Take heart my patient reader, for the long awaited sail-rig has evolved to the test stage. We already know how Aria rows. Like a song.
Martin and I chose a calm day for our first sail. Turned out to be breathless, but we had enough puffs to get a feel for how this 'seed flies.
It was apparent from the first, the free-footed sail needs a boom for windward work. The fixed keel shape, taken from Atkin's Valgerda allowed quite a bit of leeway, but I think that will improve with a boom as well. I intend to leave the foot loose, lash the sail to the boom at the tack and clew and use a downhaul from the clew to the base of the mast.
If this sounds confusing, we'll come back soon with photos and an updated report.
Please stay tuned.
3 comments:
Oh I do love a Melonseed.
If you extended the sail out to the fwd end of the yard you'd have a Balanced Lug, and why not!
Excellent.
The balanced lug is what I'm working toward. I designed the boat with a sprit rig, which is the traditional sail rig for the melonseed. But in the intervening years, I've realized I really don't like the sprit rig, for reasons discussed earlier. Adapting the sprit rig (and the sail I'd already made)to a balanced lug has been a bit of a challenge. First, the mast is too short, since the upper yard doesn't hoist as high as the sprit and hanging the sail from a higher point on the head means the sail barely clears the deck at the tack. I don't want to shorten the sail, so I've created a conundrum for myself. (Nothing new there). It will all sort out, just need to wrap my head around it.
I'm looking forward to seeing how you will attach a boom that will clear the deck as the sprit rig sail does using the existing foot on your sail if you don't want to shorten it.
Post a Comment