running sails

[willtaylor]

People seem to have a lot of trouble with spinnakers. I can see they are useful for racing but......
Many years ago I observed a very fine Colin Archer ketch (Northern Light?) on which they rigged a squaresail with a yard that could be swung up and down the mast when not in use. The sail was rigged with inhauls and outhauls and ran in and
out on big rings like a curtain. There were vangs and sheets as well, but it all seemed quite straightforward in operation.

Clearly it was heavy - so was the boat. However, it occurs to me that a lightweight modern variation,
maybe quite a short, light yard and high aspect ratio (why?) might offer a useful and more manageable alternative to a spinnaker. Maybe this is a crazy idea, tell me why.

 

[Chris_Stannard]

The principle problem is the clash between shrouds and the boom. With a modern rig it would not be possible to trim the boom at all thius making the rig only efficient when going dead down wind. This was a problem even in the days of square riggers and their rigs were designed to allow the booms the maximum amoutn of adjustment.

Chris Stannard

 

[ccscott49]

Friends of mine in Lagos, have just done this, the square sail, is for downwind sailing and works very well. He has a boom up the mast, which can be swivelled to lie in line with the mast when sailing off the wind and he only uses it square down wind. Its a big sail and efficient, topsail schooner people will tell you that. It takes a bit of figuring out. They reckon the yard should be 1 1/2 times the beem to be really good, but you can cut the sail with a wide foot, to get more area. Basically it works! You will see quite a few trade wind sailors with them.