is neutral helm preferred over a weather helm for causal sailing? i had a question about this early and recieved great help! i checked the rake of the mast and that is proably why i was having to battle the rudder while sailing, it was a constant battle!

Thoughts: Something is definitely not right if you are battling the helm. The 14 does require some elbow grease when its blowing and is a good workout. Neutral Helm is what you should have, the one time I had a problem like you described I had been rushing set up and had installed my rudder assy. backwards. I had had the boat for less than a year. Your mast rake should be back a bit if you have a turbo rig. Other point. Are your rudders fully down and locked? You may have to replace or lube the cams.

Along with making sure your locking cams are working correctly check them for play while locked down, probably best done on the trailer. I've always used a glass marble against the rudder cam rather than the delrin plug supplied with the boats.

The rudders should lock forward agains the inside edge of the lower casting. The "tipping forward" of the rudder blade eliminates weather helm. The more you rake the mast back the more rudder helm is introduced. For racers this is important as the increased rake and forward tipping of the rudders allows the rudders to also function somewhat as centerboards and the boat will sail better to windward. If you aren't Hobie Cat class racing this probably isn't important to you.

Sometimes a replacement blade it installed wrong and not tipped forward. This will cause lots of weather helm.

If all of the locking mechanisms are working correct and the blades are sloppy, movement fore and aft, you'll probably have to redrill the upper hole. Locate some delrin or nylon pin material and plug the hole then redrill so it locks properly.
Gator