Lateen/spritsail rig

[westernman]

As I understand it, it is because races are on a three leg course favouring upwind performance. Races are won or lost on the upwind leg.

The report said gaff was faster than bermudan upwind too.

I am not sure I buy the argument about not finding crew either.

A normal topsail (without yards), is very easy to set if there are two of you. I have not worked out which bits of string I need to attach where for my jackyard topsail

 

[Deleted member 36384]

James Wharram, that British Institution of alternative cat design, is a believer in Gaff Rig superior performance. I remember an article he wrote stating that the Gaff Rig was a superior rig to the bermudian. He commented on the peak of development in the days of sail and noted that this is likely to reappear in the modern age of sail. His cats are now mostly rigged with gaffs. The article was further surprising in that there were no nude German girls in it - remarkable!

Much the same happened with motorbike technology - what every one thought was new was actually tried in the 1930s.