which rig? Bermudan or gunter?

BobPrell said:
Everybody is in favour of efficiency. For some reason bermudan fans get away with claiming efficiency without saying what resource they are efficient with, and what they trade off for that.

So the gunter is efficient with space. It trades off pointing ability.
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By efficient I was talking about aerodynamic drag, pointing ability, top hamper, ease of handling and simplicity. The bermudan rig wins on all points here. But please don't mistake me for a fan. I'm personally an old gaffer, but it doesn't stop me from recognising the benefits of different rigs.

Yes, the gunter is efficient with space, and if I was to choose between the two I would probably go for it, especially on a boat with a tabernacle that might require regular trailing.
 
Major advantage of the Bermudan rig will be when sailing to windward. How much sailing to windward are you likely to be doing?

Is to be the Limax maximus?
 
Woodlouse said:
By efficient I was talking about aerodynamic drag, pointing ability, top hamper, ease of handling and simplicity. The bermudan rig wins on all points here. But please don't mistake me for a fan. I'm personally an old gaffer, but it doesn't stop me from recognising the benefits of different rigs.

Yes, the gunter is efficient with space, and if I was to choose between the two I would probably go for it, especially on a boat with a tabernacle that might require regular trailing.
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Excellent, I have found someone like-minded. I was rather worried that I might have given offense.

I am a bit of a junk rig fan myself, it is efficient with the labour required to sail.

The bermuda rig is efficient with most of the things you have listed, but it has costs. One is the work required to sail. I hope you have seen the "Commands required to tack" thread. A junk sailor posted "I can't understand what all the debate is about, when I want to tack I just push the tiller over".

Dylan, my mind's eye keeps seeing your boats (slug and the minstrel's) with junk rig.
 
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Hmmm.
Perhaps a question should be: How well does a Minstrel sail to windward at all AT SEA without motor assist? Thats quite a bluff bow and high topsides and canoe stern and and .. very pretty.

I believe the Bermudan set up has/had tan sails too usually, unlike that pic..

Whilst I don't want to rain on your parade, i had a junk rig Corribee with bilge keels that i took places that others simply do not venture ( but not on your route) and it would tack in its own length and retain steerage way on a tide breeze drifting thru saltflats and marshes...You will surley be doing loads more of that than coastal pure sailing to windward?

Gaffers 'know' that a low aspect rig is often the best for drive..

So basically I would advocate the lower, gunter rig, even for powering to windward with that hull, it is pretty, unique, characterful, wont do your adventure or public image/ thread count/website hits any harm at all, easy peasy to up/down and stow.
As said, above all I would be looking at the quality or cost of a really decent motor with the ones for sale..
 
dylanwinter said:
here are two pictures of the same boat with different rigs

which would be better for sailing around the UK?

http://www.hlmoa.flyer.co.uk/images/mn.jpeg

http://www.hlmoa.org.uk/gallery/14George_Gunn_1.jpg

and would you be interested in an article in a well known yachting magazine about comparing the two rigs?

yours

Just curious of Buckingham
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Sheer unadulterated boat porn....

http://www.western-horizon.co.uk/archive_boat.php?boat_id=25#

....I'd bite your arm off for that boat with either rig, but would prefer bermudan if given a choice.....
 
How would a gunter motorsail? If your a fan of motoring when conditions are ticky surely a bladed bermudian would be better than a gunter?

I have no real experience of gunters apart from two dinghy's i had rigged that way.

If your sailing around Britain on anything like a deadline there will be a fair amount of windward work and unless you are planning to drop mast regularly I would go bermudan every time.
 
I don't suppose anyone is interested but here is the gunter i used to own:
232_575114199985_61412561_38050585_5016_n.jpg

232_575111744905_61412561_38050518_6545_n.jpg
 
prv said:
Agree. If I had seen that picture on its own, I'd have said "gaff", not "gunter". Gunter should have the yard as nearly parallel to the mast as possible.

Pete
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Mind you that may just be poor sail rigging, many mirror sailors make the same mistake, or have used a rather stretchy halyard.
 
I think that boat is nearly as ugly as the Slug, which is saying something, but each to his own.

Advantages of gaff (cos that's what it is).

Easier to raise or drop the mast, as long as it's in a tabernacle - I can do it singlehanded when underway.

Can drop the main or take in a reef on any point of sailing - don't have to turn head-to-wind. Saved us from possible gybe / broach when surfing down the waves off Landguard Point.

Several options for scandalising main.
 
Go 4 Gunta.

You know its what you really want to do!

:D

PS Someone mentioned a Corrribbeee earlier on - any reason it doesn't meet your criteria?
 
Now you're making me feel really s***y - and all that wrong advice on towing capacity, too.:o

Cheers Dylan.:)

Any boat, as long as you get sailing, videoing & putting them up.

Seriously, though, as someone who ended up with a gaff rig because it was part of a package, I've ended up as a gaff rig fan, and never thought I would.
 
Gunter Rig = Breton Cap and pipe. Bermudan rig = Ray Ban's and Henri Lloyd "Oilies".

Your in no rush, you can't be you had the Slug to start with, so I'd go with the gunter. For what you want to do with it, it'll suit you down to the ground. Easier to drop the mast yourself. Less length to cope with for stowing/trailing and it looks much nicer to my eyes.

Go with the Gunter rigged boat, you know thats what you'd do anyway.....
 
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