Why have two sails at the front..

[markleuty]

I can't remember the technical term for two sails at the front, but I was just wondering why it's beneficial?

(the boat next to us in the marina has them and it reminded me that I didn't know why it was a good idea)

Mark

 

[MoodySabre]

The pros and cons of a cutter rig discussed here

 

[markleuty]

The pros and cons of a cutter rig discussed here

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for..

Mark

 

[tcm]

two sails at the front

There can be another explanation - they're different types of sail. We have "normal" full (ish) genoa, and aft of it is a staysail - a smaller and much flatter sail, good for pointing into higher winds and better balance than half-rolled genoa when when mainsail is (say) on two or three reefs.

 

[Refueler]

I've been thinking of adding a sprit and spritsail to increase fwd sail area ...

As she is now :

As I think I can .... :

Why ? Gives me more flexibility with sail plan. Moves CofE fwd to reduce weather-helm. Looks nice !!

 

[dunedin]

The original reason is probably from before the days of effective winches and furlers - to divide the sailplan into smallre and hence more manageable units

At risk of being controversial, for most uses nowadays a cutter rig is extra clutter, more weight and worse performance. Hence why racing boats and most cruisers have one foresail now.
The exception is shorthanded sailing, when there are multiple jibs on furlers but typiclly only one used at a time - such as on the vendee Globe solo racers

 

[srm]

a cutter rig is extra clutter, more weight and worse performance.

Depends how you define performance. Current and last boat are cutters which gives more possibilities for balancing the boat and sail plan to keep steering light which allows wind vane to stay in control and no nasty surprises in squalls. On the other hand I can hank a big genoa on to the removable forestay aft of the furled yankee if I really want to put the lee rail down and not be able to see all round. When the wind really picks up I can still play variations on the theme of deep reefed main, staysail and a bit of yankee if needed, without having to rig a storm jib. Once sailing slightly free the yankee and staysail is a more poweful combination than a genoa. I regard that as safe and flexible cruising performance especially when short handed or solo. There is more to sailing than speed to windward and the need for spinakers off the wind.

Bottom line though is that I like the look of a cutter - why else have a boat. If we all agreed on everything and were all the same sailing would be as boring as a marina full of AWBs.

 

[Refueler]

Depends how you define performance. Current and last boat are cutters which gives more possibilities for balancing the boat and sail plan to keep steering light which allows wind vane to stay in control and no nasty surprises in squalls. On the other hand I can hank a big genoa on to the removable forestay aft of the furled yankee if I really want to put the lee rail down and not be able to see all round. When the wind really picks up I can still play variations on the theme of deep reefed main, staysail and a bit of yankee if needed, without having to rig a storm jib. Once sailing slightly free the yankee and staysail is a more poweful combination than a genoa. I regard that as safe and flexible cruising performance especially when short handed or solo. There is more to sailing than speed to windward and the need for spinakers off the wind.

Bottom line though is that I like the look of a cutter - why else have a boat. If we all agreed on everything and were all the same sailing would be as boring as a marina full of AWBs.

Not only that ... but having sail-plan that has CofE lower means more drive and less healing moment.

I find it funny that many would go for a removeable forestay and stormsail rig but say a Cutter is old hat !!

 

[Cornishman]

I've been thinking of adding a sprit and spritsail to increase fwd sail area ...

As she is now :

As I think I can .... :

Why ? Gives me more flexibility with sail plan. Moves CofE fwd to reduce weather-helm. Looks nice !!

What you have fitted is a bowsprit, which is very different from a sprit. A sprit goes diagonally across the usually 4 side mainsails as used on Thames Barges.
See http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/R_SPRITSAIL.HTM for better description and pictures.

 

[Refueler]

Alright ... I own up to the error !!

Reckon she'd look nice with it anyway ... I already have the sail ready for it .. just got to get down to fitting the bowsprit.

Without - shows not much room to fit ....

Sketched idea ...

 

[cowpat]

HI Refuler,
I fitted a bowspit for different reason,weatherhelm,but the result was an improvement in performance to windward.Did not cure the weather helm only improved it.I had to fit a skeg to cure that.The reason for sailing improvement to wind only,not downwind, is..(expect U know)..The slot effect. No boat sails well with only the mainsail,but put the foresail up and speed increases more than can be accounted for by increased sail area. so with two foresails the same effect occurs especialy if there is a big gap between the forestay high cut sail and the mainsail.

 

[s/v moondancer]

I have a cutter rig on a heavy 17.5 m boat that can do 10 knots with all sail up and and we sail her without crew. The genoa is 110 sq ms and when the wind gets above 20-25 knots it is a very difficult sail to handle, even with roller furling, and can get you into trouble in a hurry.

We mostly cruise at 6-7 knots and the genoa comes in at 20 knots and we than cruise very nicely with an easily handled 40 sq m staysail and usually 2 reefs in the main.

 

[ianat182]

Cutter rig....

Discussing Cutter rig reminded me of that other cutter rigged yacht Club Mediterranee'
(ex- Phocea) built for Alain Colas,with twin foresails and 4 masts with large genoas(mizzens-would that be?) designed for a singlehanded transatlantic voyage/race. There must have been a very efficient slot effect there!9and a very deep pocket!

ianat182

 

[Searush]

[snip]
Sketched idea ...

One small comment, Nigel, there is no lateral support for that bowsprit. The sideways forces are pretty strong when the sail is pulling so either wire stays or some sort of lateral struts are almost certain to be needed to prevent it bending or moving.

Steve K