How fast is your H26/260?

[rgranger]

Hey All
Just got back yesterday from a sailing trip in the Neuse River (Pamlico Sound). This was my first extended sail in my new-2-me H26 and I must say it is a very comfortable boat. I learned a few things as well but that is for another thread.

My question for you H26/260 owners is ... how fast do you typically drive your boats? I have a knot meter on my boat and (if it is accurate) my boat seems really slow... even when using the iron genny. The boat didn't feel all that slow but it didn't feel speedy either. My GPS had stopped working so I was unable to verify if the knot meter was calibrated correctly.

At full throttle on my 2014 Honda 9.9, I could only drive the hull at 5.6 kt. Under sail, 4.5 was about the best I could do and that was under ideal wind conditions. Some place in the 3kt range was more typical. In my previous two boats (A MacGregor V22 and Balboa 26) I could sail at 6 kts in ideal conditions and over 5 kts under typical conditions. Is the H26 a slow boat? Or maybe my knot meter is off?

 

[Justin_NSA]

You're not dragging and anchor are you? Clean bottom? That does seem slow, even for a Hunterbego. That's what my friend calls his H26. Do you have a GPS to check it with?

 

[rgranger]

You're not dragging and anchor are you? Clean bottom? That does seem slow, even for a Hunterbego. That's what my friend calls his H26. Do you have a GPS to check it with?

My GPS had stopped working so I was unable to verify if the knot meter was calibrated correctly. I had put new bottom paint on the boat only 10 days before I left so the bottom was smooth.

Hunterbego..... haha.... I like it. Yes she is comfortable to camp out in. I have been boat camping fairly regularly for the past 17 or 18 years now and this is the first time I found the galley actually user friendly.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I don't think they are slow boats. But like my 30, they have a lot of freeboard and look hulky. That's why he likes to call it that. They are comfortable designs. If it's (k)not your meter, then maybe your sails are blown out?

 

[Kermit]

As I've stated many times, I'm not particularly skilled. Most of the time I feel I'm going slow. But there are times when I feel like we're setting a new water speed record. Loads of fun when we get to going real fast. I keep a Garmin car GPS on board that shows MPH. I'll try to remember to use it sometime. (It's pretty cool seeing a car icon in the middle of the lake.)

 

[rgranger]

I do suspect my main is blown out .... the pocket seemed to collapse often... so that is a project for the off season... but even with the 9.9 at full throttle, I was unable to get above 5.6 kt which to my mind implies my intrinsic hull speed is 5.6 kt.

The reported waterline length of the H26 is 23.16' so the theoretical hull speed should be squareroot(23.16) X 1.34 = 6.44 kt.

Seems like I'm slow by ~0.8 to ~0.9 kt. but hey.... my baby has a big behind and a wide middle so maybe that is as fast as she goes.....

I guess I need to do this again with my GPS working. I'm curious what other H26/260 sailors see on their knot meter?

 

[rgranger]

As I've stated many times, I'm not particularly skilled. Most of the time I feel I'm going slow. But there are times when I feel like we're setting a new water speed record. Loads of fun when we get to going real fast. I keep a Garmin car GPS on board that shows MPH. I'll try to remember to use it sometime. (It's pretty cool seeing a car icon in the middle of the lake.)

Thanks @Kermit..... sometimes I just want to slap myself.... I also have a car GPS but my compartmentalized mind did not let me think to use it on my boat... Duh... I'm guessing I could have used my iPhone as well.... So I'm not that smart.

I owe you an update on my trip. It was less glorious than I had hoped but I learned a lot and had some fun so it was still a good trip. I'll post something about it once I have cleared out my inbox and gotten caught up at work. The short version....I had to cut the trip short due to a bad cut on my leg. I slipped on a concrete ramp covered in green slime while launching my new dinghy and my ankle bone slammed into the neighboring concrete slab... embedding the green slim in a deep cut on my ankle bone (given the fact that the ankle skin is not that deep it was a bad cut). Anyway, I pored hydrogen peroxide in the cut.... then swabbed it out with hand sanitized (yes I screamed like a baby) Then I tried to "stitch" it with superglue. Got an extra day of sailing in before the inevitable infection set it and I had to go see a doctor. C'est la vie. The antibiotics seem to be working and the swelling has gone down.

Next time I'm adding a bottle of iodine solution to the first aid kit. And maybe an emergency suture kit. And maybe some brandy Yeah some brandy would have helped.

 

[Justin_NSA]

As I've stated many times, I'm not particularly skilled. Most of the time I feel I'm going slow. But there are times when I feel like we're setting a new water speed record. Loads of fun when we get to going real fast. I keep a Garmin car GPS on board that shows MPH. I'll try to remember to use it sometime. (It's pretty cool seeing a car icon in the middle of the lake.)

It's even green

 

[RonniePH26]

I regularly get 5+ knots and have had it in excess of 6 several times. My outboard pushes at about 6.5 knots.

 

[rgranger]

Thanks Ronnie

That is the info I needed...

 

[rgranger]

It's even green

Do we have a touch of Deuteranopia

That is clearly blue and we all know blue frogs are poisonous.
@Justin_NSA
@Kermit

 

[Benny17441]

A knot meter measures speed over the water. A GPS readings of speed over the bottom might not prove a thing as the effects of currents will remain an unknown. You may get somewhere if you make two measured runs in 180 degrees,opposite directions, and then average out the resulting speeds. Hunterbago, that is funny but also true, the h260 was designed for comfort and not for speed. I was sailing real fast one time, the sails were pulling hard and spray flying over the bow and then I turned on the handheld GPS to plot my position in the chart. I was sad to learn that my actual speed over the bottom was 2.8 knots and that I was still 3 hours away from my intended destination with two hours of daylight left. I ended up diverting to an alternate port. So much for trying to save battery power on the handheld GPS. Should have at least checked speed and position once every hour. Now with chartplotters is all real time.

 

[rgranger]

Benny

The suggestion of two readings at 180 is a good idea.... I also do a fair bit of lake sailing and current is not a big issue there. I think I could just leave the gps and the knot meter going most of the day and see how close they come over time and I'll have an idea if my meter is calibrated or not.

 

[Jackdaw]

A knot meter measures speed over the water. A GPS readings of speed over the bottom might not prove a thing as the effects of currents will remain an unknown.

He's on a small lake. No currents, no tides. SOG = SOW.

WOT you should hit hull speed unless something is wrong, dirty, or dragging.

 

[rgranger]

He's on a small lake. No currents, no tides. SOG = SOW.

WOT you should hit hull speed unless something is wrong, dirty, or dragging.

@Jackdaw
Well actually I was in the Pamlico Sound all last week when this was observed but as far as future testing goes, you are correct. I am suspecting my knot meter is not properly calibrated (I hope that is the problem) but I won't know until I get the boat back in the water. This probably qualifies as my first intensive shake down cruise and if the only deficiency on the boat is a poorly calibrated knot meter.... I'm doing okay. Now I did have a few minor issues with the trailer lights... another story...for another day.

 

[rgranger]

And Jackdaw... one more thing.....

I used to live in Minnesota so I agree... it is a small lake... but around here it is definitely a very large and impressive lake....

 

[Tally Ho]

Patience Grasshopper....it takes some practice to maximize your speed! I had a Hunter280, so a bit bigger boat, but I had a hard time making over 6 knots when I first got her. But I got better and eventually could get her over the hull speed in ideal conditions (like the picture below).

A lot depends on the wind, your angle of attack, sail,trim, etc.

I had an inboard diesel, so cannot comment on the motor speed.

Just have fun practicing, and I am sure the speed will get better.

Greg

 

[rgranger]

Greg

Don't think it is my sailing skills.... otherwise the outboard motor would have been able to push her at hull speed. And I've been sailing since 1974....
I'm still hoping it is my knot meter. Otherwise, I have some sleuthing to do.

But I'm sure I have a few tricks to figure out on the H26.

 

[Kermit]

Now I did have a few minor issues with the trailer lights... another story...for another day.

Try taking the boat off the trailer next time. Your speed should improve (a little) and you won't need the lights.

 

[rgranger]

Try taking the boat off the trailer next time. Your speed should improve (a little) and you won't need the lights.

You are a sick and twisted frog my friend.... sick and twisted.