Q & A

Burning Questions; If you know the answer to any of these please leave a reply (at the bottom) and we’ll add it to the knowledge base!

  • Question: Polar diagrams for the Express 34 – anybody have them?

Answer: Oh yeah. Check them out here! – E34_Polars

  • Question: Cracks in the stanchion bases on the inside of the boat – only on the port side.

Answer: Water getting in and freezing expands and cracks the base. Prevent water from accessing the stanchion base. Or move to a tropical climate where freezing isn’t a problem. From Joseph M. on Sabrina – Glenn Cove, NY

  • Question: How do I fix rotten core in the deck?

Answer: Click here!

  • Question: Express 34 racing tips?
  • Question: How do you control weather helm? I seem to have excessive amounts going upwind.
  • Question: In very light winds at low speed I sometimes lose all helm control. I think it’s cause I stall my keel. It could be we have a lot of current in the Pacific Northwest. Any way to prevent that?
  • Question: Weird compartment/shelf way upfront under the forward bunk? A battery box?
  • Question: Installing a crash box forward. Anybody done this?
  • Question: Tuning the rig. Any ideas or specs?
  • Question: Copies of the original manuals that came with the boat?
  • Question: Proper use of the check stays? Necessary or just another thing to trip over?
  • Question: Fine tune setup on the mainsheet needed or just another thing to add to the cockpit spaghetti?
  • Question: Any experience in dropping the rudder?
  • Question: Forward hatch doesn’t seat well and leaks on the starboard front corner. Anybody else have this issue?
  • Question: Blisters on the bottom near the keel/hull connection. I’ve got about a dozen zits and have heard about this on the 27′ Expresses. Can I just barrier coat this area or should I do the whole thing?

8 thoughts on “Q & A”

  2. Pingback: Answers; Cracks in the stanchion bases on the inside of the boat | Alsberg Express 34

    1. Wailana Express 34 Post author

      Aaah! Thanks Mark!

      My boat had a collapsible black water bag as its holding tank. This spring I ripped out the entire holding tank/toilet system and replaced it with one of these. It was a beautiful day when I got rid that stinky mess. The Porta Pottie will hold enough for our family of three for 3-4 days. I thought about installing a composting toilet but couldn’t make it quite fit.

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  4. MARK WILLIAMS

    fine tune on the mainsheet is nice I have ours mounted inside the boom 3/1 purchase so there is no more extra spaghetti in the cockpit.

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    1. Wailana Express 34 Post author

      Thanks for the reply.
      I hear what you’re saying about the cockpit spaghetti. In this year’s Swiftsure race we had six people in harnesses and tethers attached to jacklines. This was due to rough weather & the skipper’s (me) paranoia. Taking a leak was a 15 minute ordeal!

      How do you mount the fine tune inside the boom?

      Cheers,

      Greg S. – Wailana

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  5. Carl sommers

    Hi considering making offer for express 34. Has anyone have a dogger and who made it, which autopilot r u using and performance, aysemetrical spinnaker with pole or sprit, if sprit which one, performance in 30 knots and above sail selection? I will set it up for singlehanding if purchased any comments in this regard will be helpful. Thanks I have read entire site and found it very helpful any additional info will be very appreciated. If I buy boat I will register on site and may (probably) have more questions, request for experience thanks Carl.

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    1. Wailana Express 34 Post author

      Hi Carl,

      I don’t know of any one who has a dodger. Maybe Mark W. up in Alaska? No one has replied about the sprit and I haven’t seen any pictures of any on an E34.

      In above 30 knots this boat can be a handful. I have only one reef in our racing main and with that in and a #3 going upwind we were way overpowered with tons of weather helm. So much so that we traveled down and eased the mainsheet until it was just shy of flogging.

      Under 1.5 oz. spinnaker in 20-25 kts I was nervous but the boat handled beautifully. Very well behaved!

      I have the Simrad TP20 autopilot. The attachment pin is on the bottom of the tiller which makes it somewhat awkward to engage/disengage. They mounted it this way because there wasn’t enough height on the cockpit side to make it work.

      I’ve singlehanded my boat a couple of times but with the bolt-rope luff on the main and the non-self-tailing winches it makes it a lot of work. Self-tailers are on the wish list! I’ve run jacklines from the forward part of the cockpit near the halyard winches up to the bow cleat to keep me onboard.

      Good luck with the purchase and keep the questions coming!

      Cheers! – Greg S. – Wailana

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