Broad reach Sail Settings???

[Rick]

I have an '88 H285. I've been trying to figure out how to set my 150% Genoa and Mainsail for effecient Broad Reaching. I've tried letting the Genoa out and keeping the main in, visa versa, traveller amidships with the mainsheet eased..tried moving the genoa blocks forward and sheeting in the genoa...nothing seems to work. So, 2 questions:1. How/where are the genoa blocks set (forward, mid-range, aft?) and how is it trimmed?2. Where should the traveller be (to weather, mid-track, or to leeward)? and should the mainsheet be eased or trimmed tight?(I guess that's 4 questions, but you get my drift (which is all I can do when I try to broad reach...drift!!!!)

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Keep it simple

Let the 150 and main out a little farther than you would on a beam reach. You're trying to catch wind just like in the old days, not spill it like on a close reach. Don't let the traveler down unless you're having trouble turning. Leave the blocks alone, since you're extended out enough that it doesn't matter that much. An obsessive racer will challenge all this, but you should simply enjoy the ride... with more speeed.

 

[s sauer]

Obsessive Racer/Cruiser

I just had to add my2 cents - couldn't resist the 'bait'.For reasonably long tacks, If you want to set the Genoa for best results, get a pair of snatch blocks and clip them onto the toe rail forward of your usual track mounted car position. Either re-feed the genoa sheet out thru the life lines or have a second genoa sheet with a 'cunningham'hook to run out and hool into your Genoa clew cringle, (obviously you need to remove it before tacking).The traveler can be centered, the outhaul loosened 6 inches, and the main sheeet adjusted to let the boom well out until the main starts to backwind. Pull it in an inch and check the trim og both sails as well as the tell tales. It's more important to have the leward Genoa tell tales flowing, even if the inside telltales droop. Tell tales on the leech of the main should flow straight back.You may find that the main on a 28.5 is out on the spreaders at this point. If that bothers you, bring the main in just a little and head up accordingly. Plan on jibing broad reach to broad reach, or set a whisker pole on the Genoa and flip the main to the opposite side to go 'wing on wing', but that's a tough point of sail for a 28.5 if the wind is flukey or there are sloppy waves.If the boat speed continually drops below about three knotts, this obsessive racer reaches down and engages the iron Genny and drops the Genoa while the 1st mate is still happy.

 

[Honeyman]

Which keel?

My previous boat,'87 28.5, had the deep keel and a broad reach was always very efficient. I had a 130% genoa which seemed about right for the boat. Is it possible a 150% on shoal keel is the problem?

 

[Don Guillette]

Rick: If you had my Sail Trim Chart, all you would have to do is glance at it to determine the settings that would put you in the ball park for your jib and main not only on a reach but any point of sail and wind condition. Assume Your sailing on a reach in 10 knots of wind. MainsailTraveler - Leeward of centerMainsheet - Trim till the luffing just stopsHalyard - Medium tensionOuthaul - Medium tensionVang - Medium tensionDraft depth- 20% to 30%Draft position - 505 - 55%Tettales - All streamingMast bend - MediumTwist - MediumLeechline - MediumCrew - Windward/forwardJibHalyard - Moderate (very few wrinkles)Fairlead - Outboard and forwardWith these questions we normally get the point of sail but we also need the wind speed as the settings change depending on the wind speed and point of sail.

 

[Kerry]

Sailtrim

Don, bought your book and ask my mentor I was sailing with my mentor in a race the other night what the fairleads inboard and outboard meant. He wasn't sure, and I am not clear on it yet. (Still re-reading chapter one!!)I have cars on either side of the cabin top that the sheets for the jib run through. I can understand the forward and aft adjustment, but do not understand the inboard/outboard part.

 

[s sauer]

Hunter Twenty Eight Five's

Rick in Racine;I don't know how many other answers were actually specific to your 28.5, though most all are usually helpfull.If you'd like to try a web site specific to the twenty eight five; share some more detailed info and photos specific to that particular model, etc. - here's the address:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/huntertwentyeightfive/The twenty eight five does share the same type of mast head B&R double spreader rig and conventional split backstay with other mid-80's Hunters such as the 31 and 34. More recent models may have fractional rigs and standing rigging out on the rail; large roach main sails and no backstays which may have completely diffferent trim advantages and disadvantages.Come visit us on Yahoo!

 

[Don Guillette]

Kerry (Boca Raton): It's simple. When sailing closehauled to close reach you want to use the inboard tracks. On all other points of sail, you want to use the outboard tracks. This all has to do with improving the ANGLE OF ATTACK (see chapter 1). That chapter 1 in my book is very important and, as I indicate in the book, do not proceed past it until you completely understand draft depth, draft position, twist and ANGLE OF ATTACK. The reason is that nothing about the use of the sail trim controls for the main and jib will make sense without an understanding of those 4 terms. Once you understnad those 4 terms,which I call "the 4 elements of sail trim", sail trim becomes a snap because all every sail trim control for the main and jib is doing is moving those 4 elements. Most production boats have only one set of tracks and they are either inboard or outboard. On my 1981 C30 they are outboard. I also had a small track on the cabin top, which was useless with a 155 but would have worked with a 135 if I ever could have figured a way around the safety lines. Most newer production boats have the tracks inboard. For cruising purposes it probably does not matter much but it did to me because I am an anal cruiser and I always want to get 100% out of my sails even when I'm just messing around. Even when we are out with a group of friends just messing around, I am watching the sails out of the corner of my eye and will end up pushing or pulling some control much to the chagrin of my wife who tells me to relax. Messing with the controls is how I relax!!The way I got around the lack of an inboard track was through the use of a Barberhauler. While closehauled I just attached a line to the jib sheet and cranked in on the sheet with the lazy winch.On serious race boats, you will find very few that do not have inboard and outboard tracks. Hope that answered your question. If not just lock and load and re-fire.