Any ideas from anybody who races a h240 ? I can do fine upwind and reaching, but I lose my gain downwind or beam reaching. I've read the articles on this web about not sailing on a dead run, but to jibe downwind on a beam reach. I've tried it. I can get to the leewark quicker this way, but I still loose my lead to a several boats. I cannot seem to sail any closer than 45 degrees off dead downwind. If I do, the jib colapses. Any ideas or suggestions ?
Downwind / Beam Reaching h240
- Thread starter Captain Ron12266
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whisker pole
It sounds like your racing in a PHRF non spinakker class. You need a whisker pole to compete. You pole out the jib opposite the main and sail almost directly to the down wind mark. it's called wing on wing. You can't win without a whisker pole.
It sounds like your racing in a PHRF non spinakker class. You need a whisker pole to compete. You pole out the jib opposite the main and sail almost directly to the down wind mark. it's called wing on wing. You can't win without a whisker pole.
whisker pole
Use the pole to hold the jib out. You can do this on a deep broad reach with the jib same side as the main. You'll get a higher VMG broad reaching/gybing with the H240 swept spreaders than wing/wing.
Use the pole to hold the jib out. You can do this on a deep broad reach with the jib same side as the main. You'll get a higher VMG broad reaching/gybing with the H240 swept spreaders than wing/wing.
Downwind fast
I race my 98 H240 in a PHRF fleet. I race non spinaker and am the smallest boat in the fleet. Do not sail wing in wing unless the wind is up enough to allow you to sail at haul speed. When sailing wing and wing you need a whisker pole. Anything less than 12 knots sail a broad reach. You'll sail more distance but sail faster. If your sailing on a tidal body of water think what the current is doing. Pull your center board up 2/3 of the way. I mark the line all the way down, 1/3 up, 2/3 up, and all the way up. Dont forget to drop the board just prior to rounding the leeward mark. Get the crew weight out of the back. I race with 3. I sit as forward as the tiller extension will allow me. My main trimmer sits in the very front of the cockpit seat. My jib trimmer sits next to the mast. We run the jib sheet around the winch to him. If your serious about racing look into getting a rigid vang. The vang that comes with the boat is useless and cant be adjusted under load. I put a garhauer on my boat. My 11 year old son who serves as jib trimmer and bowman at the start can make adjustments while it's under load with one hand. Hope this helps. Have fun and good luck. Remember anytime two sailboats are going the same direction it's a race!!
I race my 98 H240 in a PHRF fleet. I race non spinaker and am the smallest boat in the fleet. Do not sail wing in wing unless the wind is up enough to allow you to sail at haul speed. When sailing wing and wing you need a whisker pole. Anything less than 12 knots sail a broad reach. You'll sail more distance but sail faster. If your sailing on a tidal body of water think what the current is doing. Pull your center board up 2/3 of the way. I mark the line all the way down, 1/3 up, 2/3 up, and all the way up. Dont forget to drop the board just prior to rounding the leeward mark. Get the crew weight out of the back. I race with 3. I sit as forward as the tiller extension will allow me. My main trimmer sits in the very front of the cockpit seat. My jib trimmer sits next to the mast. We run the jib sheet around the winch to him. If your serious about racing look into getting a rigid vang. The vang that comes with the boat is useless and cant be adjusted under load. I put a garhauer on my boat. My 11 year old son who serves as jib trimmer and bowman at the start can make adjustments while it's under load with one hand. Hope this helps. Have fun and good luck. Remember anytime two sailboats are going the same direction it's a race!!
Improve Down Wind Performance
Captain Ron, First thing you have to remember is your sailing a 24' boat. You have maybe 20' of water line. You are at a big disadvantage just because of that if you are generally sailing against boats 30' or more in length. So, what can you do to improve your down wind/reaching performance. Get a bigger head sail. You need all the cloth up you can get. 135-155%. Also, remember that you need to "power up" your sails if you are sailing in chop. Whisker pole is a must to help hole out that sail, sail off the wind and gybe as necessary will give you a hotter angle and make the boat faster. We have a H240 that races in our club, Carl is a very good sailor. He does pretty well on windward/leeward courses. He can put the board down and trim the head sail for power in chop and point like a champ to windward, but on the reach or downwind legs its a challenge for him because of the 100% headsail and lack of water line speed to hold off the rest of us. Anyway, good luck, sail as fast as you can, but above all HAVE FUN.
Captain Ron, First thing you have to remember is your sailing a 24' boat. You have maybe 20' of water line. You are at a big disadvantage just because of that if you are generally sailing against boats 30' or more in length. So, what can you do to improve your down wind/reaching performance. Get a bigger head sail. You need all the cloth up you can get. 135-155%. Also, remember that you need to "power up" your sails if you are sailing in chop. Whisker pole is a must to help hole out that sail, sail off the wind and gybe as necessary will give you a hotter angle and make the boat faster. We have a H240 that races in our club, Carl is a very good sailor. He does pretty well on windward/leeward courses. He can put the board down and trim the head sail for power in chop and point like a champ to windward, but on the reach or downwind legs its a challenge for him because of the 100% headsail and lack of water line speed to hold off the rest of us. Anyway, good luck, sail as fast as you can, but above all HAVE FUN.
Larger jib a no no
Dont go with a larger headsail on this boat if you are racing non spinaker. In any wind at all you wont be able to carry it to winward. This boat was designed with the main being the driving force. Thats why it has a large roach and no back stay.
Dont go with a larger headsail on this boat if you are racing non spinaker. In any wind at all you wont be able to carry it to winward. This boat was designed with the main being the driving force. Thats why it has a large roach and no back stay.
Sorry Sean
Sorry Sean but I disagree with you. Many boats are designed to be main sail driven and therefore have a smaller headsail as part of the design, and smaller head sails are easier to handle that why they build them that way. The H240 is a purpose design day sailor and was not designed to race, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't race her in club races if you choose. All I'am saying is that if you want to improve performance then one of the things you need to be competitive is a larger head sail. And I suppose I forgot to say that you need other sails in your inventory so you can adjust to the conditions. A larger headsail will work on this boat effectively and improve boat speed on all points of sail within the wind range of the larger head sail. Once the velocity of wind increases out of the sails range, then a little smaller sail should be put up. You really need a #1, #2, and maybe a #3 headsail in your inventory. Thats a 155%, a 135% and something around 100% to 80% for the strongest winds. What else can be done with the H240 that will make the boat competitive in your local fleet if you don't go bigger on the headsail? Last but not least. Every boat can be overpowered in stronger winds, thats why we have to make choices on sail trim or reducing sail to make the boat as efficient as possible. So Y'all have fun sailing this weekend.
Sorry Sean but I disagree with you. Many boats are designed to be main sail driven and therefore have a smaller headsail as part of the design, and smaller head sails are easier to handle that why they build them that way. The H240 is a purpose design day sailor and was not designed to race, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't race her in club races if you choose. All I'am saying is that if you want to improve performance then one of the things you need to be competitive is a larger head sail. And I suppose I forgot to say that you need other sails in your inventory so you can adjust to the conditions. A larger headsail will work on this boat effectively and improve boat speed on all points of sail within the wind range of the larger head sail. Once the velocity of wind increases out of the sails range, then a little smaller sail should be put up. You really need a #1, #2, and maybe a #3 headsail in your inventory. Thats a 155%, a 135% and something around 100% to 80% for the strongest winds. What else can be done with the H240 that will make the boat competitive in your local fleet if you don't go bigger on the headsail? Last but not least. Every boat can be overpowered in stronger winds, thats why we have to make choices on sail trim or reducing sail to make the boat as efficient as possible. So Y'all have fun sailing this weekend.
Suggestions for a whisker pole?
Anybody have suggestions for a particular whisker pole type? Same question for a H26 (my boat
Anybody have suggestions for a particular whisker pole type? Same question for a H26 (my boat
Darrel - larger headsail
If the 240 is like my 23.5, the shroud chainplates are on the gunwale and the fixed jib fairlead is inboard on the deck. One would need an outboard track somewhere for a large genoa to go around the shrouds. I'm not sure that there is a good place for this track. I wouldn't think you could use such a large sail with a track inboard where the current fixed block is. With the current fixed block, the sheet would go forward, bend around the shrouds, then back to the genoa clew. Yikes! Perhaps somebody knows a way to set this up? ...RickM...
If the 240 is like my 23.5, the shroud chainplates are on the gunwale and the fixed jib fairlead is inboard on the deck. One would need an outboard track somewhere for a large genoa to go around the shrouds. I'm not sure that there is a good place for this track. I wouldn't think you could use such a large sail with a track inboard where the current fixed block is. With the current fixed block, the sheet would go forward, bend around the shrouds, then back to the genoa clew. Yikes! Perhaps somebody knows a way to set this up? ...RickM...
Larger headsail
From experience with my H240 a larger headsail will not work. There is no track or toe rail to adjust your sheeting position. There is no decent place to put one after market. With a 135% or bigger this boat will go to winward like a dog because you wont be able to sheet in. If you didn't have a furler and had a double luff groove set up you could change headsails at every mark rounding but probably not practical.
From experience with my H240 a larger headsail will not work. There is no track or toe rail to adjust your sheeting position. There is no decent place to put one after market. With a 135% or bigger this boat will go to winward like a dog because you wont be able to sheet in. If you didn't have a furler and had a double luff groove set up you could change headsails at every mark rounding but probably not practical.
Track on 26
I mounted a track on the rub rail. Not hard to do. Track can easily follow the curve of the hull. I've gone back to using the original jib because the boat was overpowered in anything but the lightest winds. I will not point as high because of the necessity of running the sheets outside of the stays, but it was sure great going down wind.........
I mounted a track on the rub rail. Not hard to do. Track can easily follow the curve of the hull. I've gone back to using the original jib because the boat was overpowered in anything but the lightest winds. I will not point as high because of the necessity of running the sheets outside of the stays, but it was sure great going down wind.........
Slow downwind
I have the same issue with my H26, I kick butt to the windward mark, but get killed down wind, I think I will buy a chute for reaching and running. The 12 sec penalty in PHRF woud be worth it. Has anyone used a Spin. to race a H24 or H26? I would like to know if it makes a difference before I spend the money. Thanks, Ken
I have the same issue with my H26, I kick butt to the windward mark, but get killed down wind, I think I will buy a chute for reaching and running. The 12 sec penalty in PHRF woud be worth it. Has anyone used a Spin. to race a H24 or H26? I would like to know if it makes a difference before I spend the money. Thanks, Ken
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