Re: rigging/deck set up for asymmetrical chute on J40.

[Wayne Cassady]

We have raced our J40 for several years and have moved over time to mostly an asym vs square chute. Just wondering what advice about deck hardware and handling could be provided by the group for flying either chute. Sheets are led aft to blocks which then lead forward to our primaries. We never have had twings but do have some mid deck pad eyes and the aluminum toe rail with infinite attachment points. Any advice for deck arrangement, flying and jibe technique would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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On Dec 11, 2023, at 9:03 AM, Wayne Cassady <wayne.c...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for the reply Scott. We have a J40 and have never dealt with anything but minor sealing and fairing. The info on the possible detail is helpful.

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On Dec 11, 2023, at 8:45 AM, 'D. Scott Miller' via J/4X Owner's Group <j4x-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



I used to have a J/122.  When I bought it, there was a band of fiberglass over that joint. As some point, due to normal flexion, very small cracks appeared and, when the boat was hauled, water would seep out. 

 

When we investigated, it turned out that, at least in the J/122, the keel is in three parts: the fiberglass stub, the lead bulb at the bottom, and a hollow steel fin connecting the two.  The fin was filled with water.  (I have a video of what happens when you open the weeping crack, showing water flushing out.)

 

Anyway, we replace that fiberglass band (after confirming the sump/fin attachment was in good shape); no problems thereafter.  Of course, putting fiberglass around the joint makes it more difficult to inspect or to drop the keel.

 

(I did have flexion cracks in the “turn” of the bilge/keel sump to the bottom of the boat. It’s a tight angle (as in your photo) and is where the bulk of the keel flex pressure is located. I kept a close eye on that minor cracking to confirm that it was just in the fairing compound—to be expected—and not in the fiberglass itself—a problem that, if present, would obviously need to be fixed.

 

Scott

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[John Plominski]

• Hi Wayne-  I only really every raced with the symmetric spin/pole set up on our J40 for 1 season.   The boat sails nicely with a large asym and its much easier to manage both shorthanded and with crew. I have a couple of races to Bermuda and 5 seasons of in-shore racing set up like this.  We have been very competitive racing under ORR and PHRF.
  
  • I have a J109 "cheater" running kite for a heavy air and practice sail and a proper J40 all purpose A2 that can reach up in lighter air and has enough shoulder to run deeper as the breeze builds.  It is something like ~120 sq meters in area.
  • Assm is tacked to the end of the anchor roller using a shackle and large block.  Tack line runs straight aft between forward dorade vent and the mast on the port side to an open clutch and is removed when we aren't racing since its easy to trip over.  The tack dimension is about 12" further forward than the actual bow stem and was accounted for when the boat was measured for the handicap certificate.
  • We typically run inside gybes when racing and have one crew forward to run the new sheet around.  Ill run outside gybes when I am solo unless its light wind.
  • 2 sheet turning blocks shackled to the toe rail on port and starboard sides just ahead of the stern rail.  For buoy racing we typically cross sheet the spinnaker sheets to the windward primary winch since it is 1) typically free for a bear-away set and 2) allows the trimmer a better lead angle to get forward and stand by the shrouds to see.  If we are going for a gybe-set  we still cross sheet and leave it to the trimmers/pit crew to do a quick release of the genoa sheet to free up that winch during the hoist.
  • We dont typically run twings, if the sail is overpowered we just drive deeper and its been fine.
    • A great thing about the J40 is the size of the rudder.  We put the spinnaker up whenever we are racing, no matter the breeze (more or less, and are able to drive the keel back under the mast pretty reliably and have never wiped out.  Combined with good sail handling the boats sail well in heavy or light air with an asym.
  • Ive noticed that the boat and rating favor a spinnaker so in pursuit and point to point style races we tend to do better when we have courses that allow the spinnaker to be up longer.

Drew

J40 Artemisia 

Boston, MA

[Wayne Cassady]

John—Thanks for the detailed advice here. We also use the bow roller with a bail attached to handle the block for the tack. We do outside jibes and with enough crew have someone help the chute around. I must be missing something but I can’t picture doing an inside jibe with the tack line out on the roller? Glad to know twings are not used. I have some deck hardware that seems to be for maybe a snatch block twing but maybe that was probably for  the symmetrical chute. Will definitely go with the cross sheeting idea. Totally agree on the deep rudder. I have crewed on a smaller Beneteau and when it rounded up twice in one race the owner just said twice was pretty good for the boat in those conditions. Have never felt near a broach on the J40. Thanks again—Wayne

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On Sep 2, 2025, at 1:56 PM, John Plominski <drew.pl...@gmail.com> wrote:



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