Square sails - comments

[outofthenorm]

Outstanding explanation! Obviously, the yard could interfere with the shrouds when braced for a reach. Does it help to ease the halyard and let it run a bit free?

Norm

[Sauntress]

Yes the yard is braced up hard against the lee forward lower on a reach. The braces, lifts etc keep it steady and I have leathered the parts of the yard where there might be chafe. The head of the sail and the foot are two different things (obviously) by which I mean the weather clew can be allowed to run forward, almost like a balloon foresail, regardless of what is happening at the head. I have never tried lowering the yard a fraction, though I suppose one could. Worth talks about tilting the yard, but I have never tried that either. Nor do I find it necessary. The main, sheeted not too far out feeds wind into the square sail which fills nicely, even where you would expect it to be blanketed. The trouble is that the boat goes so blindingly fast under this rig that I run out of room in our 8 mile deep ria (meaning inlet in Spanish). I really need a good long passage to iron out these issues. My real trouble was finding a sail-maker willing to put his mind to such a thing as a square sail for a yacht. In the end I did and a fine job he made.

[outofthenorm]

I understand the problem of space. I sail on Lake Ontario. It's a big lake, but still a lake. I often feel that just as I get everything sorted out, I run out of room. If I decide to go through with this idea, I have access to a great sailmaker close by - Andrew Soper at Kingston Sail Loft. He understands square rig as well as anyone out there. I'm going to go to our reference library to look at Worth. Thanks for the information.

Norm

[Sauntress]

The reference books I used were Claud Worth, Yacht Cruising, William Albert Robinson, Deep Water and Shoal (on this side of the pond. Over there there is a different title), Conor O'Brien Across Three Oceans There are others, of course if you keep looking, but those were the ones that happened to be to hand. And persuaded me to have a go. Good luck. I love my square sail and yard and would never be without them.

[Don Kurylko]

[Sauntress]

Thank you.

That is a fine spar.

And doesn't the ship look handsome when it is aloft. And naked without.

Lots of traditional boats in the background. Where are we?

[outofthenorm]

Thanks Don. The split squares'ls are interesting.

[Don Kurylko]

Sauntress...I don't know where that is. Florida? The video is from a series posted on youtube: Accidental Sailor Girl. It's cute, with an amusing narrative. Fun to watch.

Norm...did Andrew Soper make the sails for your boat?

[Hwyl]

Thank you.

. Where are we?

I'm pretty sure it Jacksonville municipal marina.

[Sauntress]

Thank you.

[outofthenorm]

Norm...did Andrew Soper make the sails for your boat?

The sails in the picture I posted above were the 1960 originals cut in Terylene by Jeckells in the UK. They were about 25 years old in that shot. The ones in the video were made by Hood in 1990, and although they were disappointing, I'm still using them today, except for the jib, which was a joke. Andrew made me a new jib in 2001, and it is near perfect. Any future ones will be from Andrew.

Norm

[Don Kurylko]

Thanks Norm.

[RedBoatFl]

The yard install looks like St Augustine Munincipal Marina not Jax

[Ben Fuller]

I was recently studying an early 19th century model of the Baltimore clipper schooner, COMET, Thomas Boyle's first privateer. Model was built in the yard that built the boat for Boyle; it's fully rigged.

The fore course goes up on a jackstay. There is a short yard, the width of the ship that rides on the jackstay and the corners of the sail are pulled out to the ends of the foretopsail's lower yard. Sheeting is to a long spar lashed across the rail ahead of the foremast. Obviously a light air runner, a huge sail.

[Dave Hadfield]

I have used a square on Drake, as exampled in my thread in Designs.

It needs braces to be swivelled 45 degrees. A square is a good reaching sail, not just a downwind sail. You can play with the braces and sheets and create a really good airfoil in the sail to lift you along.

It's best with long passages, or at least long legs. Every time the wind changes, or your heading changes, the braces and sheets (4 lines) need to be adjusted. That can be a lot of work and monopolize one person in restricted waters.

The trick with rigging a square is to gain total control over it, yet have as few lines aloft as possible.

Dave

[Dave Hadfield]

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...fluenced-ketch