I have a question about running and broad reaching with the swept back spreaders. I'm sailing a '84 h31 (Bergstrom Rig??). The boat has a full battened main and when running off he wind I frequently seem to have the main touching the end of the spreaders. What's the proper way to trim on a run because I can't ease the mainsheet enough to expose maximum sail to the wind without the spreaders rubbing on the main? This boat is new to me, as are swept back spreaders. What's the theory on them? Thanks, Mike
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No Doz
Theory?
You asked: "What's the theory on them?" They were designed by people who never sail downwind, or who only motor.
You asked: "What's the theory on them?" They were designed by people who never sail downwind, or who only motor.
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Joe Ford
Tack downwind...
It'll be more effecient and faster. One "theory" behind the swept back spreaders and rigging might be to eliminate the need for a backstay. This would allow for a fully battened main with a large roach to be tacked without getting hung up on the backstay. It is a common set up on catamarans. racing dinghys, etc. Check out the 49'er or any beach cat. for example. The downside, as you have discovered, is the mainsail and boom have limited range. So running dead downwind is nearly impossible. The solution is to tack downwind, on a beam or broad reach using a series of jibes. A gennaker (asymetrical spinnaker) is the downwind sail of choice, and matches well with the large main. That's one theory, anyway.
It'll be more effecient and faster. One "theory" behind the swept back spreaders and rigging might be to eliminate the need for a backstay. This would allow for a fully battened main with a large roach to be tacked without getting hung up on the backstay. It is a common set up on catamarans. racing dinghys, etc. Check out the 49'er or any beach cat. for example. The downside, as you have discovered, is the mainsail and boom have limited range. So running dead downwind is nearly impossible. The solution is to tack downwind, on a beam or broad reach using a series of jibes. A gennaker (asymetrical spinnaker) is the downwind sail of choice, and matches well with the large main. That's one theory, anyway.
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Dave
Only sail on a broad reach or upwind!!!
These boats should only be sailed on a broad reach or upwind. The guy on the dock across from me with the B&R rig solves the problem by only sailing with his motor running and the sails tightly furled inside their covers. If a broad reach or upwind does not get you to your destination then use your satellite communication system to call up the designer and complain.
These boats should only be sailed on a broad reach or upwind. The guy on the dock across from me with the B&R rig solves the problem by only sailing with his motor running and the sails tightly furled inside their covers. If a broad reach or upwind does not get you to your destination then use your satellite communication system to call up the designer and complain.
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Mike
I have a back stay
Joe, thanks for the comments. I understand what you're saying about a bigger roach but I have a back stay. In reading the tuning guide on B&R rigs it sounds like the advantage is in the ability to reduce the diameter of the mast. Seems like the windage from the extra standing rigging would offset that advantage though. Since the main is at such a poor angle when running do people reef the main when flying the spinnaker? Of course not being able to ease the main out completely should let enough extra wind pass to the spinnaker. I'm just trying to learn the quirks of a new boat. Has, anyone ever contacted Hunter to see why they like the swept back design. Mike
Joe, thanks for the comments. I understand what you're saying about a bigger roach but I have a back stay. In reading the tuning guide on B&R rigs it sounds like the advantage is in the ability to reduce the diameter of the mast. Seems like the windage from the extra standing rigging would offset that advantage though. Since the main is at such a poor angle when running do people reef the main when flying the spinnaker? Of course not being able to ease the main out completely should let enough extra wind pass to the spinnaker. I'm just trying to learn the quirks of a new boat. Has, anyone ever contacted Hunter to see why they like the swept back design. Mike
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Kenneth Pfaff
You can't sail downwind...
without the main hitting the spreaders. I sail on the Hudson River, so depending on the wind I have to saildown wind a lot and my main lays right on the swept back spreaders. Because of that I can only sail on a broad reach, and I cannot sail Wing on Wing. I can get the main out far enough to eliminate an unexpected jib. One of these days I may get a spinaker, but that would also entail getting another set of winches.
without the main hitting the spreaders. I sail on the Hudson River, so depending on the wind I have to saildown wind a lot and my main lays right on the swept back spreaders. Because of that I can only sail on a broad reach, and I cannot sail Wing on Wing. I can get the main out far enough to eliminate an unexpected jib. One of these days I may get a spinaker, but that would also entail getting another set of winches.
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Dick of Sylvan
Running Downwind
The folks who race Catalina 14.2's, say go ahead and let the sail push against the shrouds. I do and all that happens in a negative way is the mainsail gets stained a bit. The good thing is that it runs well wing-on-wing. I guess I wouldn't want the mainsail against the spreaders unless they were well padded. Don't know if this approach works on larger boats, but it does sound like not a big thing. Dick
The folks who race Catalina 14.2's, say go ahead and let the sail push against the shrouds. I do and all that happens in a negative way is the mainsail gets stained a bit. The good thing is that it runs well wing-on-wing. I guess I wouldn't want the mainsail against the spreaders unless they were well padded. Don't know if this approach works on larger boats, but it does sound like not a big thing. Dick
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Don Guillette
I think No Doz has it right. Some of the things designers come up with make sail trimming difficult. An example is the older C30's (like mine - 1981) that have a curved track traveler. The curve matches the curve of the cabin top. It looks trick and stylish but actually stinks from a functioning standpoint plus the traveler car they installed is pathetic. It consists of 4 rubber rollers, which after time, become brittle and are then loaded with friction.Actually, that's not the biggest problem with the curved track system. The problem is when you are closed hauled and your main is in tight but you want to pull the traveler up a bit more but you can't because the car is now going down hill plus, as your moving it, only about 2 of the rollers are in contact with the track because of the pulling angle. To make any adjustment, you have to loosen the mainsheet, move the traveler and then reset teh main. I replaced that useless contraption shortly after I bought the boat with the Garhauer straight track traveler and am very happy with it. As this thread is about Hunters and I've never had the chance to sail on one but last weekend I sailed up on one and was curious as to how he was using his traveler so I tucked in behind him. Actually, I was intending to give him a GO but decided to see how the traveler worked instead. On this forum, we've discussed the location of the traveler before but I've never seen it work so I pulled up beside him and asked him how he liked it and he told me he'd adjust it so I could see how it works. I saw it work but I didn't think it is as effective as one located much lower. Maybe another example of form over function or is it function over form? I don't know which wording is correct.
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