I'm a 1st year owner of a Hunter 26WB. I've been tweaking the rigging quite a bit using a detailed tuning guide found on this site. I've tensioned upper and lower shrouds to 700 and 600 respectively. Headstay with roller furler has no visible sag in it (same set up as previous owner). Pretty sure mast rake (plum bob from main halyard) is btw 4-6 inches from base of mast. I get good boat speed both up and down wind (5-6.3 kts)with 10-15kts of wind and a reef. All of the above said..I've noticed two things. I have to reef when winds are above 10 knots to prevent excessive heal (wife doesn't like anything around 20 degrees and I've read 15 is most efficient). Second and most frustrating..the boat doesn't point well. Are my problems tuning related or characteristic of the boat?? Any suggestions welcome. Thanks !!
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How do you know?
When you say your boat "doesn't point well" what do you mean? 1. Boat tacks through a larger-than-desired angle measured on the compass? 2. Boat tacks through a larger-than-desired angled measured on the GPS ground track? 3. Compass angle OK, but too much leeway? Pointing ability in one sense is largely a measure of how close to centerline you can set the sails. But you can also tack through a reasonably narrow angle (90 degrees or less) and still have poor VMG due to leeway. So the other component of pointing ability is how much lift (hate that term) is supplied by the keel/hull. For example, my 336 tacks through 90 degrees easily, but the stubby wing keel allows so much leeway that VMG suffers. It looks like it points fine, but it really doesn't. And how about lead placement? Have you tested the top-to-bottom "break" of the jib tell-tales to make sure that the leads are positioned correctly? Paul sv Escape Artist h336
When you say your boat "doesn't point well" what do you mean? 1. Boat tacks through a larger-than-desired angle measured on the compass? 2. Boat tacks through a larger-than-desired angled measured on the GPS ground track? 3. Compass angle OK, but too much leeway? Pointing ability in one sense is largely a measure of how close to centerline you can set the sails. But you can also tack through a reasonably narrow angle (90 degrees or less) and still have poor VMG due to leeway. So the other component of pointing ability is how much lift (hate that term) is supplied by the keel/hull. For example, my 336 tacks through 90 degrees easily, but the stubby wing keel allows so much leeway that VMG suffers. It looks like it points fine, but it really doesn't. And how about lead placement? Have you tested the top-to-bottom "break" of the jib tell-tales to make sure that the leads are positioned correctly? Paul sv Escape Artist h336
Sailing close hauled
Mark is right - this is far too controversial a topic for us amateurs! Some days I wonder what kind of snake-oil salesman sold us this boat, & other days we think we are the luckiest family on the planet. When it comes to a close reach, I often believe this point of sail is one of the least troubling. As the wind picks up, we try to keep the sails as flat as possible. This has meant purchasing a better vang (with a cleat that can be used from the cockpit), a traveller, & new halyards (the old ones started to slip). Also, I find that we have to anticipate when we will be overpowered by the gusts - otherwise, there is little, if anything, that can be done to stop her from turning into the wind once she starts to head up. Most often, we do this by sailing as close as possible to the wind just as we meet the gust. You've already noticed that you have to reef early. That is your best defence to excessive weather helm and heeling. This spring, I was convinced we needed a fixed keel. But after a week on our long, desolate lake, we rediscovered a new delightfulness for our boat. Instead of trading up, we decided to add a few extras such as solar panels, quicker anchoring, a new VHF radio. Besides, we have paid for this boat & we all know the newer, bigger ones are not given away! Cheers, Rick s/v MoonGlow
Mark is right - this is far too controversial a topic for us amateurs! Some days I wonder what kind of snake-oil salesman sold us this boat, & other days we think we are the luckiest family on the planet. When it comes to a close reach, I often believe this point of sail is one of the least troubling. As the wind picks up, we try to keep the sails as flat as possible. This has meant purchasing a better vang (with a cleat that can be used from the cockpit), a traveller, & new halyards (the old ones started to slip). Also, I find that we have to anticipate when we will be overpowered by the gusts - otherwise, there is little, if anything, that can be done to stop her from turning into the wind once she starts to head up. Most often, we do this by sailing as close as possible to the wind just as we meet the gust. You've already noticed that you have to reef early. That is your best defence to excessive weather helm and heeling. This spring, I was convinced we needed a fixed keel. But after a week on our long, desolate lake, we rediscovered a new delightfulness for our boat. Instead of trading up, we decided to add a few extras such as solar panels, quicker anchoring, a new VHF radio. Besides, we have paid for this boat & we all know the newer, bigger ones are not given away! Cheers, Rick s/v MoonGlow
On the other hand...
I admit I have a 260 and not a 26 but one thing that has been constant in our attempts at racing is that we have been able to point significantly higher than the boats we race against. In fact, one of my weaknesses as skipper is that I tend to sail too close hauled and consequently sometimes sacrifice too much speed. One thing that has not been brought up in earlier responses on this subject is the condition of the sails. If your sails are blown out you will find it hard to point high under any conditions. I try to get the outhaul ( on the 260 this is a somewhat worthless piece of equipment) as tight as possible and put as much tension on the vang ( I have added a solid vang) as possible to make the sail as flat as I can make it. I sometimes resort to using my body as a travler by physically pulling the mainsheet to leeward. This does help in tight situations. I have a good bit of mast rake and a good bit of prebend. With flat sails and the setting I now have on the rig we are very seldom forced to round up and have to this point been able to outpoint any cruisers we have raced against.
I admit I have a 260 and not a 26 but one thing that has been constant in our attempts at racing is that we have been able to point significantly higher than the boats we race against. In fact, one of my weaknesses as skipper is that I tend to sail too close hauled and consequently sometimes sacrifice too much speed. One thing that has not been brought up in earlier responses on this subject is the condition of the sails. If your sails are blown out you will find it hard to point high under any conditions. I try to get the outhaul ( on the 260 this is a somewhat worthless piece of equipment) as tight as possible and put as much tension on the vang ( I have added a solid vang) as possible to make the sail as flat as I can make it. I sometimes resort to using my body as a travler by physically pulling the mainsheet to leeward. This does help in tight situations. I have a good bit of mast rake and a good bit of prebend. With flat sails and the setting I now have on the rig we are very seldom forced to round up and have to this point been able to outpoint any cruisers we have raced against.
Pointing
I agree with Calvin. We race our H240 and point as high or higher as similar sized boats. The best investment made so far was a garhauer rigid vang. Along with outhaul and halyard tension this will let you flatten the main to sail close winded in heavier air without reefing. The original vang is junk and can not be adjusted while under load. With the garhauer my 10 year old can make the vang adjustments during the race. Once you round the wheather mark slack the vang raise the board and hold on.
I agree with Calvin. We race our H240 and point as high or higher as similar sized boats. The best investment made so far was a garhauer rigid vang. Along with outhaul and halyard tension this will let you flatten the main to sail close winded in heavier air without reefing. The original vang is junk and can not be adjusted while under load. With the garhauer my 10 year old can make the vang adjustments during the race. Once you round the wheather mark slack the vang raise the board and hold on.
Tell-tales on Batten Pockets
Fist off, acknowledging pointing and tracking are two different things, but when either is bad it takes the enjoyment out of sailing. The comment about having to reef at 10 knots to fight heeling is indicative, as Calvin mentioned, of sails that should be repaired (i.e., recut) or replaced. Not knowing the condition of the sails this would be the first thing in my rush to judgment. Sail trim affects pointing. To help in this department I'd suggest sewing or tying on a flexible red streamer, say 1/2-inch wide, at the end of each batten pocket to help with mainsail trim. If the streamers are all flying then this is a good indicator your main is at the proper angle. Ditto the jib only put the tell tails on the leading edge of the sail behind the luff. A sailmaker could probably put some on for a small cost and they would be in the proper position. At that time you could also talk to him about the problems you're having and start cultivating a business relationship. Tracking Angle: This has everything to do with drag on the bottom of the boat; things like a dirty bottom and fixed-blade prop if its an inboard. Clean the bottom and get it aerodynamically clean and the tracking angle will improve significantly in proportion. Weight balance: many boats like weight in the bow (when not in heavy weather situations) and the stern light in order to reduce drag. The turbulence at the stern is a sign of drag and this should be minimized to improve tracking and speed. Play around with your movable items and see if it makes any difference. Weather Helm: This causes drag too and if the sails are baggy there will be lots of weather helm; hence, the boat will not point well and will be sluggish and feel slow. Forestay tension: Headstay sag is hard on sail shape when sailing upwind. Crank up the backstay stension to take the sag out of the jib. Flatten the Main: Tighten the cunningham to increase tension in the luff of the main and reduce bagginess. A loose luff will cause the main to have too much draft. Much of the above you may already know but if there is anything that helps, great.
Fist off, acknowledging pointing and tracking are two different things, but when either is bad it takes the enjoyment out of sailing. The comment about having to reef at 10 knots to fight heeling is indicative, as Calvin mentioned, of sails that should be repaired (i.e., recut) or replaced. Not knowing the condition of the sails this would be the first thing in my rush to judgment. Sail trim affects pointing. To help in this department I'd suggest sewing or tying on a flexible red streamer, say 1/2-inch wide, at the end of each batten pocket to help with mainsail trim. If the streamers are all flying then this is a good indicator your main is at the proper angle. Ditto the jib only put the tell tails on the leading edge of the sail behind the luff. A sailmaker could probably put some on for a small cost and they would be in the proper position. At that time you could also talk to him about the problems you're having and start cultivating a business relationship. Tracking Angle: This has everything to do with drag on the bottom of the boat; things like a dirty bottom and fixed-blade prop if its an inboard. Clean the bottom and get it aerodynamically clean and the tracking angle will improve significantly in proportion. Weight balance: many boats like weight in the bow (when not in heavy weather situations) and the stern light in order to reduce drag. The turbulence at the stern is a sign of drag and this should be minimized to improve tracking and speed. Play around with your movable items and see if it makes any difference. Weather Helm: This causes drag too and if the sails are baggy there will be lots of weather helm; hence, the boat will not point well and will be sluggish and feel slow. Forestay tension: Headstay sag is hard on sail shape when sailing upwind. Crank up the backstay stension to take the sag out of the jib. Flatten the Main: Tighten the cunningham to increase tension in the luff of the main and reduce bagginess. A loose luff will cause the main to have too much draft. Much of the above you may already know but if there is anything that helps, great.
My sail trim secrets
The responses were excellent, especially John N. Here are a couple more tricks. Mainsail leech telltales are easily made from surveyors flagging tape. It's cheap, comes in all kinds of bright colors and streams well, yet it is very easy to tie and stays put on the batten ends. Jib telltales are easily made using pieces of wool yarn about 18 inches long. Use a red-hot needle to melt a hole in the jib a foot or so aft of the luff and about a third of the way up from the tack. Tie a knot in the yarn about 6 inches from one end, pull the long end through the sail until the knot is tight to the sail and tie another knot on the opposite side. This stops the yarn from pulling out. Don't use old cassette tape (sticks to sail when wet). If you have adjustable jib leads, add another telltale about two-thirds of the way up the luff (moving the jib car lets you trim for all kinds of wind and wave conditions). If you keep all the long ends of yarn on one side of the sail, you can tell which side is which even when sailing dead into the sun. Tightening the backstay will not tighten the headstay very much if you have a fractional rig and swept-back spreaders (most Hunters do and the newer ones don't even have a backstay). In addition, a tight headstay won't do any good if the jib halyard isn't tight. If the luff of the jib sags between the hanks, it needs to be tensioned some more. Either increase halyard tension or add a jib downhaul. If you have the typical Hunter rig described above and the headstay is slack, tighten the upper shrouds. Weight placement can also help weather helm. I often control heel (and weather helm) by sitting up on the cockpit coaming with a tiller extension. Of course, I'm on the wrong side of 250 lb, so that approach may not necessarily work for you, but every bit helps. Good luck! Peter H23 "Raven"
The responses were excellent, especially John N. Here are a couple more tricks. Mainsail leech telltales are easily made from surveyors flagging tape. It's cheap, comes in all kinds of bright colors and streams well, yet it is very easy to tie and stays put on the batten ends. Jib telltales are easily made using pieces of wool yarn about 18 inches long. Use a red-hot needle to melt a hole in the jib a foot or so aft of the luff and about a third of the way up from the tack. Tie a knot in the yarn about 6 inches from one end, pull the long end through the sail until the knot is tight to the sail and tie another knot on the opposite side. This stops the yarn from pulling out. Don't use old cassette tape (sticks to sail when wet). If you have adjustable jib leads, add another telltale about two-thirds of the way up the luff (moving the jib car lets you trim for all kinds of wind and wave conditions). If you keep all the long ends of yarn on one side of the sail, you can tell which side is which even when sailing dead into the sun. Tightening the backstay will not tighten the headstay very much if you have a fractional rig and swept-back spreaders (most Hunters do and the newer ones don't even have a backstay). In addition, a tight headstay won't do any good if the jib halyard isn't tight. If the luff of the jib sags between the hanks, it needs to be tensioned some more. Either increase halyard tension or add a jib downhaul. If you have the typical Hunter rig described above and the headstay is slack, tighten the upper shrouds. Weight placement can also help weather helm. I often control heel (and weather helm) by sitting up on the cockpit coaming with a tiller extension. Of course, I'm on the wrong side of 250 lb, so that approach may not necessarily work for you, but every bit helps. Good luck! Peter H23 "Raven"
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