Sunfast 40 and tips or improvements

[super g]

I've taken the plunge and changed my 40DS to Sunfast 40. I was supposed to be downsizing but the family really like the interior space of the Sunfast 40, I like the draft and extra bits of rope to tweak. I'll be using her for the odd club race and local cruising circa 1,200miles per annum.

The biggest bugbear is the mainsheet track across the middle of the cockpit, ideal for sail trim and racing but a pain for cruising. I'm pondering making this removable and for family cruising use a pad eye on the cockpit sole. It would have to have a substantial backing plate! For close hauled sail trim would be a bit compromised but I generally avoid that for any offshore cruising! - please opine on feasibility.



I don't know much about the Sunfast 40, they don't seem very common so I disagreeumption is they were more a fast cruiser than racer and perhaps the Ben Firsts took market share.
I am interested in any tips for improving her, particular ease of sail handling shorthanded. Fortunately she has an electric halyard winch and if I'm feeling lazy I could also work the genoa sheets off it (genoa sheets are led to the cabin top). The German mainsheet system means the main can be controlled from the helm.

Very excited to get her on the water!

[touchngo]

As far as I am aware, the SO40 and SF40 share the same coach roof, so support for the coach roof traveler should be in place. If you look in the Hints & Tips section on this site, I believe there is a page where someone has made the cockpit mounted traveler detachable . With the German Mainsheet system already in place, could you not just re-rig the mainsheet to be mid-boom and run to pad eye's where the SO40 traveler would be supported? This takes the mainsheet out of the cockpit for cruising, but allows you to reattach for racing.

We don't use the traveler anywhere near as much as we did on our little racer and many of the charter boats you see out and about have dispensed with it altogether.

Cheers, PT

EDIT: Found It. www.jeanneau-owners.com/hintsandtips/so32mainsheettrack.html

[hoppy]

See this thread regarding a couple of issues with moving the traveller jeanneau.proboards.com/thread/2301/sun-fast-40-move-traveler

I think in the end he did not replace the boom and just got a smaller less powerful mainsail.

Carsten is not an active member here, but he is very active over on cruisersforum.com

He crossed the Atlantic in last years ARC and is cruising the Americas and is still active online on CF. I think he may also go by the name CarstenB.

you should perhaps PM him there and report back your findings

[pjstromback]

Hi, as Carsten B is a friend of mine I can explain: Carsten and Vinni did not only removed the traveller from the cockpit, they also mounted a new traveller on the coachroof like the SO40.3 have. But, this would not be possible with the original SF40.3 boom as it is more powerful then the short one on SO 40.3. They also had to replace the boom. What I also heard was that they got som problem with the track, maybe the used the same dimension as on the SO40.3 and that wasn't strong enought? I don't know if this blog is "open" but - try. There are pictures showing the boat in the first 20 sec's 

sycapri.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/nyt-fjernsyns-interview/

I do have a pdf but - how to attach? 

[MalcolmP]

Apr 17, 2017 5:18:56 GMT pjstromback said:

I do have a pdf but - how to attach? 

If you can upload the PDF to a host website somewhere, just put in a link. If not you can email it to me [e-mail] and I will add to thread.

[hoppy]

Apr 17, 2017 5:18:56 GMT pjstromback said:

Hi, as Carsten B is a friend of mine I can explain: Carsten and Vinni did not only removed the traveller from the cockpit, they also mounted a new traveller on the coachroof like the SO40.3 have. But, this would not be possible with the original SF40.3 boom as it is more powerful then the short one on SO 40.3. They also had to replace the boom. What I also heard was that they got som problem with the track, maybe the used the same dimension as on the SO40.3 and that wasn't strong enought? I don't know if this blog is "open" but - try. There are pictures showing the boat in the first 20 sec's 

sycapri.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/nyt-fjernsyns-interview/

I do have a pdf but - how to attach? 

I think you are wrong about the boom. I remember the whole discussion about moving the main traveller and he was considering replacing the boom but eventually found out that he could use the existing boom if the main was smaller. I also checked the blog and found this photo of the pre-traveller move and saw the boom in this video and it's the same