Racing a 37.5 Hunter Legend

[shaman]

Hey,
Is there anyone else racing a 37.5 out there??? My wife and I race our 1995 37.5 in the nonspin class 12-15 races each year. We have a good fairly slick bottom and a folding three blades prop. We race with a standard main and a 130 jib and unless the wind gets below 3-4 knots we do quite well.

We are very competitive against other production sailboats but when a racing designed boat with it's plastic sails drops down into the NS class they clean our clocks.

We have raced since the early 80s in both the spin and the NS class. In 2000 we started cruising and raced very little We stayed home the last 2-3 years and started doing NS racing. I was amazed at the evolutionary jump in the boat speeds of the newer raced designed boats.

When a racing designed boat drops down into NS class they blow away all of the cruiser/racers that normally race in that class. Especially if the race consist of windward legs, the racers beat the fastest cruiser racer by as much as 20-40 sec/mile. In the GYA We still have not been able to find a PHRF number the will allow a production cruiser/race to be competive with the newer race designed boats. Has anyone else run into that problem??

The NS class is the class where most racers begin and as such should be protected from the unfair competiton of racing boats in their class. I am looking for suggestions as how to deal with this problem that is fair to both the racers and the production cruiser/racers. How are other areas dealing with this problem?

Don

 

[Alan]

All valid concerns.

First off, do you get credit in your rating system for 'cruising equipped' boats? Meaning you have roller furling, dodger, awning, twin anchors hanging off the bow, etc ?

Is your club lumping boats with under 100 PHRF ratings in with boats near and over 200? PHRF only works with boats rated fairly close together.

Your 37.5 probably rates around 111 to 115 but with cruising credits it could easily go near 130.

Also your 130 genoa is going to be smoked by almost any boat carrying a 155 especially if they have a whisker pole (unless you get extra credit).

Your club may also want to consider giving 'new' racing skippers a handicap. For example: first year +10 seconds, second year +5 seconds, third year +2 seconds. This will give an added incentive to new or fairly new to racing skippers and help to level the playing field.

 

[shaman]

NS racing the 37.5 Hunter Legend

Hi Allan,
I have been reading your comments for several months now. I find most of your comments dead on and I'm sure your comments encourages many beginning/ novice racers to prepare themselves properly for competition. Good on you. I think racing is the quickest way for someone to learn how to handle their sails, the weather and just general boat management. I love the interaction and camaraderie among sailors of all types, racers and cruisers alike. When I go cruising it is like having a ready made family and support system among the other cruisers wherever I go. Sailing brings out the best in people I feel.
My rating with cruise credit is 129. And, I have found out how to power up my jib and main in light winds so that I do well in winds above 4/6 knts and very well in winds over that. As you have told people many times besides a folding prop and a slick bottom rig tune on the hunter legend series is essential to racing well.
For you other 37.5 racers, I have found that moving my jib block further forward than you think it should be will power up your jib and give you surprising speed in light airs without hurting your pointing. Of course, you really need telltales spaced from the top of your sail to the bottom to tell you when you are best trimmed. Also, as you reach off you need to move the jib blocks to the toe rail and even further forward. In the GYA nonspin boats are allowed to use our whisker poles on the same side as the main and you can really shape your jib that way and pick up a half knot or better.
I find I do well against other production cruiser/racers with 155% genoas even in the lighter winds when I power up my jib and main. Race designed boats with hi-tech sails blow us away.
I like your comments about offering beginning NS racers a time limited PHRF break. I think I will bring that up to our local race fleet captians. Thanks for your feedback.
Come on you 37.5 owners, your boats can be very competitive in NS club racing. I can think of no better way to spend a Saturday than spending 3-4 hours sailing/racing on the bay with your friends and another 2-3 hours at the club swapping stories and sharing companionship with people of like interest.
Don & Lisa of
S/V Shaman

All valid concerns.

First off, do you get credit in your rating system for 'cruising equipped' boats? Meaning you have roller furling, dodger, awning, twin anchors hanging off the bow, etc ?

Is your club lumping boats with under 100 PHRF ratings in with boats near and over 200? PHRF only works with boats rated fairly close together.

Your 37.5 probably rates around 111 to 115 but with cruising credits it could easily go near 130.

Also your 130 genoa is going to be smoked by almost any boat carrying a 155 especially if they have a whisker pole (unless you get extra credit).

Your club may also want to consider giving 'new' racing skippers a handicap. For example: first year +10 seconds, second year +5 seconds, third year +2 seconds. This will give an added incentive to new or fairly new to racing skippers and help to level the playing field.

 

[George8396]

Hey Don, for rating reference, check out asmbyc.org, click on "Cruising Class" in the header, then open the cruising class standard entry form which gives all the rating allowances that we use here locally. Hope that helps!
PS: The 37.5 is the only boat I would be willing to part with my 35.5 for...(but don't tell her, she bites!)

 

[Rick D]

Allowances for material & size

If you go to look at the entry form for the 2010 Newport Beach / Ensenada BC race at NOSA ( http://www.nosa.org/ ) you'll see the pluses and minus for sail size and material. I understand your issues; more (older) race boats have been moving into cruising classes in many distance races because they don't like wallowing around in light airs for hours at a time. However, a good rating system will go a long way to smooth out the lumps.

 

[shaman]

Hi George,

Thanks for your feedback. I also had a 35.5. Lusted after a 37.5 for several years before I could find one I could afford. Loved my 35.5. Raced it quite successifully and singlehanded it thru Cuba and Isla Mujeres and back. Needed more space and comfort for the wife when I started cruising with her. In some ways I liked the 35.5 better than the 37.5. Especially when I was singlehanding, but the 37.5 more comfortable and faster than the 35.5. If not for the cruising I think I would have kept the 35.5 They are really hard to beat. Good luck with your racing.

Don
S/V Shaman

 

[shaman]

Re: Allowances for material & size

Thanks Rick for your reply,

The PHRF people and race comittees are pretty much bed with the "real" racers and mostly ignore the NS crowd except for the spin racer that wants an easy throphy.

Got a question about your 40.5. My 37.5 is a pretty good light air boat. From everything I can read on the Hunter owners the 40.5 it is a little stiffer and really doesen't start to move well until you have 8-10 knots. Do you race with a 155% genoa or do you find that you do well with just your 130%. Found a really decent 40.5 that I am considering buying. Would appreciate any thoughts and feeback on racing a 40.5

Don
S/V Shaman