Square rigged

[warrior35]

I seen a photo somewhere that had a newer model sailboat, looked like a hunter or Catalina with a square sail for downwind running, anyone heard of this? Or seen something similar?

[Jim Cate]

There's a chap with a Downeast 45 to which he has added a square sail. He posts here on CF fairly often, but I don't remember his screen name. Try a Google search...

Jim

[Tayana42]

Try Jolly Roger. He also published an article about his roller furling square sail in Good Old Boat magazine.

[warrior35]

Thanks just mildly curious about the idea, would make an interesting downwind option.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by warrior35

Thanks just mildly curious about the idea, would make an interesting downwind option.

True, but consider the added windage and weight aloft... not so good to windward or in larger sea states. Not my cup of tea, but jolly R. seems to be happy with his set up.

jim

[Snowpetrel]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1219746

This should be a link to something I wrote about square rig a while ago.

Dispite years of trying, I don't think anyone has really managed to make the square rig particularly practical for a small yacht. Part of the issue is the size of the yard needed to set a decent amount of sail. It ends up in most cases being longer than a normal spinnaker pole. Another issue is bracing the yard. The spreaders get in the way, and either need to be hinged, well swept aft or a large crane needs to be manufactured to hold it clear ahead of the mast if you intend to brace the ri

Sqaures work best when they aren't too tall and narrow. Better a low wide sail that lifts the boat.

Joe Davidson's system I describe in the link above worked because it used a short yard and he didn't bother with braces. In fact he used the spreaders to stop the short yard bracing itself and did away with braces. The extra sail area was gained with the flaps.

Jay Bedford developed the pyramid rig for his ketch sunshine. This looks good but again uses a long yard.

One area where a square type sail could work is under a pole in a normal twin (or single)poled out headsail setup. Particularly if its a high cut sail with the pole mounted high on the mast. Another idea is a small square with a lightweight padded yard hoisted to the masthead. And sheeted out to the end of a spinnaker pole. Both these sails would set around a normal poled out headsail and be used to add sail area in the light, so could be made from very light cloth.

[Jim Cate]

Both these sails would set around a normal poled out headsail and be used to add sail area in the light, so could be made from very light cloth.[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]


Ben, sounds like this would be more trouble than (gasp) a spinnaker! Heresy to folks who lust after square sails, I suppose, but really...

Jim

[unbusted67]

Home my friend Earl's boat. Not a particularly modern design but square rigged nonetheless

[Panope]

Ben (Snowpetrel),

I don't have any details, but a friend built a square sail for his Saugeen Witch, (Schooner rigged, sister ship to Panope). His original intent was mostly for novelty. However, he ended up keeping/using the square sail for years.

Like Panope, his masts were derived from heavy aluminum pipe, thus not needing any spreaders. This must have alleviated the bracing problems you mentioned above.

Every time I watch the following video of this magnificent Viking ship , I get all dreamy to do similar.......

Steve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XORSpUUy0lQ&t=374s

[Snowpetrel]

Hi Jim, yeah its a lot of extra complexity for sure. Probably not worth it overall, but its so much fun putting up lots of sails, string everywhere, sails anyplace you can squeeze them... We had ten sails up once on my folks boat. The one saving grace is that individually each sail is small. But then there are lots of them!

Steve, Panope would look great and work well with a square for downwind work. I guess its just more stuff to lug around and set up. Sods law says the moment you get any downwind sail set the wind will quickly shift back onto the nose!