380 S2: Big decision time

[django37]

Photo L42s at the end of the fleet in 3rd race. The sails look very tired - but cannot be very old. On the Laoon site, the Lagoon52 is shown with a small overlapping genoa. If such a sail could be fitted to the 42 and 39, they would sail much better on the wind

[jbinbi]

Very simple equation, just look at Weight/SA ratio. I had posted this in a thread a bit ago for lagoon models. 380 best. lucia 40 next, 450, then 42 then 40. Very big diff on the ratios.

New self tacking models NEED a gennaker if under say 12kts to keep up with a 380 without a gennaker. Once you get to 15kts, the 42/40 should be just fine. If you look at the winds in the carib where you have TONs of charter boats, 15+ can usually be counted on. And having a self tacking jib makes the sailing much easier.

The $ has gotten very weak vs. the Euro in the past year, and this has boosted prices. The new 40 just got ~ a 10% increase. It is pushing 500k USD with AC/genset/elec heads/full electronics etc.

[django37]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

New self tacking models NEED a gennaker if under say 12kts to keep up with a 380 without a gennaker. Once you get to 15kts, the 42/40 should be just fine. If you look at the winds in the carib where you have TONs of charter boats, 15+ can usually be counted on. And having a self tacking jib makes the sailing much easier.

But a gennaker or code0 will not help you upwind. One of the races in the catamaranscup started in 25 knots of wind on the nose. Still those with selftacking jibs were last - see foto above. This race was later cancelled because the wind died completely. In 30 knots or more upwind, I think a L42 with good sails would be faster than my L380.

For the tread: My wife and I, both 71, have now sailed round the World in Havhunden and would not want a bigger boat, well maybe a L400, which have more payload - but I would have to make some serious work on it, to make it as fast as the L380. Hope the new Jeanneau cats will not be like the Bali's.

[jbinbi]

You are correct. My point is that the new boats are being made for the charter market. Ease of use. Not to race. And there is good wind normally in the BVIs. Charterers don't care if they are doing 8kt or 9kts. When it is 30+ kts with rough seas, as a charter boat, you are not going out or very far. So a self tacking jib in 15 to 20 works very well.

[Houndfish]

Originally Posted by django37

But a gennaker or code0 will not help you upwind. One of the races in the catamaranscup started in 25 knots of wind on the nose. Still those with selftacking jibs were last - see foto above. This race was later cancelled because the wind died completely. In 30 knots or more upwind, I think a L42 with good sails would be faster than my L380.

For the tread: My wife and I, both 71, have now sailed round the World in Havhunden and would not want a bigger boat, well maybe a L400, which have more payload - but I would have to make some serious work on it, to make it as fast as the L380. Hope the new Jeanneau cats will not be like the Bali's.

Wait...Jeanneau is going to start building Cats?