More design questions - swept spreaders

[Keen_Ed]

Masthead rigs mean larger jibs than fractional. Harder to winch in - especially by a cruising family.

Also, higher aspect ratio sails are more sensitive to trim than lower aspect ratio sails. So if you have an efficient, no overlap sail (overlap is inefficient), with a masthead rig, it gets to be a very high aspect sail, and needs lots of trimming. Looks ugly on a reach also without a change sheet/athwartship tracks/barberhaulers. Lots of faff.

Fractional rigs need swept spreaders for forestay tension, if the rig doesn't have runners. Even on racing boats, runners are now out - rating penalty is too big. (but square heads and topmast backstays are in).

On the ARC or equivalent - long downwind passages - I'd go with no mainsail and a parasail or equivalent/twin jibs etc.

 

[Rossynant]

Masthead rigs mean larger jibs than fractional. Harder to winch in - especially by a cruising family.
Also, higher aspect ratio sails are more sensitive to trim than lower aspect ratio sails. So if you have an efficient, no overlap sail (overlap is inefficient), with a masthead rig, it gets to be a very high aspect sail, and needs lots of trimming. Looks ugly on a reach also without a change sheet/athwartship tracks/barberhaulers. Lots of faff.

Not necessarily so, depends on rig design. After all traditional working rigs had jib not overlapping, often boomed, working very efficiently downwind - and no winching. No winches either...
Personally I liked the arrangement Reinke used - german designer. Light drifter or genaker on forestay and full working jib, self tacking, just behind. http://www.mary-lou.at/fotos/riss.gif

P.S.This design is 40 years old already. Ugly boat, btw, but sailed astonishingly well, won races. Very comfy. Made in aluminium, the one I know.

 

[HoratioHB]

Masthead rigs mean larger jibs than fractional. Harder to winch in - especially by a cruising family.

Also, higher aspect ratio sails are more sensitive to trim than lower aspect ratio sails. So if you have an efficient, no overlap sail (overlap is inefficient), with a masthead rig, it gets to be a very high aspect sail, and needs lots of trimming. Looks ugly on a reach also without a change sheet/athwartship tracks/barberhaulers. Lots of faff.
.

Overlap is inefficient?? So all the boats I raced with genoas -ie overlaps where inefficient - I don't think so. We concentrated on 'the slot' ie the shape of the overlap between main and genny. Getting the shape right was critical. Agreed it takes a lot of trimming but very effective.

 

[Rossynant]

It is inefficient. As long as you measure in drive per sail area. Same sail area 'not overlapping' give more driving force.
It was racing rules, really. Taking in "measured sail area" foretriangle areas only. Any more canvas such as put on genoa was "free" Who cares that this overlap was only 70% efficient? More drive is more drive.
But this, I understand, has changed, now they measure real area; so no real reason to use genoa in race.

This naturally is still of no matter for cruisers.