I recently became the new owner of a 2020 315 with Elvstrom Dacron fully battened mainsail, and self tacking jib. I'm slowly getting to know the boat. One thing which keeps being in my mind is the mast bend. It seems quite extreme to me, but the sails sit well and the boat sails well. I wonder if any other owners could comment on their mast bend.  I could take some photos next time I'm down at the boat.  I'm sure the previous owner who hardly used the boat from new wouldn't have adjusted anything, but obviously the mast must have been erected here in Australia.

Thanks for your help.

edit: I found one photo of a 315 and I would say my mast bend is probably quite similar to this.

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If you run a search on the forum you will find comments on mast bend. 

Which may help.

I only checked the301-315 forums, further searches may reveal more.

Bear in mind that all contributions to forum may not be technically correct.

And talk to your rigging expert as well.

Selden have goodinfo on rig setup and tension.

Perry

Hanse 301 and Hanse 315 [2007]

Cowes

UK

I might start with measuring my current prebend. I’m guessing this is done by releasing backstay tension and measuring largest distance between halyard and mast when halyard is placed at the rear of the mast just above the dropped main? If that’s correct I’ll measure next time I’m at the boat and report back. 

Yes main halyard to gooseneck tight,  and then with this straight line you can get measure of bend. 

Note you may be surprised to find you need a totally wind free calm day, just a light breeze will move the halyard, making it impossible to get steady measurement.

Now I confess I am old school [79yrs] sailing/racing for plus 50 yrs. I have experienced 2 mast fails one on my 1/4 tonner where the spreader gave up, one on a yacht designers boat where the mast was corroded around spreader root casting. 

Now in 2024 things have changed a lot, longer continous extrusion of sections, stress analysis, design tools, and rig tension measurement tools. And I still just rely on my experience for mast setup,  bend and tension rig setting.

New [more modern than this old dinosaur] sailors should be advised by owners handbook? local rig specialist/rig tension gauge route.

Regards

Perry

John

Glad your happy with the rig:  sail and experiment with your sail settings, be objective what improves and what doesnt: sailing like flying is a lift drag speed triangle: and there is no substitute for sail miles.

Perry

Ok. Confession my approach is coloured a by the nature of my sailing at 79yrs young I've had enough years of intense racing in proper lightweight racers, my Hanse with its heavy cargo of luxuries doesnt make me feel like racing? I cruise Solent and south coast down as far as Falmouth [sometimes]. 

Yes self tacking jib doesnt bring much to the party down wind, Hanse has a big mainsail, so I rig port and starboard lines for gybe preventors, they go through blocks on soft shackles at bow moorring cleats and back to cockpit, the gybe preventors lines have snap shackles which when needed clip onto a soft shackle on boom easily reached from cockpit.  So dead downwind in wind F2 and above I roll up jib and use the main under safe control of a gybe preventor, I reef in the main as required for safe downwind sailing above F4? and usually  before wind increases. Below F2 I do have a cruising chute, It is tacked to port or Stbd gybe preverntors,  I occasionally us this, but in the confines of the Solent it is inconvienient due to the density of other vessels, so really only good for longer passages. It would be nice to try a code zero, but the expendature is hard to justify.  To be realistic in light winds less F2 I am more that content to roll up jib, put the motor on and if the main is not contributing I drop in first reef, sheet amidships to damp any roll and get to next watering hole.

I think many people put undue signifience to negatives of self tacking jib and forget the positives.  If you need to keep crew engaged in fast racing tacks, you bought the wrong boat, relax with Hanse enjoy the convenience.  I see Hanse owners obsessing about how big should the overlap be on a ST jib replacement Genoa, to get ultimate performance. Come on guys the brilliant big main with full length battens and single line reefing , a bendy mast full width traveler [mine has] gives great sail shape, good control, so learn to use it, Up wind the st jib and big main works brilliantly ---if you set it up correctly, dont sail the Hanse on its ear, keep her flat and play the shifts.

Perry