Learned something new about our boat

[robertsapp]

Usually when reaching into winds above 20 knots, we sail with a double reefed main on our H336, and roll up the jib when it starts gusting to 25. The ride is usually unpleasant, with quite a bit of weather helm and the boat rounding up in stronger gusts, and it's hard to make better than 60 degrees apparent upwind. Yesterday, we were sailing home from a Memorial Day weekend vacation trip, and the winds were blowing 18 - 20 with gusts to 25. We had been motoring for several hours because our course in the Intracoastal was dead into the wind, but we finally got into the bay and were able to fall off enough to put a sail up. Not wanting to deal with reefing the main, we just left it tied down and rolled out our jib. This is the first time since we bought the boat that we ever tried sailing in winds this high under just the jib.

We were amazed at how well the boat balanced and behaved. Under full jib, the helm was centered, you could take your hands off the wheel and the boat maintained its track, and we could point to 30 degrees apparant, while maintaining 6 knots. Conditions that had always been a PITA to deal with suddenly became no big thing. I'd never tried this before because intellectually I knew it should have resulted in way too much lee helm. But no one told the boat.

So now I'm curious. Is our boat odd, or do others find their boats sail better under jib alone when pointing in higher winds?

 

[YVRguy]

You refer to your headsail as a jib but are you really flying a jib as opposed to a standard genoa? Curious to know what you have. I have a 135 genoa on my H34 and it will overpower my boat by itself in 20kts upwind.

 

[Sailm8]

I have a 110 and experienced the same. Much easier to sail balanced.

 

[Mikem]

My 466 sails great under the 110 alone. It will barely move under main alone but when I roll out even a small portion of the 110 she takes off. My experience is the same...more main more weather helm.

 

[Scott]

Find the balance!

On our boat, sailing with just a headsail is rarely optimum. Reef your main, use the traveler, reef your headsail, and experiment with the sheets, blocks, etc., until you find the right balance. You'll find that the boat will settle eventually in the "groove," and a point of sail in nearly any wind can be comfy and fun. Had alot of unpleasant of sails until we learned how to "balance" the boat.

It just takes patience and expermentation.

 

[robertsapp]

You refer to your headsail as a jib but are you really flying a jib as opposed to a standard genoa? Curious to know what you have. I have a 135 genoa on my H34 and it will overpower my boat by itself in 20kts upwind.

It's a jib. The 1995 H336 is a 7/8ths fractional rig with a 100% jib. In the past, at 20 knots on a reach, I've usually rolled it up 1/4 to 1/3 of the way, and pulled a double reef in the main. I've trimmed and adjusted and vanged and tweaked, but the boat just sailed like crap. With full jib only, she practically sailed herself. We have a B&R rig with a slab reefed full roach main.

 

[Dave602]

Noticed the same on our 29.5. She sails great on just a jib in high winds and we don't battle the big full battened main.

 

[Fly_H23]

Maybe it's all in your head and just think...bumblebees really aren't supposed to fly either!

I suspect that the wind acting on the high freeboard of the hull in high winds is enough to balance the headsail. I've experienced it too in boats larger than a daysailer.

 

[Nodak7]

We were amazed at how well the boat balanced and behaved. Under full jib, the helm was centered, you could take your hands off the wheel and the boat maintained its track, and we could point to 30 degrees apparant, while maintaining 6 knots. Conditions that had always been a PITA to deal with suddenly became no big thing. I'd never tried this before because intellectually I knew it should have resulted in way too much lee helm. But no one told the boat.

So now I'm curious. Is our boat odd, or do others find their boats sail better under jib alone when pointing in higher winds?

Robert... 20+ kts, reefed main and reefed foresail makes for a smooth ride, a faster boat and a Happier Admiral!

 

[Benny17441]

I think your problem may start when you start rolling up the jib. The 110 will loose its sail shape rather quickly as you start rolling it in and will cause balance problems. we sail a similar h320 and we find the best trim with the jib fully out and the main reffed as necessary. Like Scott says work the traveller and balance the boat. Sometimes a small change in course will provide a more comfortable ride.

 

[robertsapp]

Reef your main, use the traveler, reef your headsail, and experiment with the sheets, blocks, etc., until you find the right balance. You'll find that the boat will settle eventually in the "groove," and a point of sail in nearly any wind can be comfy and fun. Had alot of unpleasant of sails until we learned how to "balance" the boat.

It just takes patience and expermentation.

I found the groove. If the boat is doing six knots at 30 degrees apparent with the helm centered and you can take your hands off the wheel and the boat continues to track straight, I'm pretty much there. It just surprises me that after almost four years of fussing with it, I just discovered that the optimum is full jib, no main. It sounds like those sailing 29.5's have discovered the same thing, and a 336 is just a scaled up 29.5. So I'm guessing there's something about the way our boat is rigged that makes this the best way to sail it upwind in 20+ knots. It just would have never occured to me to try it, because we all "know" you have to have some main up.

I do think maybe there's something to the comment above about our high freeboard presenting sufficient surface to the wind to balance the boat under headsail alone.

 

[Tribu336]

Very interesting post Robert! Wii give it a try for sure as we have had the same problem!