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Im just reminded myself that I have yet to finish that 'bare bones' discussion and dwgs I promised quite some time ago.Thought I might make a cross reference link to this other discussion as it may get even more folks and opinions involved:
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/motorsailers/dynarig-motorsailer-ala-maltese-falcon-16276.html
I may not participant in these discussions for about a week as I will be out of town. I posted this message over there, "But this other subject thread has me thinking about a 'bare bones' version....buildable in back yard. Started writing and sketching a bit yesterday, but now headed to Florida to visit an old friend for a week. So probably won't finish that until I return."
I have been looking ALL OVER the place for this photo of one the test vessels for the Maltese Falcon. I finally found it this morning....enjoyBrian said:Hope I’ve added some new points for discussion. I’d like to see a small model built and tested.
I was looking thru some subjects related to full battened sails and ran across this forum entry over on SailNetJung Rig
...might make an interesting cross reference of subjects
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sailboats/chinese-junk-rig-5703.html
...and another:
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sailboats/square-rig-pointing-questions-5991.html
http://www.yachtingdirect.com/white_papers/philip_goode/weatherly_square_riggers.htm
I have a "modified" junk rig -- technically a Gallant rig aerofoil design -- but basically a junk. Pix at SV Aphrodite -- the Beginnings
I have reefed in 30-40 kts and find that heading into the wind is just as helpful as on a Bermuda rig. The rig "almost" reefs itself since the sails are quite heavy, but the airfoil design allows wind into the sails and that means I have to go forward to pull the battens down. But just releasing the halyard on a sail gives me about a 30 percent reduction in sail area. Then I have to secure the reefs. That's not difficult, even in 30 to 40 kts. The main reef point is somewhat abaft the mast and is easy to tie in. Then there is a single line at the very front of the sail that locks in a camcleat and a reef point at the tail end of the sail.
But the main job on my rig is pulling the sails out from between the battens to prevent chafe. Tying in the reef points is easy. Over all I consider it easier to reef the two sails on my 46 ft schooner than it was reefing the main and roller furling jib on my Newport 33.
As others have remarked, windward performance is not spectacular with a junk rig (and mine is no exception), and I have found it necessary in rough conditions to use the engine when coming about to avoid being caught in stays. Frankly, I don't want to jibe in 30 to 40 kt winds when I'm the only one handling the sails. Just too hard to coordinate, but I'd do it with a crew person to handle the second sheet. Don't know that I'd want to do it above 40 kts though! I should mention that with 30 kts of wind I have one to two reefs in.
In calm seas and 20 kts (typical trade wind conditions for me in Hawaii), I can make 5 kts to windward at 45 deg apparent wind. Trying to point higher than that drops the speed dramatically. And I need at least 4.5 kts to come about reliably.
Cheers,
Carl Bostek
S/V Aphrodite
Hi Terry,
I am going ahead with the boat, but haven't really done any more work on rig design.
I thoroughly agree with your observations and opinion and think the original quote was 'fewer strings', which means re-inventing the wheel because you don't like the tread on your tire. Here's a very traditional Chinese rig from a 'Big Eye Chicken' junk adapted to a western hull, the 40' yawl BERTIE. Having logged many thousands of miles at sea, her gear is well worked out since everything that hasn't worked well has been modified until it does, 200 miles offshore, at 2 am, in a gale, with an injured arm.....The old square riggers allowed a lot of progressive twist in their rigs for one major reason.
The sails on top were a great deal smaller than those near the bottom.
The top sails were sheeted closer to the wind, so they would flutter first, giving the helmsman warning to steer down wind a bit.
The rudders on those ships were tiny compared to those on sail boats today.
If the helmsman didn't steer down wind a bit, in time, the whole rig could be 'taken a back' and the ship would be out of control.
The MALTESE FALCON doesn't have that hazard, as her yard angles can be quickly adjusted due to her automated sail handling gear.
I would worry about such a rig on a catamaran. If it were taken aback at the wrong time, it could easily capsize, due to the sails suddenly pushing backwards, while the hull is moving along quite quickly forward.
Another problem to consider is the mast will twist more at the top than the bottom, causing the lower sails to be 'sheeted' closer to the wind than the top ones, particularly in a strong wind.
The same is true if the sails are ever taken aback.
They concept for the 'dyna rig' came about in the 1970's. It wasn't actually built until carbon fiber spars became available.
The rig you have in mind seems fearsomely expensive and prone to mechanical break down and likely wrong for the type of boat you are considering.
What advantage do you hope to get from it over, say, a biplane Chinese lug?