I am a beginning racer and not doing well. I need information from experienced Hunter 28.5 racers on how to increase my chances of winning.My boat is in good general condition. It has new bottom paint. The sails are average at best. I am strongly considering purchasing new sails. I believe I have a 150 genea though I am not sure of its size. Is ther an easy way to tell the size of the genea? I also need to add a whisker pole but not sure how to install. My phrf is currently 189 is the fair? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Skip Smith wcsmith4981@netscape.net
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Racing
I have a 28.5 which I don't race but have had over 30 years of racing experience and have the following comments: If you are new to racing, it may not be the boat but your own inexperience. Try and identify the winning skippers who have the same or close to the same rating as your boat and follow them around the course. See if you are losing ground or staying the same. It takes a long time to be able to identify wind shifts etc. Sail trim is critical. If you can not maximize your boats abilities then you will become very frustrated. It takes practice and experience. Try and get a winning skipper to sail one on one against you and see how your pointing ability compares etc.. Then make adjustments accordingly. New sails will really help out. Average sails are just that, and if you are sailing with a competitive group, they will kill you. Yes a 150 genoa is essential. Make sure you tell your sailmaker what the use of the boat will be if you really want be competitive. I would really concentrate on tuning your boat and tactics before investing in new sails. There will be others out there with average sails. Try and beat them and if you get hooked spend the bucks for new sails. Yes your rating is correct. THE 28.5, while a big 28, has a shorter waterline than one might expect. Whisker pole is relativly easy to install and use. If you boat has a track and eye on the front of the mast, this may have been standard equipmement, all you need is around $500 for a pole from one of the discounters. Don't expect too much right away but practice and knowledge will move you up in the pack. Just try and keep in perspective the fact others have been racing for years and you can't pick up overnight. Racing will make you a better sailor so just enjoy it for the first year and go for blood year two. Good luck
I have a 28.5 which I don't race but have had over 30 years of racing experience and have the following comments: If you are new to racing, it may not be the boat but your own inexperience. Try and identify the winning skippers who have the same or close to the same rating as your boat and follow them around the course. See if you are losing ground or staying the same. It takes a long time to be able to identify wind shifts etc. Sail trim is critical. If you can not maximize your boats abilities then you will become very frustrated. It takes practice and experience. Try and get a winning skipper to sail one on one against you and see how your pointing ability compares etc.. Then make adjustments accordingly. New sails will really help out. Average sails are just that, and if you are sailing with a competitive group, they will kill you. Yes a 150 genoa is essential. Make sure you tell your sailmaker what the use of the boat will be if you really want be competitive. I would really concentrate on tuning your boat and tactics before investing in new sails. There will be others out there with average sails. Try and beat them and if you get hooked spend the bucks for new sails. Yes your rating is correct. THE 28.5, while a big 28, has a shorter waterline than one might expect. Whisker pole is relativly easy to install and use. If you boat has a track and eye on the front of the mast, this may have been standard equipmement, all you need is around $500 for a pole from one of the discounters. Don't expect too much right away but practice and knowledge will move you up in the pack. Just try and keep in perspective the fact others have been racing for years and you can't pick up overnight. Racing will make you a better sailor so just enjoy it for the first year and go for blood year two. Good luck
28.5 shoal draft or fin keel? Big difference.
It looks like the 28.5 was built in two styles, the 4' draft and the 5' 2" draft. That can make a lot of difference in performance and how the boat should be sailed for maximum performance. PHRF non-spinnaker 189 sounds about right for a fin keel, but if you have the 4" shoal draft, my guess is 195 would be more appropriate. Check www.phrfgb.com and www.lmphrf.org for some good PHRF guidelines. The Lake Michigan ratings seem to be a bit on the low side compared to the Galveston Bay ratings. If you have the 4' draft version, don't try to point up high with the fin keel boats. I doesn't work. If you are really serious about it, buy the book "Sail Power" by Wallace Ross (or any equivalent performance sailing "textbook") and make the polar diagrams for your boat. This can take a month or more depending on weather conditions. From them you can learn what is the best angle to sail for windward performance and what is the best sail trim for off wind performance. Of course all this means very little if you don't tack to take advantage of wind shifts. I assume you are doing lake sailing. That usually means lots of wind shifts. You need to study the shore breezes and how to take advantage of them. This is important with lake sailing. Good luck and happy sailing.
It looks like the 28.5 was built in two styles, the 4' draft and the 5' 2" draft. That can make a lot of difference in performance and how the boat should be sailed for maximum performance. PHRF non-spinnaker 189 sounds about right for a fin keel, but if you have the 4" shoal draft, my guess is 195 would be more appropriate. Check www.phrfgb.com and www.lmphrf.org for some good PHRF guidelines. The Lake Michigan ratings seem to be a bit on the low side compared to the Galveston Bay ratings. If you have the 4' draft version, don't try to point up high with the fin keel boats. I doesn't work. If you are really serious about it, buy the book "Sail Power" by Wallace Ross (or any equivalent performance sailing "textbook") and make the polar diagrams for your boat. This can take a month or more depending on weather conditions. From them you can learn what is the best angle to sail for windward performance and what is the best sail trim for off wind performance. Of course all this means very little if you don't tack to take advantage of wind shifts. I assume you are doing lake sailing. That usually means lots of wind shifts. You need to study the shore breezes and how to take advantage of them. This is important with lake sailing. Good luck and happy sailing.
Racing
Only race when another boat is heading n same general direction as I am , The sailing forum which is an aol site did a large seriesof things that everyone can do to increase win loss, without spending money , the theory was be sure u are gettng all potential out of what you have before you spend lots of cash and as pointed out experience is a large factor, learn from the winning sailors, good luck , they have a nitely chat at 10.oo pm so drop in lots of great advice, good luck MIke
Only race when another boat is heading n same general direction as I am , The sailing forum which is an aol site did a large seriesof things that everyone can do to increase win loss, without spending money , the theory was be sure u are gettng all potential out of what you have before you spend lots of cash and as pointed out experience is a large factor, learn from the winning sailors, good luck , they have a nitely chat at 10.oo pm so drop in lots of great advice, good luck MIke
racing tips
Skip, Eric's advice and observations are quite sound.It does take time to learn (and get good at), but once you have it, you can race college kids til you can't sail anymore.
Don't forget some other points too... if you keep water in your tanks, drain them (it gets funky after awhile anyway) be consious of extra weight on board, and remeber the biggest speed gain for the price is to get rid of that fixed prop. (a fixed 2 blade prop. = 50% of your hulls drag! That's speed that can't be made up any way. And, you heard that from a sailmaker!) Good luck, have fun. Mark
Skip, Eric's advice and observations are quite sound.It does take time to learn (and get good at), but once you have it, you can race college kids til you can't sail anymore.
Don't forget some other points too... if you keep water in your tanks, drain them (it gets funky after awhile anyway) be consious of extra weight on board, and remeber the biggest speed gain for the price is to get rid of that fixed prop. (a fixed 2 blade prop. = 50% of your hulls drag! That's speed that can't be made up any way. And, you heard that from a sailmaker!) Good luck, have fun. Markbeginning racer
Skip, When I first started sailing, and racing, I crewed on other people's boats, some just as fill in, one for a full season. I learned a lot from talking with skippers and other crew that I was able to apply to my boat. I don't claim to be a great racer - that takes a lot of practice and focus strictly on racking. Instead, I race for the fun of it, recognizing that more the dedicated sailors are likely to win. So what. If I had a good time and feel like I handled the boat and the tactics well, I feel like I won what I was interested in. The first answer for you is to spend time sailing with more experiened sailors, asking questions getting a feel for how to go fast and smart. Make sure you getting everything out of your existing equipment before buying more. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Skip, When I first started sailing, and racing, I crewed on other people's boats, some just as fill in, one for a full season. I learned a lot from talking with skippers and other crew that I was able to apply to my boat. I don't claim to be a great racer - that takes a lot of practice and focus strictly on racking. Instead, I race for the fun of it, recognizing that more the dedicated sailors are likely to win. So what. If I had a good time and feel like I handled the boat and the tactics well, I feel like I won what I was interested in. The first answer for you is to spend time sailing with more experiened sailors, asking questions getting a feel for how to go fast and smart. Make sure you getting everything out of your existing equipment before buying more. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
have the same
hello, i have the same h28.5 shoal draft model and race quite frequently. i agree, sailing with some experienced sailors really helps. i've had people crew for me and then buy a h28.5. new sails really help but try getting the most out of what you have. i have a two bladed prop but can't wait to get a folding one. i've bought all new sails and spinnaker and race in the ocean and on the indian river lagoon. drop a line if you need more info good luck
hello, i have the same h28.5 shoal draft model and race quite frequently. i agree, sailing with some experienced sailors really helps. i've had people crew for me and then buy a h28.5. new sails really help but try getting the most out of what you have. i have a two bladed prop but can't wait to get a folding one. i've bought all new sails and spinnaker and race in the ocean and on the indian river lagoon. drop a line if you need more info good luck
Me too
I too just began racing. We hit a horific storm during our first-ever race (fast race though). In our second race, we were the first boat to place LAST!(lol) While we are learning racing, we have a certified reason to go out sailing every week, which is the real victory! If we could win during our first season, without buying a few go-fast goodies, it wouldn't be much of a sport.... would it?
I too just began racing. We hit a horific storm during our first-ever race (fast race though). In our second race, we were the first boat to place LAST!(lol) While we are learning racing, we have a certified reason to go out sailing every week, which is the real victory! If we could win during our first season, without buying a few go-fast goodies, it wouldn't be much of a sport.... would it?
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