Triple Sails

[PlumKrazy]

Hey all, long-time since last posting!

My dream boat is still, (As it has been for years now), the Crealock Pacific Seacraft 37. I know my love for this little dreamboat wont be changing anytime soon, but I cant shake the awe I feel every time I see triple sails on the horizon! (Figuratively speaking )

I'm having a hard time finding out which styles of boat/yacht are designed for triple sails (Cutter?), who makes them and why.

Does anyone know the advantages/disadvantages for this type of rigging/sails? (PSC 37 Cutter-type vs Triple Sails)

I'm just itching to know more about them!

Thanks for reading!

[Heinous]

Looks like a cutter. Nice looking boat.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Crea...ENCx0QGnpt3CDg

[Johnathon123]

They certainly are the perfect property boat!

Not many in Australia.. I would love to buy one in a heartbeat. Any takers?

[denverd0n]

Not sure what you mean when you say, cutter vs. triple sails. A cutter is a single-masted boat with two head sails--hence, three sails in total. Then there are yawls and ketches, which have two masts and will have three sails in total if they are rigged with a single head sail. Or a ketch or yawl could also be rigged with two head sails, making four sails in total.

I believe that the Crealock 37 has been built with a single head sail in the past, but almost all of the examples that I've seen were rigged as cutters (three sails in total).

So, just what do you mean by "triple sails"?

[barnakiel]

There are many ways to wear the triple combo. Many of them are very good, whether the boat is a cutter or a 'cutter-rigged' sloop.

With modern furlable kites and zeroes and an inner, removable staysail, a cruiser can go faster, further, with less strain on the crew.

b.

[PlumKrazy]

I realize that my first post was a little vague and slightly ill-informed. Apologies about that! I would like to add a couple of pictures to give a visual of the types of rigging/sails I am referring to. (With quite a bit of help from denverd0n's post!)

I didn't realize because I am so unfamiliar with all of the different mast and sail arrangements that are available. I never realized the PSC37 was designed to fly 3 sails. I've never really seen anyone using all three. (Photos, videos, elsewhere)

Here are the lines for Mr. Crealock's PS 37:
(Pulled this from Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 Review : Bluewaterboats.org)


Here's the PSC37 at sea (What I have most often seen - two sails):

('07 - PSC37)


In fact I've only ever seen one photo showing a third sail and that was on the actual Pacific Seacraft website after reading through the responses:

Pacific Seacraft : PS 37

The type of rigging I was originally talking about would be very similar to the following:



Or kind of like:



I guess sail arrangements can be different with every boat that passes by. I just have a lot to learn about it!

Has anyone ever been on a Pacific Seacraft with three sails raised and noticed a difference in performance from just using two?

Thank you for responding, everyone.

[denverd0n]

I've reproduced one of your photos with a couple of notations. This is a Crealock 37 that is rigged as a cutter, it's just that they aren't using the staysail in this photo. It is a furling staysail, which (in simple terms) means that it rolls up around the stay when it is not being used. That thick, blue line is actually the sail wrapped around the wire that goes from the mast to the deck at that point. Notice the blue edging on the other sail? It would look the same (probably a little thicker) if it were furled up also. In addition, you can see where the sheets (for controlling the staysail when it is un-furled) are attached.

I've never sailed one of these boats, so I can't tell you how it performs when using the staysail vs. when not using it. Generally speaking, though, the big advantage of a cutter rig is that it gives you more sail area ahead of the mast, and it gives you more options for what sails to set. For example, in this picture the sky is cloudy and there appears to be a fairly good wind. The captain probably decided that it would be too much sail up if he had the staysail out.

Hope that helps.

[PlumKrazy]

Thank you very much for that bit o' wisdom, d0n. Very helpful!

[PeterChen]

I have read your essay.....Sailing is very fun .I must go sailing every week...Do you know ?? I want to share my experience with you .