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[Medved]

As a newby to both sailing and specifically C34s I am looking for the wisdom of the community. I have purchased a 1988 C34 tall rig with the wing keel, and while the boat is an overall good condition it needs new standing and running rigging, as well as, new sails. If you had the opportunity to refit your boat, what would be the "ultimate" setup? One of the biggest problems I am trying to figure out is ability to reef from the cockpit. I am planning to single hand this boat primarily on the Chesapeake, but also want to set it up so I can take it coastal cruising. Looking through technical notes and reading posts here I am getting a bit overwhelmed. I am about to make a significant investment and planning to keep this boat for 5-8 years, so would like to get it "right" without having the practical knowledge. My experience with sailing is ASA 101-104, sailing on a sail only 24 foot boat with hank on sails, Bene 41 with everything furling and autopilot, and Seawind 1190 catamaran for a week last May.

[Stu Jackson]

Welcome.

I found one of the most helpful sailing aids is being able to reef from the safety of the cockpit. 

If you are a C34IA member you can access this November 2003 tech note:

https://c34.org/mainsheet/pdf/Double_Line_Double_Reefing.pdf

All the best with your new boat.

[waughoo]

Quick off topic question Stu... where did you run your rigid vang control to?  It seems with mine that there is going to be plenty of mechanical advantage such that i wont ever need the winch and thus it wouldnt need to occupy one of the rope clutch spots.  Is a cam cleat enough to hold it?

[Noah]

You won’t need the winch for the hard vang but you will need a cleat OR a rope clutch. For me it worked to use one of my starboard side’s triple rope clutches as there is limited space on the cabin top.

[waughoo]

Noah... mine is presently in my port side tripple clutch (just upgraded from a single.

[ewengstrom]

Noah, our boat came with what looks like a Garhauer rigid vang (no identifying marks on it whatsoever) but I have yet to figure out how the correct routing of the lines involved.  There were two blocks involved with the system but nothing was rigged correctly when we bought the boat and I haven't found much info online. I've tried a few routing configurations but have found that somewhere in the system the vang line drags and takes considerable force to operate.
If by some wonderful chance someone you or someone else on this thread has a photo or instructions to share, it would be most appreciated.

[waughoo]

Medved,

To circle this thread back to your question, I dont think you can go too wrong with new sails and new rigging (standing and running)  the basic running rigging is where I'd start.  Get the boat all together and sail it a bit.  You can always rig more things (like additional reef points and bringing additional control lines aft) as you see fit.  The value of getting the boat together and start sailing it is that you'll begin to understand what is valuable to you!

As for what I like, bring most of the control lines aft.  As for sails, you might want to get the counsel of local sailors with a similar mast head rig.  The local sailing conditions often direct how big the head sail is or how many reef points a main has.

I hope this helps some.

[Noah]

My vang runs from the vang purchase blocks to a block attached to the bottom of the vang, then through my deck organizer, then through my starboard cabintop triple clutch. Makes a perfect back scratcher for the dog! Sorry not better pics.

[Stu Jackson]

Quick off topic question Stu... where did you run your rigid vang control to?  It seems with mine that there is going to be plenty of mechanical advantage such that i wont ever need the winch and thus it wouldnt need to occupy one of the rope clutch spots.  Is a cam cleat enough to hold it?

Yes, I have a swivel cam cleat, one of those on a ss riser, forward port outbord side of the area under the dodger.  Because of the high purchase level on the vang's tackle, it's not a large load at all.

[Stu Jackson]

Alex, look at the link in my Reply #1 on this topic.  It has photos of exactly what's there.

[glennd3]

Sailing on the Chesapeake you may consider a 130 head sail and a single reef in the main for single handling with a stack pack. Usually on the bay you will know ahead of time if a front is coming and you can reef before leaving your slip. If it is blowing hard on the bay you may consider just sailing with the head sail. I can't see someone new to sailing and the 34 putting themselves in a situation single handling where the would be out in conditions that would be unsafe. This is just me and you may be one of those guys that can pull it off. The early 34 s are set up with external boom reefing which cleats off at the front of the boom. It also has an internal boom out haul which is at the front of the boom. JMO

[waughoo]

Alex, look at the link in my Reply #1 on this topic.  It has photos of exactly what's there.

I figured it was in that link and thats what set me about asking.  I just wasnt sure which one was the vang.  I'll look at it again now that i know it is in there somewhere.  Thanks Stu.

[Noah]

Alex, some of my takeaways that I remember from Stu’s set-up is that his jib furling halyard is cleated and coiled at the mast, freeing up clutch space. Don’t know if he has a spare jib halyard or spinn halyard, and if those are clutched?  He uses double-line reefing led aft. To facilitate reefing aft he uses double-stacked deck organizers. I will reread his post too!

[waughoo]

Noah... thanks for the insight.  Looking at your photos I see the grey w/white fleck line in a cam cleat at the mast which then goes to the turning blick and out to the deck organizer.  What is the significance of that set up?  Is that a temporary holder for the main halyard for reefing which can be pulled out back at the cabin top when retensioning the halyard? (Completely guessing but it seems like a plausible use).

[Noah]

Yep, it is my main halyard. A trick I picked-up from reading this Forum! 
Most times I raise the main quickly single handing by “jumping” the halyard at the mast, lock it in the cam cleat, then go aft, pullout the slack, winch-up the last foot or so and lock it in the clutch. The cam cleat on side of mast pops as soon as I pullout the halyard slack and tension from cockpit. I should/could have put it higher on the mast, but was worried it wouldn’t release. Hasty decision. Oops!