Thanksgiving Week will be spent off Galveston on it so if any of you are around....

Not sure if you ever figured out the leeward steering problem but one quick fix is to pull both daggerboards up halfway and then drop the windward board down until the boat steers properly. As mentioned by others also rake the mast back and rudders forward by redrilling. On another topic, when sailing with a spinnaker/reacher on a catamaran always keep the mainsheet tight.