How does one change sail rigs?

[willow]

I renovated a Glenn L Alpha 2 Dory this winter .The sails are set up with a jib, sprit main sail and mizzen. We get lots of nice comments on the boat and sail set up, I love sailing her.
Here's the 'however" -
1. setting her rig is not that easy,
2. no reefing
And the big one;
3. I have found the balance to have a really heavy weather helm - , she'll round up and there we'll sit in irons if I'm the slightest bit off timing the jib. Not only embarrassing, also dangerous. I now make sure I take the mizzen down .

Sailing with main and jib still has a good weather helm
Sailing with just the main theres no maneuverability , depending on wind strength - hard to tack, hard to jibe (not good in a mooring area with expensive yachts!)
Sailing with jib and mizzen there's no tacking at all - can't get her to head down for a jibe.
In windy weather, I haven't been able to reef. (I've sailed home with just the jib)

I am looking into changing the rig

the current sails measure about;117sq ft
mizzen -7'3 - 8'10 - 6'2
jib - 8"10 - 8'2 - 5'2
Main sail- 5'6 - 9'9 - 12'5 - 7'9
Her Pic, It looks pretty obvious the mizzen is over sized. (I have straightened up the mast, added 100 pounds ballast, and played with angle/amount of centerboard.; which all helped)

https://plus.google.com/photos/11695...CNvT5rLUipSeTg

The things I'd like to improve/change;
Reduce weather helm when under at least the 117 sq ft she is designed to sail with
Ability to reef (number one reason)
Reduce or eliminating the mizzen

And I'm not sure how to do that. I've done some research, done searches of the forum, I've had lots of ideas thrown at me, contacted a few local sailmakers (the ones I contacted don't do designing).
Where does a novice go to get help…… nothing more dangerous than a little knowledge

I love her look, and wondered about a standing lug. I understand that is easier to set sail, and reef. (I solo a lot) Perhaps a high peak standing lug?
I would like to have a jib and ability to reef a couple of times. -I enjoy heavy weather, much of the family doesn't.

I realize the 'traditional' rig is like a leg o mutton-
I love the four sided sails.
_

A little more info;
My wooden mast is 13 feet in total length, which I can step comfortably .
3" in diameter, tapering to 1.5 at top.
It is stepped directly in front of the centerboard trunk - going through a partner -then a notch in thwart - and sits in a 'hole' -
the plans appear to have it on top of the thwart with support under.
My mast is slightly ahead of the design and 3 feet shorter.
no stays.


Her building specs/Characteristics
Length overall-18'-6"
Bottom length-13'-3"
Beam0-4'-11"
Hull depth overall-2'-6"
Depth amidships-19"
Depth of board below bottom-02'-3"
Hull weight (approx.)-400 lbs.
Average passengers-2-4
Sail area
Main - 101 sq. ft.
Jib - 16 sq. ft.
Total - 117 sq. ft.
Hull type: Double chine dory,

Today is a beautiful day, but here I sit as it's a bit gusty for just me....

[WI-Tom]

The easiest way is to find an existing lugsail you like the look of, and make sure its center of effort is pretty close to where you want it. I've re-rigged my current boat several times that way (lateen, spritsail, standing lug, and the current balance lug) and it's always worked. Here's a link to a Jim Michalak article that might help to begin:

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/sails/cu...area/index.htm

Your mast dimensions are almost the same as on Ross Lillistone's Phoenix III, which uses a 76 sq ft balance lug. You might take a look at the study plans (at baysidewoodenboats.com or duckworks) and see where its center of effort would fall if you hoisted it on your own mast. Or try the same with other lugsails you like the look of. One easy way to tell if an existing rig will work, is if the mast in that design is about as far forward of the centerboard as your mast is in your boat--that should keep balance close.

I think you're making a very smart move switching to a lugsail. If you want 117 sq ft, though, you might find it best to keep a mizzen of some sort so your mainsail doesn't get too big. You might like getting the rid of the jib, too. I sure do. Good luck,

Tom

[James McMullen]

Lug yawl. No better rig for an open boat has yet been invented. There is no other rig so handy and easy to reef, set or strike while afloat.

[Ian McColgin]

Also, try playing with the existing rig.

To counter the weather helm, try sitting further aft and perhaps try pulling the board up a nudge.

Most dories are a bit hard to tack and go into irons easily. Four thoughts:
Tack fast;
Put out an oar to push her around;
Hurl your weight forward trimming the main and when you hit the eye of the wind, get aft again;
Back the mizzen to act as an outboard pushing the stern around; and lastly,
Learn to steer backwards out of irons.

In a light boat like this, weight distribution makes the single biggest difference.

G'luck

[Yeadon]

No reason to discard the mizzen quite yet. You'll just need to work on your tacking drill.

Think in terms of sailing a split-rigged sharpie. As you tack, let those forward sails fly until you're nearly across the wind, the mizzen will help round you up into the wind. Then very lightly backwind the main and/or the jib. Keep your helm fairly neutral. She'll flop across the wind, lightly sheet in until your sails are trimmed, and off you go.

It takes a bit of practice to get the feel of a small boat rig. Happily, the way you get experience is to do a lot of small boat sailing.

[TerryLL]

The heavy weather helm, even under main and jib, indicates the boat is well out of balance. The cure is to move more of the sail plan forward. Another member here with a large dory found that flying a larger jib on a short bowsprit cured all his weather helm problems and greatly improved tacking performance.

A pair of shrouds on the main mast will improve the effectiveness of the jib by preventing sagging in the jib stay.

The reefing issue is an easy one to fix. Add an eye on the luff and leach a couple feet above the foot, and a row of reef points. A pair of light lines will be required through these eyes which can be routed to small cleats on the boom. You may also need to add a second (lower) position for the snotter.

Before you throw out this rig you should take the time to figure out how to make it work properly. It'd be frustrating to put a whole new rig on the boat and still be plagued with balance and control issues.

[Ian McColgin]

Changing the fore and aft trim of the rig versus changing the fore and aft trim of the hull?

There are reasons why either might be preferable and the other discarded and even more reasons why some combination of both might be called for, but try to remember that waters, being a tad denser than air, yields more effective results for smaller changes which is why I try to understand the hull trim of a problem boat before I start working on the sail balance.

There are lots of in water practical things you can try. Like have someone pull the boat sideways with a single line attached to various points along the gunnel to fine the center of static lateral resistance in various hull trims. This is guidance only, since the actual center of lateral resistance moves forward as the boat moves faster through the water.

Depending on the design, total loading may matter also. A friend built a really nice replica of a true working peapod from the 19th century. What a crank! Rowed poorly and sailed worse until one day I shoveled about 500# of beach sand in just as an experiment. Turned into a great handling boat if you like lots of momentum.

Quite the opposite would happen if you took a modern recreationalized peapod and loaded her with lobsters, fish or rocks.

[willow]

Also, try playing with the existing rig.
Learn to steer backwards out of irons.

In a light boat like this, weight distribution makes the single biggest difference.

I have been play with the rig, centerboard and ballast. All had little helps.
Would a larger rudder do anything?
Growing up, we had 'backward' races, lots of fun and laughs! I can not get the knack of sailing this dory backwards. I try to sneak off somewhere no one will be watching. Any hints? I really need to get a handle on this, would really help leaving the dock.

Before you throw out this rig you should take the time to figure out how to make it work properly. It'd be frustrating to put a whole new rig on the boat and still be plagued with balance and control issues.

If it were just the balance, that would workable... I think a larger jib would help,
After sailing this summer with the sprit, I find it awkward to manage, especially with others in the dory, and difficult to douse in heavy air.
The sprit is always in the wrong place. I've had to fix it twice this summer. And I have a lot of funny stories about people 'helping' me get the sail up, adjusting the sails underway,
She hasn't gotten me into real trouble. A good sense of humor helps while ;tacking through the mooring area with fickle gusts, dousing the mizzen as we are drifting by shoals -hoping we go off on the right tack, throwing sand bags fore and aft, trying to figure out why if the sails are full, we're not moving(caught a lobster pot while going backwards), slipping sidewards when pulling the centerboard up too much, and general learning.
At times my sister and I have been laughing so hard, the seals come to see what's up!

And I really need an easy to reef set up.

[Thorne]

Why not reef the spritsail onto the boom? Quite commonly done. Can you borrow a larger jib for testing?

If you lose the mizzen, you'd have a properly balanced rig for heavier winds, right?

That mast is a bit short for the boat. Another option would be to go for a larger mast, mainsail and jib. Larger rudder won't make much difference.

I also dealt with a dory with way too much weather helm, ended up adding a bowsprit to get correct balance. I have a smaller jib that balances the reefed mainsail.

[Canoeyawl]

The center board is way far forward in that boat (a common problem)... why not rig it as designed?

[TerryLL]

The sprit sail is not my favorite rig. I had a gaff-rigged dory that was a joy, and a larger dory rigged as a sprit ketch. I eventually became competent with the sprit ketch, but never came to love it. On my current build I'll be going back to the gaff rig.

The lug yawl mentioned above is a great rig for a small open boat and there's lot's of experience here on the forum with that rig. From what I hear it is easy to rig, easy to reef, and simple t tend.

[Chip-skiff]

Here's a link to a thread on designing and building a new rig for a 15 ft. Phil Bolger design, Gypsy.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...psy&highlight=

Forum member Todd Bradshaw <addiction.sailmakers@charter.net> gave good advice on the design and sent a prospective sailplan before I put any money down. The sail was finished on schedule and I'm really pleased with the craftsmanship. It also sets and reefs beautifully.

[johnw]

You might consider a moderately deep, short skeg at the stern, just to balance the lateral plane of that centerboard so far forward. It would cost less than a new rig, and give the boat decent directional stability while rowing or towing. The shallow skeg shown in post 10 is not effective as lateral plane, and because it doesn't stall easily and is long, it probably makes the boat tack more slowly than a deeper, shorter skeg would.

[Bram V]

I would also reccomend Todd, he has helped a lot of people design and make sails on the forums, so he might be able to do what the sailmakers you contacted earlier can not. I have no personal experience with the quality and timeliness, but hear good things.

For hull trim you could also try putting the board like a daggerboard in the aft part of the centerboard case, might take some kludging, but it could help you short term.

You seem to be entirely unhappy with about everything of your current sail plan, please make sure that bias is warranted for all parts of it.

[James McMullen]

Sprit sail. . . . .

Overheard Yeadon tell Hvalsoe this after he'd upgraded his rig, "What's the international signal for a small sailboat in distress? It's hoisting a spritsail."

Got a big belly laugh out of that one. All three of us had used spritsails on our first sail and oar boats, not knowing any different at the time. Spritsails seem to work best on boats that never go out sailing when they might need to reef all of a sudden.

[Ian McColgin]

Reconsidering, having at last looked at your picture, I rather agree that a radically different rig would be a happier solution. Here’s a thought:

The sail shown from Duckworks [2] is not unlike the sail I made for my Chamberlain gunning dory “Leeward” except the my sail was considerably larger.

I had some Sunfish spars laying about and so made a sort of extreme sliding gunter with one spar vertical behind the mast and rising unreefed about 6’ above the mast head, the other spar horizontal set from a snotter on the mast and the sail’s clew. That horizontal spar was about a foot above my head when I was sitting and the sail’s foot angled down from clew to tack, so the sail was self-vanging. The total sail area was greater than Gardner shows in his book, even with the added jib, and I never got around to making a jib. The rig happened to balance rather nicely with just the one sail. I could reef a couple feet off, which brought the vertical spar right down sitting atop the thwart/partners.

It was an easy rig to set up and strike in most weather since the mast itself was so light and just plunked in place. I led the halyard and snotter through turning blocks under the partners/thwart to the aft end of the centerboard trunk so’s I’d not have to do anything seated further forward that on the CB box about amidships. Safer working in bumpy weather.

I reefed in a Moderate Breeze (Force 4) and could carry sail into a Strong Breeze (Force 6) but I’m fairly heavy (220#) and like hiking out.

The rudder on Leeward was, as designed, really a bit small. A practical compromise given her multiple uses and the shape of the stern stem, but, like the rest of the boat, not really best for sail alone. I found with the simple one sail rig and my enthusiasm (whetted by riding the very first windsurfer in 1964 and later learning of St Lawrence River skiffs) for hurling my weight around the boat, that I could tack fine by putting the helm down, trimming the sail hard, and lurching up to the mast, then getting back aft a ways and easing the sheet after passing the eye of the wind.

Gybing was a total gas and that monster flat sail came around in a rush. I used the “air gybe”, weight as far aft as possible, sail out dead abeam, sailing a nudge by the lee and then kick her the rest of the way, diving towards the center of the boat as the sheet passed overhead and ready to hang on the new weather side. The sail would fly over but since that turn always had a nudge of oversteer and put us on the new tack at a beam reach, the sail would fetch up luffing - hence the term “air gybe” - quite safely and without over-stressing the rig. So long as I bore off before losing momentum, it was great.

The disadvantage of the rig was that the two long spars would not fit all inside the boat. Since the contained the struck and furled sail quite well, I didn’t mind. Leeward did not have the rear of center thwarts shown in the plan - I rowed sitting on the top of the CB trunk which was also modified from the plan so’s to be flat - and the spars all lay down ends under the stern sheets and rising up on the partners/thwart and thus low enough that I could row.

The sail also made a finastkind beach shelter.

G’luck

[Todd Bradshaw]

My initial reaction to the profile photo is that the various parts of the sailplan and their relationship to each other don't seem to go together well at all. I've never sailed one, but there seems to be a rather well established sail type that has proven to work on boats of this style. This would tend to put me in the same camp as Canoeyawl and wondering why the first, and probably best, rig choice wouldn't be the time-tested, original rig? I'm not at all sure that the mainsail roach and battens on the designer's plan are worth the trouble and if it was my boat, I'd do it without the roach and with a slightly hollowed leech, but otherwise I'd stick pretty closely to the plan. Sure, there might be a different rig that would have certain advantages or trade-offs that you like, but the current rig certainly isn't it.

[willow]

My initial reaction to the profile photo is that the various parts of the sailplan and their relationship to each other don't seem to go together well at all

I never actually saw her sails before I brought her home. I was told she sailed beautifully. I was more concerned about any rot I'd have to deal with.From the amount of wear and tear I'm putting on the mast, she was never sailed much.
With the designed rig, there's a 16 foot mast, turnbuckles, stays and all that goes with it. Must slow down launching.
And for reefing it, I haven't seen this type of sail reefed, anyone have pictures?

Wouldn't a balanced lug let me play with it to get a better balance? Something along the lines of the mail of a Ness Yawl main?

I'd probably need a taller mast with any new rig.
I can move the mast back 3 inches or so.

[Todd Bradshaw]

Just playing around, but I think it would be quite possible to put a sprit rig on that hull that would actually work quite well. It just needs to be the right sprit rig. This one has the same sail area as the original Leg-O-Mutton rig on the plan, with the combined C.E. in exactly the same spot, both fore and aft and up and down. You can't tell me that this boat wouldn't sail to windward, or that it wouldn't tack efficiently. About the only bugaboo is that the mast would need to be relocated to a position either next to, or on top of, the centerboard trunk, which is a bit strange. All in all though, for a sprit rig, this one should kick some fairly serious rear end.

If I get time tomorrow, I'll paste in an Oughtred-style balanced lug or two and see how they work out.

[Clinton B Chase]

That is the sail plan used on a Vivier double ender/dory/faering style boat called Youkou-lili. Incidentally, it is also one option that I will be modeling into my Deblois Street Dory!

The loose footed main works well when you get used to it, but off the wind it is good to have crew holding the clew out. Once nice thing about a jib on a dory: it helps get the bow through the wind.

A little more height to the rig above for headroom, and look at adding a boom for when you do more sailing vs sail and rowing.

[Tom Hunter]

Hi Willow,

We met on the ramp at Seal Cove last weekend, I've got an old beat up lug in the basement and I think its about the size you are looking for. PM me if you would like to try it out.

[Todd Bradshaw]

I used the profile photo to get a reasonably accurate idea of the current rig on paper. It came out to about 86 total square feet and your combined center of effort is about 10" aft and 10" below that of the designer's original 117 sq. ft. Leg-O-Mutton rig. It would seem to be both underpowered and a bit out of balance. Remember though, that CE and CLP relationships on paper are just tools, not rules, but they do generally help us get things to work properly. In any case, your current sailplan looks something like this. The black CE mark on the mainsail is where the designer placed the combined CE on the original rig. The blue mark is the combined CE for your rig.



Sticking an Oughtred-style balanced lug rig on this hull without doing major structural and mast position changes proved to be pretty tricky, but eventually worked out reasonably well. I left the existing mizzen as is (with the exception of painting it brown). I also left the mast where it currently is, though it would need to be a bit longer. I ended up with a combined sail area of 116 sq. ft. and my new combined CE, though not exactly the same as the original Leg-O-Mutton, is only 3" aft of it and 3" above it. The original CE is shown in red and the new one for the lug yawl is in white. I think it would be close enough to sail OK with minor adjustments to fore and aft trim as needed (and/or mizzen trim).

[willow]

Sticking an Oughtred-style balanced lug rig on this hull without doing major structural and mast position changes proved to be pretty tricky, but eventually worked out reasonably well. I left the existing mizzen as is (with the exception of painting it brown). I also left the mast where it currently is, though it would need to be a bit longer. I ended up with a combined sail area of 116 sq. ft. and my new combined CE, though not exactly the same as the original Leg-O-Mutton, is only 3" aft of it and 3" above it.

Beautiful! This makes her look so much better.
The Sprit rig is absolutely gorgeous. I love having a jib.
I'm not sure how to explain this, but I just don't seem to be a sprit person. Wendi (my 6 pound crew) and I were struggling with it this afternoon. Don't think the people on the dock were impressed with my agility ...... I am getting better, 'pre-rigging' on the trailer.


The Oughtred-style balanced lug certainly seems like the easy-up and safest.
I'll show the pics to the spouse this weekend.

Now about that brown.... How about something in a Sea-form green or Dawn yellow??

[Todd Bradshaw]

Greens and yellows in Dacron tend to be pretty bright. However, it is sometimes surprising how good traditional sail designs can look when built from a solid, bright colors. I've seen some boats with bright red or bright green, solid-colored sails that looked awfully nice, even though they weren't particularly hard-line traditional colors.

[willow]

Greens and yellows in Dacron tend to be pretty bright. However, it is sometimes surprising how good traditional sail designs can look when built from a solid, bright colors. I've seen some boats with bright red or bright green, solid-colored sails that looked awfully nice, even though they weren't particularly hard-line traditional colors.

Off track here, and I'm know I'm going to be sorry I said this, but...
The sailing world seems to be very 'traditional' in areas of color. We do benefit from centuries of experience in building and design, but in Colors? Off the shelf marine colors seem to be shades of white or dark red, green, blue. So serious.
I assume it has to do with the UV factor of the 'traditional' materials.

[willow]

I forgot to ask...

Would a standing lug design with a jib eliminate the mizzen?

[Todd Bradshaw]

It could be done. I ended up with the combined CE (shown in black) within one inch of the designers CE for the Leg-O-Mutton rig (shown in blue). I will say (as usual) that I'm not a big fan of jibs and jibstays without shrouds to keep the jib luff tight and prevent luff sag, but some folks do it. Clearance would also be close between the yard's heel and the jibstay when tacking, so keeping the heel overhang as short as possible and the jibstay nice and tight would be a very good idea. Mast position was not changed from your current location.

The mainsail would be boomed and loose-footed, with jaws bearing against the back of the mast. The sail's tack ring would be connected to the boom at the jaws, as would the downhaul on the underside of the jaws (cleating below on the lower mast).

[Chip-skiff]

Todd Bradshaw is a National Treasure.

[Eric Hvalsoe]

I can't believe how generous TB is with his time and expertise.

To my eye the way forward centerboard location of this hull completely fouls up any sense of balance - why were they ever set so far forward? (I know, a little late now). I would expect henious weather helm with the CE significantly aft of the centerboard in any sail plan. I have heard different opinions as to how much to count underbody, or the centerboard for actual CLR, which further confuses the definition of 'lead'. I like to see the CE of the sail plan in the neighborhood of the center or daggerboard - underwater profile, center of area. John might have an idea there adding lateral plane aft with current funky rig. That, and or a bowsprit. But who wants a bowsprit? I am no expert with dory configurations.

Todd's plans look pretty nice - expecially that balanced lug. I would guess they have a little more weather helm than my ideal, but in the ball park.

No shame in graduating from sprit rigs. I've gone from a boomless sprit to balanced lug. Comparing one with a boom to one without is sort of apples and oranges - but I must say the balanced lug seems obviously more versatile, therefore safer, therefore more enjoyable. OP's current rig sounds like a major hassle. If you are going to consider a new rig, forget about a jib. Can't argue with the lug yawl rig, if you can keep the main to a manageable size.

[willow]

Todd Bradshaw is a National Treasure.

I can't believe how generous TB is with his time and expertise.

"hear, hear!"

Even makes the sails a pretty cream..

My researching and reading on my own had me very confused,- and very discouraged. Seeing Todd's designs is turning on a light in a dark room.

[johnw]

I can't believe how generous TB is with his time and expertise.

To my eye the way forward centerboard location of this hull completely fouls up any sense of balance - why were they ever set so far forward? (I know, a little late now). I would expect henious weather helm with the CE significantly aft of the centerboard in any sail plan. I have heard different opinions as to how much to count underbody, or the centerboard for actual CLR, which further confuses the definition of 'lead'. I like to see the CE of the sail plan in the neighborhood of the center or daggerboard - underwater profile, center of area. John might have an idea there adding lateral plane aft with current funky rig. That, and or a bowsprit. But who wants a bowsprit? I am no expert with dory configurations.

Todd's plans look pretty nice - expecially that balanced lug. I would guess they have a little more weather helm than my ideal, but in the ball park.

No shame in graduating from sprit rigs. I've gone from a boomless sprit to balanced lug. Comparing one with a boom to one without is sort of apples and oranges - but I must say the balanced lug seems obviously more versatile, therefore safer, therefore more enjoyable. OP's current rig sounds like a major hassle. If you are going to consider a new rig, forget about a jib. Can't argue with the lug yawl rig, if you can keep the main to a manageable size.

That's why I'm thinking, a short, deep skeg might help. You know how Brad's Lake Union skiffs have trouble tacking? Same deal, centerboard too far forward, long shallow skegs aft. A daggerboard at the aft end of the centerboard case might help, but you'd still have the center of lateral resistance too far forward, and the long shallow skeg would still keep the boat from turning.

[Todd Bradshaw]

I don't own a printer that works any more, but it would be interesting to print out the profile, cut it out from maybe the 4" or 5" waterline down and do the old balancing on a knife blade thing to see where the CLP is, and then how much lead (as in "leed" not "led") the designer built into the sailplan. The current rig is so curious looking that I'm not surprised that the boat doesn't sail all that well, but the version with the original rig must work decently from accounts I've seen on the web (everything you read on the internet is true, right?).

The other thing to consider is that it can take even good sailors a whole season to learn to tack a new boat efficiently. They're all different and they require different timing and differing amounts of sail trim, rudder usage and speed. I used to have fun handing the tiller of our trimaran off to experienced sailors and watching them try to tack it, but get stuck in irons. At the same time, I remembered getting stuck a couple times during my first season with it, and stuck badly enough that I had to drop the motor back in to get un-stuck. By season #2, I had the timing and trim figured out and never even came close to getting stuck again. One true advantage to having a jib is that you can back-wind it when tacking, to help push the bow around. You probably won't need to once you're used to the boat, but it can be a nice helper at first.

[willow]

The other thing to consider is that it can take even good sailors a whole season to learn to tack a new boat efficiently. They're all different and they require different timing and differing amounts of sail trim, rudder usage and speed. I used to have fun handing the tiller of our trimaran off to experienced sailors and watching them try to tack it, but get stuck in irons. At the same time, I remembered getting stuck a couple times during my first season with it, and stuck badly enough that I had to drop the motor back in to get un-stuck. By season #2, I had the timing and trim figured out and never even came close to getting stuck again. One true advantage to having a jib is that you can back-wind it when tacking, to help push the bow around. You probably won't need to once you're used to the boat, but it can be a nice helper at first.

Todd, Thank you so much for, well everything!
You're are ever so right about time and more time for learning the boat. First sail was a 'what am I doing! Someone grap an oar!"
I now leave and land under sail, and haven't hit the dock yet.

The purpose for her is to ;
1. get myself back out on the water
done
2. have a winter project and learn about fixing up the boat.
done - and still in progress
3. improve mental health
done
4. sail MDI waters
in process

She is not an expensive, pretty boat, she's probably exactly what I needed.
Now to make her easier to set up, safer sailer.
That all seems to point to the balanced lug.
And to learn more about balance, weight distribution.

for this summer, being under powered is a good thing.

[James McMullen]

. . .easier to set up, safer sailer.
That all seems to point to the balanced lug.

Ask Eric or Tim how long it takes me to set up my rig from spars stowed to sails drawing now that I've had a few years practice with it. I'd tell you myself, but I think you'll be able to believe it more from an outside source.

I don't use up two entire minutes, and that's without particularly rushing or anything.

[stromborg]

I can get my sprit rig up and running pretty fast too, at least as long as I remember to get the sail and sprit connected before stepping the mast.

I'm contemplating swapping to a lug rig as well, my Flapjack skiff Shari-Lynn gets used as a sail and oar boat and the brailed sail of the sprit has too much windage. It's actually a bit scary to be rowing in after the wind peters out and get hit with a gust. I'd also like to be able to sail out to my crabbing spot, drop the sail and haul the pots instead of having it flap around overhead.

But that's next winter's project, I've got a build to finish first.

Steve

[Eric Hvalsoe]

The mizzen on this boat is a funny looking thing, I actually like the looks of Todd's lug sloop better, but am a fan of the yawl rig. I have always gone by the notion that CE should be just ahead of CLP. CE aft is to be avoided, and will surely create a stronger than desirable weather helm. I've used the cut out underbody profile on knife edge trick for CLR. That is very much an approximation. Foil vs underbody, count the rudder or not. Trim can
make a significant difference presumably because it changes the underwater profile, thus the CLP of the hull. Centers change as the board pivots forward. In an unbalasted centerboarder there is a whole lot of ball park out there.

Similiar observations to Steve regarding the sprit rig. My previous spritsail had some redeeming qualities as well, including being perfectly balanced, and there are people out there enjoying the original rig right now. A simple set up I think, for less challenging and less complicated conditions.

James, ah about a minute or not much more. Not quite there yet myself - maybe two minutes. I find the balanced lug rig, even though the combined CE is a tad bit further forward of previous sprit (and markedly forward of CLP entire underbody), is less likely to get into irons.

[skaraborgcraft]

I swapped my sprit and jib rig to a balanced lug, the same area,on the same mast, and the difference was almost unreal. She tacked when put about,no more stuck in irons,and going up wind was MUCH closer. Im a convert.
Todds Lug rig with jib is lovely, but as a mostly solo sailer,the balanced lug with a boom and single sheet takes some beating. The only thing i miss with the sprit is being able to sail almost back to my slip then brail the sail....with the lug,i have to keep hold of the boom and try to guide the yard and sail onto the deck and hope it does not get backwinded just as im dropping it.

[Daniel Noyes]

The center board is way far forward in that boat (a common problem)... why not rig it as designed?

+1

Before a classically trained artist does his own paintings he practices, by copying other peoples art, he gains great insight into style and technique, what works and what dosen't... before deciding to change a sail plan why not try the boat as designed, then at least you will know how it was made to sail and will have an Idea if your alternate rigs are better or worse than the original.

I built the Chamberlain 21' Alpha-Beach. in 08 and named her Spear. I sailed the boat for 2 yrs. before selling her. The boat tacks completely reliably, had a perfect amount of weather helm for positive feel on the Yoke and line steering, she was an absoloute rocket sailing fast and far with little to no hikeing or sitting on the rail.
The sail rig sets an impressive amount of sail down low in the boat on very short spars, and the tiny jib is every bit as handy as any mizzen could ever hope to be.

I noticed OP you mentioned being a fan of 4 sided sails, may I ask why? For some people it is aestetics, it is fun to sail a boat with an odd or different looking "Historic" sail. If this is the case you might consider that the Leg-o-Mutton dory type rig is an ancient rig and has been around for centuries, with it's low compact silouette and massively long boom it does stand out as something unusual in a subtle sort of way, not as "in your face" different as a 4 sided sail.

[James McMullen]

the tiny jib is every bit as handy as any mizzen could ever hope to be.

We must be using different definitions of the word "handy". That long, low boom coiuldn't be more "in your face" from my perspective. Nobody. not, even the helmsman can see what's on your lee bow in that picture. An what do you do when you want to heave-to to haul in a crab trap? Other than getting battered by that boom flailing about, that is. And a lazy sheet? Lazy sheets ain't lazy, they're busy working mischief, just waiting for exactly the wrong moment to wrap a bight around a crewman, or your boathook, or an oarlock so that it can grab it and fling it overboard. In stark contrast, the helmsman of a yawl doesn't even need to duck when tacking or gybing, and sightlines are enormously improved all around.

I think when you say "little or no hiking" you ought to mention that you always sailed with a crewmate or three as live ballast to put that statement in perspective. A singlehander would likely need to hike out, or reef, or both.