Canting Mast for Dinghy

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Doug Lord, May 16, 2010.

  1. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
    Posts: 16,679
    Likes: 349, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 1362
    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Has anyone experimented with a canting mast-stayed or unstayed-on a dinghy?
     
  2. Timothy
    Joined: Oct 2004
    Posts: 307
    Likes: 16, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 202
    Location: canada

    Timothy Senior Member

    I tried it just to see how hard it would be to devise a method to have the boat self tack with the the mast canting automatically . I fee there really is no advantage to having the mast cant on a dingy as a dingy is usually designed to sail best flat and the main advantage of a canting mast is to have the mast vertical when the boat is heeled negating the additional heeling moment of both the downward lift component of the sails and the weight of the mast. On the other hand there is the thought that a mast inclined to windward provides vertical lift and therefore reduces displacement. But even windsurfers try and keep their masts upright athwart ship once they are planing. Perhaps a fast planing dingy would benefit.
     
  3. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
    Posts: 16,679
    Likes: 349, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 1362
    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Along those lines: the Moth apparently generates some vertical lift from the sail with veal heel(among other things) and,of course, having the rig to windward generates a bit of RM. Not sure canting the mast is worth it on a non foiler though...
    UPDATE-found the Merlin pix on Yachts and Yachting but no performance info....
    Pix-Moth at Garda
    Merlin with canting mast system from Y&Y:
     

    Attached Files:


  4. messabout
    Joined: Jan 2006
    Posts: 3,368
    Likes: 511, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 1279
    Location: Lakeland Fl USA

    messabout Senior Member

    Swallowing a camel but choking on a gnat.
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.