Free Standing Masts

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by owly

The Wharram Wingsail is a rather neat simple design.... Not really a wingsail at all, just a sail that wraps around and encloses the mast. I rather like the lack of a boom, but I'm concerned that in some conditions it could be very difficult to pull the wet fabric down as it will likely want to cling to the mast. Inserting airfoil shaped mini ribs laced to the sail that held it off the mast, and produced more of a streamline around the mast could improve it.... It would not take many, nor would they need to be complex or heavy. When the day comes that you are fighting to pull down a wet sail in a blow, it might look like a good investment. One of the chief advantages of a junk rig is instant effortless reefing by simply letting loose the halyard until the sail drops to what you want. No tying in reefs. Taking the wingsail to the next level of soft wingsail with articulation one should get the same effect, but things get complex quickly. Whjarram claims it will drop in seconds...... I suspect that depends on conditions.

Just for interest, here's a post that I made in another thread a while ago showing the raising and lowering of the 50m2 Foresail (the forward mainsail in this case, because of the schooner rig) on the Wharram Pahi 63, by one person, without winches:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3453721

NB: always noted by Wharram sailors is that when raising or lowering the Wingsail the gaff should be kept mostly horizontal, to prevent binding.

Originally Posted by jmh2002

Here's a video of raising and lowering the 50m2 Foresail (the forward mainsail in this case, because of the schooner rig) on the Pahi 63, by one person, without winches.

This is a 'Wharram WingSail' - a simplified variant of the square top mainsail we see these days. But Wharram designed it back in the 80s. (https://www.wharram.com/articles/how...m-wingsail-rig)

Maybe it's interesting for some people.

[owly]

Nice video... thanks for posting it. Note however that this was an anchor in calm weather with a dry sail.... basically ideal conditions. Now would someone post a video of someone dropping a wet sail in a blow......


Another real concern as far as I'm concerned is the huge long zipper.


As this thread is about free standing masts, I wonder how the WWS would work on a free standing mast.... what would mast bend do to sail shape?


In any case the WWS is an elegant and simple approach, and well proven with many sea miles..... real voyaging miles.



I still think small airfoil shaped ribs holding the sail away from the mast would be a real asset in said conditions.



One of the features to love about junk rigs and typical soft wing sails is that the battens / ribs prevent flogging, and provide weight to help with reefing. In fact on a junk rig you don't even tie in reefs. I presume the same is true for typical soft wing sails.

[bdgWesternMass]

Originally Posted by owly

As this thread is about free standing masts, I wonder how the WWS would work on a free standing mast.... what would mast bend do to sail shape?

Without any idea what I'm talking about I think that the sail shaping is done between the upper Gaff the mast and the sheet.

I'm curious about the rake of the mast. I'm assuming it's done to increase the length of the luff of the WWS. I believe long luff is what one wants.