"Bill Farina" wrote in message
Hunter Sailboats have something called a B&R "fractional rig" with swept
back spreaders. For the life of me, I can't figure out the advantage(s)
of
this design. On the downside, they seem to make running downwind
difficult
and create a high wind load. Any comments? Perhaps therein lies the
advantage. When you run downwind, you don't have to bother to put up a
sail.

My 2 cents worth: I don't like that rig. The purported advantage is the
elimination of a backstay or runners. But as you imply it's inefficient on
a run, unless you are willing to broad reach and tack as opposed to a dead
run. A friend has a newer 410 Hunter, which we leave in our wake downwind
with our 34' full-keel CCA-type boat. He'd be wiser to douse the main and
fly a cruising spinnaker.

Max