I'm thinking of changing to a larger Jib on my 376. Although I'll eventually add a cruising spinaker I'd like to improve my downwind sailing performance without having to fly a spinaker all of the time. Does anyone know if there is a recommended maximum size for this sail plan? What will the trade off in balance/performance sailing upwind be? Will I have to sail with the jib partially furled when I'm sailing close hauled or on a close reach? I really like the performance of the boat on a beam or when sailing close and I don't want to throw the whole thing out of balance by doing this. If anyone has made a similar change to the sailplan I'd love to know what your results have been. Thanks.
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Bob Knott
Problems, problems
I own a 380 which is the same boat, and the optimum sail is the 110 it comes with. The problem with adding a larger headsail is how to sheet it. A larger sail comes aft past the chainplate and shrouds therefore you can't use the inboard sheeting tracks hunter gives you. You also can't install a new track outboard due to the way the tow rail was made. So... the only way I could figure it out was to put swiveling turning blocks on the aft railing. If you sit in the cocktail seats aft as we call them, on the outside forward edge is a welded loop where you can mount blocks for a spinnaker. Use this location, but then you can't reach the coachroof winches, so you need to add spinnaker winches on the coaming. Sorry there's no easy answer, each solution just add's more poblems. Let me know if you figure it out Bob Knott H380
I own a 380 which is the same boat, and the optimum sail is the 110 it comes with. The problem with adding a larger headsail is how to sheet it. A larger sail comes aft past the chainplate and shrouds therefore you can't use the inboard sheeting tracks hunter gives you. You also can't install a new track outboard due to the way the tow rail was made. So... the only way I could figure it out was to put swiveling turning blocks on the aft railing. If you sit in the cocktail seats aft as we call them, on the outside forward edge is a welded loop where you can mount blocks for a spinnaker. Use this location, but then you can't reach the coachroof winches, so you need to add spinnaker winches on the coaming. Sorry there's no easy answer, each solution just add's more poblems. Let me know if you figure it out Bob Knott H380
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Rich
I see your point
Bob, I see your point. I had always anticipated adding extra blocks and winches for the spinaker. I would just use a set of sheets with temporary turning blocks that can be shackled onto the stantions at appropriate points. Without being able to eyeball the deck layout right now I'm thinking you could fly maybe a 135 downwind by moving the jib cars all of the way forward. Of course you would still have to furl it down to a 110 going upwind. Now the problem is how that would affect the upwind performance compared to what we have now. I suppose one could do away with the roller furling and go back to changing sails all of the time. Not what I had in mind. At that point I may as well go with the cruising chute and be done with it. Hmmmm...
Bob, I see your point. I had always anticipated adding extra blocks and winches for the spinaker. I would just use a set of sheets with temporary turning blocks that can be shackled onto the stantions at appropriate points. Without being able to eyeball the deck layout right now I'm thinking you could fly maybe a 135 downwind by moving the jib cars all of the way forward. Of course you would still have to furl it down to a 110 going upwind. Now the problem is how that would affect the upwind performance compared to what we have now. I suppose one could do away with the roller furling and go back to changing sails all of the time. Not what I had in mind. At that point I may as well go with the cruising chute and be done with it. Hmmmm...
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Mike DiMario
to Bob (why) Knott
A question to Bob, I think I would not consider this because of the necessary steps. Why couldn't a track be mounted on the deck adjacent to the companionway? I realize it would need to be through bolted / reinforced and that could be ugly, but wouldn't that work? Mike D
A question to Bob, I think I would not consider this because of the necessary steps. Why couldn't a track be mounted on the deck adjacent to the companionway? I realize it would need to be through bolted / reinforced and that could be ugly, but wouldn't that work? Mike D
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Mike from H376 'Freetime'
376 Jib
I agree with the other posts that trying to add a larger jib is not worth the problems you would encounter by adding the necessary hardware. On my 376, I have tried sailing closehauled with the jib partially furled and the boat will not point at all! I don't think you would be happy doing that. I did add a padeye and use a snatch block to get the jib sheet more outboard when on a reach and that seems to help the performance. But the best thing for downwind performance that I added was a UK Flasher with a sock to keep it under control when raising/lowering. That really improves the downwind performance. Good luck
I agree with the other posts that trying to add a larger jib is not worth the problems you would encounter by adding the necessary hardware. On my 376, I have tried sailing closehauled with the jib partially furled and the boat will not point at all! I don't think you would be happy doing that. I did add a padeye and use a snatch block to get the jib sheet more outboard when on a reach and that seems to help the performance. But the best thing for downwind performance that I added was a UK Flasher with a sock to keep it under control when raising/lowering. That really improves the downwind performance. Good luck
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Bob Knott
Mike D. ...Not so easy...
Mike, To add the inboard track near the companionway would not work, even if you could through bolt it. Once a theoretical sail extends past the shrouds and chainplate you can't sheet it in that far. the abgle you pull to get back to the car on the track is so severe the car would jam. Also the curve that put in the rearmost part of the sail would prohibit good performance. I did think up a solution... here goes folks so far this only owrks in my brain....which many say doesn't work that well to begin with. Get a 135 to 150 genny and shet it to the turning blocks mounted on the aft rails as described earlier. Lead these to coaming winches, or to the coachroof winches and loose alittle seating room on that side of the boat. Now go up to the coachroof and mount a hefty u-bolt near the solar charger, and make sure it's through bolted. Now use a spinnaker pole attached to the ubolt and the sail. Having the pole rearward of the mast allows it to keep the rearmost past of the sail open to give you power without interferring with the shrouds or chainplate. This would allow you to control sail shape, and have fair leads to the snatch blocks and winches. Ah it works here in my squash, maybe I'll give it a try! I should've put a warning on this that read.. Caution, reading this may make you dizzy, and recovery may not be complete without getting thoroughly intoxicated. If it still makes sense then maybe we're on to something. Bob Knott H380
Mike, To add the inboard track near the companionway would not work, even if you could through bolt it. Once a theoretical sail extends past the shrouds and chainplate you can't sheet it in that far. the abgle you pull to get back to the car on the track is so severe the car would jam. Also the curve that put in the rearmost part of the sail would prohibit good performance. I did think up a solution... here goes folks so far this only owrks in my brain....which many say doesn't work that well to begin with. Get a 135 to 150 genny and shet it to the turning blocks mounted on the aft rails as described earlier. Lead these to coaming winches, or to the coachroof winches and loose alittle seating room on that side of the boat. Now go up to the coachroof and mount a hefty u-bolt near the solar charger, and make sure it's through bolted. Now use a spinnaker pole attached to the ubolt and the sail. Having the pole rearward of the mast allows it to keep the rearmost past of the sail open to give you power without interferring with the shrouds or chainplate. This would allow you to control sail shape, and have fair leads to the snatch blocks and winches. Ah it works here in my squash, maybe I'll give it a try! I should've put a warning on this that read.. Caution, reading this may make you dizzy, and recovery may not be complete without getting thoroughly intoxicated. If it still makes sense then maybe we're on to something. Bob Knott H380
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