Best 36-40ft cruiser-racers for... well... cruising

[dunedin]

Very small

36 ft is precisely in the band the OP stated in the original post - "36-38ft, maybe 40ft at a push".

 

[dunedin]

... . I assume the uppers out there limits the extent to which an overlapping headsail can be used, which might have appealed for my brief of good light airs performance?

A boat with a bigger overlapping headsail is not necessarily better for light winds. They generally have smaller mainsails than boats designed for blade jibs.
You need to look carefully at the numbers for sail area vs displacement. Also boats that are faster in light winds often have narrower beam at waterline level.
I am not an expert on the Jeanneau 39i but i dont believe these were intended as performance cruisers per se (unlike Sun Fast), just a new generation of cruiser (with different moulding method?) - though nothing wrong with that. But check the numbers vs other options.

 

[Ceirwan]

View attachment 207606
Here's the arrangement on the Jeanneau 39i.... so it looks like a conventional track, which terminates in line with the lowers, the upper shroud is then out on the gunwale. Ouch my head hurts (showing my lack of experience here!). So it sheets between uppers and lowers, upwind presumably is fine, downwind ?? . I assume the uppers out there limits the extent to which an overlapping headsail can be used, which might have appealed for my brief of good light airs performance?

Almost certainly done to make it easier to walk forward as you can walk between the shrouds, rather than duck under the lowers.

A few years back I converted my old MGC27 to a full width spreader rig, moved the shrouds outbound to the hull.
Best decision I ever made, only ever felt underpowered when winds were below 7 knots.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

A boat with a bigger overlapping headsail is not necessarily better for light winds. They generally have smaller mainsails than boats designed for blade jibs.
You need to look carefully at the numbers for sail area vs displacement. Also boats that are faster in light winds often have narrower beam at waterline level.
I am not an expert on the Jeanneau 39i but i dont believe these were intended as performance cruisers per se (unlike Sun Fast), just a new generation of cruiser (with different moulding method?) - though nothing wrong with that. But check the numbers vs other options.

The efficiency and ease of handling of the big main, blade jib rig outweighs the large overlap quite easily. That’s before you add a code 0. Most especially if you don’t have a spare crew to help the genoa round the front of the mast.

 

[flaming]

I assume the uppers out there limits the extent to which an overlapping headsail can be used, which might have appealed for my brief of good light airs performance?

The best light airs boats won't have overlapping genoas. It's far better to have the same sail area set on a taller, higher aspect ratio, rig.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Here’s a light airs rig. Obviously the boat format helps, but it wouldn’t be a light airs flyer without, as flaming says, a high aspect rig. The actual area is not extreme for a 30 footer. The job shape is easier to maintain on a roller furler too. As a rig for a short handed boat, it’s hard to beat. I guess you could say an in mast main is easier. But that might be counter productive for light airs. We can sail perfectly well in 3kn. And will do so in preference to motoring 9 times out of 10.

 

[Trevelyan]

A boat with a bigger overlapping headsail is not necessarily better for light winds. They generally have smaller mainsails than boats designed for blade jibs.
You need to look carefully at the numbers for sail area vs displacement. Also boats that are faster in light winds often have narrower beam at waterline level.
I am not an expert on the Jeanneau 39i but i dont believe these were intended as performance cruisers per se (unlike Sun Fast), just a new generation of cruiser (with different moulding method?) - though nothing wrong with that. But check the numbers vs

Taking the example of say Hanse, these are fitted with big mains and self-tackers for real ease. They come with Genoa tracks too, so my assumption was (not based on any real expertise!) that if you wanted to improve performance particularly in light airs you would fit a larger Genoa. For the example of the sun odyssey 39i is this however prohibited by the shroud arrangement? Ie this puts me off vs more conventional rigging (although I’m not sure what percentage overlap headsails people do typically fit to Hanse…)

 

[flaming]

Taking the example of say Hanse, these are fitted with big mains and self-tackers for real ease. They come with Genoa tracks too, so my assumption was (not based on any real expertise!) that if you wanted to improve performance particularly in light airs you would fit a larger Genoa. For the example of the sun odyssey 39i is this however prohibited by the shroud arrangement? Ie this puts me off vs more conventional rigging (although I’m not sure what percentage overlap headsails people do typically fit to Hanse…)

I think even without the self tacker most modern Hanses would set only minimally overlapping jibs. Say 105%. Normally this is basically sheeted back to the swept back spreaders.

 

[wonkywinch]

I think even without the self tacker most modern Hanses would set only minimally overlapping jibs. Say 105%. Normally this is basically sheeted back to the swept back spreaders.

Same on my ten year old Benny Oceanis. 105% with the clew about 2mm off the shrouds when sheeted in hard.

 

[Tranona]

Same with my Bavaria 33. The weakness of these rigs is offwind in light airs - up to 12-15 knots or so when an asymmetric earns its keep.

Suspect the headsail on the 39i might have more overlap as it was the generation before the move to less overlap and larger mains. The current equivalent SO380 has more than 50% in the main and a moulded in bowsprit to take code sails. Headsail sheeting is to the top of the coachroof rather than the deck.

 

[John_Silver]

I find the 105% jib / 50:50ish area split v main and jib a very flexible set up: It’s easily tacked / gybed short handed. Plus full jib can be carried (to be benefit of pointing ability v's a part rolled genny) up to 25kts (on my HR310 at least). Whilst the main is steadily reefed, without detriment to its shape, to keep her on her feet. Only weak point, as said, is off the wind in light airs. Where a Code 0 / Gennaker on a short sprit & furler conveniently fills the gap. And provides welcome ‘occupational therapy’ in otherwise less interesting conditions.

On my previous boat (Elan 31) I could set, and carried, both a 140% and a 105% genny. In practice I almost always rigged the 105%, for reasons of flexibility. Prefer current set up. For performance and handling.