I share your appreciation for convenient reliable, fast boats.
TYvek sails on a closet pole don't accomplish any of that.

Beg, borrow or steal a copy of the book "100 Small Boat Rigs" by Philip C. Bolger, International Marine, 1984 ISBN
087742182X . It's just full of design ideas.

If there's a one design or manufactured boat whose design you like and whose parts are available, you might well
save a buck or shorten the debugging period by using it.

If you have high expectations for versatility and convenience, and if the boat is big enough to tolerate the
complication, a cat yawl rig has a lot to recommend it. Search for Antonio Dias' 'Harrier' design. Carbon spars
make it briliant.

Morgan Ohlson wrote:

SNIP

I sometimes, when cruising boat builder forums get a feeling that there are
only two types of sailing boats.
A) racing
B) anti conformistic cruisers

My goal is to make a good, reliable and stable cruising dinghy ...and fast
to, if possible.

In my case it's like this. I don't build a boat because I like to... It's
because I have to... there are simply no design to buy that fill my demands.
...okey, almost... but the weight of them is 100% too heavy.

I have more or less desided to go Bermuda (or high ratio gaff or gunter.) Footing is still a question though.

My geatest quest is to get it right, or at lest so cloese to good that it
can be fixed without buying new materials.

If I understand right you like to experiment much, so do I.... but in this
case the exeperiments are made on paper and in my head. When I'm going into
action, no losses are acceptable. ;o)

A cat rig (no jib) could very well come into question... High positioned CE
or lowering the ratio (less area)?

How about self turning jibs?

Morgan O.