Pointing

[Charlie]

I give the fleet a fit on a reach or down wind but I lose the race going to windward.I raked the mast, put in prebend do not know what else to do out side of buying new sails. (No expense is too great to win a 25 cent ribbon and bragging rights!)On a practical matter the sails are 15 years old (I have had the boat 1 year.) Has any one had any success having sails recut or am I throwing good money after bad??

 

[Dick Vance]

Baggy Sails

Charlie,Your sails are almost certainly the culprit. Old sails that are blown out of shape will produce too much leeway and will be slow upwind. Though sails can be recut, 15 year old sails should be replaced, starting with the main.There are other factors that can affect pointing, such as lead positions, sail trim etc. but sounds like you've experimented with all these. New sails are $$$$$, but enough ribbons should ease the pain!Dick VanceH-25.5 "Honey Bear"

 

[Marc]

New Sails

Having raced a H34 for 6 seasons, I agree it is very difficult to make the boat point. My suggestions:  - only enter distance races where there are long reaches - get new hi tech sails that hold their shape - most important - this boat points much better when the genoa is touching the deck from tack to clew. Be sure the genoa is cut and mounted so it can do this. I put a tack shackle on the base of the forestay. Keeping the center of effort low keeps the boat upright - you don't need genoa up high - maybe thats why the 35.5 is fractionally rigged.

 

[PJ]

Spend the $$$

Bought my H34 84 6 years ago & the first year the crew & I just got used to sailing the boat. Previous owner had the original main , a roller furl 145,135,110. The Main & 145 were baggy, couldn't point. 2nd year had a new computer spec faired keel which was a big help. Got used to the boat some more. 3rd year had a racing main & non roller furl racing 155, was the icing on the cake. In lite air we are killers against T10s, J30s, S-2s & other misc. Med air we are in the top 5 out of 14. Heavy air(20K true) we reef and go to our 135 or 110 roller furl sails which are in very good shape. We dont hang them on the furling unit. We usually finish about 4th to 7th. We really need the heavy air experience and could use a real racing #2 & #3.Suggest you interview all the sail makers you are considering and point blank ask why theirs is better than and what is specifically wrong with x, y, & zs sails. Then talk to their customers about service, longevity etc. My sailmaker upon delivery went out for a race to 'instruct' me & crew on how to trim the new sails, and he comes aboard in the fall to look them over under load. Better than taking pictures or he trying to duplicate load in the loft. He does this every spring & fall. I don't buy a new suit every 2-3-4-5years, but he does quite well with the reccomendations to other boat owners that don"t have deep pockets.If you want to chat more E-maildhart34278@aol.comBOLPJ

 

[Marc]

more pointing

Following up on PJ's comments, the 34 is a light air boat. We had the same experience - very competitive in lite air, not in heavy when it gets overpowered easily. That's why the genoa needs to be lowered to sweep the deck. If you want a heavy air boat that points well (in heavy air but not so much in lite air) get a 35.5.