I have a 1996 Hunter 336 and have started racing this season. The boat has a phrf rating of 144. I have a new head sail, 155% and have problems high and fast. I find myself falling off further from the racers in front of me. There is a problem pulling the headsail in close and tight because of the rigging of the spreaders. Does anyone have any tips for racing the Hunter 336 with a larger headsail?
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155 won't work
With a 155 on this boat you will never get the right sheeting angle. It might have been a waste of money and the sail maker should have seen this. The sheeting angle is hugh in going up wind. I am not sure what the degree is but it needs to sheet in to say 25 degree's off center line of the boat. The current Hunter boats were not designed to have a 155 for going up wind. You just can not get the head sail in past the shrouds since they are attached at the toe rail of the boat. A better choice would have been a deck sweeper jib that might have measured out to be a 116% or something like that. I am surprised a sail maker sold you this sail. The best bet would have been the quessing 125% head sail and a monster roach main sail. Cliff
With a 155 on this boat you will never get the right sheeting angle. It might have been a waste of money and the sail maker should have seen this. The sheeting angle is hugh in going up wind. I am not sure what the degree is but it needs to sheet in to say 25 degree's off center line of the boat. The current Hunter boats were not designed to have a 155 for going up wind. You just can not get the head sail in past the shrouds since they are attached at the toe rail of the boat. A better choice would have been a deck sweeper jib that might have measured out to be a 116% or something like that. I am surprised a sail maker sold you this sail. The best bet would have been the quessing 125% head sail and a monster roach main sail. Cliff
155 Could work
I had the smaller sister (29.5) with a 150. I finally scored a win when I took a sailmaker on as crew. We moved the bimini out of the way and sheeted the 155 in tight as banjo string. You will need to have a genoa track set up aft and as close in as you can get it. I suggest you look at the photo forum of the 29.5 with the 155
I had the smaller sister (29.5) with a 150. I finally scored a win when I took a sailmaker on as crew. We moved the bimini out of the way and sheeted the 155 in tight as banjo string. You will need to have a genoa track set up aft and as close in as you can get it. I suggest you look at the photo forum of the 29.5 with the 155
Thank you
Thanks for the feedback, I will have to roll the headsail in and use it as a 125. I will ask the sail maker to recut it as a 125. We did use it in the Newport to Ensenada Race last month and it worked great on a broad reach. It just does not work well high into the wind.
Thanks for the feedback, I will have to roll the headsail in and use it as a 125. I will ask the sail maker to recut it as a 125. We did use it in the Newport to Ensenada Race last month and it worked great on a broad reach. It just does not work well high into the wind.
125% was a guess
The 125% was a guess on what the size should be. I would have the sail maker come out get on the boat and measure for the biggest head sail you can have that will trim inside the rig. I would also buy a racing head sail like a UK Tape Drive or a Doyle D 4. Also have him look at the main with the rig on the current Hunter boats a Monster roach main will make up the lost sail area of a 155. A good set of racing sail will move you up in the fleet faster then anything. CLiff
The 125% was a guess on what the size should be. I would have the sail maker come out get on the boat and measure for the biggest head sail you can have that will trim inside the rig. I would also buy a racing head sail like a UK Tape Drive or a Doyle D 4. Also have him look at the main with the rig on the current Hunter boats a Monster roach main will make up the lost sail area of a 155. A good set of racing sail will move you up in the fleet faster then anything. CLiff
Cliff is on the "right" tack....
Any racing upwind sail needs to be a decksweeper or you are just giving away power. This is where polars become soooo important. Whether to choose a smaller headsail and point high or a larger one and give away height for speed. Also realize than a one or even two sail inventory is not going to get the job done in a race. A high clew reacher can't compete against a decksweeper #3 for pointing. Conversly, a high clewed light #1 is the perfect sail on a beam reach. PS, I would start by making SURE that the rig is properly tuned before buying any new sails. Most marinas don't have a clew(no pun) how to tune the various rigs correctly.
Any racing upwind sail needs to be a decksweeper or you are just giving away power. This is where polars become soooo important. Whether to choose a smaller headsail and point high or a larger one and give away height for speed. Also realize than a one or even two sail inventory is not going to get the job done in a race. A high clew reacher can't compete against a decksweeper #3 for pointing. Conversly, a high clewed light #1 is the perfect sail on a beam reach. PS, I would start by making SURE that the rig is properly tuned before buying any new sails. Most marinas don't have a clew(no pun) how to tune the various rigs correctly.
Feedback
The feedback is great, my current sail inventory is the stock Doyle main sail, the stock Doyle jib, a new Asymetrical Spiniker and the new Genoa, 155% head sail. I also have had the boat tuned and replace a lot of the rigging with more performance rigging. Our racing season started two weeks ago. I race every Tursday night from May through late October in a great series of Regattas that one of the clubs host in Los Alamitos Bay, CA. I will keep you posted on our progress this season.
The feedback is great, my current sail inventory is the stock Doyle main sail, the stock Doyle jib, a new Asymetrical Spiniker and the new Genoa, 155% head sail. I also have had the boat tuned and replace a lot of the rigging with more performance rigging. Our racing season started two weeks ago. I race every Tursday night from May through late October in a great series of Regattas that one of the clubs host in Los Alamitos Bay, CA. I will keep you posted on our progress this season.
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