Search for Bene361 Polar

[George P]

Looking for a polar diagram for a Beneteau 361. I recently bought a 2001 model and have had great fun racing in local regattas. Does anyone have a polar diagram or know where to find one for this boat.
Thanks
George P
Fort Lauderdale, FL

[Joli]

Contact Beneteau, they'll have it.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by George P

have had great fun racing in local regattas.

Hi George,

Don't have one, soory. But how dows the boat go racing? What are you racing against?

Mark

[George P]

Hi Mark,
The boat is fast for its class. Out of the five regattas we've sailed we've placed 2nd three times and 3rd in another. The fifth time we placed 4th. (avg. wind speed was 2 knots and I only had a 120 genoa, will not happen again because I just got a lightweight 140). The main is powerfull and will give you weather helm if not properly trimmed. There was one time when 10+knts boat speed under full main alone was attained. The leg was downwind and one boat recorded a wind gust of 47kts! The seas and wind were big enough to surf for good stretches. The rudder felt very small and just had to steer in anticipation in advance, if that makes any sense, so that she would stay pointed down. Keep learning how to trim the sails, for example realized that flattening the main instead of reefing allows me to carry more sail and speed around a course. We race in no spinnaker, ARC classes where the regatta organizers assign you a rating and you end up racing against other boats with similar assigned ratings. Upwind, there is some leeway but when the apparent wind is greater than 12knts the boat will point very well and maintain speed especially through chop and swells due the narrow entry. Just have to make sure you flatten the genoa. Only boats that point higher from my experience are the racers like SR's, C&Cs, etc. but not by much. Keep in mind I sail with my wife only and that there are boats out there with full crew and new kevlar sails in fully tripped out rigs in more competitive classes that are very fast. If I really wanted to get serious I could get more speed and I'm sure I could be more competitive on corrected time. Ragardless we have a great time and we push the boat harder and sail in conditions we otherwise never would if we weren't racing. The boat and rig is very solid and can take alot without the slightest creek! Would not hesitate to do crossings with it. We have owned two previous sailboats form a different manufacturer and I must say that this boat gives us the confidence, that we never realized, to really have some great fun. After all sailing is about having fun! And yes, it's a great cruiser for a 36 foot as well.

P.S. Next race I will leave the 160' of 3/8inch chain on the dock and keep my spare rode only...that's 272lbs out of the bow!!! Like I said I keep learning and will keep you posted on how the boat reacts to the lighter bow in racing conditions.
George

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by George P

The boat is fast for its class. Out of the five regattas we've sailed we've placed 2nd three times and 3rd in another. The fifth time we placed 4th.

Wahoo!! Well done!

Originally Posted by George P

Next race I will leave the 160' of 3/8inch chain on the dock and keep my spare rode only...that's 272lbs out of the bow!!!

Now you are talking like a race
I think racing teaches a lot about sailing, and, as you say, being confident in your own boat

Mark

[MarkJ]

If your boat likes a flat main before the first reef you might consider getting a Cunningham eye for a flattening reef. (You might call them something different in the USA)
Basically it is a half a reef that just takes in a bit of the luff so the belly of your main is removed. The main is then as flat as after the 1st reef but still has the same sail area (aprox) as full main.

A sailmaker can put one in v cheaply (well, as cheap as anything a sailmaker does! ) and you can just remove the 2nd reefs fall back to the mast and tie it off there (so the second reef is still made up on the sail) and run the cunningham line through your deck fittings to that stopper . That way theres no expense putting in new deck geer and you can still use your 2nd reef if you need to

(If you already have one, sorry for this tutorial! LOL)

The rudder felt very small and just had to steer in anticipation in advance,

All boats are like this! read Conrads *** of the Narcissus for excellent discription of of having a sailing ship stuck on its ear in a broach. In fact if we could always steer we would never broach.

When you get good at that anticipating the boat then try a few extra things:
1) go through the whole cycle of the wave without moving the wheel at all. Start doing this on a day when a gybe all standing wont hurt . You will see that some waves can pick you up, run under you, and put you down in the same 'position' without you having to steer.
2) try doing it with your eyes closed. This is the trick for night sailing but usually theres so much light at night you can cheat. With your eyes closed or on a dark night you have to feel the wave coming and work out what you are going to do. Nothing gets us in sync with a boat like driving it with our eyes closed. It comes alive and becomes part of you Or you become part of it - whatever

One other thought I had was that if you are over hull speed then your boat will be unstable and your rudder will always feel too small. Doing 10 kntos in a 36 would put you about 2.5 knots above hull speed. You need a rudder the size of your main
There's nothing like having a 36 foot surfboard
As we all get better on our own boats will anticipate better and be able to surf for longer on each wave keeping those high speeds.

Mark