-> On 10-30-95  00:30, Ken Irwin got back to Robert Rayfield 
 > The forces trying to heel the boat come from only TWO places:
 > 1) the windward shrouds pulling up.
 > 2) the compression of the mast pushing down.
 KI> 
 KI> Not entirely correct. There is a 3rd very significant force heeling
 KI> the boat that plays no part in mast forces or shroud tension.
 KI> 
 KI> 3) a sideways force on the lee side of the underwater hull (mostly the
 KI> keel) caused by the hull making leeway. The boat is "tripping" on it's
 KI> keel. 
Hmmmm, this is getting interesting!  Consider an extreme example:  
A very wide boat with high flotation and a short rig and heavy keel.  
Such a boat would heel very little, if at all, in lower winds, 
even with the sails over sheeted.  Contrarily, a very narrow boat 
with only a centerboard would heel far more rapidly.  
However, the same narrow boat with a heavy keel should tend to 
be far more stable in the same conditions.  That boat should 
theoretically be able to carry much greater sail area than the 
similar unballasted conterpart.  
I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, but heeling 
effort is far more than simply shroud tension, as projected 
sail area and effective forward drive due to trim does 
come into play...  
... Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12
--- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 
---------------