Wally wrote:

Being an innocent, fresh-faced newbie who isn't an expert on boats, I was
wondering if the rig on my boat is particular type.

Yes

If so, I'd be interested
in finding out what type of rig it is.

It's a masthead sloop, also called a Bermuda or Marconi or jib-headed rig
because of the triangular sails, as opposed to a gaff or sprit rig with
quadrilateral sails.

I'd also be interested in hearing
comments on it.

OK: it's a very common rig because it's cheap & sturdy (given a suitable level
of technological/industrial development). It is relatively weatherly, meaning
that it's efficient going upwind, and can stand up to a wide range of
conditions. It is not particularly adjustable though, and suffers when trying to
tune for balance or to depower without laboriously shortening sail. Also it can
only fly masthead foresails & spinnakers.



There are fore and backstays, both of which go to the top of the mast. The
backstay is an inverted 'Y', with the 'prongs' of the Y coming down to the
quarters.

The inverted "Y" is for adjusting the tension of the backstay, which will affect
mast bend slightly and foresail shape & trim noticably. Generally you want to
tighten the backstay as the wind increases, up to the point where the structure
of the boat starts distorting.



... The forestay has one of those opposing thread
tension adjusters (turnbuckle?).

Yep.



On each beam, there are two shrouds that attach to the mast just under the
spreaders, with one turnbuckle on each side being forward of the mast, and
one aft.

These are double lowers. Their function is to restrain the lower section of the
mast from bending the wrong way, or bowing alternately one way then the other
(pumping), either of which can result in the mast falling down. The double
lowers can also be used to induce a slight bend in the mast which can then be
exaggerated or relaxed with the backstay tensioner. The foreward pair of lowers
should be the tighter.


There is also a shroud on each side in line with the mast, passing
over the spreader and going up to the top.

These are the upper shrouds, and are used to control the side-to-side bend of
the mast (although the lowers also influence this). Think of the mast with it's
shrouds as the same sort of girder as a webbed panel in a bridge: the mast &
spreader is in compression, the shrouds are under tension, the whole is a rigid
assembly that can take either a little or a lot of force without bending too
much or breaking.



--
Wally
I demand rigidly-defined areas of uncertainty!

I like that slogan. How about this one: "I have no respect for conventional
tokens of disrespect!" ?



"Simple Simon" wrote-
It's pretty standard or was several years ago before Hunter
and some other manufacturers started skimping on standing
rigging with Gunter rigs and other such nonsense not welcome
on a cruising vessel.

Just when one thought the heights of idiocy had been reached, the Crapton climbs
a bit higher.

1- recent Hunter rigs have *more* standing rigging (all those wires & stuff) not
less.

2- A Gunter rig would be most welcome on a cruising boat, if set up on a proper
sailing dinghy. However this rig is nothing at all like anything on any Hunter,
regardless of the fact that they rhyme.

Tune in next week and I'll explain what Gunter rig is, for those who have no
sailing books in their local library (or at least, none with pictures in them).

Fresh Breezes- Doug King