PLAYING WITH SAILS
ROGUE was supposed to be "over canvased", but it didn't work out that way. ROGUEhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolger/photos/album/2041093893/pic/451813164/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=ascThe mainsail is the bottom of a mainsail for a much large boat, made four sided by cutting off the top of the original sail. The foot could be a foot or two longer, and the head should have been a couple of feet longer to begin with. The foresail is an abomination having had its leech cut down, the worst possible alteration of a sail. It was only meant to test the balance of the sailplan, but has not yet been replaced. I can't replace it until I know what size to make it and that depends upon what I decide about the size/shape of the mainsail. The main works well in strong winds, I own it, and it would be expensive to have a sail built so I am loath to replace it. However, I need better light air performance. A staysail could be set between the masts, but the height of the mainmast is only 21' above the deck, and I wanted more sail area. Besides I couldn't find any appropriately sized used sails. A 3oz genoa with a 32' luff, 31' leech and 21' foot caught my eye and I bought it for $150.
Now I had to figure out how to set it on my foremast. The foremast has a 16' hoist. My first thought was to fix a dipping lug yard to the top part of the sail and let the luff extend straight along the yard and down to the tack. My first attempt was a quick and dirty affair from a 16' 2x4 cut to 3" with an 1"x1.5" (ripped 2x4) strip glued down the center to make a T. It was nowhere near long enough (I hadn't yet measured the hoist. It was just wishful thinking. I wanted it to be easy.), and the forces were rather large. I used a scarf joint to extend this yard to 21', and tried that. However, the forces were so large even without wind, it made me afraid an out of control yard could wreak havoc on the nearby main mast and sail, and might be lethal to me. I decide to attach the foot of the yard to the mast with a collar and with another collar at the halyard attachment created a Gunter rig. I expected this added control would make everything hunky dory. NOT SO! Still scary!, even without any wind. In smaller sizes, I am sure a Gunter rig is fine, and maybe even in larger sizes where the yard is meant to always be attached upright to the mast, but not when that yard is meant to be brought down on deck.
My next attempt was to build a second yard (twin of the first) out of a 16' 2x4 cut to 3" with 1"x1.5' strip glued to it to make a T. I then glued half the length of a 4'x1.5"x3" strip to the 3" wide bottom of this yard. The extended 2' to be bolted to the original yard. I cut down the original yard to leave the 1'x1.5" T strip extending a foot beyond. This would overlap the new yard and be bolted to it to create a single yard the length I needed to make a lateen yard. I fitted the sail to it and cut off the excess top of the (two piece) yard. The reason for needing a two piece yard is ROGUE is only 26' long and the space to store a yard on deck is only 16' long. I then tried setting the sail. The wind did not cooperate by dying, so I my first try was on ROGUE stored on its trailer in 10 mph winds. A real test. There was no difficulty in setting or retrieving the Lateen rigged sail. It balances foot down and is easy to control. With brails to smother the sail it will be an even easier job. ROGUE was in a rather sheltered spot so I am not sure there really were 10 mph winds. Even so, there was plenty of force. It is the first time I have ever seen either of ROGUE's mast flex the least little bit. And the yard? It bent through quite an ark, though it did not strike me as ready to break. More sail attachment points would help. A stronger yard will likely be necessary, and perhaps lighter if built hollow. This yard weighs a not insignificant 45 lbs.
This is a light air sail only needed for wind less than 12 mph. In higher winds the working sail plan works fine. I am eager to try it on the water. This lateen rig is far better than a spinnaker. This sail will sail to windward as well as down wind. I will use a painter's pole to pole it out and as a very long boat hook. Handy at times.
Interesting that one of my first sail plan sketches for ROGUE was a Lateen rig. Because ROGUE sails so well under mainsail alone, I may get much more serious about this Lateen rig, build a proper stronger yard, and forgo the balance lug foresail all-together.
A problem not yet encountered that the lateen rig solves is that if it works as expected there is no need to increase the size of the mainsail. This means that I can mount a self steering device on the rudder. A longer boom would preclude an already iffy proposition.
Is a two masted boat with shorter foremast setting a very tall lateen sail a schooner or a ketch? Or functionally a sloop since the same (now lateen) sail was once a genoa set on a sloop.
This two part lateen yard solves another problem as well. ROGUE's masts step through the deck. I like the independence of stepping my own masts without shore assistance. In the past I rigged a bipod to raise the masts, and though I could carry the bipod on the trailer, I could not carry the bipod onboard and that was not satisfactory. I made a couple of holes in the deck next to the mast steps, and fitted three inch pipes with caps. I can now step an easy to raise by hand ginpole, and then use the winch on the mast to raise the mast and step it, or unstep it and lower it. The ginpole is half of the lateen yard. ROGUE is now totally independent. And this is a much safer and easier method of raising /lowering the masts.
Now I had to figure out how to set it on my foremast. The foremast has a 16' hoist. My first thought was to fix a dipping lug yard to the top part of the sail and let the luff extend straight along the yard and down to the tack. My first attempt was a quick and dirty affair from a 16' 2x4 cut to 3" with an 1"x1.5" (ripped 2x4) strip glued down the center to make a T. It was nowhere near long enough (I hadn't yet measured the hoist. It was just wishful thinking. I wanted it to be easy.), and the forces were rather large. I used a scarf joint to extend this yard to 21', and tried that. However, the forces were so large even without wind, it made me afraid an out of control yard could wreak havoc on the nearby main mast and sail, and might be lethal to me. I decide to attach the foot of the yard to the mast with a collar and with another collar at the halyard attachment created a Gunter rig. I expected this added control would make everything hunky dory. NOT SO! Still scary!, even without any wind. In smaller sizes, I am sure a Gunter rig is fine, and maybe even in larger sizes where the yard is meant to always be attached upright to the mast, but not when that yard is meant to be brought down on deck.
My next attempt was to build a second yard (twin of the first) out of a 16' 2x4 cut to 3" with 1"x1.5' strip glued to it to make a T. I then glued half the length of a 4'x1.5"x3" strip to the 3" wide bottom of this yard. The extended 2' to be bolted to the original yard. I cut down the original yard to leave the 1'x1.5" T strip extending a foot beyond. This would overlap the new yard and be bolted to it to create a single yard the length I needed to make a lateen yard. I fitted the sail to it and cut off the excess top of the (two piece) yard. The reason for needing a two piece yard is ROGUE is only 26' long and the space to store a yard on deck is only 16' long. I then tried setting the sail. The wind did not cooperate by dying, so I my first try was on ROGUE stored on its trailer in 10 mph winds. A real test. There was no difficulty in setting or retrieving the Lateen rigged sail. It balances foot down and is easy to control. With brails to smother the sail it will be an even easier job. ROGUE was in a rather sheltered spot so I am not sure there really were 10 mph winds. Even so, there was plenty of force. It is the first time I have ever seen either of ROGUE's mast flex the least little bit. And the yard? It bent through quite an ark, though it did not strike me as ready to break. More sail attachment points would help. A stronger yard will likely be necessary, and perhaps lighter if built hollow. This yard weighs a not insignificant 45 lbs.
This is a light air sail only needed for wind less than 12 mph. In higher winds the working sail plan works fine. I am eager to try it on the water. This lateen rig is far better than a spinnaker. This sail will sail to windward as well as down wind. I will use a painter's pole to pole it out and as a very long boat hook. Handy at times.
Interesting that one of my first sail plan sketches for ROGUE was a Lateen rig. Because ROGUE sails so well under mainsail alone, I may get much more serious about this Lateen rig, build a proper stronger yard, and forgo the balance lug foresail all-together.
A problem not yet encountered that the lateen rig solves is that if it works as expected there is no need to increase the size of the mainsail. This means that I can mount a self steering device on the rudder. A longer boom would preclude an already iffy proposition.
Is a two masted boat with shorter foremast setting a very tall lateen sail a schooner or a ketch? Or functionally a sloop since the same (now lateen) sail was once a genoa set on a sloop.
This two part lateen yard solves another problem as well. ROGUE's masts step through the deck. I like the independence of stepping my own masts without shore assistance. In the past I rigged a bipod to raise the masts, and though I could carry the bipod on the trailer, I could not carry the bipod onboard and that was not satisfactory. I made a couple of holes in the deck next to the mast steps, and fitted three inch pipes with caps. I can now step an easy to raise by hand ginpole, and then use the winch on the mast to raise the mast and step it, or unstep it and lower it. The ginpole is half of the lateen yard. ROGUE is now totally independent. And this is a much safer and easier method of raising /lowering the masts.