In strong winds,such as 20 knots and more,I realize that H340 can sail with jib alone,even to windward more easly than both sails. Also you can have less heel and more controlable boat without main .The speed also remain the same (almost hull speed). I wonder if it is normal,does it give any harm to rig of H 340? What about other boats?(other models of Hunters and other than Hunter boats)Is it a normal sailing way or not? Thank you all..
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Seems like.....
You would have a pretty unbalanced boat. I would suggest that you have the first and maybe the second reef in the main. This would allow the boat to sail more balanced (basically on a close reach, you can lock the wheel and steer the boat using the traveler). Sailing only under the jib should not harm your rigging, but your boat is unbalanced and if you get the boat balanced, you should actually sail faster as you are not slowing the boat by correcting (slowing the boat) by having the helm over. Regards. Bruce. Neon Moon
You would have a pretty unbalanced boat. I would suggest that you have the first and maybe the second reef in the main. This would allow the boat to sail more balanced (basically on a close reach, you can lock the wheel and steer the boat using the traveler). Sailing only under the jib should not harm your rigging, but your boat is unbalanced and if you get the boat balanced, you should actually sail faster as you are not slowing the boat by correcting (slowing the boat) by having the helm over. Regards. Bruce. Neon Moon
Me Too
I mostly singlehand my 34 and sail with just my genoa a lot of the time. It may be unbalanced, but sure is a lot more enjoyable than having to drop and flake the main alone in the wind. I agree with your performance comparison. There was some discussion here last year about how this may be bad for the rig, but I hope that God watches out for fools and single handed sailors. Bruce H34 CATWALK
I mostly singlehand my 34 and sail with just my genoa a lot of the time. It may be unbalanced, but sure is a lot more enjoyable than having to drop and flake the main alone in the wind. I agree with your performance comparison. There was some discussion here last year about how this may be bad for the rig, but I hope that God watches out for fools and single handed sailors. Bruce H34 CATWALK
Too much load on the Genoa!
i have read articals recently that advized against sailing in strong winds under genoa. People fail to see how much extra load they are placing on there genoa when the boat heels the same amount as when both sails are used. Normally whne heeling a boat to 30 degrees the main is taking most of that load.
i have read articals recently that advized against sailing in strong winds under genoa. People fail to see how much extra load they are placing on there genoa when the boat heels the same amount as when both sails are used. Normally whne heeling a boat to 30 degrees the main is taking most of that load.
Sail Loading
This is a second to what Colin said. A Genoa is a larger jib and could be a 135 to a 150. These sails are made with lighter weight fabric than a working jib. If the sail is used under wind loads greater than what it was designed for it will gradually loose it's shape and the draft will increase. As the draft increases the boat will heal more, in the same apparent wind speed, and there will be increased loading on the sail. The sail then becomes blown out. OEM (original equipment manufacturer) sails are usually not made of the best fabrics so they're going to become blown out sooner. I'd really agree that sailing with one or two reefs in the main is the way it should be done. If you know it's windy out there then put the reefs in before you leave the dock and that way there isn't so much to flake when it's time to take the sail down. If the boat doesn't have a backstay then I'd really be concerned about the rig loading when sailing with a loaded jib alone. If the boom has a toping lift then one can crank up the main sheet to help balance the load on the forestay but with a backstayless rig the boom probably doesn't have a toping lift. Sailing in light winds with a genoa should be okay, both for the rig and the sail, and would be a relaxing way to go.
This is a second to what Colin said. A Genoa is a larger jib and could be a 135 to a 150. These sails are made with lighter weight fabric than a working jib. If the sail is used under wind loads greater than what it was designed for it will gradually loose it's shape and the draft will increase. As the draft increases the boat will heal more, in the same apparent wind speed, and there will be increased loading on the sail. The sail then becomes blown out. OEM (original equipment manufacturer) sails are usually not made of the best fabrics so they're going to become blown out sooner. I'd really agree that sailing with one or two reefs in the main is the way it should be done. If you know it's windy out there then put the reefs in before you leave the dock and that way there isn't so much to flake when it's time to take the sail down. If the boat doesn't have a backstay then I'd really be concerned about the rig loading when sailing with a loaded jib alone. If the boom has a toping lift then one can crank up the main sheet to help balance the load on the forestay but with a backstayless rig the boom probably doesn't have a toping lift. Sailing in light winds with a genoa should be okay, both for the rig and the sail, and would be a relaxing way to go.
You are all right,but...
1)We have only %110 gib,not overlapping genoa,on H 340. 2)In other hand,we dont have backstay but lazy jack s wire/ropes to hold the boom.May be it gives some counter balance force to jib. 3)When you sail alone in strong winds,thats the only way to sail with jib only.. Also I wonder if there are lots of(or any)people,who can sail in 25-30 knots of wind with reefed main and jýb(may be also partly reefed)on H 340 ? I cant dare.It s allmost uncontrolable with exedeed heel. If there is a way for that proper boat please let me know.. I tried all the common ways,such as flattening the sails etc.But it doesnt help with that boat..it is little bit tender. I think its not the boat for that kýnd of weather(or offshore cruising). What you think about it? Thank you,Bruce-Colin-John for your responces.... (waiting to hear your expereinces) 3
1)We have only %110 gib,not overlapping genoa,on H 340. 2)In other hand,we dont have backstay but lazy jack s wire/ropes to hold the boom.May be it gives some counter balance force to jib. 3)When you sail alone in strong winds,thats the only way to sail with jib only.. Also I wonder if there are lots of(or any)people,who can sail in 25-30 knots of wind with reefed main and jýb(may be also partly reefed)on H 340 ? I cant dare.It s allmost uncontrolable with exedeed heel. If there is a way for that proper boat please let me know.. I tried all the common ways,such as flattening the sails etc.But it doesnt help with that boat..it is little bit tender. I think its not the boat for that kýnd of weather(or offshore cruising). What you think about it? Thank you,Bruce-Colin-John for your responces.... (waiting to hear your expereinces) 3
Double Reef Works For Us
Hi, Ersin. We have had a rather windy spring in New England this year, and we have spent several sessions in our new H340 out in the kind of winds that you describe; 20-30 knots. In these kind of conditions with double-reefed main and the standard 110 jib we found the H340 to sail nicely without excessive heel. With the double reef the boat, if anything, seemed to have a very slight lee helm; no real force, but just a slight tendency to drift off the wind if we weren't paying attention. Under double reef the main seems to be pretty well de-powered, but it does seem to add some balance to the boat. We have read a couple of articles that questioned the safety of sailing under jib alone in strong winds (ANY boat) due to extremely unbalanced forces on the mast. Unlike the main, the jib is attached to the mast only near the top, and the force is not distributed along the length of the mast; all the force is right near the top. With the H340's tall mast, that is one heck of a moment arm trying to bend that mast! However, with the mast's pre-bend and the B&R rig, which is supposed to be very strong, it may not be a real concern. But the "traditional experts" do seem to frown on the jib-only approach. On the other hand, we have certainly seen numerous boats sailing with jib only in strong winds, and if it seems to work for you........ Our own experience so far is that double-reefed main and jib works real well for everything that we have encountered so far, and some of that was definitely over 25 knots. Carl and Jule H340 s/v 'Syzygy'
Hi, Ersin. We have had a rather windy spring in New England this year, and we have spent several sessions in our new H340 out in the kind of winds that you describe; 20-30 knots. In these kind of conditions with double-reefed main and the standard 110 jib we found the H340 to sail nicely without excessive heel. With the double reef the boat, if anything, seemed to have a very slight lee helm; no real force, but just a slight tendency to drift off the wind if we weren't paying attention. Under double reef the main seems to be pretty well de-powered, but it does seem to add some balance to the boat. We have read a couple of articles that questioned the safety of sailing under jib alone in strong winds (ANY boat) due to extremely unbalanced forces on the mast. Unlike the main, the jib is attached to the mast only near the top, and the force is not distributed along the length of the mast; all the force is right near the top. With the H340's tall mast, that is one heck of a moment arm trying to bend that mast! However, with the mast's pre-bend and the B&R rig, which is supposed to be very strong, it may not be a real concern. But the "traditional experts" do seem to frown on the jib-only approach. On the other hand, we have certainly seen numerous boats sailing with jib only in strong winds, and if it seems to work for you........ Our own experience so far is that double-reefed main and jib works real well for everything that we have encountered so far, and some of that was definitely over 25 knots. Carl and Jule H340 s/v 'Syzygy'
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