Navigator with Cat-ketch-rig?

[R Forsberg]

Hi!
whatabout a Welsford Navigator with a Cat-ketch-rig (like the Core sound boats from B&B)??
I think the jib-sloop-gaff-yawl-rig is too complicated, any thoughts...from you experienced dinghybuilder/sailors?

[Venchka]

We all have thoughts. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

If you want the thoughts of the designer, John Welsford, ask him directly. His thoughts are probably the only ones that matter and he can provide drawings of the sail plan if he feels it will work.

John Welsford Builders Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jwbuilders/)

John Welsford Small Craft Design (http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/)

Here's my first thought: you could have a mizzen mast right in the way in the middle of the cockpit. The mizzen would need partners to hold it up. The partners would be in the middle of the cockpit. Probably in the way. You might loose the ability to sleep on the boat. If that matters.

[mattb]

I am not that familiar with the interior of the Navigator, but I am building a Coresound. The core sound uses a thwart that doubles as the partner, and also holds the after end of the centerboard trunk in place.

For me the "partner" is not an issue since the thwart is also the rowing seat and would be there regardless of rig. But keep in mind that the coresounds masts are unstayed and easily removable.

All this said, do check with the designer of the boat first since getting the rig out of balance will make even the best boats (which some of Welsfords designs are :) sail like a miserable pig.

[Venchka]

I like the Core Sound boats & rig. Very nice. All the bits and pieces were worked out from the beginning. Just like John Welsford worked out the bits and pieces for the Navigator and Pathfinder, etc. Playing mix and match with different boats and different rigs is tricky at best. None of us wish to have a sailing pig, eh?

[R Forsberg]

Hi!
Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering as I'm planning on solo-sailing there had to be less complicated rigging alternatives both when rigging and when sailing.
I have chosen 2 designs which seem really good, the CS15 from B&BYachts and the Navigator, but I can't make up my mind which to choose. So I thought if I mixed them I would have the PERFECT dinghy cruiser for singlehandling! But if I would end up with a "sailing pig" - no good mix!
Better get back to thinking again...

[john welsford]

As the designer of the Navigator I'd like to say that I have designed cat ketches in the past, and like the rig very much. It has one down side in that when caught by a gust or puff from a standstill the tend to bear away until they are moving fast enough to gain steerage way. But that is in part because I like to spread the rig out into the ends of the boat so the static windage as opposed to the combined centres of the sail area is fairly far forward.
The yawl rig that I use now requires only the jib to be sheeted as the boat tacks and even that can be left for a while as the rig has enough drive to keep the boat going without the jib until the skipper has time to grab the sheet.

But I've just taken the catboat rig out of the planset as only one has been built that way, and if there was some demand I would be pleased to add a cat yawl to the three other rigs already included.

John Welsford


Originally posted by R Forsberg:
Hi!
Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering as I'm planning on solo-sailing there had to be less complicated rigging alternatives both when rigging and when sailing.
I have chosen 2 designs which seem really good, the CS15 from B&BYachts and the Navigator, but I can't make up my mind which to choose. So I thought if I mixed them I would have the PERFECT dinghy cruiser for singlehandling! But if I would end up with a "sailing pig" - no good mix!
Better get back to thinking again...

[R Forsberg]

Hello!
Thanks for the reply John! I didn't know of the drawback with the cat-ketch-rig (drifting away)
Still I can't let go of the, as it seems, easy handled cat-rig. I hope you can include or at least give me some hint about rigging a navigator this way...ie cat-ketch with an extra masthole for going "singlesailing" instead of reefing. By the way I tried to order the plans at your site, but somehow I didn't manage(probably my fingers slipped in excitement thinking of building a boat!) I'll give it another try today!

All the best/ Rune F

[Tom Lathrop]

John W. is right about the cat ketch tending to blow off in a gust when moving slow but, I consider that as a difference, not a negative. The solution is treat releasing the sheets opposite to a main and jib boat. Just learn to ease the foresail first. No rig is everyone's answer to every situation. For a great combination of rigging ease, performance, minimum rigging, low cost, low center of effort, docile tacking and jibing, etc., the unstayed sprit boom cat ketch is hard to beat.