Jere Lull wrote:
In article . com,
wrote:
Its 2005, why do we still have to do this silly pointing into the wind
to get the main up or down or to reef it. Surely someone could come up
with a way to reef or get the main up or down on any point of sail. I
know most sailors are conservative but I am not so if ya got any ideas
let me know.
We can drop our main under most points of sail by centering the boom.
It's easier when the wind is forward of the beam, of course.
Not when there's a 30 Kt tailwind, you can't!
Further more, there ain't no remedy for gravity. We are not so
conservative thar such a plan would not be popular, if it were possible.
We are likewise not so stupid that we wouldn't have invented such a
rig, if it were possible. Oh, actually it is, it's called a kite
sail. Pull the centre sheet, and the whole sail looks like an inside
out umbrella, then it gets wet, unless you fly it from the masthead.
Not the best, from a heel's point of view.
Sailing is elemental, and it depends on the mechanics to make it
work. Those mechanics make some things easier than others.
Even a vertical roller furler on the mast will jam in a big
tailwind. The leech, you see, it has a mind of it's own.
Only a square rig can be reefed with equal facility on every point
of sail. What's the big deal? Head Up to reduce sail. Oh, and always
use jibsheets long enough to let the jib flog fully foreward. Then,
you can pull it down with a downhaul on a winch, if you must.
There are other rigs not mentioned so far that would make it possible.
One that comes to mind that I've only seen one example of is where the
boom and jib are sort of on a turntable. Turning one (big) screw trims
both sails. The sails can be head to wind as the boat's running
downwind. Seemed like a good idea, but there must be some impracticality
to the rig.
No room for shrouds, with this one.
Someone was experimenting with a wing mounted vertically. Supposedly,
the sail could be put into "freewheel" mode and it'd have less drag than
a conventional mast & stays. Again, could rotate 360. Again, sounded
like a great idea as I've seen how much more efficient a double-surface
wing is than a single-skin, but haven't seen it on a boat.
I'll add something I'm surprised no one's tried: a double-surface sail.
Perhaps two sails in tracks on either side of a rotating mast? Only the
leeches would be joined.
Whaaaaat?
An inflatable para sail type rig pops into mind, here. (And an
image of Honest John Kerry para sail boarding, which I thought
showed him to be much more macho than the burning Shrub)
Terry K