which rig? Bermudan or gunter?

[PeteCooper]

Many years ago when we sailed on the River Humber we knew somebody who had a gunter Westerley 22. It was slow and not very good to windward. Then somebody turned up with a bermudan rigged Westerley 22 and the difference was chalk and cheese - the bermudan version was a greyhound by comparison.

 

[dylanwinter]

Speed

Many years ago when we sailed on the River Humber we knew somebody who had a gunter Westerley 22. It was slow and not very good to windward. Then somebody turned up with a bermudan rigged Westerley 22 and the difference was chalk and cheese - the bermudan version was a greyhound by comparison.

speed is a bit over-rated

however, th slugs slugness came hoem mto me when I sought advice about the 38 mile jour ney from wellls to the humber

brilliant advice except it was based on an average speed through the water of 5 knots

the beast would shake my fillings out at that speed

under sail - never achieved at anything under a force five

to get an average through the water speed of five knots I would need to be motorsailing on a beam reach with a force four all the way

however, as most of my sailing is up the creeks and rivers.... no probs

the bermudan mast is jolly long

a lot of leverage when dropping it

and it will stick long way out the back of the boat

so.... my plan is to use the gunter until I go back to the broads - and believe me I really, really want to go back to the broads and spend a winter there

all I have to do is to persaude the broads authority to give me a six month permit as their license year ends with the calnder year - meaning one winter afloat would cost two seasons

I also want to have a crack at the shannon - but assume a gunter would be better for that

the lakes....probably a bernudan would be better for those -

I am very keen to find out what the rig change does do to performance

a great item for one of the sailing magazines I would say

D

 

[Blueboatman]

Wasn't too sure which Minstrel you had bought but guessed 'that' one as it had disappeared from the listings.

Smart move kido. Gonna be a lot of fun, one rig, two rigs or moboing and towing. as you so aptly put it, Sans another bloody Vulvo to maintain

 

[chrisedwards]

If I was having a new small yacht built I think I would go for junk rig for the sheer ease of handling. I saw yours being manouvered single-handed in Newtown Creek a few years ago and it looked so effortless.

Thanks for this - flag me down next time and have a go yourself.

Dylan - even now do not discount the junk rig - I spent months on the Brittanny Canals with hinged mast junk rig- the whole rig stayed asssembled on the "stump". A strong tabernacle would be good enough - Pete Hill used this rounding the Horn. Five minutes from full canal stow (mast down and everthing lashed)to sea going readiness to sail. Just another advantage of this superb rig.

Aesthetics - does this not come from practice? - Learning to appreciate art, poetry, wine.......

 

[Poignard]

Surely 7 pages of, ummm, discussion and no one has stated the obvious......

You don't mean - you can't mean - dare one say it - a motor boat?