Modern mass production cutter rig boats

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cmedsailor

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I really love the idea of a cutter rig. Out of curiosity are there any "modern" (year 2000 plus) production boats that have a cutter rig? Or is it possible to rig them as such as an option (has anybody done this)? Obviously I am not referring to double forestays such as the southerly yachts (eg the distance shores) but the usual forestay and an inner one.
Thanks
 
Not sure what you mean by "I am not referring to double forestays such as the southerly yachts (eg the distance shores) but the usual forestay and an inner one".

If you are looking for a true cutter - i.e. with mast well towards the stern, a high cut yankee and a staysail which is flown at the same time as the yankee then no, not a lot. The Island Packet and a few other US boatyards spring to mind. There is a good reason for there not being many - it is just not as versatile a rig as a sloop with inner forestay. They go well when reaching, but not so well upwind. They are very pretty rigs though.

A sloop with an inner forestay is more versatile and costs the same, so that is why the market has gone that way.
 
Some models of Island Packet, Rustler, Jeanneau did at least some as an option, certainly available on the Sun Oddysey at least.
 
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Mass production is a bit of a red herring.

The only maker with a reasonable number of cutter rigged boats built-AFAIK- is Island Packet. Their numbers are insignificant compared to Bavaria or the French giants.

A cutter rig is, in my not terribly experienced opinion, a good option for a small crew. The Island Packet 350 that First Mate and I sailed untill quite recently was easy for a retired couple to manage as far as sail hanlding went due to the smaller sails. We deep sixed the 135% Genoa in favour of a 100% high cut Yankee and found it even better and without much speed penalty in good conditions. By comparing logs passage times were very similar with the big genny and the smaller yankee.
The flexibility of using the staysail-in the IP's case self tacking-in heavy weather was a good option.

Cutter rig would be our prefered option for our type of medium distance sailing.

We have just discarded this option though and bought an Island Packet SP Cruiser with sloop rig, self tacking 100% Jib and an in-mast furling main. It is quite a big rig but has a Lewmar electric winch to assist in sail handling.

Only sailed her in extremly light winds so far but all augers well for the future. When the wind will not serve she has a Yanmar 110HP turbodiesel.

Must remember to check the fuel tank..................................
 
One of the problems with the cutter rig is the running backstays which require more work when downwind sailing in order to gybe. They can be avoided by having the inner stay quite close to the forestay or by having a complex spreader arrangement with jumpers. I like cutter rig because it is a versitile rig with good storm handling characteristics. It looks like a good rig for long distance sailing. The sails are smaller and more easily handled and give you more options when depowering. I am seriously considering it for my next boat.
 
Cutter rigs (rather like ketches) were popular in the past because of the smaller sails and easier manual handling. For certain types of sailing they do have advantages (as well as looking good) but for most coastal cruising they really are not necessary. The developments in sails and particularly sail handling means larger sails are not such a problem and in the sort of conditions most people sail, a good furling headsail is satisfactory. recently the move has been towards fractional rigs which don't lend themselves two forestays, smaller headsails and bigger mains.
 
I think the only real drawback is the extra complication and slightly poorer upwind performance. You end up with a stronger rig and more sail options more easily handled and can even use the running by back stays for MOB recovery!
 
pmagowan said:
One of the problems with the cutter rig is the running backstays which require more work when downwind sailing in order to gybe. They can be avoided by having the inner stay quite close to the forestay or by having a complex spreader arrangement with jumpers. I like cutter rig because it is a versitile rig with good storm handling characteristics. It looks like a good rig for long distance sailing. The sails are smaller and more easily handled and give you more options when depowering. I am seriously considering it for my next boat.
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Surely you are confusing Gaff Rig with Cutter rig?

I have only personaly seen running backstays on Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters and Brixham Trawlers, although other old fashioned craft with big Gaff rigs use them.

I believe the OP was asking about modern yachts with a proper Staysail and Jib foresail arrangement-what I have always assumed Cutter Rig to be.
 
Such boats may still have running backstays, depending on the actual rig. Clearly something to be avoided on cruising boats by for example having widely spaced lower shrouds, larger section mast or even as suggested earlier, jumper struts.
 
rotrax said:
Surely you are confusing Gaff Rig with Cutter rig?

I have only personaly seen running backstays on Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters and Brixham Trawlers, although other old fashioned craft with big Gaff rigs use them.

I believe the OP was asking about modern yachts with a proper Staysail and Jib foresail arrangement-what I have always assumed Cutter Rig to be.
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No, proper cutter rigs normally require running back stays. The problem comes from the staysail. It puts a forward force into the mast which is not resisted except by having a lower stay which would interfere with the main and so must be split. It can be got round by having the staysail attached very high, close to the jib, which means the back stay is sufficient or by having a complex set of spreaders including jumpers and with some stays going more aft than usual.

Often the running back stays are not used unless the weather is bad because the mast section is large and the staysail quite small.
 
Our Island Packet-and AFAIK all IP's-dont have running backstays or checkstays and was cutter rigged with a simple twin backstay system.

The Cornish Crabbers 31 Pilot Cutter I chartered was similar.

On both the staysail was fairly high mounted

If the mast is of the proper section and properly mounted and stayed-IP's are keel stepped-I dont see the problem.

I would bet that most contempary cutter rigged yachts dont have checkstays or running backstays.
 
Daydream believer said:
My Stella had them
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I dont think I have seen one of those.

I am confused by the term "Proper Cutter Rig". I have always been under the impression that a boat with a staysail and either a jib or genoa was cutter rigged. How the mast is supported is not important in this decription-but might very well be for the safety of the mast!
 
rotrax said:
I dont think I have seen one of those.

I am confused by the term "Proper Cutter Rig". I have always been under the impression that a boat with a staysail and either a jib or genoa was cutter rigged. How the mast is supported is not important in this decription-but might very well be for the safety of the mast!
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I suppose it has to do with the original design and some modern designs are given different names which are often not well defined such as slutter rig etc. A 'standard' cutter rig will have running back stays IMO. Modern designs try to do away with these for convenience and so they either take the staysail stay high on the mast to avoid bowing the mast or they do complicated things with the shrouds and spreaders. Either will resolve the problem but have problems of their own. Obviously running your inner stay high will alter the staysail shape and encroach on the yankee for tacking. Having jumpers and shrouds that run further aft will be prone to catch the staysail on tacking and also to rub against the main when running downwind. Running back stays add in additional complication when tacking downwind although they are often ignored unless conditions are severe and mast sections can be over-engineered to account for this. Of course they also only need to be used when the staysail is drawing.
 
pmagowan said:
No, proper cutter rigs normally require running back stays....

Often the running back stays are not used unless the weather is bad because the mast section is large and the staysail quite small.
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Correct. The running backstays on my Vancouver 27 aren't necessary below a F5/6, as the shrouds etc can easily cope with the forward and sideways pull on the mast, so they live at the base of the shrouds out of the way. In a blow they can be attached to fixed points aft, and the non-working one let off to make room for the mainsail.

I once short tacked down and out the Beaulieu in a strong blow with the running backstays rigged. Two reefs in the main, small hanked-on staysail and half the Yankee. Huge fun helming with my bum whilst rapidly working two sets of sheets plus the running backstays!

But the usual situation would be in open water, so plenty of time to deal with the component parts.
 
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cmedsailor said:
I really love the idea of a cutter rig. Out of curiosity are there any "modern" (year 2000 plus) production boats that have a cutter rig? Or is it possible to rig them as such as an option (has anybody done this)? Obviously I am not referring to double forestays such as the southerly yachts (eg the distance shores) but the usual forestay and an inner one.
Thanks
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Lots of cutter rigged yachts in Oyster brokerage - so pre and post 2000! http://www.oysteryachts.com/brokerage/fleet.

TS
 
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