Beneteau 38

[Silver Shadow]

Originally Posted by Fluer de Mer

SS. My inmast main does not wrinkle. FdM

Do you tinker with topping lift while furling? Do you leave pressure on the outhaul (or not)?

[Fluer de Mer]

SS, We do not adjust/tighten the topping lift while pulling the in-mast main in or out (on our boat the TL line is horn cleated to the mast so adjusting it is not easy while underway). When setting or furling the main our general rule is keep things loose. Related to this, our experience says that if you keep the vang and mainsheet tight while furling, the leech gets too much tension and you can get both wrinkles and potential jams. We do keep some tension on the outhaul as we pull the sail in so that it furls cleanly and smoothly around the in-mast drum to avoid potential jams. Also, because of the way the sail is wrapped around the in-mast drum, we've learned to favor furling on a starboard tack so that it doesn't rub around the mast slot lip. Lastly, we have both an electric and standard winch on the cabin top - we've learned to be extremely careful when using the electric winch because you can't 'feel' the tension increase when a jam is forming. We've been told that the electric winch has the potential of exacerbating a jam such that it is nearly impossible to pull out (and has the power to even pull the mast down). Our dealer recommended going with slow short bursts with the electric winch and not to take our eyes off the sail when grinding so that small problems that are forming can be seen as they happen before they become big ones.

[Silver Shadow]

The topping lift tension did the trick for me. My topping lift is led to the cockpit - so I do release it once the sail is set. When I had to reef - I simply did not pull on the topping lift - I just reefed the sail via releasing the outhaul/ pulling the inhaul. That caused the sail to wrinkle.

I just need to make sure that the topping lift is properly engaged before ANY furling. Or I may simply keep it tight at all times. It seems that boats that have it cleated at the mast (as in Fleur de Mer's example) do just fine.

Originally Posted by Fluer de Mer

SS, We do not adjust/tighten the topping lift while pulling the in-mast main in or out (on our boat the TL line is horn cleated to the mast so adjusting it is not easy while underway). When setting or furling the main our general rule is keep things loose. Related to this, our experience says that if you keep the vang and mainsheet tight while furling, the leech gets too much tension and you can get both wrinkles and potential jams. We do keep some tension on the outhaul as we pull the sail in so that it furls cleanly and smoothly around the in-mast drum to avoid potential jams. Also, because of the way the sail is wrapped around the in-mast drum, we've learned to favor furling on a starboard tack so that it doesn't rub around the mast slot lip. Lastly, we have both an electric and standard winch on the cabin top - we've learned to be extremely careful when using the electric winch because you can't 'feel' the tension increase when a jam is forming. We've been told that the electric winch has the potential of exacerbating a jam such that it is nearly impossible to pull out (and has the power to even pull the mast down). Our dealer recommended going with slow short bursts with the electric winch and not to take our eyes off the sail when grinding so that small problems that are forming can be seen as they happen before they become big ones.

[Endeavor4419]

I had the same problem. Main halyard needed to be hardened up.


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[jbpatents]

Guys where did you disappear?

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[mstrebe]

Most actual owners are active on the Facebook group, where its much simpler to post photos. That group is restricted to owners and those seriously considering the hull and it is used for trading tips and tricks. Critical commentary of the design and questions about the boat belong here.


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[Fluer de Mer]

Sorry JB...We've been enjoying the boat. I've been posting on the facebook site Matt references...(you might want to join that group if you are looking....If you are unable to, I will still post updates on this site occasionally). A couple of odds/ends updates in no order of importance:

• Beneteau has changed some of the features (autopilot controls are separate and Vulcan rather that Zeus2 B&G chart plotters are finding its way on newer boats. Also, the once portable saloon seat next to the chart table is now attached and not portable on some of the newer boats.
• The Boat goes incredibly fast even in light winds as reported by all who sail it.
• Harken Self-tacking jib track (I love it) sticks unless it is regularly cleaned and lubricated (Harken has a maintenance video on line)
• We are told that Beneteau us up to or past the 100 boat mark.
• I was caught in unexpected strong gale wind thermals near SF and the boat sailed great with little heel due to twin rudders and chine even with constant 45 knot gusts and copious spray (just fully reefed main sans jib).
• Some have sailed the boat great distances in open ocean with no issues....others have started to race theirs...all have enjoyed the boat greatly
• Arch mainsheet blocks need to be redesigned as they have broken in some people's boats (Beneteau has been great and is addressing).
• Door hardware down below has sharp edges and some want to swap it out
• Floors squeak, but only need to have edges covered with bees wax for this to stop
• No answer yet to Silver Shadow's discovery that the windlass can not be used manually to raise the anchor should the power fail (My boat is going in for its 100 hour service and I've asked Beneteau to respond with the workaround and will post it).
• We get constant admiring stares, comments, and requests to check her out while out sailing or at the Yacht Clubs we frequent...something that never happened with the JBoat or Concordia.

[Fluer de Mer]

After 6 months of sailing, we are really enjoying the boat.
Some things we particularly love:

• The price point.
• This boat is fast and solid and doesn’t heel.
• Huge cockpit and saloon
• Incredibly light saloon
• Great 360 visibility from either helm
• Nonskid on wood companionway steps (Some other models I’ve been on oddly do not have it)
• Arch (no banging my head) with LED lights for entertaining in the evening
• Twin helms & rudders
• Electric rewind primary winches and electric cabin top winch
• Cabinets in back cabins rather that the hanging luggage
• Uncluttered forward cabin
• Hard chine
• In mast furling
• B&G Integrated System (s)and Fusion Stereo
• Saloon seats are perfect to view through-hull windows

Some things we wish came with or were options on the boat (we bareboat charter a great deal so have other boats to compare) - none are deal breakers...just would be nice to have had the option to order as it would, in my view, make the already truly remarkable boat nearer still to perfection:

• Double-ended German mainsheet system led aft with two additional aft winches
• A traveler on the arch
• coach roof lines covered to prevent trips/stumbles & degradation
• electric windlass that is able to raise anchor manually should power fail
• Tall/higher lifeline option
• Windows/ports that open externally and with overhang awnings to prevent rain intrusion but allow ventilation (we sail with windows/hatches closed)
• Gas and Water tank gauges integrated into the BandG electronics
• Larger and more water and gas tanks
• Covered mast foot electric wires
• Longer genoa tracks
• Ceiling handrails in saloon (we sometimes have the table lowered into a bed where I children hang out and without the table, there is little to hang onto whilst underway)
• Window or extrusion fan directly above stove/oven
• Round-edge hardware on doors and fridge
• L shaped deep keel for kelp areas like the West Coast of US (current is a T shape)
• Sliding Whisker pole on mast
• Mast mounted foredeck LED light (saloon electric panel has marked switch for one)
• Twin kitchen sinks and faucet with pull-out sprayer
• Rod for shower/hanging locker
• Vertical batons for the in-mast mainsail
• Mirrors in cabins
• Floorboards with securing latches
• Sink faucet with pull out sprayer
• Extra propane tank (only has one)
• Galvanic isolator standard
• 2000amp inverter plus additional house batteries
• Insulated cockpit table cooler current ‘high-end’ one is not insulated
• Cockpit table cooler hole plugs (so that it doesn’t constantly drain)
  Bowsprit (or attachment extended 6" further forward
• Fans
• Custom bathroom floor teak grating as it is difficult to keep the white floor clean
• Dimmer controls on interior LED lights
• Low level night light in bathroom and two aft cabins

[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by Fluer de Mer

After 6 months of sailing, we are really enjoying the boat. Some things we particularly love:...

...Some things we wish came with or were options on the boat (we bareboat charter a great deal so have other boats to compare) - none are deal breakers...just would be nice to have had the option to order as it would, in my view, make the already truly remarkable boat nearer still to perfection:....[/LIST]

Do these Oceanis 38 wish list things show up on the larger Oceanis 41?

[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by mstrebe

Most actual owners are active on the Facebook group, where its much simpler to post photos. That group is restricted to owners and those seriously considering the hull and it is used for trading tips and tricks. Critical commentary of the design and questions about the boat belong here.


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Matt, a quick question apart from this thread, what was the very popular book that you co-authored years ago? Given that experience, now I know something about why I glean so much from your posts (a professional writer).

[Fluer de Mer]

I've chartered the O41 and I don't think that it offers my wish list options - although many of the wish items can be obtained after market. Interestingly, the O41 I sailed was the boat that didn't have the anti-slip strips on the wood companionway steps (I slipped and broke my wrist last year on them where the top one actually had morning dew on it but was lucky that I didn't hit my head on the built-in starboard side table directly at the bottom of the stairs - embarrassing for someone whose sailed for 35 years and has never broken a bone before or since). The mono hulls that I've chartered that have informed my wish list include Bavaria, Hanse, Dehler, Jeanneau, and Dufour. Separately, I forgot to add another feature that I really like on my O38 and that is the adjustable genoa sheet tracks.

[Twidget]

Our O41 is under construction. I was wondering if there was a similar site or thread that had information on the 41.

[Fluer de Mer]

Congratulations Twidget! The O41 is a great boat! Let us know the hull # when you know.

[mstrebe]

Originally Posted by RKsailsolo

Matt, a quick question apart from this thread, what was the very popular book that you co-authored years ago? Given that experience, now I know something about why I glean so much from your posts (a professional writer).

I wrote a few. Amazon.com: matthew strebe: Books

Mostly obsolete these days. Been too busy raising kids and working to write, but I plan on writing during my future days at sea when I retire. That will all be fiction though.

[jbpatents]

Thank you guys. Will join the fb. I'm still on fence between Oceanis 38 and Vision 42, but there's still time before I'm ready.

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