Reflex 38 Any Opinions please

[savageseadog]

Anyone know anything about the Reflex 38 racing yacht please?

 

[flaming]

Anyone know anything about the Reflex 38 racing yacht please?

Been racing against them for years. What do you want to know?

 

[Judders]

I've raced against them and chatted with people who have raced on them. Quick on most points of sail but struggle to live up to their handicap in a decent chop.

I am told that accomodation is apparently not very good with not enough berths for the number of crew required to race the thing and those are not in the right areas for weight distribution for the off watch crew either.

 

[savageseadog]

Reflex 38 I meant is built by Harley Race Boats and designer: Christian Stimson

I was after the following:

1) Sailing quality in various wind conditions and directions?

2) Handicap on IRC ok or not?

3) Build quality, durability?

4) Comparisons with Prima 38?

Anything else?

 

[flaming]

Reflex 38 I meant is built by Harley Race Boats and designer: Christian Stimson

I was after the following:

1) Sailing quality in various wind conditions and directions?

2) Handicap on IRC ok or not?

3) Build quality, durability?

4) Comparisons with Prima 38?

Anything else?

Ok. Based on observation, NOT direct sailing knowlege but.

1. Seem to go ok in most conditions, never heard them reffered to as a specialist in light or heavy.

2. The Logic sailing examples just placed 1st and 2nd in IRC 1 overall in the winter series. (www.garminhamblewinterseries.co.uk) Admitedly the fleet didn't have the depth of previous years, and Puma won the series without winning a race, but you can only beat boats who come out to play... And beating Lucky Jim on Flair is always an achievement.
Puma Logic was also awarded RORC top yacht offshore this year, which is not a bad endorsement.
So, OK on IRC? I'd say so!

3. No idea

4. Not enough knowledge to comment.

For interest, there was also a cruisier version of that hull, called the Pronavia 38. The only one of which I've ever come across was in IRC 2. And frankly, with a bit more luck, and without being OCS in one race, being DSQ for a startline incident in another, and sailing to the wrong finish line in another when absolutely miles in the lead would have been MUCH closer to the top of the class. Looks really good too!

 

[AIDY]

Puma Logic (reflex 38) and phillip flop have been putting some impressive results in recently in all IRC races.... 1st overall this year i believe...

 

[GruffT]

Been racing on one this season but haven't raced on many other boats so hard to compare.

1) Sailing quality in various wind conditions and directions?

Not great in <7knts due to wide transom but goes well in all other winds (I've been up to 30knts). I've only helmed in delivery but she's light and reactive - bit like a big dinghy. We've never had any problems holding our own against 40.7's, Corby 38's etc on beats or reaches. IMHO Corby has a slight edge on runs but a change to new kites helped that out mid season.

Cockpit layout is good. The only area which isn't great is the mainsheet which is just in front of the Wheel. In a blow the trimmers have to move from an optimum position for the primary winches (or they get a loaded mainsheet in the back / leg or a fine adjust block in the head - ouch!). Not great but you can work around it. On a run the sheet does chaffe on the coaming (sp?) which takes the gell coat off after a while.

2) Handicap on IRC ok or not?

Seems competitive - pays to take larger kites.

3) Build quality, durability?

Can't comment apart from the mainsheet / coaming etc above.

4) Comparisons with Prima 38?

As I understand it the Prima has a more comfortable interior.

I am told that accomodation is apparently not very good with not enough berths for the number of crew required to race the thing and those are not in the right areas for weight distribution for the off watch crew either.

I think the term is 'functional'. The ones I've been on have 10 berths, inc 8 sea berths, 4 of which are on the high side (lee cloths and pipe cots) arranged as 2 midships and 2 quarter berths. As the finish was bare hull skin you couldn't get much further out.

Not a lot of ventilation underway - not a problem on shorter passages.

Heads are ok with decent bracing against the mast / hull. Can be a bit 'wet' in heads after a bumpy cross channel, but that could be the crew. :-S

Palatial it ain't

Hope this helps.

 

[islandsailor]

Reflex 38 I meant is built by Harley Race Boats and designer: Christian Stimson

I was after the following:

1) Sailing quality in various wind conditions and directions?

2) Handicap on IRC ok or not?

3) Build quality, durability?

4) Comparisons with Prima 38?

Anything else?

I think Gruff T and Flaming have covered everything else in great detail,

So build quality - I was based at the yard, right next door to Reflex when they were building the 38's, have to say from what I saw they were well built, Christian was very involved and oversaw the quality in the yard, don't think your have any fundamental problems but they will be getting old so get a surveyor to check the specific one out you want to buy.

 

[tomframe]

I own a Pronavia 38 - the cruising version of the Reflex 38,

speak to www.sailinglogic.co.uk -

RORC Yacht of the year this year
and RORC school boat of the year for the last 5 years I believe.

I cruise in my Pronavia 38 and its also raced, very fast cruising and it brings home the results on the race course - no complaints.

 

[flaming]

I own a Pronavia 38 - the cruising version of the Reflex 38,

speak to www.sailinglogic.co.uk -

RORC Yacht of the year this year
and RORC school boat of the year for the last 5 years I believe.

I cruise in my Pronavia 38 and its also raced, very fast cruising and it brings home the results on the race course - no complaints.

Do you know if the Pronavia is still being made?

 

[sailduck]

sailed the prototype pronovia about 3yrs ago - didn't perform well against the reflex - heavier v poor quality fit out inside (looked v nice though), hatches leaked, tack on No 1 pulled out etc etc. we were disappointed - hope the production boats got better.

again - repeating advice above - go and talk to the folks at sailing logic