Weather Helm . . . Can it be Lessened ?

[robert sailor]

Many of the early Tayana 37`s also had the same issue.

[builder dan]

Weather helm is caused by the mainsail having more power than the head sail easy fix,reef your mainsail.

[Jace]

As I own a 1984 Jason 35, I love this thread.

Any of you fellow Jason 35 owners know the hull speed of this fine vessel?

And by the way, I'd love to talk to any other Jason 35ers about their- and my- boat: design, performance, re-fits, modifications, and such. Mine needs much work yet as the mast has never been stepped. Got a lot of plans, as well as some 'innovations' I'm playing around with in my head. I already installed new sole to coach top bulkheads between the salon and galley (sandwiched them to the existing waist-high bulkheads).

So, feel free to contact, if you wish.

Thanks.

[Jace]

And for the sake of- my boat's name is Jenna Simone.

[alanwesthagen]

The waterline length is about 28 feet. The square root of 28 is 5.3, which gives the hull speed according to Froode's Law. That is about the fastest my Jason, Norwegian Steam, goes under power. On a passage from Mexico to Hawaii, we had a couple of 160 mile days.

If you have not already done so, you might check out the "Jason 35 Sailboats" Google Group.

[Southern Star]

Actually, I believe that theoretical hull speed is the square root of the LWL X 1.33.

Brad

[Jace]

5.3, huh? Well, that's a bit disappointing. Was hoping for at least 6 & a half. Oh well. Thanks, Alan.

So, Alan, you have a Jason 35? If it's not too much trouble, how does she handle? Do you like her, is she one of the later one's with the mast moved fwd?

Any info you can give on the Jason 35 would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Jace]

Hey Alan. Sorry, dip-head that I am, I didn't read through the thread. Just did, got your post on the Jason 35. Thanks.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by Jace

5.3, huh? Well, that's a bit disappointing. Was hoping for at least 6 & a half. Oh well. Thanks, Alan.

Theoretical hull speed is the square root of the WaterLine x 1.34. That works out to 7.09 nmph or a 170 nmpd. It's possible to reach that speed but takes near perfect conditions on a reach.

[Jace]

Thanks roverhi, for the numbers. I was just looking for hull potential.

I know that actual overall time spent crossing from one point on the map to another is due vastly and far, far more to the skill of the captain rather than the shape and contours of the hull, given relatively similar boat lengths. The racing ground for a sailboat is not a straight strip of flat asphalt. The variables are innumerable.

It would just be nice to know that I don't have an unusually slow boat.

But, even if I did, oh well. Jenna Simone has so many rough weather attributes- which as a, hopefully, world-cruiser- are of much more value to me than quickness. And as such, I'm more than elated that she is the vessel God has gifted me with. And since I'm 6' 3", the wonderful ability to walk from galley to V-berth fully upright is one of them.

Hallelujah!

[Rconwell]

My wife an I just retired and we are thinking about ocean cruising. We have a Yankee 30III and have appreciated how she sails in rough weather on the Salish Sea. We are hoping to go around Vancouver Island, then to Alaska, then maybe to Portland and on to San Francisco and beyond as our health and strength allow. We have been looking at the Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 and the Islander 36. But the Jason 35 is also intriguing and more affordable. We would like your advice and comments.

[Jace]

I’ve fallen in love with my Jason 35. So, given my bias, here’s a little anecdotal info for your perusal.

I had someone tell me that they moved up fom a Jason 35, which they were living aboard, to a more lengthy Whitby 42. When they pulled all their stuff from the Jason 35 and put it all on the Whitby 42, they didn’t have room for it all.

Interesting.

A Jason 35 has more stowage room than a Whitby 42. I must say, I’m not surprised as the Jason has a tiny cockpit, giving it much more cabin space.

I also talked to Ted Brewer, the Jason’s designer. He said that he sacrificed some luxuries for greater rough weather capabilities. I like that since I plan to said the Southern ocean at some point.

You might check out Ferenc Mate’s Twenty Best Boats to Build or Buy. He has a chapter on the Jason 35 in there as one of the twenty.

If you do go with a Jason 35, get one with the corrected mast placement, one of the slighly later ones. It takes care of the weatherhelm issue. Brewer said all the design elements showed that there should not be a need for a re-placing of the mast 18 (I think it is) inches further forward from the original specs, but sailboats being what they are, it’s not surprising to me.

Anyway, moving the mast corrected the problem. You can still do it with one of the early models, it’s just that it would be a lot of work.

Good luck with whatever your choice, but thought I’d give my two cents.