Do I have a favorite rig? Well, it depends what kind of a boat are we talking about, where it’s sailed, what the prevailing weather is, how experienced the skipper and crew are, and what the mooring and/or launching situation is. In the following, I will be thinking mostly of open centerboarders up to around 20′ overall, which is what I mostly work with.
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Matthijs Siljee says:
Lovely thread. Before industry changed river water quality, in the Netherlands there was a fleet of small fishing scows all along the tidal rivers and delta. The type was called ‘zalmschouw’: flat-bottomed and riveted plate iron, 15-21ft long, with a scow bow, double chine, a live well and a straight stemmed stern. From the broad lee-boards you could see that this type belonged over shallow grounds. Fishermen would go upriver under sail in the prevailing westerlies, and drift or row seaward.
A small fleet is kept sailing by enthusiasts, and as a boy I crewed on one. The rig was simple: a notch in the thwart with 2 pins to strap the mast in, and one forestay to hank a small jib. The jib halyard block was the only fitting on this boat. Spars, rope and the odd notch or tooth did the rest. The main got just pushed up with the sprit which was stepped in a ‘grommer’ around the mast- a small loop of rope made with a single strand or rope, re-laid around itself 3 times.
When it was time to anchor, you would just wrap the sprit and sail around the mast like a burrito. We slept overnight under the ‘huik’, a tent in the bow which would be pitched in this same loop. In winter, a small wood stove kept us warm.
I am looking to build a small tender for my yacht and might try to rig it with a sprit sail.
Donald Sullivan says:
Trevor, I also had a Drascome Lugger about 20 years ago, I think that’s why I fell in love with the Caledonia Yawl and decided to build her.
Trevor Squires says:
A friend of mine is in the process of building a Caledonia Yawl. I’m looking forward to going for a sail in her someday. Lovely looking boats.
Trevor Squires says:
I had a Drascombe Lugger (Gunter rigged Yawl) for a few years. I will admit I found myself most often sailing lazily along under “Jib and Jigger” only. Lot’s of room in the cockpit, good sight lines, and the boat still sailed along nicely. Very relaxing.
Donald Sullivan says:
Balanced Lug Rig vs. Gunter Rig . . . pros and cons for the Caledonia Yawl
I am one of the few, maybe the only, who built my Caledonia Yawl with both rigs; I started with the lug rig (main and mizzen) and converted to the Gunter rig (jib, main, and mizzen) in season two . . . here is why.
After un-expectantly capsizing in August of 2019. I thought I would benefit from having a jib, which would allow me to drop the main altogether and sail happily on jib and mizzen when unexpected weather arrived. The theory has proven a good one, the execution a challenge.
First, I had to build a new yard and new boom to Iain’s Gunter Yawl specs, then order a new mainsail and a jib; a fun project for the winter, albeit expensive.
What wasn’t obvious in the beginning was how many additional parts and pieces I was adding to my boat. This list includes a forestay, two shrouds, a peak halyard, a throat halyard, a jib halyard, a kicking strap, and two jibs sheets. If my goal was to simplify sailing in rougher weather, I sure created a lot more lines to worry about.
Having said that, I have been “in-training” now with the new rig for about a month, and I am very pleased I made the decision.
And now the caveats . . . I am a skilled sailor with 45 years of experience, my favorite boats have always been schooners, with belaying pins and lots of lines (I now have three belaying pins on my mast partner for the three main mast halyards). It has taken me four or five outings to begin getting comfortable with all the new moving parts, but the big benefit to me is versatility. I can sail on jib and mizzen in a blow or in and out of tight spots, I can clearly point higher and sail faster up wind, and I love the more traditional look . . . all things that matter to me as a seasoned sailor.
However, for those of you want a more relaxing experience, and who may not have the years of sailing under your belt that I have, the balanced lug rig is perfect, simple and fun. Just make sure you are always one reef ahead of the weather if possible.
BTW, my lug rig is completely in-tact and she can be converted back in thirty minutes.
Don Sullivan
Neil Henderson says:
Very interesting comments, though I am not particularly surprised to hear that the gunter rig provides noticeably better upwind performance. I was going to build a Caledonia Yawl but have now chosen a Somes Sound 12 1/2 with gaff rig (my 3rd build most recent being an Oughtred Gannet) so I shall find out what a gaff rig is like. I too come from a sail racing background and suspect that I demand a lot from a boat when going upwind. Then I do like the idea of the simplicity of the lug rig – lots fewer lines!! By the way I really enjoy these threads/stories.
Donald Sullivan says:
Neil, thanks for the reply and all the best with your SS12 1/2 . . . She is a beautiful boat; my friend has one here locally in Westport, Connecticut with a Marconi rig.
bryan walpole says:
I have a Faehring, built by stitich an glue, so light ( about 60kg) and I fing the balanced lug a beautuful sailing rig, I added a downhaul of bungee, led to the cabin, with a 4 part purchase, it doubles as a vang off the wind, keepimng too much twist out.
I shift my weight, 100KG to the center, which gived beter boat speed. My only criticism, is on raids, she is slo slow at VMG to windward, doing about 110-120 through the wind, and 5 deg of leeway.
I have honed the c/p to airodynamic shape, and shaved one side of the mast to reduce the fold on Stbd tack, but ther bermudans beat me easily. Working the shifts helps too.
Any commnets please to help windward ability?
Rick Zablocki says:
Great fuel for thought as I contemplate alternatives for a 12′ utility skiff with designer’s suggested standing lug, and my limited enjoyable experience with my 15′ sprit rigged cat ketch. Tks Iain. R
jan labij says:
I prefer centerboard boats either built a little “heavy” on the bottom or modestly ballasted along the port and starboard sides of the centerboard trunk. A big main and a small jib, rigged either as a standing lug or gaff rigged. The mast about as long as the boat is. The yard about 60- 65% of the mast length. That way every reef you tuck in lowers the effective overall height of the total rig. For me, I’d have three reef bands, maybe four, one almost always tucked in for normal weather, only shaken out for Zephyr type winds because I only use a motor when there is absolutely no other way to get home. Except I’m now retired, so no need to get home at any particular time. I have had great luck with British Sea Gull’s as auxiliaries. Always carry at least a gallon of water in the boat, canned bread and peanut butter or cans of kippered herring for eats. Two anchors, one a Herreshoff and a Danforth. Dry-cell LED navigation lamps, plus a flashlight and you are good to go.
Lorenz Rutz says:
Iain, you draw your double enders with a variety of rigs. Would you be willing to say something about their relative merits and demerits? I’m gearing up to build one of the longer ones and would like some guidance on rig choice.
Murray KINGSLEY says:
Dear Editor and Esteemed Iain Please furnish us, at your earliest conveniece, with a sequel exploring iconic applications of each rig with some observations on the local conditions For example, it is reported that in the 1956 (Melbourne) olympics that all bar two countries refused to sail their Twelve Square Metre Sharpies off the beach into a handsome Port Phillip chop, claiming that it was too dangerous On a personal note we are retro-fitting our first St Ayles Skiff at Warrnambool (Southern Ocean!) for occasional sail assisted ‘raiding’ and prefer a balanced lug but fear weight aloft in an unforeseen squall Your drawings from the British Museum seem to indicate a mast midships?? Savvy rigger needed Must have surname Oughtred
Iain Oughtred says:
Robert Ayliffe (S Aust.) has several potential St Ayles Skiff sailors demanding sailing rigs. We’ve come to offering a moderate-sized sprit rig, for ultimate simplicity and minimal-length spars. Another Skiff, lacking rowing competition, wants a more serious sail; a balanced lug of maybe 90 or 100 sq ft. (Trying to combine sailing within the rowing races was not feasible). A Shetland-style dipping lug was sketched early on, but got little interest.
Interesting about the 12 Sq M; reminded of Mike Fletcher, who sailed the old gaff-rigged heavyweight Sharpies on Port Philip Bay, which is 60 miles across and shallow. Short steep waves. He told how they would leap off a wave, dive their long lean bow in the back of the wave ahead, and go ‘straight to the bottom’. The new Lightweight Sharpie is a different kettle of fish (3/16″ plywood instead of 5/8″ hardwood).
Laurie Davidson says:
Of course I have to ask the question – where is the comment about the cat boat rig? No head sail on a Gaff Rig.
Iain Oughtred says:
Nothing wrong with the cat rig, gaff or otherwise. Just maybe not one of my favourites. If asked to say something about it, i’ll have to look up Bolger!
Arthur Haberland says:
I would have liked to see the junk rig included. Basically a battered lug, but super easy to raise, lower, and reef.
Iain Oughtred says:
I’m wanting to experiment with fully-battened balanced lugsails, and gunter, to see it we could achieve the handling simplicity of the junk, combined with good aerodynamic shape. (To some extent the possible quick adjustments to the junk sail can compensate for the inefficiency). But i would not try a junk on a small open ‘dry-sailed’ boat, as it would take an extra hour to set up all those lines. Can not understand the need for all those sheets, parrel lines etc.
John Lewis says:
Interesting to come across this article just as I had been wondering which is correct: balance lug or balanced lug? It seems it doesn’t matter. (Title says one, lead-in sentence uses the other!)
Thank you, Mr. Oughtred, nonetheless, I learned more than one thing from this.
Rick Pratt says:
Though no favorite was chosen, it was a decent primer on rigs that had became quite rare on small boats here stateside but are now starting to re appear.
His major premise was that the rig should match the type of boat and its use, but he neglected to do that.
Balanced lugs have lately become favorites of fa few American small boat designers, and are experiencing a renaissance of sorts here. In my experience they are often difficult to tack unless handled by a sailor who has more than moderate experience with the rig.
Iain Oughtred says:
Rick Pratt has found the balanced(d) lug difficult to tack. My double-enders are slow in stays, and really need to be ‘sailed around’. I never thought the rig affected this; still slow with sloop rig, though the jib is helpful. The hulls developed cutaway forefoots, and skegs disappeared; the long lean hull has plenty of directional stability. The boom can be useful if caught in stays: just heave the boom up to windward, and this pushes her head through the wind. Doesn’t seem to make sense, but it works! (If making sternway, reverse the tiller also).
alan carlisle says:
I recall a historic-mystery novel set in Thames river-estuary barge days..A huge, cargo of many tons on a barge bringing essentials in and out of London towards the sea and back..This fleet was powered by a “Sprit sail” and this 50 ton plus vessel was run by a master and his helper..Like a Cormac McCarthy novel teaches you to ride a horse, so this story had you mastering the Thames river Barge by the end of the adventure..