Genoa track for H23

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Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
I suspect this question may have been addressed in the past, but what the hey, it's always good to get some fresh insight, right? I want to install genoa tracks on my H23 (the previous owner was happy with just the 110 jib). Any suggestions on brand? Are the cars with the control lines to the cockpit worth it? I am just cruising for now. All the genoa tracks that I see in the catalogs fasten to the deck with self-tapping machine screws (#10 I believe) spaced about 4 inches apart. I am a bit wary of self-tapping screws, because the jib-lead tracks on my Missile (16 ft. two-man planing dinghy) are through-bolted, and if you have to do that for a smaller boat.... If the machine screws are OK, do they go all the way through the deck and penetrate the headliner? I hate having holes in the headliner because no matter how well you seal or caulk, they will eventually leak. The cabin is very dry right now and I'd like to keep it that way if I can. Thanks for your help. Peter Suah s/v Raven
 
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Michael Bell

Investigate

Your statement “the previous owner was happy with just the 110 jib” leads me to believe your planning to put a larger Genoa on your boat. I would highly recommend searching the archives on this subject beforehand.
 
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Ken Shubert

Where and How?

I got nothing but negative response last week for putting a 150 Genoa on my H23.5. The jib sheets will have to be outside the lifelines at times and on the inside sometime. It would be a real hassle to tack with all that rag to pull across. The 110 gets fouled often enough. One suggestions is to increase the mainsail area since there's some extra boom length. Maybe that would work on the H23 also? Ken S/V Wouff Hong
 
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Sparkysail@mail.ameritel.net

Put 155% on Mine

Evidently I missed a previous posting due to a vacation. About 3 years ago I bought a 155% for my 86 Hunter 23 and added genoa tracks as required. I would definately do it again because of the dramatic light air performance improvement (both upwind and down wind). Admittedly, you need to an extra crew onboard to be a skirt chaser and the big sail is a pain to fold. I generally only use it during races or longer cruises. Its not worth the trouble for a day sail. I added Gaurhaur tracks which are through bolted with an aluminum backing plate. Due to the deck contour forward of the winches, I had to put two tracks on each side. A long one abeam the cabin and a shorter one just forward on the winches. The tracks have also really helped me to de-power the small jib in heavy air. Let me know if you need more details.
 
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Cliff Ruckstuhl

Been There Done That!!

Peter I raced my 23 for 6 years and did what you want to do. You need to put the track as close to the cabin top as you can. The trick to make the 23 fast up wind is the sail slot. You will not want to buy a 155 head sail its a little to big. The track will stop right as it starts to curve up to go into the cock pit. Hunter made a few different boats some had real wide spreaders some not so wide. If you install the track to wide (out-board) your sheeting angle will bo to wide and you will not be able to feather the boat going to windward and you will get pounded in 10 to 15 knots of air speed. In the shorter spreader boats I hade a drawing from hunter that showed the track to start at the chain plates and go back to where I said earler. When I started to tweek my boat there was nobody racing so I had to figure it out as I went along. If you have the wide spreader boat you have another option (moving your chain plates) most people do not want to do this mod. I was in the search for a faster boat and a better handling boat up wind and that was the anwser. If you want more on that mod. E-Mail me cliffr@bright.net. Cliff
 
Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
More on adding genoa tracks

The genoa tracks are for two purposes: first, improve trimming capability of the 110 working jib. This is actually a very versatile sail, which works well until the air gets light (happens quite a lot here in central Florida). Which leads to my second objective, adding a genoa for light air work. A couple of local H23 sailors have recommended a 135 rather than a 150, based on their hard-earned experience. I didn't even know such a beast existed and I am definitely interested. Until then, I still need to be able to relocate the existing sheet lead as needed, depending on wind speed and point of sail (just like I did on my dinghy). Peter Suah s/v Raven
 
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Geoff Kloster

jib is enough

We've had a H23 for three years. It came with a 135 genoa on a CDI roller furler. It's too much sail for us lazy sailers. We enjoy sailing and tweaking for a little more, but not racing. Some days we don't want to bother with trim until we're head to wind. (At that point we gotta do something.) The 135 was frequently too much and resulted in lots of release of the main sheet and lots of heading up. Winds are usually 5k or more on our lake. This is a good light air boat and, except for raciing, doesn't need the big headsail. This year we used the original jib (hanked on) and like it much better. Occasionally close hauled or on a close reach we can sense a difference, but we can reach 5k most of the time and hull speed frequently. The few time this year we've wanted the 135 are not worth the continual hassal of too much sail the rest of the time.
 
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