H355 VS H34 Racing Results?

[Stretch]

Well, I'm really happy with the recent purchase of a 91 H355 shoal draft that is very lightly used.
My question to you regular racers is how will this boat place in club races against the eighties 34's with a full draft? Assuming all other variables were the same....
I was looking at the 34 today and it has me worried. Any hints to use on the course ?
Thanks again

 

[kloudie1]

That is going to be interesting. The PHRF ratings on the two boats are essentially the same .. (I didn't see a rating for the shoal draft 355 but it may be a smidgen higher) Let us know how she is doing !

 

[Paul356]

My two cents: You'll probably be fairly comparable downwind, reaching and upwind in moderate winds and flat water. The deep keel boat probably will do better upwind in light air, heavy air and chop/slop/waves. It will stay on track better than the shoal draft in those conditions.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Shoal draft makes leeway going to weather

Although you can point a shoal draft boat into the wind, it will make more leeway (because the keel is not as efficient as the full keeled boat). So you will be better off keeping up your speed and footing a little off the wind compared to a boat with a full keel. As a result, you should have a higher PHRF handicap than a full keeled version of your hull.

I think the reduced drag of our shoal keel actually makes us faster on a reach or downwind. In a dinghy, you reduce drag off the wind by raising the daggerboard.

Given the right handicap, you should be able to race successfully in your fleet.

 

[Alan]

Before I bought my 35.5 I owned and raced a 34. Frankly the boats are quite similar in performance but the edge definitely goes to the 35.5. The B&R rig on the 34 cannot be shaped like the conventional rig of the 35.5. The 34 is genoa dominant and the 35.5 is main sail dominant.
Admittedly I made upgrades on both boats to enhance both their performances. If you expect to be competitive in the fleet there are some basic changes that must be made, but in the final analysis the fractional rigged 35.5 is unquestionably faster on the course than the masthead rigged 34.

 

[Stretch]

Some sound advice from all and thanks
Claude; how much diff for the shoal draft rating 4pts ?
Paul ; I'm hoping to beat him downwind, you don't think it's enough difference?
David; the optimist, I will take the advice a little off the wind reaching and you got me hoping for downwind
Alan; always enjoy your posts, I assume downwind I better point off enough too but how much for racing ? How fast could you get her going on a wave off the wind ?

 

[Alan]

Polars

Paul
Sailing gybe angles down wind is almost always faster than DDW. DDW only works well when it's blowing like stink. I've included a copy of the polars for the 35.5 which gives the optimum gybe angles to sail for best VMG. You will note the lighter the wind the smaller the apparent wind angle (or the closer to the wind). For example, in 8kts of true breeze the best gybe angle would be 110 degrees apparent with a VMG of 3.991 kts.
I've hit over 15 kts while surfing off waves with my 3/4 oz running spinnaker. Coming off the wave and seeing the speed drop off to 10 or so feels so slow and you can't wait to get up on the next one and fly again, it's a real rush!

 

[heart of gold]

Some sound advice from all and thanks
Claude; how much diff for the shoal draft rating 4pts ?
Paul ; I'm hoping to beat him downwind, you don't think it's enough difference?
David; the optimist, I will take the advice a little off the wind reaching and you got me hoping for downwind
Alan; always enjoy your posts, I assume downwind I better point off enough too but how much for racing ? How fast could you get her going on a wave off the wind ?

I'm presuming "him" is me? Me thinks this season is going to be fun. Hope you notice the fine graphics on my transom. Ha

 

[Stretch]

Look out, I'm gonna surf that 355 like a whitewater kayak !