Grunff writes:

The style of Rig maybe a good criterion to have (Bermudan Sloop,
Cutter, Schooner, Ketch etc)


Is providing a list of styles to choose from feasible, or are there
too many?

It should be possible to produce a list of rigs, or strictly a
matrix.

A rig classified generally by the number of masts and arrangement of
sails can be

una, sloop or cutter (all single masted),
ketch, yawl or schooner (all two masted - although schooners can
have more)

Classified by type of mainsail it can be

Bermudan
Gaff
Gunter - rare except in very small boats
Junk - rare
Lug - rare
Sprit - rare

Note that a 'una rig' is the same thing as a 'catboat rig' or 'cat
rig', and there are 'catboat ketches' which have no staysails on
either mast, but they're rare. You are very unlikely indeed to find a
junk or lug sloop or cutter, although neither is strictly
impossible. Other than that if you make a matrix of the first six
against the second six you'll account for 99.9% of all sailing boats,
with 90+% being bermudan and probably 90+% being sloops.

Finally there are very rare oddball rigs, like biplane rigs, kite
rigs, solid wing sails and other esoterica, which you would be
sensible to ignore.

I still think you're best off with sail number and class for most
sailing boats.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; An enamorata is for life, not just for weekends.