sprit rigged sailboat

• Building a Skerry

Spritsails for Dinghy Sailing

What is a spritsail.

A Spritsail is a four sided sail usually laced on to the mast along its luff. It can range from almost square to having a pronounced peak. It may or may not have a boom, but it will always have a sprit. A sprit is a spar which supports the peak of the sail

Spritsail outperforms Bermudan Rigs??!!

Spritsail comparison conducted by Gifford Technology of Southampton . PDF file is largish, comes from bateaubois.com. Also compared was the Gaff sail, lateen and Bermuda rig. The Spritsail came up as best rig much to everyone's surprise (except me of course.) This is confirmed by another set of tests reported by Palmer in a 1990 Wooden Boat article on hull and rig efficiency. Go Spritsail!!

The Parts of a Spritsail

The four corners are called Peak at the top, Clew at the far end of th Boom, Tack at the bottom near the Mast and Throat at the top of the mast. The four sides are the Head, Leech, Foot, and Luff. The Sprit runs from the Peak and attaches to the mast. The tension on the Sprit is adjusted by the Snotter!

Not all spritsails have booms, some are loose footed. The term loose footed is also sometimes used for a sail that has a boom but is not laced, only attached at the mast and at the end of the boom.

Sprit Sails have a long history.

Its many qualities made it a favourite rig of working boats and sprit sails were a common sight in the 1700-1800

They are often represented in art of the period as in this "Duch Ferry Boat before a Breeze, by Simon de Vlieger

Their most well known use in England was on the Thames barges.

Square riggers had a type of spritsail placed bolow the bow sprit. It was a true square sail with sheets running from each of the corners. These ungainly spritsails were discontinued because of the difficulty in handling a sail that dangled so close to the water. The sailmaker needed to make drain holes to allow water out when the sail got caught in a wave.

Thames Barge has large loose footed Spritsail

Using the Windlass at the front the boat, the mast, which was set up in a tabernacle and could be bent back, could be lowered to pass under bridges, then quickly re-set.

Thames Barge

Wikipedia has a good description of the Barges in their Spritsail article. The large spritsail is clearly visible with the sprit running diagonally from the mast to the far corner of the sail. Since it is loose footed the billowing spritsail can easily be tucked in when going through narrow channels and passing other boats.

Advantages of Spritsails for Dinghy Sailors

The spritsail is a marvelously simple sail..

A spritsail allows a large area of sail to be set on a short mast. This means that the can be set on an unstayed mast. This by-passes all the difficulties and expenses associated with shrouds and stays.

This simplicity also translates in less hardware required (=less expense).

If the video has an error, click on the youtube logo, it will take you to youtube and you can watch it. This happens on some browsers.

Because the mast is short it is easier to put up and often is made to fit inside the boat. The sprit is usually about the same length as the mast and also fits neatly in the boat.

The spritsail is usually laced on the mast. There is no halyard and very little to fuss with, once the sail is set.

There is one sheet to tend, either from the boom, or from the clew corner of the sail if there is no boom.

Because the center of effort is low there is less tendency for the boat to heel in high wind.

It is well behaved and simple to use.

It is easy to put away. The sprit is removed and the sail can be rolled around the mast. Often the whole mast is lifted and stored inside the boat with the sail still on. It makes riggin the boat quick when ready to go sailing the next time.

Here is my Skerry in a test drive of the jib I'm experimenting with. The jib improves the airflow around the spritsail quite alot. It complicates the lines and I'm now experimenting with a self tending sprit that's a bit smaller.

The spritsail was a favourite in working boats because the lack of a boom allowed for a clear deck with easy access to the hold.

The loose footed spritsail also allowed boats to pass through narrow channels by taking in the sail at the bottom.

The sprit sail compares favourably with more modern rigs in all points of sail except when pointing upwind. It matches speed while going downwind.

There are some disadvantages to the Spritsail

It is not simple to reef while underway. There are many ways of reducing sail. Scandalizing the sail (removing the sprit altogether or repositioning it to a lower position) and folding down the peak towards the tack effectively reduces sail area. It is also possible to brail in the sail by running a line on the far edge and pulling in the sail.

I run a line from the end of the boom to the top of the mast and cleated down near the adjustment line for the sprit. If I want to fold up the sail, its easy to just pull on the line and the boom folds up to the mast. Its best to loosen the sprit. This allows me to get the boom out of the way if I want to row for a short while, or get the sail out of the way.

Another disadvantage is that if the spritsail is not set properly or if the sail is not cut well the sail peak can twist.

There is a good tack and a bad tack. On one tack the sprit interferes with the airflow. This is much less than expected on my boat, and on certain headings the so called bad tack is better than the good side. I don't understand why but it happens.

Like the other square sails such as the lug sails, it does not point upwind as well as the high ratio triangular marconi rig. Adding a jib to the sprit sail rig improves the sail when heading upwind.

The boom can lift in a gust of wind. I've grown used to how it feels and can control it but when it first happens it is a surprise. I've experimented with running a line from the middle of the boom to the mast to act as a cunningham to control the lift. It works but it's just a nuisance so I just learn how to deal with it with my sheet.

Lovely video of a Pin Mill Barge.

Barge Cambria being sailed and narrated by Bob Roberts. At 25:44 he sculls his tender to shore to go to his daughter's wedding, complete with morris dancers. Before that there are images of the barge being sailed. A documentary of a way of life that is gone.

I try to be accurate and check my information, but mistakes happen.

Small Print

This information is for general knowledge.

Sprit Sails

Sprit sails formerly were in high favour, but during the last twenty years they have gradually fallen into disuse. It is still a favourite rig, however, among watermen, and they probably adhere to it because the sprit stretches the sail so flat. The old Ryde wherries, celebrated for their fine weatherly qualities, were sprit-rigged, but of late years they have generally adopted the gaff instead of the sprit. The advantages of the sprit over a gaff for setting a sail in a small boat cannot be denied, as by crossing the sail diagonally it takes up all the slack canvas in the middle of the sail, even if it be an old sail. On the other hand, a sprit is an awkward spar to handle, and it need be much longer and heavier than a gaff to set similar sails.

In small boats the luff of the sail is usually laced to the mast through eyelet holes about 2ft. apart; the throat is secured to an iron traveller, or sometimes to a grommet strop. In large sails galvanised iron rings or mast hoops are used. The tack is lashed to a small eyebolt screwed into the mast. The sail is hoisted by a single halyard and belayed to the gunwale to serve as a shroud. The foresail is also belayed by a single halyard, and belayed to the opposite gunwale. The sprit is supported on the mast by a

strop called a snotter; this strop is a piece of rope with an eye spliced in each end; it is put round the mast, and one end rove through an eye; the heel of the sprit is put in the other eye. After the sail is hauled up on the mast the upper end of the sprit is put into the eye or loop on the peak of the sail, and then shoved up and the heel slipped into the snotter. The sail is then peaked by pushing the snotter and heel of sprit as high as required; the sail is then sheeted. If the sail is large and the sprit heavy, a traveller and whip purchase are used: (See Fig. 74.)

A pendant with a running eye in it is fitted over the masthead; at the lower end of this pendant is a block, through which the hauling part is rove, one end being fast to the thwart. Sometimes a gun-tackle purchase is used instead of the whip purchase. Either is to be preferred to the snotter alone, as without any other support the snotter will be continually slipping

down. If there should be much wind when the snotter slipped down the mast the heel of the sprit might go through the bottom of the boat; and this accident has very often happened. The waterman's remedy for this is wetting the mast, but the single whip purchase is to be infinitely preferred, as it not only keeps the sprit from slipping down, but enables the sail to be set better.

An improved form of the sprit sail rig is in use in America, an illustration of which has been made by Mr. R. B. Forbes, as shown (see Fig. 75). The sprit comes down to the gooseneck of the boom and is inserted in a pocket a, stitched diagonally across the sail: b b are brails on both sides of the sail, but leading through one purchase block p; p, of course, is a double block. The standing part of the purchase is fast to the stem at then leads up through the block p9 down through a block on the stem 8, and the fall /, to a cleat inside the waterways, c is a reef point, one on each side of the mast, round which they are tied when the sail is reefed. When reefing the mast is allowed to rake aft, either by having a long slotted step for the mast, or by pivoting it in a tabernacle. (See the French rig, p. 275.) The process of reefing is very simple : lufE into the wind, slack up sheets, haul on the brails; make everything fast, rake the mast, and fill away again. Fig. 76 shows the sails reefed with the upper part of the luff of the sail brailed up. To make a neater "brail up" another pair of brails might be attached to the head of the sail at k, and lead to a, then to the mast head down to the block p. This forms a very easily reefed sail.

Fig. 77 represents another American rig (drawn by Mr. Forbes), and has the advantage of the sails being in three pieces. The main and mizen are fitted on the lateen plan, but are shoulder of mutton in shape, a is the halyard made fast to the yard, and leading over a sheave in the mast head to the deck. B is another halyard leading through a bull's eye at the mast head and belayed to a cleat on the heel of the yard at /. The yard or reefing boom d is jointed to a traveller c. The reefing tackle is shown by e. r r are reef points. The foresail is hanked to a wire stay. A short club yard, g, is laced to the foot of the foresail; the fore sheet block is fast to this yard, and works on a traveller across the deck.

To reef the sails luff up head to wind and cast off the halyard a, and the sail will lower until the traveller c rests on the boom at o, b of course

coming down to the bull's eye on the mast head. Haul on the reefing tackle e, and tiejthe points atjleisure (see Fig. 78). Next let the foresail

run down, and stow it on the bowsprit. To further shorten sail stow the mainsail. The small jib is set flying.

u run down, and stow it on the bowsprit. To further shorten sail stow the mainsail. The small jib is set flying.

Continue reading here: The Sliding Gunter

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Readers' Questions

What kind of wood do you want to use to build a sprit rig?

When building a sprit rig, you would ideally want to use a lightweight and flexible wood that is strong enough to withstand the wind and pressure on the sails. Here are a few types of wood commonly used for building sprit rigs: Douglas Fir: This is a popular choice due to its combination of strength and flexibility. It is relatively lightweight and has good resistance to rot and decay. Sitka Spruce: Known for its excellent strength-to-weight ratio, Sitka spruce is a favorite among boat builders. It is lightweight, stiff, and easy to shape, making it suitable for sprit rigs. Western Red Cedar: Although it may not be as strong as some other woods, Western Red Cedar is lightweight and possesses natural oils that help protect against rot and decay. It is relatively easy to work with and offers good flexibility. Philippine Mahogany: Also known as Lauan or Meranti, Philippine Mahogany is a popular wood choice for boat construction. It is strong, durable, and has good flexibility, making it suitable for sprit rigs. These are just a few examples, and the choice of wood may also depend on personal preference, availability, and regional factors. It is important to select a wood that is suitable for marine applications and can withstand the demands of sailing. Additionally, proper treatment, sealing, and maintenance of the wood are necessary to ensure longevity and performance.

How to unfurl spritsail?

To unfurl a spritsail, follow these steps: Start by locating the halyard, which is the rope used to hoist or lower the sail. It is typically attached to the peak (top) of the spritsail. Make sure the halyard is properly secured and not tangled. If necessary, untangle any knots or twists in the line. Begin by pulling down on the halyard to release tension on the sail. This will allow the spritsail to unfurl more easily. As you lower the halyard, the spritsail will start to unfurl. Keep pulling down steadily to let the sail unfurl completely. Pay attention to the spritsail as it unfurls to ensure it doesn't get caught on any rigging or obstacles. If you notice any snags or tangles, stop pulling and address the issue before continuing. Once the spritsail is fully unfurled, secure the halyard by tying it off or using any designated fixing points on the boat. Check the tension and alignment of the spritsail to ensure it is properly set. Adjust as needed to achieve the desired performance. Remember, the specific steps and techniques may vary depending on the type of vessel and rigging setup. It's always a good idea to consult a professional or reference the manufacturer's guidelines for your specific boat and spritsail.

How to reef a sprit sail?

Hoist the sail to the desired height. Get ready to tie a reef knot at the desired point on the sail's luff, typically roughly a third of the way up. Take the end of the sail (the long end) and thread it through the luff tape at the desired point. Pull the sail back on itself, creating the first loop of the knot. Thread the sail through the first loop, creating a second loop. Tighten the knot by pulling each end of the sail in opposite directions. Secure the reef-knot with a bowline. Secure the reef-points with reefing pennants. Tie off the reefing pennants onto a securely fastened cleat, clew or cringle near the head of the sail.

How to sail a sprit mainsail?

Rigging the Spritsail: Start by running the spritsail boom through the sail’s luff, then attach the boom to the mast with boltropes or other rigging. Make sure the boom is parallel to the centerline of the boat. Setting the Spritsail: Slacken off the topping lift and sheet, then push the boom to the leeward side of the boat. This will open the sail out and let it catch the wind. Adjusting the Sheet and Topping Lift: Once the sail is set, adjust the sheet and topping lift to get the sail position just right. Heeling the Boat: As the wind increases, you’ll need to bear away from the wind to heel the boat. This will help to increase speed. Reefing the Spritsail: When the wind picks up, you may want to reef the sail to reduce its power and ensure the boat remains safe. To do this, simply pull down on the clew and foot of the sail until you reach the desired reefing point. Tacking the Boat: To change direction, put the tiller to leeward, bear away from the wind, and sheet in the sail. This will let the boat turn into the wind and tack onto the other side. Gybing the Boat: When gybing, bear away from the wind and bring the boom across to leeward. This may require you to move the boom around the mast or use a topping lift to hold the boom up. Once the boom is in place, sheet in the sail and the boat should gybe onto the other side. Dousing the Spritsail: To lower the sail, simply release the topping lift and sheet and let the sail luff. Once the sail is down, make sure to secure the boom and sail properly before heading out.

Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Sail boat rigs: the pros and cons of each popular design

• Peter Poland
• July 24, 2023

Peter Poland looks at the history of popular rig designs and how the different types affect boat performance

Annie Hill’s FanShi can be easily reefed, a real benefit of the junk rig when sailing solo. Credit: Annie Hill Credit: Annie Hill

Having once asked yacht designer Andrew Wolstenholme if we could meet to discuss the evolution of modern sail boat rigs – and the continuing popularity of some older designs – we talked about boats in general and gaff rigs in particular, many of which he designs.

“The gaff still has much to recommend it. With stiffer, yet lighter carbon fibre spars , it can offer bigger benefits than it ever did in the past,” said Andrew.

His recent gaff-rigged designs like the new Cornish Crabber 24 MkV and smaller Kite 21 prove this point.

The 45ft barge yacht  Juno  was designed by Andrew Wolstenholme, built by Charlie Ward and launched in 2000. If you fancy a taste of history she can be chartered through  www.sailingbargejuno.com . Credit: Neil Foster

It’s generally accepted that the gaff evolved from the spritsail rig , which in turn evolved from earlier lugsail and – before then – square sail rigs .

The lugsail attaches to a spar that is hoisted at an angle. So part of the spar and sail protrude ahead of the mast, and this leading edge enables a boat to sail upwind.

The evolution of the lugsail started when someone discovered that by setting a square sail at an angle – with one end of the yard pointing down towards the deck – the sail could set closer to the wind.

Upwind advantage

Some say the Chinese junk rig is also descended from square sails as used on Chinese ships before the 12th century.

The junk rig , also known as the Chinese lugsail or sampan rig, evolved with full length battens extending the sail forward of the mast, providing a leading edge to help sail upwind.

The ever-inventive Blondie Hasler designed and built a modern version of the junk rig for his modified Nordic Folkboat, Jester .

He then entered the first single-handed transatlantic race in 1960, helping to initiate the OSTAR and boosting the appeal of long-distance solo sailing in general, and the junk rig in particular.

Blondie Hasler’s Jester helped cement the appeal of the modern junk rig. Credit: Ewen Southby-Tailyour

David Tyler, Annie Hill and Roger Taylor are three leading lights of the Hasler-inspired move to modern junk rigs, and have sailed many thousands of miles between them.

A Sadler 25 was the first of five junk rig boats that David Tyler owned. He and Annie Hill were also founder members of the ever-informative Junk Rig Association .

David told me he “could not contemplate sailing under anything else than a junk rig”, and has a long history of experimenting with and making variations of the junk rig.

David Thomas designed a ply/epoxy 35ft shoal draught junk rig ocean cruiser for David Tyler.

Tystie  with an earlier single mast sail plan. She later converted to a ketch  rig . Credit: Darren Bos

Hedley Bewes built Tystie beside the Hamble to a completed and painted woodwork stage; then Tyler fitted her out with junk rig, engine , electrics , and deck hardware in just three months.

She was launched in August 2000 and ended up in New Zealand, where she was sold – 16 years later – having sailed 85,000 miles.

“I could not possibly have done this under any other rig,” said David.

He then designed a modern cambered junk rig for his Hunter Duette 23, admitting that this “still does not compete with a big genoa to windward but is superior in all other ways – especially if you define efficiency as ‘miles sailed per unit of input of crew effort’. She had a junk rig of my own design first, then a junk rig-based wingsail.”

David concluded that a modern cambered junk rig “can encompass many features: including various sailmaking ways of building 3D camber into each panel with straight battens; or a flat sail with hinged battens; or a flat fanned sail with twist (a fiendishly cunning method found in Hong Kong junks). My favourite sail has slightly cambered panels with hinged battens. This is easier to set without diagonal creases than deeply cambered panels; and has a smoother curved foil shape than a flat sail with hinges.”

Sail boat rigs proven offshore

Annie Hill is another junk rig enthusiast who has sailed many thousands of miles and written books about her voyages.

She’s now based in New Zealand, having built the David Tyler-designed FanShi “from scratch with a small amount of amateur assistance from friends.”

“The best aspect of a junk rig for single-handed sailing is the speed and ease with which you can reef ,” explained Annie. “The sail tacks automatically which helps in close quarters sailing, as does having exactly the right amount of sail for the situation. I find another great advantage is that when I’m sailing off the anchor or a mooring , I can raise three or four panels, so the boat doesn’t go charging off as I walk back to the cockpit. I can then raise the rest of the sail while leaving the anchorage. And of course, I only raise just what I need.”

Annie Hill christens her self-built FanShi on launch day in New Zealand. Credit: Annie Hill

Annie Hill mentions several junk rig benefits: “The junk rig is much easier to handle downwind. It’s reluctant to gybe until you are sailing well by the lee. The sail is fully squared out so that it is working efficiently. And it’s easy to change from running to reaching to beating, without having to handle guys, poles or vangs.

“In short, the junk rig is much easier to sail. The junk sail is intrinsically self-tacking, which makes beating to windward, especially in close quarters, infinitely less work. Ease of reefing – and making sail again – also means you always sail under the correct amount of canvas. This makes for faster passages and ensures the boat is properly underway in the aftermath of a gale.”

And the disadvantages? Most agree that the junk rig is less efficient when s ailing to windward in light airs .

Easy handling

Roger Taylor came upon the junk rig when buying his first Mingming ; one of around 25 factory-built junk rig Corribees.

“The conversion work was to make her more suitable for serious offshore work – unsinkable, watertight bulkheads, reduced cockpit, proper watertight hatch and so on. I bought her specifically to sail in the first Jester Challenge , and so nothing was more appropriate than a junk rig! I had, in any case, been fascinated by Jester herself for many decades.”

Mingming II came next – a standard triple keel Achilles 24 – so Roger replaced her Bermuda rig with a new junk rig.

Roger Taylor has covered many solo miles in his modified Achilles 24, Mingming II and says the junk sail is easy to repair at sea. Credit: Bertie Milne

“The main differences to the Hasler sail on Mingming were higher aspect ratio for speed in the light airs you get in the high Arctic latitudes in summer – so seven panels instead of six. And cambered panels instead of flat-cut, for better windward performance.

“The lower four panels were built separately as I didn’t have enough room in my London flat to sew the sail in one piece. It’s attached to the carbon-fibre battens with a hinge system. I named the sail the HHT – Hybrid Hinged Turbo! The unstayed mast was a cut down municipal lamp post, 8in diameter at the base, tapering to about 3in at the masthead; solid as a rock in all weathers.”

Roger added “I can reef instantaneously from the hatch and do all other sail handling from the safety and shelter of the main hatch. So I am never exposed on deck and am therefore warmer, drier, less stressed, and therefore more likely to make better decisions.”

As well as ease of handling, Roger says it is “a wonderfully relaxed and supple rig, with none of the extreme tensions of its Bermuda cousin.”

“The sensation at sea is quite different; you feel more in harmony with the elements, rather than their adversary. Few junk rig sailors I know would ever revert once they have experienced this. The rig is easy to repair at sea. If a sail panel tears you can take it out of service by lashing two battens together. If a batten breaks you can lash it to its neighbour (I did almost a whole voyage to Iceland and back like this, after breaking a batten in a Force 9 off the Dogger Bank) or fix it with a splint. With a fully battened rig, the sail is evenly supported at all points.”

A classic sail boat rig

Moving on to modern luggers , there are some recent interpretations of this classic rig.

British designer Nigel Irens is famous for his multihulls but also has an eye for the unusual, and in 1994 he came up with a couple of beautiful luggers.

His first was the Roxane , a 29ft yawl-rigged lugger loosely inspired by an old Shetland Island fishing boat.

Fitted with a carbon fibre main mast and yard, she has plenty of modern technology on board.

As an active racing class boat that doubles up as a tender and potterer, the 11ft 4in lug sail scow has many fans. Credit: Will Perritt/Alamy

He followed this with the smaller 22ft Romilly , another yawl-rigged lugger for trailer sailing . Both models were later produced by CoCoBe in Holland.

The songwriter and broadcaster Sir Richard Stilgoe was “immediately beguiled” by the Roxane after sailing her in 1995, and has his own called Ruby II .

“The lightness of the carbon spars undoubtedly makes a difference to stability. The rig works and sails really nicely. But I admit that I and another owner are working with Nigel to investigate a conversion to two Bermuda masts – still unstayed – with fathead sails. I don’t expect to go faster, but I do hope to be able to raise and lower the sails more quickly and easily,” said Sir Richard.

If you fancy trying a very small lugsail boat, the famous 11ft 4in scow has much to offer.

It’s widely sailed in the UK and the best-known example is the Lymington Scow. Fleets can be found along the South Coast.

Originally built in clinker, scows are now moulded in GRP.

Rooted in the past

The spritsail is another rig evolution. It appeared on small Greek craft in the Aegean Sea many centuries ago. The Romans followed suit with spritsail-rigged merchant ships.

The rig became increasingly sophisticated until the luff of the sail sat behind the mast, while the sprit went from the base of the mast to the peak of the sail.

The luff became long and straight and the boat could sail closer to the wind, especially with leeboards to reduce sideways drift and a foresail to increase sail area: both said to be Dutch innovations.

The most famous spritsail rigged workhorses were the large, flat-bottomed leeboard Thames barges, which could lower their masts to ‘shoot’ bridges before unloading their cargo.

The Optimist was designed as low cost started boats to children. Credit: Getty

There aren’t many new spritsail-rigged craft around these days, apart from thousands of Optimist dinghies sailed by children as starter-boats.

The Optimist was designed in 1947 by American Clark Mills to offer low-cost sailing for young people.

He drew a simple pram that could be built from three sheets of plywood, then the design was slightly modified and introduced in Europe by Axel Damsgaard.

There are now more than 160,000 Optimists sailed in around 120 countries.

At the 2020 Olympics, at least 75% of medallist skippers were former Optimist champions: the spritsail remains a cornerstone of sailing.

Working boat designs

The gaff rig – extensively used on workboats of all sorts – was a logical progression.

The sprit was replaced by a gaff that slid up the mast so two sides of the mainsail were attached to solid spars.

The later addition of a boom improved performance, but made lowering and raising the rig trickier when shooting bridges.

Some builders solved this problem by attaching the boom gooseneck to the top of a tall tabernacle in which the mast hinged, so the lowered mast, gaff and sail could still stack on top of the boom.

Continues below…

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The gaff rig improved the versatility of workboats; the ability to sail to windward diluted sailors’ dread of a lee shore.

The gaff rig held sway on small to medium sized working craft and on growing numbers of leisure yachts until the Bermuda rig arrived.

Originally developed in Bermuda for smaller vessels then adapted to the larger ocean-going Bermuda sloop, this rig features a triangular mainsail hoisted to the top of the mast. Marconi’s invention of wire rigging to hold up tall radio masts soon spread to sailboats.

Performance-oriented designers borrowed Marconi’s idea and hoisted large three-sided mainsails on tall and well-supported masts.

As a result, the mainsail had a long, straight leading edge which optimised windward performance.

Crafted for speed

Predictably, yacht racing encouraged the proliferation of these ‘Marconi’ Bermuda rigs.

Metre boat and ocean racer designers were quick to forsake gaffs and go for large mainsails and smallish headsails set on tall masts.

When the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC)’s rules started influencing the post-war racing scene, masthead Bermuda rigs with smaller mainsails and larger overlapping genoas received favourable racing handicaps and therefore became the norm; masthead rigs with 150% overlapping genoas dominated the scene.

Fortuitously, self-tailing winches were invented (1974 patent) and fitted on race boats. And GRP production family cruisers followed suit.

The Westerly Centaur with a masthead rig and overlapping genoa

From top-selling Beneteaus like the First 30 (1977) to cruising twin keelers like the Westerly Centaur (1969), masthead rigs and overlapping genoas became the norm.

At the same time, the shorter mast, smaller main and standard working jib saved the builder money – and a large genoa went onto the ‘extras’ list!

The Hunter 19 was an example of how the RORC rule encouraged small mains and big genoas.

The National Squib keelboat’s identical hull and keel sports a well-balanced fractional rig with a small jib and a big mainsail.

But when the Squib grew a cabin and coachroof to become a handicap race boat, the rig height and mainsail shrunk while the headsail became a 150% genoa.

And early Hunter 19s won handicap races galore.

Meanwhile, classic 1960s and 70s cruiser-racers such as the Nicholson 32 , Contessa 26 and 32, Twister, Stella, Beneteaus and Jeanneaus et al clung to masthead rigs with small mainsails, working jibs and large genoas; the latter still lurking on the extras list.

The same applied to most of the British bilge- and twin-keel family cruisers .

Fractional sail boat rigs

Impressed by David Thomas’s quarter ton design, Quarto , Hunter was one of the first British builders to beat a path back to fractional rigged cruiser-racers .

Unlike most other quarter tonners at that time, Quarto featured a fractional rig.

In 1975, Hunter asked Thomas to design a GRP cruiser-racer with a similar rig. This became the Sonata, and Hunter never again built a masthead-rigged yacht.

At around the same time, the new International Offshore Rule (IOR) handicap rule – followed later by the Channel Handicap System (CHS) and International Rating Certificate (IRC) rules – treated fractional sail boat rigs more fairly.

Hunter twin keelers, like the Hunter Channel 31, have fractional rigs. Photo: Sven Petersen/Hunter Association

Hunter’s twin keel cruisers also had easily handled fractional rigs, later including self-tacking jibs as standard.

As most sailors moved over to Bermuda rigs, working boats such as fishing smacks and pilot cutters stuck to their four-sided mainsails held aloft on gaffs.

As did several leisure yachts. Why? What are the advantages of these ‘four sided’ mainsails?

While gaff-rig aficionados concede that it’s less close-winded than a Bermuda rig, they reckon it scores off the wind.

Although a gaffer’s mast is shorter, ample sail can be set because the gaff puts more area at the top of a mainsail than you get beneath the diminutive headboard on a Bermuda rig mainsail.

On a reach or a run, gaff rigs provide power aplenty.

Design expert CA Marchaj also said a low aspect ratio mainsail is more efficient than a high aspect ratio equivalent when sailing off the wind.; if you want to pile on more horsepower in light airs, the space above the gaff can also be filled with a topsail.

Ideal for novices

In the 21st century, modern gaffers are still popular, and thousands of novices enjoy sailing in a ubiquitous and simple little gaffer: the Mirror dinghy .

The Mirror’s gunter-rigged gaff slides up parallel to its short mast and offers many benefits.

Sail boat rigs: The Mirror Dinghy originally had a gunter-rigged gaff rig; later the Mirror Class introduced a Bermuda rig option. Credit: Getty

The mast and gaff are much shorter than a one-piece Bermuda rig mast, so are easy to handle and transport when the boat is trailed.

Yet windward performance is good, thanks to the straight luff that continues from the tack of the mainsail to its head on the ‘gunter’ gaff.

The Mirror Class later introduced a Bermuda rig option.

Modern gaffers

Designer Andrew Wolstenholme attributes much of the credit for the popularity of the gaff rig in cruising yachts to Cornish Crabbers.

These boats have sold in large numbers since Roger Dongray designed the original Cornish Crabber.

Her smaller sister, the 19ft Cornish Shrimper, sports a nicely balanced gaff rig with a sizable roller genoa tacked to a bowsprit.

Over 1,000 have been sold and she’s still in production. Wolstenholme has recently designed a new Cornish Crabber 24 MkV with a lightweight carbon mast which also simplifies trailer-sailing.

Sail boat rigs: The gaff-rigged Cornish Crabber 24, with a lightweight carbon mast. Credit: David Harding

Wolstenholme’s Kite 21 is another modern gaffer to take advantage of new materials.

“My aim is to keep her light and simple… the sail plan is generous and set on lightweight carbon spars. I want her to sail well in light and moderate winds – not just in a blow. I want to tow her behind a normal 1.8 litre saloon – not some gas guzzling 4×4.”

The Old Gaffers Association aims to encourage interest in the traditional gaff rig, but also welcomes the development of the rig.

One of these exotic ‘new’ gaffers is the Simon Rogers-designed Alice III. Chris Spencer-Chapman, whose company McKillop Classic Sails was involved in the rig and sail plan, says the “combination of the light carbon spars and hydraulic lifting deep fin and bulb keel allows an enormous sail area which would not be possible with a conventional hull and spars. She is exciting in light conditions but the windage can be an issue to windward in heavy conditions. “Off the wind she is always very fast… for easy cruising, the Bermuda rig will win, but there will always be the aficionado who likes the features of traditional rigs. Unless you are a real purist, why not take advantage of modern materials?”

Sail boat rigs: The Kite 21 is a modern gaffer designed to sail well in light and moderate winds. Credit: Peter Chesworth

Stephen Akester, who co-owns Alice III , told me she “is light displacement at 7.5 tonnes. In light airs and no sea she outperforms Bermuda rigs but to windward in a blow she loses out due to windage and not being as close winded. [She has] much less weight aloft and a very different motion to a classic gaff-rigged heavy displacement vessel. We opted for a gaff rig for the fun of it. Further refinements using modern materials mean we can set the rig up for single-handed sailing with headsails and topsail on rollers and boom bags to catch main and mizzen.”

The Nigel Irens-designed 63ft Maggie B was another dramatic ‘modern gaffer’.

Builder Covey Island Boatworks called her a ‘fusion’ yacht because she fused modern materials with traditional ideas.

Her schooner rig featured short, high peaked carbon gaffs on Irens’s slippery and almost plumb stemmed shoal draught hull design.

The carbon spars are held up by Vectran fibre shrouds tensioned by special deadeyes.

Reducing weight

Vectran costs more than wire, but the weight reduction is huge – as is the cost saving on fabrications to attach wires to the mast and on rigging screws to tension them.

The weight saving aloft meant that 600kg worth of ballast was saved down below, improving performance and righting moments.

Maggie B was succeeded by Farfarer – another Irens masterpiece featuring an unstayed rig with ‘fathead’ mainsails, with a stiff top batten doing the job of a mini gaff.

Matt Newlands of Swallow Boats also brought gaffs into the modern age; then went further.

“The gunter rig was what we offered, and still do, to customers who prefer having shorter spars making trailer-sailing easier for two reasons – less length to trail and easier to raise the mast. But in my opinion, it has been made almost obsolete by two developments. One is carbon fibre masts, and the other is fathead mainsails.

The mast on the BayRaider 20 is only 1m longer than the boat; the ‘fathead’ mainsail improves the lift and drag ratio and maintains sail area. Credit: David Harding

“Carbon masts on trailer-sailer sized boats are so light that it’s easy to raise a full-length mast if the base is hinged. The mast length problem is cured by using a ‘fathead’ mainsail, reducing mast length (on our boats by as much as 1m) while maintaining the same sail area and improving lift/drag ratio.

“On our popular BayRaider 20 this results in a mast that is only 1m longer than the boat. This new rig has many advantages over the gunter, chief among them being ease of reefing. I love quirky rigs, but it’s hard to beat the Bermuda mainsail setup especially with a fathead main on a carbon mast.”

All of which brings us to the Bermuda rigs on today’s production cruisers.

Many have moved on from the old RORC-inspired masthead sail plan. I asked rigging expert Nigel Theadon whether he preferred masthead or fractional sail boat rigs.

“Modern swept-back spreaders provide a ‘safer’ rig without the need for babystay or forward lowers to stabilise the mast’s middle sections… forestays are now higher up the mast than in years gone by, so the modern fractional rig is closer to a masthead than it once was,” he says.

“Fractional rigs are more attractive to look at and do not need expensive and powerful backstay adjusters. When buying a new boat, consider what you want from the rig. When buying a used boat, get a rigger to carry out a mast inspection: because hull surveyors rarely look above eye height.”

Whether you opt for a gaff- or Bermuda-rigged boat, this is sound advice.

Nigel was class champion of the X332; its well-balanced ultra-modern fractional rig works as well for a small cruising crew as it does for keen racers.

But don’t let this put you off a modern gaffer if you enjoy its quirks and character.

Our coastline would be a boring place if we all sailed the same sorts of boats.

Pros and cons of popular sail boat rig designs

Chinese junk rig.

Sail boat rigs: Chinese junk rig. Credit: Darren Bos

Pros: Easy to raise and reef. Easy to tack, gybe and sail single-handed. Easy to control in strong winds.

Cons: Not as close-winded as other rigs. Can be expensive and complicated to build/fit.

Sail boat rigs: Gaff rig. Credit: Neil Foster

Pros: Shorter spars make trailing easier. Modern carbon spars are light and easier to raise/lower. Efficient on a reach or run. Easy on the eye.

Cons: Not as close-winded as modern Bermuda rigs.

Masthead Bermuda rig

Sail boat rigs: Masthead Bermuda rig. Credit: Graham Snook

Pros: Close-winded. Large genoas can be reefed with modern roller furling gear. Modern self-tailing winches make short-tacking easier. Small mainsails easier to control.

Cons: Large genoas can be hard work for cruising.

Fractional Bermuda rig

Sail boat rigs: Fractional Bermuda rig. Credit: Graham Snook/Yachting Monthly

Pros: Very close-winded with tight sheeting angles. Smaller jib is easier to tack, set and trim when shorthanded A large mainsail adds extra off-wind power

Cons: Swept spreaders can chafe mainsails when dead-running.

Enjoyed reading Sail boat rigs: the pros and cons of each popular design?

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Build a Spritsail Sail for Your Boat

How to build a spritsail for your boat, an illustrated guide to building this seaworthy shanty. (Click on the “enlarge image” link to see a close-up view of the sail diagram.)

Clamp this simple spritsail onto any small, square-sterned rowboat or dinghy (such as the build-your own model featured in our last issue), and–presto–you’ll

By following the drawings, you should be able to assemble the entire pusher sail for no more than $45. Those of you who’d prefer to work with larger-scale drawings than we’re able to present here, or who are also interested in constructing the plywood dinghy featured in MOTHER NO. 95, may want to purchase a complete set of plans that detail the building of both units. The plans are available for $10.00 plus $1.98 shipping and handling from Boat Plans, THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS PLANS, Hendersonville, NC.

• Published on Nov 1, 1985

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Home » Sailing comparison Balance Lug vs Sprit sails

Sailing comparison Balance Lug vs Sprit sails

Ok … balance lug vs sprit boom triangular sail on small sailing dinghies – what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these two rigs that naturally control sail twist

We finally had two OzRacers with either rig option on the same stretch of water. The event was the Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival.

Both a triangular sail with sprit boom and a balance lug version are available

The Sprit sail design and making method is in the plan for the OzRacer (a whole $20 for 90 pages – really a course on modern boatbuilding) and the lug rig is a free option for purchasers of the plan.

A happy Mike on the beach … look at that sail shape. Is there enough sail Mike?

You can see a story on his boat … the “sexy black PDRacer” below on this blog.

Our first comparison between Lug and Sprit boom rigs

This was the first time the boat had been in the water.

Waiting for the start gun … I sooo missed the start. Was really late trying to get clear wind and too far away from the line.

Mike got a very nice start and may have been in the first one or two boats to the windward mark before he had to come back and pack up. You can see the pink boat (me) trying to catch up.

And for those who wonder about the mast pressing against the sail … the windward leg had the sail on the “disadvantageous side”.

In other words, no material difference. (with 73 Oz Geese racing in the Philippines, some rigged with sail to port and some to starboard – there is no noticeable speed difference in racing. But there is a difference in “Feel”

Good foils make all the difference

I took the pink OzRacer through the whole race … confused my friends in the TS16 after I caught them on starboard on the last windward leg.

The Oz had the legs of the balance lug rigged 16footer furthest out when going upwind … the guy was a very good sailor – outfoxed everyone on the first downwind leg by heading high and coming down fast on a increase on windpressure. But the Oz

That was a boat of some historical significance too built as a tender to a major shipbuilding area in … um maybe Melbourne.

Pic is Mike coming in with his rudder in shallow mode. That buoy was attached to a long length of rope that went off to the left and was tied to the wharf.

It made sailing out of this space pretty crap and in the stronger breeze of saturday it made it exciting coming into the area too. photos of OzRacers Photos of the Goolwa show Info on the OZ Racer sailboat Plan ($30) and abundantly detailed)

4 thoughts on “Sailing comparison Balance Lug vs Sprit sails”

Okay, what was the conclusion– lug or sprit? Which performed better?

Relative performance of sails is a really fraught area. And there are few conclusions to be drawn by any testing I’ve seen.

The big problem always is … what are you comparing? Should the rigs being tested have the same

Area or Heeling moment or Cost

Of the many choices having sails of the same area is the least meaningful.

If wanting to really test the differences between rigs then I’d put a team together for each rig, decide the criterion (eg … use this hull and mast design and let each rig group work out their optimum solution – eg .. is it better to have a high lug sail with less area or a lower one with more area. This preparation needs to be exhaustive for each rig.

Then the different rigs get to race each other.

That would make sense :)

However … for the simpler question – the ozracer sails – the 89 sq ft lug or the 82 square foot sprit boom rig … the bigger sail area trumps I think – providing you use the normal lug rig tweaks of a powerful downhaul.

If both are equally badly set up .. then then the sprit boom sail will be better, because it is harder to make a mess of the rigging.

Or if a race from unrigged on the beach to sailing a course to unrigged again … then the sprit rig gets about 10 minutes more sailing time or a bit less.

Best wishes Michael

I have the Oz Racer/ + Goose supplement plans: could you pass on the plans for the lug rig?

Also, I read somewhere from you recently somewhere online that the basic mast for the Goose needs beefing up if it’s going to carry the lug rig – true? If it’s so, what dimensions might I need to change on the mast build?

All the best

Hi Richard,

I will email the lug rig information to you. I know you bought the plans.

(the lug rig supplement is a free plan for the spars and sail for either the OZ Goose or OzRacer – the main advantage is that it is reefable)

The mast has to match the stability of the boat. The Goose and the OzRacer both have the same beam which is part of the stability. If you only sail the Goose by yourself the standard mast will be fine. But if you want to have a couple of people sitting on the side deck and leaning out I would recommend adding 6mm (1/4″) to the cross section of the box section mast. So instead of being 62mm square at its widest point it becomes 68mm square. All other widths should be increased 6mm as well.

Hope that helps you make a decision about what to do.

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Extending the Bow: Are Add-on Sprit Kits Worth It?

Bowsprits are back with a vengeance: practical sailor compares the latest aftermarket kits..

Already de rigueur with many performance-oriented sailors, easy-to-handle lightweight sails are gaining popularity with cruisers. And setting a gennaker, asymmetric spinnaker, or a new rendition of an old-fashioned drifter/reacher is easier than ever before. The big question is: Will the cost of a mini-bowsprit actually be worth the effort and expense involved?

After a series of sea trails with sprits, spinnaker socks, and free-luff furlers, weve come to the conclusion that the technology works well, but whether this is a valid investment depends on how important it is to you to keep sailing in light conditions. With fuel prices scraping the stratosphere, efficiency in light wind may be a bigger priority than it was in the past.

In our recent look at furlable code sails, drifters, gennakers, and asymmetric spinnakers (“ A New Twist on Furlers ,” March 2008), we proved that an efficient “no foil” furler made hoisting and dousing a large light-air sail almost a walk in the park. We also were quick to recognize that setting the sail a couple of feet ahead of the stem, on a pole, sprit, or other projection, improved both performance and the sails handling characteristics. With this in mind, we decided to delve deeper into the issue of sail-tack projection, and evaluate the differing approaches to tacking the light-air sail forward of the bow of the boat.

Much of the credit for mainstreaming this renaissance in bowsprits goes to Rod Johnstone, designer of the J-boat line and creator of the metric Js (130, 120, 105, etc.) that hit the water with a built-in, extendable free-standing pole meant to replace traditional spinnaker-handling gear. The new approach simplified foredeck gymnastics and significantly streamlined the chute-handling routine. Even so, cruisers and many racers rightfully balked at the prospect of having a big hole near the bow of their boat and a noticeable proboscis built into the topside. At the same time, shorthanded round-the-world racers were flocking to triple sets of furling headsails with light-air sails the size of circus tents set on an articulating tubular bowsprit.

This approach to sailing efficiency has now launched into the mainstream as Selden, Forespar, Forte, Sparcraft, and others have designed aftermarket kits suitable for a wide range of sailboats. All these kits have one aim: Move the tack point of any light-air sail ahead of the stem. Each design faces similar challenges, specifically the need to handle side loads on a tubular structure and the ability to adapt to a wide range of deck geometry and pre-existing obstacles.

Bowsprit engineering

In order to better understand the forces associated with modern sprit technology, a bounce or two on a playground seesaw offers some insight. On both the seesaw and the bowsprit, the location of the fulcrum and the load applied at one end of the lever arm determines what happens at the other. Its important to note both the strength and the direction of the pull when contemplating the force vectors involved. Like any lever, the longer the stress arm becomes, the more load is imposed on the fulcrum-and the stronger both the bowsprit tube and its support members must be.

Traditional bowsprits incorporated a bobstay and even whisker stays to reduce the bending loads at the fulcrum. Just as rigging turns side loads on a mast into compression loads, a bowsprits bobstay and other wires do much the same. However, many modern mini-sprits actually behave more like a free-standing mast, resisting sail loads through stiffness rather than being kept in column by a bobstay. This requires thicker or higher-modulus materials able to withstand the point load induced at the fulcrum, usually a collar-like fitting mounted on the deck.

Our furler tests revealed that close reaching with a Code 0-type sail (a specialized lightweight sail designed for sailing tighter angles than an ordinary asymmetrical spinnaker) or even the use of a more conventional light No. 1 genoa, tripled and even quadrupled the tack load. In Practical Sailors view, this sort of use mandates the need for a bobstay. Those planning to use the sprit solely for reaching purposes with an asymmetrical spinnaker or gennaker only need a bobstay if they intend to use the rig in heavy air conditions. Most manufacturers set extension length and/or wind speed limits for their sprits.

On some boats, the advantage of a sprit is offset by the amount of clutter it adds to the foredeck. Working around a windlass, bow roller, cleats, and the anchor well can turn an easy installation into a real challenge. Fortunately, these sprits come with versatile hardware kits and installation guidelines that make sense. Theres usually a need to add topping and backing plates, as well as address the concern about spreading the loads.

The installation is best handled by a pro rigger, but a skilled do-it-yourselfer should be able to handle the job. It is critical that the deck core be sealed at any new penetrations, and any new points of stress in the deck or hull are conservatively reinforced to cope with the loads of the sprit kit.

The Forespar Banana Sprit uses a smaller-diameter sprit tube with a thick wall section, and incorporates a downward bias and a bottom gusset to add stiffness. The latest version has been extended at both the inboard and outboard ends. It the features tangs on top and bottom, which makes attaching an endless line furler and a bobstay quite simple.

When using the sprit without a furler option, the Banana Sprit leads the line aft through an optional top mounted block-as opposed to the internal tack line in the Selden sprit (see below). For added reinforcement, the manufacturer offers an optional attachment bracket along with a bobstay chainplate fitting.

Theres an upside and a downside associated with the sprits shorter length: Forward projection is limited, but the units compact size makes it very locker-stowable.

Bottom Line: Though its deck fittings and design are not as elegant as some of the others tested, it will hold favor with those who have limited space at the bow.

Based in Ledyard, Conn., Forte Carbon Fiber Products is a composite spar builder that has gained solid ground with competitive sailors. Its sprit kit package comes with nicely machined saddle-type deck fittings and webbing loops for tack attachment.

Ralph Naranjo

The diameter of carbon sprits tended to be a little larger than the alloy alternative. However, the quality of the composite tubes we looked at met an aerospace standard, and for those with extra cash to spare, the carbon sprit option is worth a second look.

Bottom Line: The weight savings of a carbon fiber sprit is significant, but so is the price increase over aluminum.

Selden makes aluminum and carbon fiber sprits. It offers three different diameter tube sections for its aluminum kits. Each comes complete with end fittings and mounting bracket options. The tack line runs through the sprit, so the outboard end acts as a guide for a tack line. The sprit also has webbing attachment points at the top and bottom.

An owner can choose either a stainless steel mounting bracket designed to fit an anchor roller, or a similar fitting designed for direct deck attachment. The well-thought-out kit includes two inboard end-clips that allow the sprit to simply be retracted and clipped for storage. In cases where an anchor locker lies beneath the sprit, the tube can be easily pulled completely free and set in a second deck ring and inboard end-clip that is set outboard near the rail.

Bottom Line: This kits combination of simple but rugged design and user-friendly installation options moved it to the top of the pack. It gets the Practical Sailor Best Choice pick.

Similar to the Selden sprit, the Sparcraft system Practical Sailor evaluated is an alloy, free-standing sprit featuring a tack line through the center of the tube. The kit contains a stainless-steel mounting ring with a high molecular weight plastic sleeve insert that helps reduce chafe at the tube and the tendency for the tube to crimp. Sparcraft also offers a carbon-fiber version.

Various mounting options are available, including a temporary bobstay attachment and the ability to rig the sprit for the heavier loads imposed by a Code 0 or close-reaching in light air. The pole can be retracted for storage or removed and placed elsewhere.

Bottom Line: This sprit is very similar to the Selden, using a slightly greater tube diameter for equal-sized boats, and costing nearly double what the Selden costs.

Free standing vs. Bobstay Assist

As mentioned before, tack loads create an upward force that can be offset by a bobstay. The wire can be attached to an eye-fitting bolted through the thick solid fiberglass stem at a point well below the headstay chainplate but above the waterline. The bracket or welded tabs on the outboard end of the sprit effectively join the tack and bobstay into a single bow-string that puts compression loads on the arrow-the sprit. Hardware at the inboard end needs to be up to this compression loading. However, with a bobstay attached, some sprits can be used as a tack point for a code sail as well as for off-the-wind reaching with an asymmetric spinnaker.

With a free-standing sprit, the load at the fulcrum collar is upward, and theres a tendency to crimp the sidewall of the tube. At the inboard end of the pole, the force is downward rather than aft because theres much less compression on the sprit. Adding a bobstay causes the upward crimp load at the collar (fulcrum) to lessen, but a new compression component is introduced at the support structure located at the aft end of the pole.

Adding more sail to the pointy end of the boat will improve light-air performance, and the furling systems and sock technology available today make it easier than ever to manage more sail area. But it is tempting to go overboard, and add too much sail area and a too-complex system to handle it.

When all was said and done, our nod of approval went to Selden for its simple, versatile, alloy free-standing sprit, a unit thats intended for gennakers and asymmetric spinnakers. The hardware versatility makes it user-friendly, and its cost-effective price point adds to its appeal.

For those with a tight squeeze on the foredeck, Forespars Banana Sprit offers a recommended alternative. Its projection lengthprovides a sniff of clear air and a convenient tacking point for a gennaker or asymmetrical spinnaker. Forespar, does not recommend using the sprit for Code 0-type sails.

The best solution varies from crew to crew and will depend upon how much you care about performance and how much effort you’re willing to put forth to get that performance. A mini-sprit for an asymmetric or gennaker that slides forward into place and aft for easy storage will have the widest appeal. A more permanent installation with a bobstay adds light-air on-the-wind sailing capability and makes sense for those with reasonably efficient sailboats.

Carbon sprits are pricey, but the tube technology is terrific and the weight savings will probably appeal to those who go to the effort to keep neither chain nor heavy anchors stored at the bow.

• Bowspirit Details
• Practical Sailor Value Guide: Add On Bowsprits
• The Perfect Spirit Remains Elusive

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Engineering:Spritsail

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The spritsail is a four-sided, fore-and-aft sail that is supported at its highest points by the mast and a diagonally running spar known as the sprit. The foot of the sail can be stretched by a boom or held loose-footed just by its sheets. A spritsail has four corners: the throat, peak, clew, and tack. The Spritsail can also be used to describe a rig that uses a spritsail. [1]

Historically, spritsails were the first European fore-and-aft rigs , appearing in Greco-Roman navigation in the 2nd century BC. [2]

• 3.1 Leg of mutton spritsail
• 4 Local boats
• 5 Square rigged ships
• 7 References
• 8 External links

The luff of the sail is bound to the mast, but unlike the gaff rig where the head is bound to a spar, this rig supports the leech of the sail by means of a diagonal spar or spars named a sprit ( / s p r iː t / ). [3] The forward end of the sprit spar is attached to the mast , with the after end of the sprit spar attached to the peak. The sprit is steadied and controlled from the deck by a pair of wire vangs ( / w æ ŋ / WANG ) attached to the peak of the sail. It is said to be the ancestor of the common gaff rig that evolved in 16th-century Holland. The foot of the sail may be bent to a boom, or be loose-footed and just controlled by its sheets.

The spritsail was best known from its use in the Thames sailing barge , which employs two similarly sized spars to form the framework for the sail area. In a barge, the mast is stepped vertically in a mast case or tabernacle , whilst the sprit is suspended by chain stanliffs (standing lifts) from the hounds at the mast head at an angle of about 30° from vertical, with sprit to the starboard side of the mast. [4] The heel of the sprit is secured to the mast, by the muzzle , which allows the sprit the freedom to move laterally, nearly as far to each side as the shrouds. This enables the vessel to reach and run. [5] The instability caused by allowing such a weighty spar to extend too far away from the vessel's centreline, however, had to be borne in mind when designing hull and rigging. The peak of the sail is permanently attached to the head of the sprit, which is steadied by two sets of vangs. [6]

The spritsail rig was normally used without a boom . (The latter was usually found on fore-and-aft rigged vessels to keep the mainsail in an aerodynamically efficient shape.) Such loose-footed sails can also be found on gaff-rigged Norfolk wherries and the bawley class of vessel. The spritsail was a feature of the Cromster where the ability to furl the foot of the sail and raise the sheets, made gunnery much more readily possible. The sail could still be controlled using the vangs. [7]

In a commercial vessel, the rig has the advantage of allowing a high stack of deck cargo and freeing the cargo hatch of obstructions when loading and unloading. The entire sail can be quickly brailed to the mast. The overriding advantage is safety in open water. Barges are unballasted and, if overpressed, will heel excessively and must be pulled to wind. The sheet will be eased and the aft end of a boom could drag in the water making the rudder ineffective and a capsize inevitable. The sheet of loose footed boomless barge is just released and control is regained. [8] The boom does not project outboard so that the vessel can pass through a narrow gap between moored vessels. Loose footed sails suffer from sail twist which reduces their aerodynamic efficiency when sailing off the wind, which usually is not a commercial issue. It can be an advantage in light air. The vangs control the head of the sail which can be set so as to make use of the air above the wind-shadow of moored ships, warehouses and so on. [9]

This fine control of the sail without need for the crew to leave the deck, is achieved by brailing up . Rather than lowering the mainsail , it is gathered up against its own luff and head by means of lines called brails . This technique is an effective way of stowing the mainsail and gives fine control over the power obtained from the sail. In narrow channels, and in the lee of tall buildings the mailsail and mizzen are brailed and the bowsprit topped up, and she sails on topsail and foresail alone. [10] A gaff rig was far more suitable for heavy weather and long sea passages, but when a gaff rigged vessel drops the mainsail, the topsail cannot be used. The gaff, attached to the mainsail, is required aloft to set the topsail. [11]

However, the sprit rig means that the sail is stowed aloft and unreachable from the deck. It also means that the sail cannot easily be covered when it is stowed, and thus protected from the elements. But in any case, the crews of working vessels did not trouble with such dainty ways. In keeping with the general philosophy of working boats, all sails would therefore be traditionally treated with red oxide and other substances. [12]

The problem of the inaccessibility of gear was met in the Thames barge by stepping the mast in a tabernacle and using a windlass on the foredeck to strike the whole lot, mast, sprit, sails and rigging. The crew could sail under a low bridge such as at Aylesford or Rochester without losing steerage way. The windlass is below the tack of the foresail and the tackle at the foot of the forestay. In striking the gear, the foresail tack tackle had to be cast off. With the bridge cleared, the skipper and an extra man (the huffler) used the windlass to raise the mast. [13]

Modern use of the spritsail has also become more common through its use in the Optimist (dinghy) - this uses a boomed spritsail - in the case of which the sprit is tensioned by a snotter arrangement. This much simpler implementation sees the sprit anchored higher on the mast than on barges.

Leg of mutton spritsail

This is a sprit rig that uses a triangular sail, the luff is bent to the mast, and the one spar, the sprit-boom attaches to the clew of the sail. The fore end of the boom is tensioned (pulled tight to the mast) by use of a snotter chord. It is a precursor of the wishbone rig first popularised by windsurfers. On a Bolger 59 (square foot) rig, there is a 14'3" luff, 13'7" leech and 9'0" foot. [14]

Local boats

The spritsail is also commonly used in a fore-and-aft rig (along with a staysail ) on local traditional wooden boats of the west coast of Norway, most notably the faering variant of the Oselvar . [15] Traditionally, up until the second half of the 1800s, these boats used to be rigged with a square rig . [16]

Square rigged ships

In an inconvenient piece of nautical ambiguity, the term "spritsail" also refers to a sail used aboard some square-rigged vessels , typically on vessels developed prior to the middle of the 19th century CE. Unrelated to the spritsail described above, it is an evolution of the ancient Greek artemon that was eventually made obsolete by the evolution of more efficient headsails . In the context of square-rigged vessels, the spritsail is a square sail set under the bowsprit ; a "spritsail topsail" may be set above it, though this latter element of a square-rigged sailplan fell into disuse early in the 18th century CE. [17] In this form, in addition to carrying the spritsail itself the spritsail yard , mounted under the bowsprit abaft the dolphin striker , also often provided some lateral support for the jibboom and flying jibboom via the guys supporting those spars.

• Crab claw sail
• ↑ Underhill, Harold (1938). "Glossary". Sailing Ship Rigs and Rigging (Second, 1958 ed.). Glasgow: Brown, Son and Ferguson. p. 114.  
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 Casson, Lionel (1995): "Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World", Johns Hopkins University Press, ISBN :978-0-8018-5130-8, pp. 243–245
• ↑ Keegan, John (1989). The Price of Admiralty . New York: Viking. p.  280 . ISBN   0-670-81416-4 . https://archive.org/details/priceofadmiralty00keeg .  
• ↑ March 1948 , p. 224.
• ↑ March 1948 , p. 234.
• ↑ March 1948 , pp. 225,234.
• ↑ "Duckworks - Boomed Vs Boomless" . http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/columns/lillistone/index1.htm .  
• ↑ Lillistone, Ross. "Duckworks - Boomed Vs Boomless" . http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/columns/lillistone/index1.htm .  
• ↑ March, Edgar (1948). Spritsail Barges of Thames and Medway . London: Percival Marshall. p. 7.  
• ↑ March 1948 , p. 24.
• ↑ Roberts, Bob (2000). Coasting bargemaster : illustrated . Woodbridge: Seafarer Books. pp. 20, 21. ISBN   0953818012 .  
• ↑ March 1948 , p. 116.
• ↑ March 1948 , p. 129.
• ↑ Routh, David (Shorty). "My favorite sail, the Leg-o-Mutton Sprit" . http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/articles/sprit/index.cfm .  
• ↑ :no:Fil:Oselver.jpg
• ↑ Google Translate
• ↑ Anderson, R. C. (1927). "Peface". The Rigging of Ships in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast 1600-1720 (First, 1927 ed.). Portland, Maine: The Southworth Press. p. vii.

External links

• Web article about triangular 'Leg-o-Mutton' sprit sail rig.
• Video of sailing the Oselvar A spritsail-rigged Norwegian traditional wooden boat.
• "The amazing Spritsail, a forgotten jewel." . https://christinedemerchant.com/sail_sprit_sail.html .  
• Sailing rigs and rigging

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About the Centerboard

Climbing on the Lift

Downwind Sail Trim

The spritsail, spars and rigging that accompany Crawford Boat Building's MELONSEED SKIFF are an example of simplicity and efficiency. It is unlikely that any rig is the equal of the sprit rig in providing performance with a minimum of hardware and fuss.

The following is a illustration followed by a description of the component parts, their assembly and function:

click on the boom or mast for more...

Masthead Rigging

Feed the 1/8” braided Dacron line through the grommet as shown.

Put the two ends through the hole in the top of the mast.

Put your thumb between the two lines, and take the line on the left side of your thumb and pass it through the left side of the grommet. Do the same with the right side line and put it through the right side of the grommet.

Keeping the lines neat “right to left” make more passes through the hole with the lines as seen next.

IMPORTANT:  You will tie off the excess with a square knot, but before you do, be sure that the sail is NOT pinched up tight against the mast, and that the luff runs STRAIGHT up the mast. The luff should be stretched fairly tight but not overly tight.  Each lace line should allow the luff to be spaced evenly away from the mast.

Cut off the excess line with a heat gun, or if you don’t have one, trim it with a scissors and then VERY carefully burn the ends of the line to seize them and keep them from fraying.  I also melt the line (tricky!) in one side of the knot just a tiny bit so that it won’t become undone.

Technically a SPRIT BOOM ... This has a slot in the end that goes forward and a hole with a snap attached to it in the aft end. To get optimum performance on all points of sail the boom will be set on the opposite side of the sail from the sprit - (It doesn't matter which side you put either spar on.) This causes the least average overall interference to the shape of the sail. You may set both spars on one side of the sail if you wish although you will get a better shape sail on one tack than the other. (This can only be useful if you are going to be on mostly one tack over a sustained distance.) Attach the boom to the sail by clipping the snap on the end of the boom to the grommet on the CLEW of the sail. The clew is the corner of the sail that is on the bottom of the sail closest to the transom.

The forward end of the boom is attached to the mast with another small line called a Boom SNOTTER. This short line should be permanently on the mast for sake of convenience. It has either a knot or a loop in one end, and goes down through the eye strap to the jamb cleat. Put the knot or loop into the SLOTTED of the boom, and tension the boom snotter according to the wind strength.

The item from which the rig gets it's name. This is a 10' stick with a spike in the upper end and a line (called a snotter) attached through a hole in its bottom end. Setting this into the rig is extremely simple, but adjusting the upward tension against the sail top (PEAK) is the single most important adjustment you will make. It goes like this: Grab the sail peak and insert the spike into the rope loop that is sewn into the sail. Push the sprit upward. Tie off the snotter to the cleat located on the mast nearby. Now this is where you can get the most out of the rig's performance potential. The more the wind, the stronger the sprit tension! If you ever see sag lines in the sail because the sprit is not tensioned enough, then you are not getting maximum performance. Remember, soft wind, soft sail .... stiff wind, stiff sail. There are some very technical reasons for this, but that's a two beer conversation. A simple rule of thumb is to always OVERTENSION the sprit a bit anyway because the snotter seems to slip a bit naturally. When sailing to windward, you should never see sag lines in the sail in any direction.

A quadrilateral (square) sail of dacron weighing approx. 4-5 oz. per yard. It has numerous holes called grommets set into it, to which line (rigging) is attached. The edge that is set against the mast is called the LUFF. Using the light 15" light lines provided, tie the luff to the mast so that sail stands evenly about "' away from the back edge of the mast. Tie each of these LACE LINES tight with a good firm square knot. Tie the top most grommet to the hole in the top of the mast using a longer (24") lace line, and go through the hole at least twice and tie off very well. At no point should the sail luff appear crimped!

The corner of the sail that is at the bottom of the luff is called the TACK. Hanging down from the tack is a line attached to the sail called the DOWNHAUL. Now refer back to the mast hardware descriptions and this will start to come together. Tie the downhaul line to lowest cleat on the mast, the one just above deck level, the downhaul cleat. Be sure to tension the luff fairly tight. Good luff tension is very important. The sail is on the mast now so let's continue to rig it up.

A 10' length of solid wood which sets into the boat and is held in place by the mast step at its bottom (heel), and the mast partner at deck level. It has four pieces of hardware fastened to it. Starting from bottom to top they are:

1. A small 3" cleat that the sail downhaul is tied to. On the opposite side of the mast are the other three pieces.

2. A second cleat to tie off the boom snotter.

3. An eye strap to turn this snotter.

4. Further up the mast, a cleat for the sprit snotter.

Don't be confused by the unfamiliar nautical terminology at this point. Just notice the four pieces of hardware. The rigging will be described later.

A 25' length of dacron line with a snap on one end. Snap the sheet onto either the grommet in the clew (along with the boom end snap) or to the snap itself. Newer boats have a RING attached to the bottom of the boom. Snap the sheet to this ring. Run the other end of the sheet through the block on the rudder head and IMMEDIATELY tie a figure eight-knot in the end.

One of the wonderous features of the Melonseed Skiff is that with just a little practice, this rigging drill can be accomplished in

ONLY A MINUTE OR TWO!!!

Now that you have accomplished all this, take fifteen knots of wind and two hours of spare time. Mix well. Apply as often as necessary! Caution; continuous use of this rig and boat can lead to addictive sailing behavior.

Operating and understanding the Melonseed Centerboard:

The centerboard is a plate of 1/2" PVC plastic that is held in place in the centerboard trunk by a bolt, rubber washers, metal washers and a lock nut on its forward lower end.   Actually, the board does not ride on the bolt as you might imagine from a visual inspection, but there is a piece of PVC plastic tube that acts as a ‘bushing” around the bolt.  There is Sika-flex 291 adhesive sealant between the rubber washer and the fiberglass centerboard trunk. It is a very strong and watertight system that should endure well as time goes on because the friction is really minimized by the water lubricated PVC on PVC system.

The board will rise by itself if you run aground or strike an underwater object.

The string that raises and lowers the board is called a centerboard “pennant”.  The pennant is attached to the top aft end of the board by a very simple system of holes and a knot.  Once a year or so, check the condition of the pennant where it connects with the board to be sure there is no wear on the pennant.

There are two (permanent ??) magic marker marks on the pennant to indicate the depth settings of the centerboard.  With the board pulled up all the way there should be one mark on the pennant at 12” back from the cleat, and another one at 22” back.

If you lower the board and cleat the pennant off at the first mark you will have a “half depth board” with a draft of about 16" – 18".  If you lower the board down even lower and cleat it at the second mark you will have a “full board” or about 28” of draft.

NEVER let the board down more than the second mark for a full board setting , as it will likely chatter or wobble in the trunk, and it is also not the best angle for the board in terms of performance.  Occasionally though the board will still “chatter”.  Lots of centerboards do.  Usually it is a sign you are going quite fast, which is good, but if the noise or vibration is annoying, just pull the board up a tiny bit and the chatter will usually go away.

So long as you are within the limits of the recommended maximum depth setting, you can sail the Melonseed with the board set at any depth you like or feel necessary based on the depth of water you are sailing in.  Note that the boat will not go to windward as quite as well with a half board or less as it will with the full board (set at the 22” mark) down.  You need very little board down when running down wind, so if you want to fine tune the performance you can pull the board mostly or even all the way up.  Be sure to lower it again before you tack or gybe, because it is very difficult to perform either maneuver without some board down.  It you are going down wind in a very strong breeze you should absolutely have some or all of your board down for increased control.

If you set the boat down on a beach with course sand or clamshells you should ALWAYS check to see that something hasn’t become stuck up in the trunk and jammed the centerboard so that it will not fall down.  Just before you set sail, give the pennant a little up and down pull to reassure yourself that the board is free to drop.

If you sail in a tidal salt marsh and there is a lot of marsh grass floating around in the water, or there is lots of floating seaweed, your pennant may collect bits of this flotsam and jamb it up inside the trunk. This is unlikely to happen suddenly, but rather over the course of a long period of time.  If this happens and the board becomes jammed or does not go all the way back up into the trunk, then you will have to lower it down and dig the grass out with a stick.  You will be amazed at how much eel grass can be compacted up there.

Centerboard Installation:

When you remove the bolt that holds the c/b in the boat you will find

that there is really a piece of PVC pipe that is holding the board in

place. It is like a bushing around the bolt so that the threads of the

bolt don’t wear on the c/b and there is a tight watertight seal.

Installation:

Note the orientation of the bushing when you remove it, and when you

install it back in trunk with the new board put it back the same exact

Clean off the old sealer (3m #5200 or Sikaflex #291) from the old

washers and trunk. Lay down a big patch of masking tape over hole in

trunk. Punch hole in the tape big enough to dry fit the pin and

washers, and trace around the rubber washer to locate area that sealer

make contact with the trunk. With a razor knife, cut out circle or tape

that is under washer and sealer, leaving area around it all masked off

so the goop doesn’t GO EVERYWHERE! Apply modest amount of sealer on

trunk and rubber washer.

Tighten up bolt and nut just a little more than “hand tight”, not too

tight. Wipe off excess sealer and clean up bolt and then remove the

tape and things will be really neat.

Small Puffs of Wind Yield Large Gains.

When a boat has a properly balanced helm (called "weather helm"), she will naturally head up closer into the wind as it's strength increases. This behavior is particularly noticeable when a puff of wind hits your Melonseed. It's a safety feature that automatically points you up into the wind, luffing and letting the force of the wind slip by the sail.

Although already very close winded in her behavior, here's a technique you can use to sail your Melonseed even closer, quicker and faster to your upwind destination.

As you sense the wind increase, it's power filling the sail and heeling the boat over (this is called "getting a lift), keep the sheet tight or haul it in even more as you gradually point the boat more upwind. You must be aware of just how far you can turn upwind before you start to luff and stall the boat, but you'll be surprised at your new (temporary) heading. Most puffs of wind only last a few seconds though, after which the wind will lessen and often shift back. As soon as you feel the wind start to decrease, immediately turn the boat back off the wind a bit or you might stall losing momentum and speed. Done in a smooth "carving" motion both up into and back off the wind, it's a pleasant and efficient maneuver.

In spite of the fact that only a few seconds later you are back on the old heading again, you'll find that you have "side stepped" significantly more upwind. All good racers employ this trick. Doing this repeatedly on an upwind course will make a huge difference in time to your destination.

In general and when sailing downwind in most boats (usually they are Marconi rigged) the skipper’s eye is focused on the boom and keeping it far enough out downwind to prevent a gybe.  Actually of course it’s not the boom, but the leech of the sail that gets caught by the wind, back winded, and thus causing an unwanted gybe.  Folks tend to watch the boom though.  Often there’s standing rigging (stays) that prevent the boom from going as far forward as one might like and that adds to the drama.

Things are different though with a sail rig featuring a quadrilateral sail. Sprit rigs, gaff rigs, lug rigs and many others are in this category. You must first understand that when sailing downwind in a sprit rig in strong winds that no matter where the boom is set, the peak of the sail will be much further ahead.  There is a lot of wind force up there on the peak of the sail, and so long as THAT part of the sail is not at serious risk of gibing, then what’s going with the boom and the lower part of the sail is of less concern than you might imagine.  There is often so much “twist” in the shape of the sail that when going downwind in a strong breeze the peak of the sail can be 18” – 24” ahead of the clew back at the end of the boom!  So here’s the deal…it’s neither the peak nor the clew that needs to be at the optimum angle to the centerline of the boat (about 90 degrees), but HALF WAY UP THE LEECH OF THE SAIL.   Therefore if you keep your boom BACK about 9 – 12” from perpendicular to the C/L it will set the sail just right.  There is a lot of force on the peak which is a foot or so ahead of perpendicular, and that will keep the sail from gybing.

WHAT NOT TO DO: OK, so you are going like hell downwind in a heavy breeze in the Melonseed and it starts to feel a little scary, so you instinctively let the boom and sail out thinking that letting air slip off the sail it will ease things up a bit.  Perhaps you are also worried about the “killer gybe” scenario as well so you see this as a preventative measure. The result of this is that you may now you may have the boom perpendicular to, or perhaps even worse, well ahead of the mast.

When the boom is out ahead of the mast the sheet no longer has the ability to “vang” (hold or pull) the boom down and the boom may start to lift upwards.  This can turn into a pretty awkward situation in any cat rigged boat, not just the Melonseed.   The boom might suddenly rise WAY up in the air and this will turn the sail into a weird crab-clawed shaped spinnaker with the center of effort of the sail now located much higher and further ahead of the mathematical location it needs to be for the boat to behave right.  The boat may start to roll side to side and get very strange to handle.  Well, if a boat ever does this and it has a free standing swiveling mast like the Melonseed then just simply let the sheet go and the drama will cease.  Better yet, if you see that this is starting to happen, then just turn the boat a bit from a dead run to a broad reach (not by gybing of course, but an “upwind” turn) and keep the sail trim the same or even ease it a bit.  Your might even go a bit faster trimmed like this, but you will certainly have a lot more control of the boat.

CENTERBOARD ADVICE:

We all know that raising the centerboard on a boat when going downwind will allow the boat to go faster due to having created less “wetted surface” and less drag.  That’s fine in most wind conditions, but I feel strongly that in the Melonseed it’s important to have at least some centerboard down when the wind gets strong.  It’s OK to have a normal full board down as well. You will have better control of the boat.  And too, if you working harder than normal to keep all things going right with the tiller and sheet and you suddenly have to tack or gybe, you will need to have the board down.  Lowering the board in a moment of crisis is not what you want to be doing. Plan ahead, be in control and leave yourself more options.

Article Tag: sprit rig

Woods hole spritsail boat.

T he Woods Hole spritsail boat is a good example of workboats that became pleasure craft, as happened with so many New England fishing vessel designs. When a colony of summer people sprang up in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, they quickly took note of the vessels traditionally used by the local fishermen. With some modifications to the design to make it better suited for racing, members of the Woods Hole Yacht Club began building a fleet of around 20 spritsail boats in the late 1890s. H.V.R. Palmer, writing about “those handy little boats” in the December 1968 issue of the now-defunct The Skipper magazine , describes two of these old vessels, built by Edward E. Swift between 1896 and 1913, found in a Woods Hole barn in 1965.

The Woods Hole spritsail is, in many ways, similar to the iconic Cape Cod catboat, but with a few distinct differences. The most obvious difference is that the vessel is sprit rigged as opposed to gaff rigged. Many of the fishermen of Woods Hole anchored their vessels in the protected waters of Eel Pond; to enter, prior to the installation of a bascule bridge in 1940, a fisherman would have to pass under an old stone bridge that would require a sailing vessel to unstep its mast to pass underneath.

The loose-footed sail makes for a very simple rig, but takes some practice to sail well.

“The fishermen of Woods Hole,” writes Palmer, “became so proficient at this, according to old timers around the village, that they could sail to within a few feet of the bridge before lowering the mast—sail, sprit, and all. This rig also made it easier to furl sail when the fishing grounds were reached and it was time to go to work.” The sprit rig, with its unstayed mast and the absence of a boom, allowed this to be done with relative ease. The beam of the spritsail boat is narrower than that of the cat boat, to allow it to be rowed by one person instead of two, since the fishermen of Woods Hole typically worked alone. It also has a slightly deeper draft and increased freeboard for greater seaworthiness in the notoriously rough waters of Vineyard Sound.

T he spritsail boat DEWEY, named in memory of Dewey S. Dugan, a Seattle longshoreman, was built for the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle in 2000 by the students of Seattle Central College’s boatbuilding program under the direction of the former longtime lead instructor, Dave Mullens. The boat is 13′4″ long, has a beam of 6′, and draws 3′ 6″ with the centerboard down. DEWEY was built to lines taken by David W. Dillion for Mystic Seaport, from the last spritsail boat built by Swift in 1913, one of the two found in 1965. Swift had been building the boat for his brother Helon, who passed away just before it was completed. Lacking the will to launch the vessel, Swift locked it away in his barn, thus preserving the boat in mint condition.

The mast is set without head stay or shrouds, making it easier to unstep.

The vessels in the CWB livery fleet are rented to the public year round and get quite a bit of use, so they need to be strong enough to take a beating. DEWEY has been a mainstay at the Center for over 15 years, due in large part to her stout workboat construction. The boat is built with 3/4″ Port Orford cedar carvel planking on 1″x1″ steam-bent, white-oak frames, and fastened with silicon-bronze screws. The similarly beefy stempost of sawn oak measures 2-1/2″ x 5″, and transitions into an equally thick keel.

There is a 5″-wide keelson with 3/4″ floor timbers fastened on top of the keel. The mahogany transom is 1″ thick and has a 1″ x 2″ perimeter frame, and a 1/2″x 1-1/2″ cap. It is tied into the keel with a 1″-thick knee. The centerboard trunk ties into the forward and middle thwarts. Though the spritsail boat is an open boat, it would handle well sailing in a little bit of a sea, as it has a 6″-wide side deck outside of the  1/2″x 5″ coaming. The side deck is supported by 1″-thick hanging knees screwed to the frames underneath.

E.E. Swift built the centerboard trunk in the original boat with an open slot at the top. Enclosing the board keeps DEWEY’s interior drier in rough water.

DEWEY’s wide beam provides a roomy interior, which can comfortably seat four while sailing. The three thwarts are 11″ wide. The mid and aft thwarts tie into two 16″-wide side benches, which are supported by knees. The benches and thwarts sit 8″ above the sole, providing a comfortable sitting height for sailing. The sole covers the entire interior and transitions into a ceiling; even when the boat is heeling, the sailors’ feet never rest on the frames or planks. The 15′ 6″ mast is made of spruce and is 3-1/2″ in diameter at the gate, tapering to 1-1/2″ aloft. The bronze gate in the bow makes it easy to raise the mast—it doesn’t have to be lifted to drop through a partner. The spruce sprit is 17′ 10″-long by 2-5/8″ in diameter and tapered up to the peak of the sail. The luff is attached to the mast with steam-bent hoops.

The broad thwarts and benches provide comfortable seating.

T he Woods Hole spritsail boat was designed to be easily singlehanded and to sail well in fairly heavy weather without the need to reef. The boat is fun to sail, especially with a bit of a breeze. Interestingly, as a rental boat, DEWEY’s boomless sprit rig is sometimes passed over for the more familiar, marconi-rigged vessels. However, when provided with a bit of instruction, many of CWB’s livery customers find that sailing the Woods Hole spritsail boat is a pleasure.

Unlike a catboat rudder, where the tiller runs horizontally along the top of the blade, a spritsail boat’s tiller is slipped into a mortise in a rudder head.

The beauty of the sprit rig lies in its simplicity. Setting and dousing the sail is easily done, with the help of a snotter that is equipped with a block instead of a thimble. Once the throat halyard has been hauled tight and cleated, the top end of the sprit is passed through a grommet on the peak of the sail and its foot is then attached to the snotter. To set the sail, the snotter is tensioned—pushing the peak up and aft to stretch the sail out—and then made fast to a second cleat on the mast. Dousing is simply the same operation done in reverse.

Having the snotter led to a cleat on the mast makes it unnecessary to reach up to the heel of the sprit, but leading the tail end of the snotter aft makes it easier to adjust the shape of the sail without leaving the tiller.

It can take a few adjustments to find the ideal tension for the snotter. This isn’t much of a problem if you are sailing with someone else, but when sailing alone, it can be a bit clumsy and even dangerous to leave the tiller to shuffle forward to make adjustments. It was an easy fix to lead the snotter through a small block at the base of the mast and aft to a cleat installed on the centerboard trunk, where it can now be adjusted without having to leave the helm. This has the added benefit of quick scandalizing; a stopper knot tied at the appropriate spot along the extended snotter line prevents the sprit from lowering too far, which could cause the heel of the sprit to get hung up on the boat.

The sail on the spritsail boat is without a boom, which has advantages and disadvantages. It’s nice not to worry about getting hit in the head by a boom, but it can also be a bit tricky to learn how to trim the sail correctly, especially in light air. When sailing close to the wind, if a boomless spritsail is sheeted in hard to the center of the boat, the clew will curl in and ruin the shape. I found this frustrating the first time I sailed DEWEY, as the boat is fitted with a conventional traveler, which makes it awkward to trim the sail correctly when sailing close to the wind. About 15 minutes into my sail, I discovered that there were two Turk’s Head knots tied on the outermost corners of the traveler that were perfect for hooking the sheet block to. This kept the clew farther outboard, which made a big difference in the boat’s performance to windward.

This spritsail boat isn’t yet equipped with oarlocks. The original had rowing stations at the center and forward thwarts with oarlocks mounted on blocks fixed outside of the coaming.

DEWEY lacks the two rowing stations indicated in the plans, and relies upon a canoe paddle or a tow from a CWB chase boat when the wind dies. Next time DEWEY enters the CWB boatshop for maintenance, it will get a pair of oarlocks and a set of oars, as its workboat predecessors originally had.

Josh Anderson and Sarah McLean Anderson both attended the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. They restored a 25′ Friendship sloop, operated a charter business with it, and spent several years sailing the Maine coast.  Josh also attended the Apprenticeshop  boatbuilding program in Rockland, Maine, and is now the Lead Boatwright at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, Washington.

Woods Hole Spritsail Boat Particulars

Length/13′ 4″

Sail area/127 sq ft, 138 sq ft*

Draft, board up/15″

Draft, board down/2′ 10″

*Mystic Seaport acquired two sails with the boat.

Plans for the Woods Hole Spritsail Boat  include lines, offsets, sail plan, and construction details. They are available from Mystic Seaport for $75.

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