Beneteau 373 Single Handing

Django

.
Apr 4, 2021
1
Beneteau 373 Long Beach
While this does not answer your question: the rounding issue on my 373 was significantly reduced by swapping the fixed 3 blade propeller for a self feathering 3 blade. At the same time I replaced the furling main with a vertical batten main and reduced the genoa to 110%

The net result was improved pointing, less heal and marked reduction in rounding.
Jose Pla - I am very curious to learn how you you replaced a mast furling main with a conventional vertical batten main. We’re you able to put a track on the mast?
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Jose Pla - I am very curious to learn how you you replaced a mast furling main with a conventional vertical batten main. We’re you able to put a track on the mast?
I think he means he bought a new furling mainsail that has vertical battens.

Greg
 
Aug 20, 2013
173
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
JHorr,

I have a Beneteau 311 with a traveler similar to yours. My boat has the standard keel, not shallow draft, with 4' 8" of draft. I find going upwind I need to reef at 12-14 kn true, otherwise the heeling and leeway are too great. Flattening the sail reduces heeling a great deal, although an older Dacron main will be limited in its ability to flatten. In some local races, crewed or singlehanded, I find I start making a huge amount of leeway if my boat heels more than 15 degrees. With a boat behind me on the same heading, I can see that I drop 50-100 yards to leeward in just 5-10 minutes, especially in waves. It can be quite startling. If I'm heeling 20 degrees or more, then the weather helm really picks up and the boat will eventually want to round up. So I reef the main even in races as soon as the heel is consistently above 14 degrees, and if it's marginal I work the traveler up and down. My speed usually holds up and VMG is usually the same or better. My traveler is also at the front of the companionway. Reefing the main before the jib will reduce the tendency to round up, and my boat seems more balanced that way. The jib and main are similar sizes on a B311.
 

DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
JHorr,

I have a Beneteau 311 with a traveler similar to yours. My boat has the standard keel, not shallow draft, with 4' 8" of draft. I find going upwind I need to reef at 12-14 kn true, otherwise the heeling and leeway are too great. Flattening the sail reduces heeling a great deal, although an older Dacron main will be limited in its ability to flatten. In some local races, crewed or singlehanded, I find I start making a huge amount of leeway if my boat heels more than 15 degrees. With a boat behind me on the same heading, I can see that I drop 50-100 yards to leeward in just 5-10 minutes, especially in waves. It can be quite startling. If I'm heeling 20 degrees or more, then the weather helm really picks up and the boat will eventually want to round up. So I reef the main even in races as soon as the heel is consistently above 14 degrees, and if it's marginal I work the traveler up and down. My speed usually holds up and VMG is usually the same or better. My traveler is also at the front of the companionway. Reefing the main before the jib will reduce the tendency to round up, and my boat seems more balanced that way. The jib and main are similar sizes on a B311.
My 323 is similar to the 311 and behaves the same way. I can single hand easily, and rule of thumb is to reef when the wind gets into the 12-15 knot range. The boat seems to sail predominantly on the main sail. Reefing the jib has little effect.
The boat has to sail “flat” so that means dropping the traveller sometimes even with a reef in. If the boat is overpowered, it will round up rather quickly.
Even with a second reef in the main, and keeping the boat flat, it will easily attain hull speed without it having to feel like a white knuckle adventure.