135% Jib or bigger on a Hunter 340

[Levin]

Hello everyone... I was just wondering if anyone around here has a Hunter 340 (I have a 2000 model year) and has replaced the original headsail with a larger one. Currently I have the stock headsail (I think it's either 100 or 110% at most) and the boat sails well as is, but I often wonder if it would sail even better with a larger jib or if this would not be recommended for this particular boat. I have the standard full baton main (not furling) and as I often participate in the beer can races around here any additional performance would make me willing to pay the price for a new headsail. Anyway if anyone has any experience or advice in this area I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.-Levin

 

[ROAN]

jenoa

Have you considered if the genoa would interfere with the spreaders ie hit the spreaders if close hauled. I have thought about the same on my hunter 33 but clear I would have to leave the jenny outside the spreaders or it will hit and interfere. I decided to go with a genaker and can haul it in to the lifelines if needed.

 

[seadaddler]

125%

I have read here that some did play with bigger jibbut if I remember right that 125 is the biggest that theyrecommend,they say anything bigger is too much to handleand 125 is really pushing it.Nick

 

[356_Steve]

Racing only...

I had a 2001 320, and now have a 2003 356. I had a 155% on the 320, and also have one on the 356 now. Both were put on to improve light air performance in racing. If you don't race, then don't bother...get an ASM.That said, a few things I've learned. The 155% does wonders to the speed in light air, and I can keep the boat moving in as little as 2-1/2 3 knots of air quite well. It make the boat sail to her PHRF rating, as there are no credits for the smaller headsail that came with the boat. The sheets run outside the shrouds, and you sheeting angle is a bit limited. You don't need new tracks, but a Barberhauler is needed. I run my sheets back to the arch thru a block and then back to the arch (this works with the spinnaker wenches on the side of the cockpit, and if you don't have those, you'll need to add them.) This is the same setup as for an ASM. The sheeting angle is improved by using a snatch block running from the sheet, thru the mid-ship cleat, and up to a wench on the cabinroff. Use a snatch block because you can take it off to really open up the sail running downwind to keep the large main from shadowing it.Don't keep the 155% up in wind greater than 12-14 knots, but drop back to the 110%. The boat sails better standing up, and I often race with a reef to keep speed up. If your predominate wind is light, and you race, I think the sail is worth it. Our winds go from good-to-heavy, to next to nothing in mid-season.I hope this answers your question. Good luck.Steve

 

[Don12364]

Sail Efficiency and Handicap Ratings

By not being behind a mast a jib or genoa is somewhat more efficient than a mainsail.The designer decides how much sail to set on the boat bearing in mind the windspeed at which it will be necessary to reef. A tall narrow sail e.g. a jib, having a high aspect ratio is also more efficient than a wider one e.g. a genoa of the same area. The boat can point better too by virtue of having a narrower sheeting angle.Amongst other things a small jib is much easier to handle so Hunter opted for this to make the boat more user friendly; the mainsail area having been increased to compensate.Having a larger genoa will, if correctly sheeted, undoubtedly increase the drive until the boat is over pressed.The handicap is either calculated based upon sail area plus other dimensions, or by observations of how many boats of the same model perform in races. Having a larger sail than the norm will result in the handicap number being in error for that particular boat so it needs to be adjusted.THE OWNER NEEDS TO DECLARE THIS LARGER SAIL AS THE HANDICAP RATING WILL NEED TO BE REDUCED IF A LARGER GENOA IS CARRIED - EVEN IF IT IS NEVER USED.This probably negates the 'sailing to her handicap' argument as the penalty is borne regardless of windspeed.

 

[chuckwayne]

PHRF is different

Donalex,that's true in some rating systems, but in PHRF as soon as your jib exceeds 110% you get charged for a 155%. the largest jib that will fit the standard tracks (inboard for close pointing) on a 356 is about 120%, so you need to use Steve's solution to get the sail you're being rated at under PHRF.

 

[Andy1237]

More main?

Levin, we have a 340 also. We previously sailed a 29.5 with a 155 (sheeted outside) As previously noted, sheeting angle not great and only added performance in winds

 

[Andy1237]

Here's a start

Would this 140% from a 340 work on our 340s?Nope I checked the J & measurements and I don't think it would help at all.

 

[Levin]

Thanks for all the help

Hello all... Ok so it sounds like the 110% that is on the boat right now is about the right set up for the boat and adding anything more isn't going to get me much more than weather helm with next to no significant improvement in speed. I guess I will perhaps look at racing sails if I want any improvement in performance... but it sounds like increasing in size isn't the best option. On an unrelated note... Rick I was wondering if you could let me know about how you changed from the old Raymarine Mark I wheel pilot to the newer Mark II wheel ring on your boat (I believe this was the earlier post of mine you responded to). If you read my post on the Ask All Sailors forum called "A Day Late and a Dollar Short" you will see that my old Mark I wheel pilot recently bit the dust and I need to replace it with a newer one. I think you did the same thing on your boat and I was hoping to get insight on how to do this on my boat (being that we have the same hull basically).Oh and no my boat has no backstay... doesn't need one with the arch. Wonderful thing that Hunter arch, keeps the boom out of the way and reduces the need for a backstay.Thanks again everyone.-Levin

 

[John T1594]

Fractional Rig

The H340 has the B&R rig without a backstay. It is a fractional rig and as such derives most of its power from the mainsail. The main on that boat is large (421 sq.ft.), with a boom that almost reaches the stern of the boat. IMHO, a bigger head sail would ony overpower the boat and affect handling without proving any performance advantage.