Hunter 38 Improvements

sail sfbay · Dec 28, 2020

Never made the prop upgrade from 3 bladed fixed to a Flexofold prop on my 2004 Hunter 386, but I was really happy with the 3 bladed prop's motoring speed and maneuverability performance.

Since you have a fractional rig a spinnaker halyard will clear the head stay with the foot secured to the bow roller. Never flew a cruising but did fly an asymmetrical spinnaker on my Hunter 386 and deployed and doused it from the cockpit with a top down furler (avoids going to the fore deck to manage a sock).

Tally Ho · Dec 28, 2020

@Summerof69 ,

tough to imaging not getting to my boat all year...that must have been frustrating.

I don’t have a H38, but I think the general rule of thumb is that you can gain about 1/2 knot of boat speed with a folding or feathering prop... but that assumes you are not getting hull speed already.

My 32-foot O’Day 322 with a 2-blade fixed prop will sail at hull speed with enough wind...but it might be faster in lighter air conditions If I had a folding/feathering prop.

Other factors to speed include how clean the bottom is (even on the Great Lakes we can get some slime and junk on the hull and prop).

Sail condition - I replaced a 30-year old original main sail on my boat, and she sailed faster and pointed better than before.

Sail trim...goes without saying....well trimmed sails and paying attention to changes in wind and sails makes a big difference.

I hope you get out to sail on your boat in 2021.

Cheers,

Greg

markwbird · Dec 28, 2020

You very clearly only want to hear from Hunter 38 owners but since I have nothing else to do right now I am gonna give you my two cents worth anyway. Yes and maybe. The folding prop will add a knot of boat speed on average under sail. They are more maintenance and some folks will tell you they are not as effective as a fixed prop. I have not found that to be the case. A cruising spinnaker is fun but you really need crew to use it. There are folks out there who can fly a spin single handed. There are also folks who can juggle bowling pins. I rigged my boat with a spinnaker and I love it but I cannot fly it by myself.

sail sfbay · Dec 28, 2020

The 3 bladed prop on my Hunter 31, Hunter 386 and now Hunter 46 (switching 3 blade folding and 2 blade fixed props) allowed all the boats to achieve hull speed under motor. Under sail no loss of boat speed in the San Francisco Bay. I can suggest many other cost effective upgrades before a Flexofold prop.

MikeHoncho · Dec 28, 2020

I’d get other more necessay items over a spin if you don’t already have them. Like a good autopilot and radar.

Kings Gambit · Dec 28, 2020

Yeah. What Tally Ho said. It’s generally the case that there are many variables to consider in maximizing sailing “performance.” I’d look at a prop switch last, not first. Not having sailed the boat, how do you determine what it needs? I suppose getting testimonials from folks who have done everything else on the H38 already is one approach. But MHO is to get the boat optimized on the bottom (less than 2 yr since last bottom job w/ regular maintenance), lightened, rigging tuned up, appropriate sails in good condition, and proper sail trim when sailing. A folding prop probably would increase speed when the wind is less than 10 kt, whatever the initial general condition. But that would be my final touch up after I had learned how much performance increase I was looking for or what I needed.

Flying a spinnaker is potentially a can of worms. You could easily give back the VMG you might have had w/o it by fussing with it, especially if dealing with wraps. On a fractional 38-footer (I have one) you need three crew (including you) to cover the basics with much efficiency, but four is better. A “long”, straight course or leg, e.g. 4-5 n. mi. or more, with a good run probably pans out if the wind stays astern, but short courses or legs then rounding marks, or gybing, etc., I doubt it without proficient crew. Everything takes practice.

markwbird · Dec 28, 2020

Get the folding prop. It cuts like a knife but it feels so right.

sail sfbay · Dec 28, 2020

Please let us know what you did and how it worked.

Terry Cox · Dec 28, 2020

Our boat came with a fixed three blade. It spins freely while under sail. Does a wonderful job maneuvering the boat; loads of thrust and very little impact on speed. Very happy with its performance.

MikeHoncho · Dec 28, 2020

Terry Cox said:
Our boat came with a fixed three blade. It spins freely while under sail. Does a wonderful job maneuvering the boat; loads of thrust and very little impact on speed. Very happy with its performance.

Did you have a folding prior for comparison?

SycloneDriver · Dec 28, 2020

A few months ago I had steady wind and the knot log was reading 5.8 knots and I shifted the transmission into neutral and the boat accelerated to 6.8 knots. I tried it several times and got similar results. Kind of shocking. My Beneteau is equipped with the factory 3 blade fixed prop. It is very dirty and feels like very rough concrete with my feet.

quadrille38 · Dec 28, 2020

I have a 2008 38. Replaced the fixed prop with a three blade Max prop (feathering prop) the second year we owned the boat. The reason i selected Max Prop is that I called the service manager at the dealer we bought the boat from and asked for his recommendation. He said they generally always recommended Max prop.
I would never go back to a standard prop.
- when sailing and transmission in neutral per Yanmar recommendation you don’t have to listen to the constant Whir of the shaft spinning as you sail.
- boat speed sailing is a little faster- maybe 1/2 to 3/4 knot. It’s not a huge gain because if you have transmission in neutral as recommended there is some but not a huge amount of drag from a fixed prop.
- when backing the boat there is less prop walk so maneuvering is improved.
- with the feathering prop stopping ability is improved.

I don’t have a spinnaker so I can’t help you with that.

Kings Gambit · Dec 28, 2020

According to Southern California PHRF, a vessel with 3-blade fixed prop gets +9 sec/mile time credit over one with a folding prop. This suggest that all else being equal; i.e., that the two boats differ only in the type of propeller, one with the 3-blade fixed and the other with a folding, the vessel with the 3-blade fixed prop would, on average, arrive 90 secs behind the other to a mark 10 nautical miles distant. :huh:

If the faster boat making 7 knots arrives in 1hr 25.7min, the slower boat theoretically arrives in 1 hr 27.2min. My fuzzy math tells me the slower boat is making 6.9 knots. So, it would be a tenth of a knot difference there. Please check it.

KG

murrayabbott · Dec 28, 2020

Hi. I have a hunter 45DS and swapped out the 3 blade fixed prop for a flexofold. It gave me an extra knot of speed under sail. It folds back so it won’t pick up anything in the water. It is made in Denmark but there are resellers in the US.

seadaddler · Dec 28, 2020

I have Flex O Fold on my 2007 H-36 and love it and all improved in sailing motoring and reverse.
Nick

jon hansen · Dec 28, 2020

prop switch. you will gain 5% to 7% when sailing from A to B. simple math. when it's blowing hard, there will be tons of horse power to drag it along. in winds from 6 to 16 you will loose 5% to 7%. so simple. a three bladed prop is like dragging a bucket. if you do not mind dragging a bucket, then it's a non issue.
you have 15 year old sails, that ain't fresh. it's a sail boat. sails are the engine. new sails, new fabrics, sailing from A to B, there's another 3% to 5%. first thing i buy with a new to me boat are sails. i try and buy at least one new sail every year. i sail a yawl and can fly up to 5 sails at once. i have hank on sails, i have 4 jib sizes, i have 3 spinnaker sizes.
A spinnaker, hell yes. super easy to fly. lots more speed off the wind. sail 20% faster off the wind on light days. sailing A to B it's a total winner. really easy to fly, really easy to set and douse.

that's me on a beautiful great lakes day. blowing 8, look at the water, and i'm rolling 6, not 4.1. hell, that day my sister in law, a non sailor put it up and down and trimmed it with simple directions. easy peezee.

a lot of sailors reach out tack and reach back. then claim their old sail are still fine. going to weather with a purpose, going with the wind with a destination, old sails suck. add a 3 bladed prop and what do you have? a guy that motors all the time and/or ain't going anywhere.

you need sails that are fresh to go to weather and get somewhere. and get some BIG ones. and i don't mean 155% gennies

old boat, fresh sails baby.

jon

jon hansen · Dec 28, 2020

Kings Gambit said:
According to Southern California PHRF, a vessel with 3-blade fixed prop gets +9 sec/mile time credit over one with a folding prop. This suggest that all else being equal; i.e., that the two boats differ only in the type of propeller, one with the 3-blade fixed and the other with a folding, the vessel with the 3-blade fixed prop would, on average, arrive 90 secs behind the other to a mark 10 nautical miles distant.

If the faster boat making 7 knots arrives in 1hr 25.7min, the slower boat theoretically arrives in 1 hr 27.2min. My fuzzy math tells me the slower boat is making 6.9 knots. So, it would be a tenth of a knot difference there. Please check it.

KG

i like you KG. i enjoy the banter. but that is the most misleading statement i have ever read about sailing vessels. it's so totally not how these boats work. your assumptions are wrong.

Kings Gambit · Dec 28, 2020

jon hansen said:
i like you KG. i enjoy the banter. but that is the most misleading statement i have ever read about sailing vessels. it's so totally not how these boats work. your assumptions are wrong.

So. Please show me the simple math you are referring to above in #17 supporting a 5 to 7% difference in speed. The data on time credit are from PHRF; no assumptions, only calculation.

jon hansen · Dec 28, 2020

any other questions?