Helm steering ratios
 

Hello all,

I'm setting up a P4 entry for GLSCS, a 33 Fountain 10-meter, HP500's, TRS's', and am fitting out a Latham steering system. Need 3rd, 4th, etc, opinions on helm sensitivity.

Latham says I should use a LMD-7 helm which translates to about 4 turns lock-to-lock. I've also been told by another racer that I should use a LMD-4 helm with a smaller volume capacity that will decrease steering sensitivity to around 7 turns lock-to-lock. His reasoning is with more sensitivity, the possibility of over-correcting when the boat gets out of shape could get me in trouble.

Any advise?

Thanks,
Brian

You should use the LMD-7.So if you get out of shape on the water you don't have a long time too correct, the steering has to be quick. At 4 turns you won't get In trouble It you go with a system less than 4 turns I've seen boats get In big trouble.

rick is right on...7....man you'll have to work your ass off...i think it would way too hard to correct with 7.

Thanks Rick, Joey,

Latham has backed off estimates to around 6 turns lock-to-lock with LMD-4, as my setup will use shorter 8" rams. On the flipside, the higher capacity LMD-7 will now perform at 3.5-ish turns.

I'm leaning toward using the more sensitive setup, and I appreciate your opinions.

Thanks,
Brian

no problem!

see ya at st.cloud??? daytona??

so rick and joey,

if you come down on a big wave sidways and pull the steering wheel with you the 4 turn lock to lock you will be turning the wheel to hard and will not even have time to correct because you will have already gone to far in a spin out.

now if you are in a five point harness strapped in a canopie the situation may be diffrent. but brian is running an open cocpit fountain.

Treadwell

hey that's a great question!...the answer is NEVER hold on to something that supplies input to a machine...so it would be the same way that a pro MX rider would coming off way bad after air'n out...same way a pro GP ride would during a nasty tank slapper at 190+MPH (hum i know a few those)...if your using that flimzzzy ass wheel or throttles to hang on...set your boat up different so you don't use them for that reason....

with that theory your per-planing for a mistake, which for the most part, you caused due to bad inputs to begin with.

every other form of professional racing has increased sensitivity on the inputs to the machine....why should a boat be any different????

actually i waz going to put in my .02 and say just buy both,,,test,,,race,,,re-test. it's damn cheap not to. and what works for one may not work for another....i guess bottom line is the finish line.

hell tread,,, if i said that boat was white you would say it was black...but i'm sure we would both have good points on why it was that way:D

how's that boat of your coming???....look forward to seeing ya...well not really,,,just your boat!:D

joe,

boat racing is not car racing or anthing else. if you are a driver of a stand up boat and come down on a bad angle what should you hold on to . remember joe key word is stand up boat. i am not talking about your sit down donzi. remember this is a fountain he is running. they have the worst set up to begin with.

Me

i have always contested that racing is racing!...the key points are always the same!

actually in keith's boat i had to hold myself in wedging my legs under the bolster...didn't have the funding to change it....if you look at some of the pics i look like i'm sitting compared to keith.

this place wouldn't be any fun with out ya Tread....SO,,,how's the boat man....look'n good or what???...any pixs yet!