what we are learning about racing the 385

Very Helpful thread, and looks like you are learning a lot and doing well racing off Dubai.  Appreciate you sharing your experience and pics on Chit Chat.

I purchased Hanse 375 #644 this spring, renamed her Gemini, and started racing her extensively at Cedar Point YC in Westport, CT (Long Island Sound).  Winds are notoriously lite on LIS during the height of the summer.  It is not uncommon for our Race Committee to start races in 4-5kts, which makes keeping up with liter race boats (Bene 36.7, X-boats, Js) very difficult.  In 6-12kts we can be highly competitive with our current 120 PHRF handicap rating, Quantum Fusion MR5000 Racing sails, and numerous modifications/upgrades made.  Most races are 3.5-7nm windward/leeward or triangle courses.  I am currently racing Jib and Main divisions.  Our club racing is highly competitive, and after extensive upgrades we are now consistently finishing in the front of the fleet.

 

Sails

For TWS of 6-12kts, I am using a 145 Genoa.  This required me to upgrade and extend the stock Lewmar genoa tracks with bigger and longer Harkens.  For TWS of 13-25kts, I am using a 109% jib with vertical battens that can be roller-furled.  With winds consistently above 25kts, I will use the stock Dacron North Sails self-tacker for now.  I may add a racing self-tacker in time for heavy weather conditions.

 

I am currently racing Jib and Main, so I don't have any kind of spinnaker.  I am probably going to fit a removable Selden bow sprit for flying an asymmetrical spinnaker.  The only challenge is that it may require me to move the starboard side bow pulpit.  For JAM racing, I have installed a Harken Mast Track and Mast Car to use a custom carbon-fiber extendable whisker pole.  The pole extends from 12ft to 20ft, though I have a pin to keep it from extending beyond 13.7 feet (J length) which gives me a 6 sec credit in PHRF with a 145 genoa.  The pole makes a very big difference in downwind sailing performance.  I have found using outboard sheeting helps for downwind sailing as well.  We have a separate set of sheets with a bale to attach to the jib/genoa at the windward mark rounding.  We also have blocks mounted on the toe rail to run the outboard sheets through.  I certainly put the dodger down for racing, and do not have a bimini.

 

Other key upgrades

1. Installed removable cockpit traveler.  The traveler can be moved over the cabin top for cruising mode.

2. Upgraded Lewmar genoa tracks to longer and stronger Harkens, along with moveable Harken genoa cars.

3. Installed second set of cockpit winches (Lewmar 48s) for trimming genoa.  No longer having to use the clutches at the old (too small) Lewmar 42s aft for switching jib and main sheeting.  Also keeps the trimmers (crew weight) forward.

4. Quantum Fusion MR5000 sail inventory - main with Dutchman flaking, 145 genoa and 109 jib.

5. Installed Harken Mast Track, Mast Car, and Selden mast ring for storing whisker pole on mast.

6. Installed hydraulic back-stay adjuster.

7. upgraded main and jib halyards, added spinnaker halyard, topping lift, etc.

 

The sails were not received until late July, and some of the upgrades were not done till August.  That said, once they were all done we became a pretty competitive boat.  With winds between 8-15kts, we do extremely well.  Below that, we struggle to keep up with the liter and well sailed race boats.  We are still competitive above 20kts true, though I find the smaller boats tend to sail through their ratings and can correct over us.  All-in-all, Gemini has proved to a great cruiser/racer which has done well in both around the buoys and distance races.  We placed 2nd in a 20nm race in very heavy weather (20-30kt winds and 6+ft waves).  Out of 9 boats entered, only 5 actually finished!  Gemini felt incredibly sure footed in those conditions.  We beat a Tripp 37 race boat, but lost to a J100 that probably planed the whole downwind leg.

 

A large padeye was fixed to the sides of the cockpit seats with a big turnbuckle and pins holding the traveler down.  The one problem was that the incredible loads from the main sheet would cause the traveler to slip forward, damaging the teak and interfering with the lazarettes.  To combat this problem, we drilled small teak raised rail into the seat just forward of the traveler and put some non skid where the traveler sits.

 

To remove, simply loosen the turnbuckles and pull the pins.  Additionally, we retrofitted the pad eyes over the cabin top that held the turning blocks for the mainsheet, and now have a eye that screws into them.  Again, just place the traveler over the cabin-top eyes and put the pins in.  That said, I tend to just keep it in the cockpit even for cruising mode as I like the added control.  I may use it for extended cruises.  No pics yet of the traveler over the cabin top.  May take some in the spring.

 

I had one rigger who saw what we did and was concerned it may not be strong enough and could get ripped out under a heavy load.  I have had an accidental jibe in heavy winds, and the traveler held perfectly!  I am quite pleased with this arrangement.

 

Other possibilities which I may consider in the future.  Convert to a windward sheeting traveler car and scrap the German sheeting in favor of just having the full end-boom sheeting with a big block at the traveler and fine tune.  Wouldn't work as well when putting over the cabin top though.

 

Good luck!  I think a cockpit traveler is essential for anyone looking to race competitively.

 

 

 

 

These races are about 3 - 3.5 hours long for us, and we have done well in 18 knots.  This week we had only 7 knots of breeze, which is a bit light for us.

 

Nevertheless the start was followed by a long fetch to the northen end of the 'world' islands.  With our 'code 0' furlstrom up, we matched the speed of the B and 2 other racey boats, however, when we needed to beat to windward we had to drop back to the 105 genoa, and we lost ground all the way up the northern side of the 'world' until we could bear away again and redeploy the furstrom.  We finished 15 minutes behind the B after 3.5 hours of sailing.  In 18 knots we were 15 minutes ahead.  In both races the B carried a 130 % genoa and symetric kite, whilst we used the 105 and teh furlstrom.  Interesting, I think if I was going to race more, I would go for a stiff measuring code 0 and a big A2 as the best combination to get more upwind speed and point in low wind strengths.

 

Great sail though, lovely conditions apart from the slightly light (for us) wind