Bristol 38.8 Heaving To

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Curm

.
Jun 3, 2011
6
Bristol 38.8 Jamestown, RI
I'm about to make an offer to purchase a Bristol 38.8. I've been told that these boats are difficult to heave to because the bow keeps falling off to leward. I'd like to hear from folks who are familiar with the 38.8 (or similar hulls like the Bristol 41.1) about problems you have encountered when attempting to heave to and what successful techniques, if any, you have used to heave to in these boats. My thanks in advance for your responses.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Difficulty in heaving to usually has to do with the size of the headsail. In most cases, large headsails make it more difficult to heave to. I have had no trouble with 110 and 85 jibs, and haven't ever had one larger. Those folks I know who have larger headsails tend to have exactly the problem you describe. Reduce the size of your headsail and then try it.
 

Curm

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Jun 3, 2011
6
Bristol 38.8 Jamestown, RI
Difficulty in heaving to usually has to do with the size of the headsail. In most cases, large headsails make it more difficult to heave to. I have had no trouble with 110 and 85 jibs, and haven't ever had one larger. Those folks I know who have larger headsails tend to have exactly the problem you describe. Reduce the size of your headsail and then try it.
What about heaving to with just a double (or triple) reefed main and the headsail rolled up completely?
 
Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
Don't think that would work. Heaving to as I see it is a fore and aft balancing act. The jib is set up to work well closer to the wind than the main, which is set up to work better than the jib further from the main. As you get close to the wind the backed jib blankets the main (reducing its drive) and forces the nose off the wind. At some angle the jib no longer blankets the main, the main develops drive boat develops some speed and the position of the rudder rounds you up to repeat the cycle.

So the boat kind of oscillates or settles down somewhere between these two extremes.
I suspect no jib would be bad. Try it and see.
 

Curm

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Jun 3, 2011
6
Bristol 38.8 Jamestown, RI
Don't think that would work. Heaving to as I see it is a fore and aft balancing act. The jib is set up to work well closer to the wind than the main, which is set up to work better than the jib further from the main. As you get close to the wind the backed jib blankets the main (reducing its drive) and forces the nose off the wind. At some angle the jib no longer blankets the main, the main develops drive boat develops some speed and the position of the rudder rounds you up to repeat the cycle.

So the boat kind of oscillates or settles down somewhere between these two extremes.
I suspect no jib would be bad. Try it and see.
I heaved to easily in my 30 ft cutter (full keel) with just a reefed main and the tiller to leward.
 
Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
OK then maybe, my boat is a fin keel, and I doubt it would work with just a main.

Actually reading your original post, if the problem is falling off to leeward maybe the jib is the problem.
 

Curm

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Jun 3, 2011
6
Bristol 38.8 Jamestown, RI
Well, I've completed the purchase and will be sailing the boat home this coming Sunday. Yes, my guess is that the 38.8 will heave to just fine if the genny is rolled in a bit. I may also want to play around with the centerboard to see if it has any effect.
 
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