# Wauquiez Pretorien performance



## Johnnynunes (Aug 15, 2006)

Hello. I'm from the Azores island's in the Atlantic and i have a Pretorien from 1982. We do a lot of races around here and y wanted to get some help in so points to increase the performance of my boat. 
Many thank's and sorry about the bad inglish.
Many regards
João Nunes


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Bom dia João. Pretoriens are not that prevalent in the U.S., so you may have to be patient for an answer specific to your boat. What I have noticed over many years is that many European sails are not cut to real racing standards. People race with the sails they have, but they can easily be blown out, tired dacron. How are your sails? Have you talked to North (a reasonably serious firm for racing sails) about new ones? That is an expensive answer to your question. A less expensive change might deal with your halyards. Did your boat come with wire/rope halyards? Our 1981 J/36 did. Changing to all rope would mean less weight aloft and less chafe and damage to headsails from wire. Probably less blood on the foredeck from barbs in the wire too. We kept the same sheaves (réas?) so the cost was relatively little. The crew is much happier. What type of reefing setup do you have? If you are using old, baggy sails, you are likely to heel more (and go slower) because of this. A jiffy or slab reefing setup will make it easier to reef, so that you can reduce heeling and therefore go forward faster. Speaking of reducing sail, several of my spinnakers have "belly buttons". The sailmaker made them so a retrieving line could be attached at their centers. To douse them, the guy, sheet and halyard are released and they are pulled down by the retrieving line right into a convenient hatch, like on a Fireball or 505 with a spinnaker chute. These ideas are just shots in the dark, because you have not described the details of your Prétorien, but perhaps they are ideas you have not yet considered. I hope they are helpful.


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