Help Please - Mast / Sail Plan Question

[Guest]

Refurbishing my old lifeboat.

I would like to retain the ability to sail (albeit downwind) but don't want a mast stuck in the middle of what will be a fairly small living area.

Boat is "canoe" shape 8 metres long. Furthest aft I can step the mast without impinging on the living area is about 1 metre in from the bow!!

Assuming that I fit an unstayed mast is there any particular sail design that springs to mind which could be mounted that far forward and be relatively easy to handle?

Best regards )

Ian D

 

[Strathglass]

Perhaps you should think in terms of a junk rig.
You would just have a single sail and it would be relatively fast off the wind. They are normally fitted in an unstayed mast.

 

[jimd]

How about a cat rig? This has the mast well forrard with all the sail aft.

 

[Guest]

What\'s a \"cat\" rig?

Sorry - not familiar with the term.

Ian D

 

[ccscott49]

Re: What\'s a \"cat\" rig?

They are sometimes called a freedom rig (after the type of boat), unstayed mast, well forward with wishbone boom, same as a windsurfer. Very good and efficient.

 

[charles_reed]

Best bet a balanced lug

Which was fitted to all Pussers issue and would have been the original rig such a vessel would have.

A cat rig is out of the question - no keel.

I'd hate to try and draw up the sailplan - you'll need to have the mast about 1/4 of the LWL back from the foot.

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Best bet a balanced lug

Of course, didnt think about a keel, stupid! Your right, balanced lug, thats what they had.