Advice/Opinions/Info on sailing an H336

[robertsapp]

Our '95 H336 has the original rig configuration, with the full battened large roach main and the small (100%) roller furling jib. When we bought the boat two years ago, the PO said "1st reef at 13 - 15 knots, 2nd reef at 20 knots." Well, after sailing her a while, what we've found is that at anything over 12 knots apparant, the boat is way overpowered, with excessive heel and heavy rigging loads. We're finding that we're putting in the 1st reef at about 10 - 12 knots, the 2nd reef at 14 - 15 along with rolling up a third of the jib, and at 20 knots we have the jib completely rolled up. Oherwise, we're fighting high helm forces and 30 degree plus heeling. These boats were designed to be sailed flat - supposedly anthing over 15 degrees is slowing the boat down. My question is whether this is what others are also experiencing, or do we just need to do a refresher course in sail trim? While we love the fact that we can get 5 or 6 knots of boat speed out of an 8 or 9 knot wind, it bothers us that we have no options left above 20 knots except take the sails down completely and motor. We'd like to island hop some day, and it really worries me to think what a 35 or 40 knot blow offshore would do. Any other H336 owners out there (or H340 with full battened main) that can sail their boats in 30 knots plus? Or do you have to add a storm jib and trysail to sail this boat in higher winds?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

For lack of any knowledgeable advice, I can only say I've sailed on a 336 and it was somewhat tender but no more so than many other boats. De-powering the main seemed to work well on around 25 knots. Have you considered adding a 3rd reef in the sail?

 

[Paul356]

Our 2003 356 is similar I guess, although has the newer series hull design. I agree the primary need is to sail flat, although on mine I consider "flat" to be anything 20 degrees heel or less when beating. I put in an inclinometer and that helped me. I found I tended to over- or under-estimate the heel otherwise. I reef early, but not as early as you do, so apparently your sail area ratio is larger. If you're more than about 20 degrees of heel in 20K wind, a third reef or depowering the main seem good options, as suggested above.

 

[soling42]

From your explanation it could be that your 16y/o sails may be blown out?? Hope not but the new sail package on the 336 is pretty impressive.

 

[robertsapp]

That's the new e36 in the picture. Nice looking boat. Not sure how long laminate sails last in the Florida sun though, think we'll stick with good ole Dacron Anyway, our sails aren't the best, but they're not the originals (as in 16 years old) either. Had them in the loft this past winter for a tuneup, and our sailmaker says the jib is pretty tired, but the main has a lot of life left. So at twenty knots apparant, I'm dumping the main like a mad fiend. I did ask the loft about a deep third reef, but I didn't know I'd need it just to handle blustery spring days, I thought it would be more of a storm at sea kind of feature. I hate the fact that once I take in a reef, I have no outhaul or cunningham to use to flatten the sail more, only the halyard and vang to tighten and twist off. One time last week in gust in the low twenties, our speed instrument read 8.34 kts. That's with a double reefed main, no jib, and a 7.2 kt hull speed. Wild times.

 

[charles baird]

I have had my H34 for 22 years, in that time I learned early that its a light air boat. Off the wind she will take higher winds and fly. However with 20+ knot winds close hauled iI am reefed, furled and not happy. To sail in 30+ knot winds I have done it but only off the wind, to point in that kind of weather Im motoring.

 

[Scallywag-l36]

We have a 2004 H36 with fully battened main, and we too have to reef down to 2nd reef point above around 17kts avg (usually gusting 20+) . We normally sail with just two people aboard (including myself), but as soon as I add just one extra person on board it makes a huge difference to stability, and I can carry more canvas for longer. One time when I had 6 in the cockpit including myself, achieved 8.4kts through flat water beam reaching in 24-27kts average wind, although double reefed with full headsail. Broad reaching I can carry full sail in up to 25kts no prob. Moral of this story? Carry more weight to get her to settle into a groove when beam reaching or beating. Either carry more ballast in the form of extra gear like bicycles, portable generators etc, keep your tanks full, bring "guests" along, get a heavy dog or just give yourself a good reason to overeat to gain weight! Downside is takes more effort to get going in light winds. Sailing is often about compromise...

 

[Andreas T]

I have a '95 336 as well, sailing in British Columbia waters, and don't put in the first reef before 20 knots and the 2nd reef before 25 knots - and she does just fine. I wouldn't worry about sailing in stronger winds at all, the boat is more capable than the sailor !

 

[PrincessoftheLake]

I have a 1995 Hunter 40.5. Sailing anything from close hauled to beating I put the first reef in about 13-15kts apparent wind and that will do me fine until about 18+ when I put in the 2nd reef and roll the jib up a bit. On days when it is over 25 and I have to sail high I turn on the diesel along with a double reef and she does fine. Even with all that she is not a boat that bangs a lot even going into 6 ft + waves in 25k+ blow. Sailing offwind she handles lots more sail very well. In fact, last fall sailing a beam reach in 18+ wind, single reef, about a third of the job rolled up sailed her flat and hit 10kts and stayed there for well over an hour. Awesome.