junk sail catamaran

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Junk Rig Catamaran Questions

Discussion in ' Boat Design ' started by cdubb , Jun 9, 2016 .

cdubb Junior Member

I am rather fond of the junk rig sail and also am quite fond of catamarans, the two together suits my tastes very well. While though web searches I've only seen the "biplane" design of this combo. That being said is there a option to have a single sail junk set up on a catamaran? I admire the ingenuity the biplanes but I can not help but wonder if a single sail is possible. And if it isn't feasible I am quite curious as to why not, as I have never seen a explanation on this. The attachment is what finally drove me to ask this, it's a design and build from the 70's from a gentleman by the name of Hermann Otto. Regards  

Attached Files:

Skyak Senior Member

We just discussed it here http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sailboats/what-wrong-junk-rig-55687.html Be sure to specify what you want out of the rig. Most will tell you to use a different rig because the junk is slow and cats are fast -but obviously the cat in your picture is not fast.  

Good link skyak, good info tossed about on that thread. If I was to specify what I want out of the rig I would have to say ease of use and being comparatively inexpensive to make and maintain. The junk rig has many upsides for use of it for me, along with a unique look. I see in the thread my question about a junk sloop is briefly mentioned and as I suspected the I un-stayed mast is a issue on a catamaran but it is doable(?). On a one off build this I would assume this issue could be addressed tactfully, although the only way of doing this that is immediately springing to mind is a trimaran set up to house that mast.  

serow Junior Member

I'm guessing that if the wind is square to the direction of travel one of the sails is largely useless, a bit like having you wind stolen during a race. Is that so?  

cdubb said: ↑ Good link skyak, good info tossed about on that thread. If I was to specify what I want out of the rig I would have to say ease of use and being comparatively inexpensive to make and maintain. The junk rig has many upsides for use of it for me, along with a unique look. I see in the thread my question about a junk sloop is briefly mentioned and as I suspected the I un-stayed mast is a issue on a catamaran but it is doable(?). On a one off build this I would assume this issue could be addressed tactfully, although the only way of doing this that is immediately springing to mind is a trimaran set up to house that mast. Click to expand...

A more conventional Bermudan sloop set up would be my second choice, I have zero opposition to this rig. But for the sake of the idea at hand and with the factors stated, what would be a end result of a sloop junk set up? I realize information to go by is scarce but a educated guess would suffice here. I realize that a Bermudan rig is the far more traveled path but if you are going to build a boat you may as well make her what you want her to be. That's why I wonder what the result would be of this concept.  

Rurudyne Senior Member

One thing to consider about the junk rig is that usually the masts are unstayed while centerline mounted cat masts tend to need stays. The junk rig is one people love to hate, however, the reasons for them, their strengths, also create folks who love them. Internet mayhem ensues. Junk rigs such as the shaped type do achieve better performance without much increase in complexity or handling. I've seen comments to the effect that their performance on the wrong tack, when the mast is disrupting the airfoil shape, is not as greatly diminished as some assert it should be. But the big advantage of the junk rig to me seems to be ease of handling. Yes, the Bermuda rig is easy to handle with good gear (and you can find good gear surplus), so that's not a world beating advantage of the junk rig. In the end, what you like, what looks good, is what matters. I, myself, like paddlewheels. People will go on about how inefficient they are but we live in an era relatively small high speed props that do good to do much better than 50% efficiency by some estimations. Few small high speed props able to go in shallow weedy waters will match a well sorted out feathering paddlewheel in those conditions and no paddlewheel will be as good in rough seas as a comparable sized yacht with relatively small high speed props. These days people lust after fast boats too (with just enough cruising range to get back to the dock in some cases) and fast and paddlewheel (at least in any ordinary sized pleasure craft) just don't tend go together well. But people are still build paddlewheel boats, mainly with fixed rather than feathering floats, and are deliriously happy with them. If you like junk rigs go for it! If I was able to build a large paddlewheel yacht I'd use junk rigged get-home sails if only to be contrary, and not just because I like the rig too. On a smaller boat with the attendant windage I'd use a kite ... maybe one inflated with hot air and string of LED running lights to scare the willies out of folks at night who thought they just saw a UFO.  

peterAustralia Senior Member

Has been done Note that Junk Rigs are generally unstayed. Thus it makes no sense to put them in the middle of the cat. If going Junk rig, usually best to put them in the hulls, one mast in each. Example Dragon Wings by Gary Lepak http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/vintage/multihulls/index.htm there is this http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/13/projects/oryx/index.htm#.V1u826IRPcs and something a bit different http://www.tacking-outrigger.com/baltic_proa.html from memory there was a Wharram Cat with twin Junk sails, called P.H.A. http://wharrambuilders.ning.com/group/junkrigged  

I've seen a formula on another site in regards to making a unstayed mast secure. As I recall it was no less than 10% of the mast height or boat length of the mast needed to be "buried" for it to be adequately strong. Could this structure be built around the mast above deck in order to get the right distance of the mast buried? Here's some chicken scratches I drew so maybe what I'm getting at is better understood.  

I guess what I am wondering is with all things considered with the junk rig, what would need to be done to make it work on the centerline of a cat?  

Stumble Senior Member

You would need a really really strong mast base. It would be a pure cantilever, so it isn't like the engineering is all that difficult, but the cost in materials and weight would be severe. Probably the best option would be a monolithic crossbeam/mast that are one piece.... Again just because someone can be done doesn't mean it should be done. I am not an engineer, or a boat builder, so my guess here isn't very good, but I would guess what you are talking about would cost 3-4 times what a Bermuda rig would cost for worse performance.  

cdubb said: ↑ I guess what I am wondering is with all things considered with the junk rig, what would need to be done to make it work on the centerline of a cat? Click to expand...

CROSSBEAM.PNG

Rurudyne said: ↑ In the end, what you like, what looks good, is what matters. I, myself, like paddlewheels. People will go on about how inefficient they are but we live in an era relatively small high speed props that do good to do much better than 50% efficiency by some estimations. Few small high speed props able to go in shallow weedy waters will match a well sorted out feathering paddlewheel in those conditions and no paddlewheel will be as good in rough seas as a comparable sized yacht with relatively small high speed props. These days people lust after fast boats too (with just enough cruising range to get back to the dock in some cases) and fast and paddlewheel (at least in any ordinary sized pleasure craft) just don't tend go together well. But people are still build paddlewheel boats, mainly with fixed rather than feathering floats, and are deliriously happy with them. If you like junk rigs go for it! If I was able to build a large paddlewheel yacht I'd use junk rigged get-home sails if only to be contrary, and not just because I like the rig too. On a smaller boat with the attendant windage I'd use a kite ... maybe one inflated with hot air and string of LED running lights to scare the willies out of folks at night who thought they just saw a UFO. Click to expand...

FAST FRED Senior Member

The main reason for building a cat is it can have faster speeds than a monohull. Faster speeds mean that there is much mote windward work , is the cat is at all fast. A sloop or cutter rig is faster than a rig designed for downwind.  

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FAST FRED said: ↑ The main reason for building a cat is it can have faster speeds than a monohull. Faster speeds mean that there is much mote windward work , is the cat is at all fast. A sloop or cutter rig is faster than a rig designed for downwind. Click to expand...

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What’s in A Rig? The Junk Rig

By: Pat Reynolds Sailboat Rigs , Sailboats

What’s in a Rig Series #3

There’s probably no rig more fascinating than the junk rig. Long before Columbus’ time, early as the 10 th century, the Chinese were making their way through the oceans with a rig that has amazingly stood the test of the time. There are many who feel that this very old but very innovative sail plan is superior to the more popular and ubiquitous sloop rig and others.

The junk is predicated upon sails that are fully battened, a characteristic associated with more modern racing vessels and they typically lack any standing rigging (stays and shrouds). They are a completely different looking sail plan and in practice it’s clear the early Chinese engineers and designers were way ahead of their time. A thousand years later, there are  advocates ready to point out the many areas where the junks reign supreme.

Due to the full batten set-up, the sails maintain an efficient consistent shape and are fast, especially downwind. In a big breeze junk owners will attest that they’re extremely easy to reef and, as an added bonus, are inherently self-tacking. There are obvious cost benefits to not having any standing rigging – no maintenance, replacement or (costs aside) anxiety about sudden failure. Because of the full battens, there’s also no flogging or flapping of sails and there’s fewer blind spots, like what you might experience with a large genoa on a sloop or cutter rig .

The main disadvantage that’s cited with junk rigs is there upwind deficiency. Although there are theories as to how to improve this, most junk owners will concede that the best they can do is come closer to how well a sloop travels upwind.

Like everything when it comes to choosing a rig, it’s about where you want to compromise. But junk rigs are definitely rife with attributes and many modern hull designs are candidates for retrofitting. And, you must admit… they’re pretty cool looking.

What's in a Rig Series:

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Voyager explains junk rig choice

My decision to buy a Chinese junk-rigged schooner was shaped by several factors. Foremost was the certainty that I would be voyaging and not racing. The second important consideration was the rig’s simplicity. Made up mostly of lines and knots, this feature guaranteed less maintenance time and far less maintenance and replacement costs. There would be no expensive stainless fittings, winches, or high-tech sail materials. The third consideration was ease of handling. I knew that I would probably sail by myself or with inexperienced crews. Therefore, I wanted a boat I could handle safely and comfortably from the cockpit with a minimum of sail handling on the foredeck. Last, I was won over by the design and voyaging exploits of several well-known sailors who experimented with modern interpretations of this almost 2,000-year-old rig.

Back in the 1970s, Thomas Colvin designed and built several junk-rigged boats in Chesapeake Bay. One of his most popular designs, an aluminum schooner called Gazelle, can still be found occasionally in classified sailing magazine advertisements. He extolled the unique charm of the Chinese junk rig in a book called Cruising as a Way of Life.

Englishmen Blondie Hassler and Michael Richey made history by sailing the junk-rigged folkboat, Jester, in 13 successive Atlantic singlehanded races. It was the first singlehanded Atlantic race in 1960 that pitted Chichester against Hassler and his junk-rigged sloop. Chi-chester’s Gypsy Moth won that race, but Jester, captained by Michael Richey, subsequently established a record for the most race attempts. The fact that the boat and rig held up in this most inhospitable North Atlantic Ocean race is a testament to the boat and sail designs. In 1988 Hassler teamed up with Jock McLeod to write a definitive book on the junk-rig called Practical Junk Rig.

A dedicated group of British sailors has adapted this ancient sail plan for modern Western craft. They also formed the Junk Rig Association to further the study and exchange of ideas toward improving the rig. One of my all-time favorite sailor-authors is Bernard Moitessier. This Frenchman was born in Vietnam and acquired much of his early sailing experience in traditional junks. Although he changed to a more modern Bermuda-rigged boat for his many sailing exploits, he wrote nostalgically about those early sailing days in junks.

Almost everyone’s first sailing hero is Joshua Slocum. His greatest exploit is being the first singlehander to make it around the world in 1895 and write about it in a book called Sailing Alone around the World. He accomplished this awesome feat in a boat called Spray, a traditional gaff-rigged schooner. However, later in life he built the junk-rigged Liberdade for a trip from South America back to the U.S. This adventure is described in his book The Voyage of the Liberdade. The writings of these famous sailors made a deep impression on my choice of boat. Admittedly, I was also drawn to the uniqueness of the sail design. I wanted to be different and not have a boat that looked like every other boat in the harbor. I finally settled on a 32-foot Sunbird schooner made in England. It has a traditional Western, fiberglass hull and a pair of tan-bark, Chinese junk sails.

Almost everyone who stops to stare at my rig admires the unusual design but quickly turns the discussion to her poor light-air windward performance. I don’t disagree with this assessment, although I get a little frustrated and defensive having to explain that there is much more to voyaging than going to windward. I feel that the positive qualities of the rig far outweigh this concern.

Over years of coastal cruising I have learned to live with the fact that anywhere from 20% to 40% of passage time is spent under engine power or motorsailing. On my two transatlantic crossings, the engine was used more sparingly, and the sailing was slow but kindly. Even after an unfortunate dismasting of the foresail in mid-ocean, 1,500 miles from the Canaries, the remaining sail provided a safe, albeit slower, passage to the Bahamas.

In his wonderfully illustrated book, Ships of China, Valentin Sokoloff writes, "A hand-crafted sailing ship is a living thing with its own character and charm. A Chinese junk is even more so, and no wonder, as it was invented by an offspring of a nymph and a rainbow. His name was Fu Hsi, the first great ruler, who, they say, was born in 2852 B.C. Then Lu Pan, founder of the art of carpentry, greatly improved the original design. Further generations of Chinese shipwrights gave junks their final seaworthy and practical shape."

The evolution of sailboat design in the West has taken place over a much shorter period of time and a much different tack than in China. Today the epitome of Western boat design is represented by America’s Cup contenders and similar high-tech racing boats. Variations of the Bermuda rig (also known as Marconi rig, for the inventor’s tall radio transmitting tower) is seen on virtually every racing and voyaging boat to come off the showroom floor. For the most part, the emphasis in these designs is speed and, particularly, performance to windward. But there are obviously other aspects of sailing, especially voyaging; that is where the Chinese rig comes into its own.

The distinct advantage of the Chinese balanced-lug rig is in shorthanded, comfortable voyaging. Modern junk rigs have married the ancient designs with new materials, replacing bamboo and grass mats with fiberglass and Dacron. The resulting modern rig can be easily handled with less strength and endurance and without leaving the safety of the cockpit. Sailing with this rig can be relaxed, enjoyable, and safe without the high working loads of more popular triangular sails with their taut sheets and strenuous winching. The junk rig is easily reefed in strong winds and easily balanced for self-steering vanes and for lower loads on the tiller or wheel.

At first sight the rig’s unusual appearance is confusing to Western eyes. However, it is extraordinarily simple, clever, and easy to handle. The balanced-lug sails have full-length fiberglass battens that are laced across the width of the sail from luff to leech, as shown in the accompanying illustration. Each of the battens divides the sail into separate panels. The top batten is the yard, a heavier batten than the others because it carries the full weight of the sail. The bottom batten is the boom. It carries very little load and, therefore, needs to be no larger than the other battens.

The head of the sail is laced to the yard, which is hauled up by the halyard. The halyard is a multi-part block system to reduce the effort of hauling the sail. No winches are needed with this system, and the halyard can be hauled from the cockpit. The sail is held against the mast by a series of batten parrels. The sail always lies on one side of the mast and extends a short distance forward of the mast. This is what makes it a balanced lug rig, similar to a balanced rudder with a small area in front of the rudder stock. On one tack the sail lies directly on the mast. On the other tack it is constrained by the batten parrels. Multiple topping lifts, or lazy jacks, are tied off at the boom and create a cradle for the sail when reefed or completely lowered.

Two additional parrel lines are led back to the cockpit to control the fore and aft position of the sail. The yard parrel is used to hold the yard snugly to the mast. This is most important when the sail is reefed and would have a tendency to swing aft of the mast. The yard parrel brings the sail forward. Similarly, the luff parrel is used to prevent the sail from going too far forward and maintains moderate tension on the luff of the sail. Between these two parrel lines, the sail is kept in correct position, especially when reefed.

Simply lowering the halyard any distance reefs the sail. The more the halyard is lowered, the more panels are reefed. It acts like venetian blinds that are easily raised or lowered. As the panels are reefed, they and their battens lie in the cradle formed by the lazy jack system. The weight of the lowered battens prevents the sails from billowing out between the lazy jacks. The sails are automatically held in check no matter how many battens are lowered. This makes it unnecessary to tie reefing points or bundle the sail with sail ties.

As soon as the halyard is slackened, the sheets become loose, and the sail begins to spill wind. However, unlike other sails, it will not flog and damage itself if the sheet is loosened. The full-length battens make the rig much quieter without the loud banging associated with flogging sails. In light, downwind sailing, the battens also prevent the sails from collapsing periodically, thereby reducing sail wear and noise. A single sheet system controls the boom and all the other battens through a series of spans (sheetlets). This provides control over the entire leech of the sail, unlike a Bermuda rig where sheet control is only over the boom or clew of the sail. Therefore, the load on the tail end of the multi-part sheet is light and easily handled without a winch. The portion of the balanced-lug sail forward of the mast performs an important function, contributing to the safety and comfort of the crew. When wind and boat direction conspire to create an accidental gybe, the small portion of sail before the mast counters the wind’s effect on the remaining sail area and dampens the motion of the sail. This slows the otherwise violent tendency of the sail to flip to the other side of the boat. Both intentional and accidental gybing become much less hair-raising. The free-standing masts of a junk-rigged boat are typically designed to be somewhat flexible. They bend when winds get too strong, and spill the wind in the process. This bending reduces the heeling of the boat and acts as an automatic shock absorber in sudden gusts that would otherwise severely heel a conventional stayed-mast boat.

The Chinese junk-rigged boat is not for everyone. For most people, the Bermuda rig, with its conventional triangular sails, is more popular, either for the look or the windward performance. However, for those seeking a more effortless sailing experience with a unique traditional rig, the junk sail plan is an interesting alternative. n

Michael L. Frankel is a freelance writer who lives in Orange Park, Fla., when he isn’t voyaging aboard his 32-foot Chinese junk-rigged Sunbird, Sabra.

By Ocean Navigator

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The pros and cons of junk rig

Generally thought to be the preserve of cranks, junk rig has some great qualities, and should not be overlooked

Junk rig is thought to date back to about 300AD, when it propelled Chinese craft with sails of woven bamboo fortified by battens of bamboo or pine. It has been in use in China ever since, although it has also been appreciated by yachtsmen over the years, not least Joshua Slocum, who chose a three-masted junk rig for his 35ft (11m) ‘canoe’ Liberdade, in which he sailed 5,500 miles in 1888. Slocum considered it “the most convenient boat rig in the entire world”. The real champion in the western world, however, was Blondie Hasler, who commissioned the heavily-modified, junk-rigged Nordic Folkboat Jester in 1953 and sailed her in the first OSTAR in 1960. Other notable junk rig sailors have included Bill King (Galway Blazer) and the ascetic Roger Taylor, who sails his junk-rigged Corribee Mingming to extreme northern latitudes. It’s also known as ‘Chinese lug rig’ and generally thought to be the preserve of cranks. It is, in fact, a singular rig with great qualities, particularly to the short-handed cruising sailor, and is overlooked only by the ignorant. The ‘bible’ on the subject is Practical Junk Rig by HG Hasler and JK McLeod.

1          Very easy raising, lowering and reefing

2          Soft gybing due to the sail area before the mast

3          No flogging as the sail is rigid

4          No standing rigging, meaning no whistling in the shrouds, and greater simplicity

5          Great all-round visibility

6          Good ability off the wind or before it without need of extra downwind sails

1          More expensive and complex to build/retrofit

2          Not great to windward in light airs

3          To some, the unusual appearance

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Sailing a junk rigged schooner in Greenland

• Tom Cunliffe
• February 28, 2023

A resourceful single-handed sailor overcomes obstacles while sailing a junk-rigged schooner in Greenland. Introduced by Tom Cunliffe

Dave Leet’s Nomad is a junk-rigged schooner which he sails mostly single-handed . He certainly puts the miles in, because although this article is about his experiences in West Greenland, when I wrote to him about his work he was in Martinique where he’d been waiting out Covid.

The account here is edited from three articles written from his blog ( svnomad.blogspot.com ) for the magazine of the excellent Junk Rig Association. Talking with Dave makes crystal clear his view that remote places like Greenland should only be cruised by sailors with a totally self-help attitude, and the way he rebuilds his gearbox to replace the seals from spares which he ‘just happens to have on board’ says a great deal about this modest man.

Leet also notes that the Greenland and Canadian authorities give yachts no hassle so long as they clear in, keep a low profile and stay out of trouble. His cruise to the top of Disko Bay at 70° North, where ice conditions slip him the wink that it’s time to turn south, is exemplary. To be alone on one’s boat, sharing the bay with only icebergs in the Arctic twilight as the aurora blazes above you is an experience granted to very few.

Dave Leet’s blog articles were published in the Junk Rig Association’s magazine

Dave Leet’s junk rig adventure

Well rested and with a full load of fuel, Nomad headed toward the source of all the ice floating around Disko Bay. Icebergs became more numerous as I approached the shoreline, and this was my first experience navigating close-up to them in bright light. They are a brilliant white that stands out against the blue sky, quite unlike their usual near-invisibility in foggy overcast conditions.

Approaching Quasigiannguit late in the day it was easy to work around a number of bergs in the harbour entrance and head for the far end of the bay. Anchoring in water as shallow as possible limits the size of iceberg that can run into your boat.

Leaving the harbour and steering around an ever-increasing number of bergs I headed up towards what looked like a solid wall of ice in the distance. Sailing closer revealed there was space to get between the bergs, where many were grounded near shore. Two rocks noted on the chart were hidden in the ice field, but no soundings are given in this area. Carefully working through the ice I found that the Nordre Huse anchorage was clear.

A strong breeze began blowing down the fjord late in the day so I felt it was safe to spend the night behind the icefield. It was a surreal experience with ice coloured by the twilit arctic night and the sounds of the glacier moving, clearly audible through the hull. Outside, an occasional sound like thunder could be heard as pieces of glacier broke off.

It’s only a few miles around the glacier face to Illulissat, so I spent a fascinating morning motoring between the gigantic icebergs at the front of the glacier. Entering the tiny inner harbour I found it extremely crowded with no convenient place to tie up Nomad . With some difficulty I got her turned around and out of the harbour. The three cruise ships in town supplied enough encouragement for me to clear off and head instead for the tiny village of Oquaatsut with its sheltered bay for the night.

Sometimes the best planning doesn’t help in the remote areas of the Arctic. After carefully working my way into an unsurveyed area I was greeted by the sight of a small berg grounded in the cove and the shallow areas full of bergy bits. It was obvious where the local fishermen tied to the rock wall in 40ft of water, but I was not comfortable with the amount of ice coming in with the wind so I retreated to a cove with a sandy patch showing at low tide.

The north entrance to Smallesund appeared closed by ice, but getting nearer I could see there was space enough to get through by the rock wall. Torssukkatak was full of ice, but navigable. Here at 70°N looking down the ice-choked Vaigat channel north of Disko Island I reluctantly decided it was time to head south towards the deep water around the islands on the west coast of Arve Prinsens Ejland.

It was no problem navigating the uncharted channels between them to the abandoned settlement at Ritenbank where I found a large shallow shelf allowing good anchorage with some current.

Close ice encounter.

Ice and smoke

Early in the morning I was awoken when a resounding thump shook the boat. Sitting up, all that could be seen out the portholes was a wall of ice. Nomad and an iceberg had collided in the tidal current. The berg had run aground, so I pushed Nomad clear of it and the current kept us apart.

Pulling up the anchor chain eventually brought the boat against the iceberg again, but fortunately the iceberg had just missed parking on top of my anchor so I was able to get underway without having to wait for another tide to float it clear. It was another beautiful sunny arctic day as I motored across the bay bound for Qeqertarsuaq on the south shore of Disko Island, intent on doing some hiking.

I was dodging large icebergs and enjoying the otherworldly scenery of Disko Island when smoke started coming out of the open hatch. Expecting a fire, I was relieved to find the gearbox had overheated and the only thing burning was its seals. Hoisting full sail, I was able to coax Nomad another mile away from shore in the faintest breath of wind while the gearbox cooled enough for me to touch it. It was still full of oil, but this was very burnt so I changed it. Back in gear, the shaft turned slowly but would not speed up even at full throttle.

Ruined Norse village of Hvalsey

I worked every breeze that came by throughout the night keeping Nomad away from the icebergs and attempting to head across the bay towards Aasiaat where I could attack the machinery in a safe berth. Making less than four miles overnight I was considering all manner of possibilities when troubleshooting revealed that the gearbox would provide full power in reverse.

Problem solved! I’d be able to back all the way to Aasiaat, 24 miles distant. I hurriedly dropped all the sails, eager to get moving after a long, unproductive night, but in my sleep-deprived state I forgot to check both sides of the boat for lines in the water. With the sails lowered I promptly backed over the junk rig’s port main ‘sheetlet’, stalling the engine. After spending some time trying to clear the prop from on deck I realised there was only one solution. I retrieved my diving gear stored in various places around the boat and set up my scuba tank on deck. With my dexterity impaired by wetsuit gloves and ice cold water I was unable to free the line from the propshaft, so I returned with a knife and cut it clear.

After wriggling out of my wetsuit I took a moment to warm up before throwing the dive gear below and starting the engine. I then began the tedious task of backing across the bay steering from one iceberg to the next as my course was too erratic to follow the compass. As I closed the coast near Aasiaat, a large cruise ship went by with a number of tourists standing on deck watching me. I can only wonder at what they thought, watching a schooner zigzagging backwards between the icebergs.

The ice is constantly on the move

Having failed at several attempts to back between the rocks guarding the inner passage to Aasiaat, I felt a faint breeze near shore. Up went the jib and foresail, the main being out of service with its sheetlet cut. This proved enough combined with the propeller turning slowly ahead to get the boat moving. Nomad made it between the rocks without incident and slowly crawled into the harbour, reaching speeds of up to two knots.

Dismantling the gearbox the next morning I quickly found the problem. By pure chance I happened to have the spare parts on board to repair it, but it cost five days of the short Greenland sailing season and I was still 600 miles from the southern tip of the land.

Some days later, well down the coast with a good sailing wind, I departed Paamiut bound for the inside passage at Nunarsuit, the large island at Kap Desolation.

The shimmering lights of the Aurora Borealis provided a magical display

Northern lights

Numerous icebergs were floating around as I made my way into the tiny, ice-free anchorage at Tunulliatsiaap Nunaa. The sunset was magnificent, illuminating the rocks and icebergs with reds and golds reflecting on the still waters. I ducked below to make dinner as the temperature plunged below freezing without the sun. Opening the hatch to toss out some onion skins I was awestruck by the sight of the sky shimmering in the green waves of the Aurora Borealis. Dinner forgotten, I sat on deck watching the aurora until they faded away.

There were numerous icebergs to dodge crossing the Braedefjord but I was able to get through to Tugtutoq island without a lengthy detour offshore. Sildefjord is at the east end of Tugtutoq island with a well protected basin to anchor in at the end of the fjord. Climbing the mountains, there were many patches of blueberries and the ice cap was clearly visible from the top across the berg-studded Braedefjord.

Article continues below…

The sun was setting in the canyon to the west as I made my way back to sea level. A few reindeer came down, and as the light faded grey streamers appeared at the mountaintops and slowly developed into a brilliant display of the aurora covering the entire sky above the fjord.

In the morning the boat was surrounded by fresh ice and my wet laundry was frozen solid on the lifelines so I reluctantly decided to move on before I got frozen in.

Qaqortoq has a busy harbour and is the largest town in southern Greenland. Nomad was comfortably rafted up to a fishing boat on the far side of the harbour where I changed the oil and topped off the fuel tanks again. Ten miles up Qaqortoq Fjord lies the ancient Norse village of Hvalsey, the best preserved Norse ruins in Greenland. I spent two days anchored at Hvalsey, hiking and examining the ruins in an absolute windless silence before returning to Qaqortoq.

Spectacular sunsets are a feature of high latitudes cruising in Greenland

After studying the weather beyond the bottom of Greenland for a few days, the possibility of finding a gap between the storms off Kap Farvel to reach the Azores did not look good. This being the second week of October and not wanting to risk being stuck here for the winter it was time for Plan B. There was a depression passing just to the south, so I backtracked to Kap Desolation and sailed across the Labrador Sea just above 60°N to avoid the west winds from the low. Nomad passed the last iceberg of the trip at the edge of the continental shelf near Nain and made her way into Makkovik Labrador as the wind began blowing from the south with the approach of the next storm system.

Arctic essentials

Careful preparation paid off for this Arctic voyage and there were no serious problems. There are, however, a few things to change on deck and some more equipment that would make life much easier before returning to the north. Top of the list is a pilothouse or at least some shelter for steering and watch-standing. Reels for the 122m shore lines would greatly aid deploying and retrieving them. A bus heater plumbed into the main engine would enable the Refleks cabin heater to be shut down when motoring, saving quite a bit of fuel. A Navtex receiver and an Iridium device to receive weather reports and ice charts would be extremely useful. I couldn’t receive weather-fax charts on the shortwave receiver at all. And a forward-looking sonar would be a big help navigating the many unsurveyed areas on the charts.

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Pete Hill’s KD10 biplane junk rig cat

19 March 2018     Editor    0 Comments.

GALLERY | Click images to enlarge

Pete Hill’s 33’ cat ORYX is now for sale . The 33’ plywood/epoxy design is a modified Bernd Kohler KD10 that features a modern aero-junk rig, according to the seller.

She is a seaworthy boat having sailed 40,000 miles from England to New Zealand via the South Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Tasmania. I’ve built and lived aboard several over the last 40 years, and sailed 1000’s of sea miles. Oryx is the culmination of that experience.

The boat includes plenty of serious cruising gear and appears to be in excellent condition. It’s not every day that a proven biplane aero-junk rigged catamaran comes on the market. Let me repeat: a biplane aero-junk rigged catamaran. See it on Sailboat Listings in New Zealand for $59,000 (approx. $42,607 US).

Props to Pete for posting his pot-o-gold on St. Patrick’s Day.

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Junk Rig Conversion Structural Considerations

A junk rig conversion is possible for almost any boat

However, as it works best with an unstayed mast there are hull structural considerations to take into account.

Before you begin designing the sail plan you need to check the existing structure of your boat to determine where the mast or masts can be sited.

If you are converting from a bermudan rig the new mast will want to be set further forward, so it will require a suitable supporting structure.

Why convert?

• Mast position
• Structural considerations
• Deck layout

Once you know where it is possible to place the mast, then work on a sail plan to suit.

If you have read this far I guess that you have already conceived some ideas of why you think a junk rig conversion is right for you.

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So I will only enumerate some of the advantages.

Junk rig is the easiest rig to handle particularly if you are short handed.

Reefing easy and quick with all the control lines running back to the cockpit.

The sail is self tacking and self stowing when dropped.

The structural loads on the hull are less than for a stayed bermudan rig.

However, the junk rig is a cruising rig, if you are into racing forget it, unless you can compete against other junk rigs.

Boats with a deep forefoot and or long keel can be slow in stays, however this can be over come with a better rudder or using a foresail for backing.

You might be able to allay some of the cost of conversion by selling the old rig and sails, especially if it is one of the popular rigs.

And you can use the old sail material if it is in reasonable condition.

Mast Position

Because of the nature of the rig a junk sail works best on an unstayed mast.

And with most junk rig conversions the mast will need to be positioned forward of the bermudan mast position.

So, before you start to design the sail you need to check your boat for a suitable position mast, then design the sail plan to suit.

Positioning a junk sail is about getting the sail’s CE (Centre of Effort) positioned in front of the hull’s CLR (Centre of Lateral Resistance).

Too far aft and it will develop too much weather helm too far forward, lee helm.

The CLR will be fixed by the shape of the hull.

The CE will depend on the size and shape of the sail plan.

The sail plan can vary enormously, depending on the aspect ration, number of sails etc, and of course it will depend on the mast position.

Having said all that, it is rare for a junk rig to suffer from much lee helm, weather helm is much more common, so the further forward the CE the better.

However, this is not an exact science, the CE of a sail will alter as the wind strength alters and as you trim or reef the sail.

The CLR of the hull will alter somewhat as the boat heels and the underwater shape alters.

It is because of the desirability of having an unstayed mast that the junk rig conversion of catamarans can be problematic, though some have gotten around this by having a twin rig with a mast in each hull.

And shrouds can be used though this will greatly reduce the versatility of the rig.

Tabernacles have been used on some smaller boat junk rig conversions but they still need as much bury between the pivot and heel as for fixed masts, this calls for an intrusive ‘slot’ extending below decks.

The CE can be moved forward by raking the mast forward.

Forward rake is seen on many Chinese multi-masted vessels but with a single masted junk rig conversion there is a danger that this may cause too much downwards press on bow.

For a single masted rig the recommended rake is 'plum'.

The first consideration for a junk rig conversion is having sufficient ‘bury’ to support the mast.

An unstayed mast is only attached to the boat at the mast step and at the partners, the distance between these is known as the ‘bury’.

As a rough guide this should not be less than 1/10th of mast height above the deck or the length of boat.

The next consideration is how the loads on the mast will be transferred and spread to and from these two positions.

Even though loads on a junk mast are less than with a bermudan rig they can still be considerable.

So, the mast partners and the mast step need to be strong, affixed to main beams, bulkheads or floors and able to spread the loads without causing undue strain on the hull shape.

First check that there are suitable floor timbers across which to fit a ‘keel step’.

This should span and be fixed to at least two floors, preferably more.

The mast step should be strong enough to take loading in any direction, particularly sideways, towards aft and vertically down.

Then have a look at the deck beams to see if there is a suitable position to place the ‘mast partners’ directly above the ‘keel step’ position.

The partners support the mast at deck level and spread loads across the deck.

They should be supported between two main deck beams and two carlines and reinforced with tie bars and logging knees.

Once you have established where you can put the mast then you can design the sail plan to suit your junk rig conversion.

Deck Layout

Before you begin any alterations consider the deck layout.

Moving the mast forward might necessitate moving the fore hatch, so you need to plan where this will go, whether it will snag any lines etc.

This brings us on to those control lines, where they will be routed etc.

The lines coming vertically down the mast need to change direction through ninety degrees so they can be lead to the cockpit, this requires a block for each and somewhere secure to anchor the block.

Plan the position of blocks sheet and halyard leads to reduce the number of ‘corners’, the fewer changes in direction the less will be the friction.

Consider also the helm position and where to place cleats, winches etc.

And the position of the sheet horse or traveller is another factor which might affect the design of the sail plan.

It is also worth bearing in mind even at this stage that there will be times when there will be a lot of rope in the cockpit.

Being able to stow it all neatly safely and quickly needs some thought not just about the means of stowage but the position of the lines.

Take your time planning your junk rig conversion and try to consider all aspects in relation to the whole.

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I am perfectly aware that the majority of Wooden Boat aficionados are sensible folk. However, I need to point out that I am an amateur wooden boat enthusiast simply writing in order to try to help other amateur wooden boat enthusiasts. And while I take every care to ensure that the information in DIY Wood Boat.com is correct, anyone acting on the information on this website does so at their own risk.

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… where the ideas are!

The Split Junk Rig

Back in 2002, AYRS Member Slieve MacGalliard was looking for a way to improve the one weak point of the modern western Junk rig – the windward performance. His conclusion was that camber is needed right to the luff of the sail, a feature that is difficult to achieve with the standard rig, which is normally pulled aft. One possible idea was to build a cambered rig with a lot of sail balance forward of the mast and split the sail in way of the mast so that the camber would be the same on both tacks and not distorted by the mast.

The initial idea was to try the rig on a Mirror dinghy, but when a rather neglected 31ft Westerly Longbow with tired rig (now named Poppy ) became available the project grew bigger. Needlespar made the basic mast and step, and Sunbird Marine provided the partners and completed the installation. Slieve made all the rest of the rig. The split sail was home made in 3 sections of 6oz Terylene, and is 515 sq.ft (47.5 sq.m), the same area as the Bermudan rig mainsail and 135% genoa. The following notes represent his thoughts on the results.

Starting with Close-hauled in smooth seas, Poppy should sail at about the same speed as her Bermudan sister, or not more than 2% slower, but in practice she has not yet met smooth water when beating. In her local sailing area in the Solent, passage making is always done with the tide, so that beating is always done in a wind over tide situation giving Close-hauled in Choppy seas . Under these conditions the unstayed mast has an effect that tends to reduce the pitching moment of the boat. Where a Bermudan boat with fore and back stays will dig its bows into the chop helped by the inertia of the mast, the unstayed mast will flex and let the bow rise and ease its way over the chop giving a smoother ride with less spray. In these conditions Poppy would appear to be 1 or 2% faster than her sister boat.

When Tacking from Close-hauled to close-hauled the split junk rig is very good. On a Bermudan boat the long leech of the headsail will flap as the boat heads above close-hauled and will slow the boat until the sails are filled on the other tack. With the split junk the short leeches of the ‘jibs’ do not have the same drag and do not significantly slow the boat as it heads up so that it is possible to take your time during the manoeuvre. As the rig is self-tacking there is no risk of being taken aback and forced onto either tack, and when the boat reaches the new close-hauled heading for the sheet setting the rig immediately develops full drive. There is no need to bear away to accelerate before luffing back up onto the new course.

The project is a success, but space precludes a full report on this page. Fuller details will be found in AYRS’ Journal, Catalyst , Issue No 37, which may be downloaded or obtained from the Society.

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Best ways of finding yacht salvage boats for sale, ideal theft recovery boats for sale.

Salvage boats for sale are a welcome choice for anyone who does not mind paying repairs to get the boat back to its normal condition. There are times when things do not go as planned and boats are damaged, but it is still possible to salvage them. Yacht Salvage is often sold at very low prices because at most times, the owners are simply trying to get rid of them.

Insurance companies and owners usually give hurricane damaged boats for sale and theft recovery boats for sale at Salvage boat auction in the coastal areas after major storms or other natural disasters take place. A good example of such an occurrence is hurricane Dorian that hit the Bahamas. This is an event that had a great impact on the properties that had been set up in the area and this included boats and houses. The sales skyrocket after the hurricane as the residents counted their losses.

Ideal wrecked boats for sale

Most people who choose to buy salvage boats for sale usually take them to people with skills to do the repairs. In some cases, the people who make the purchases already have the resources and the skills that are needed to make the boat as good as new if not better.

There are abundantly used theft recovery boats for sale across the nation that may be willing to pay bottom-dollar for an old boat if they think it might hold potential for a refit and then resale. If you can pull your boat to them on its own trailer you stand a fair chance of getting a buck or two for that old rig – after all, if you can bring it to them, that means the trailer’s roadworthy and that alone has some value.

Deciding on the best yacht salvage boats for sale

The first thing to do after you find hurricane salvage boats for sale is to find out the kind of condition that the boat was in before the disaster hit. When you have an idea about the kind of condition, the boat was in before the loss occurred. It is very important. You need to think of it as a boat that does not have any damage. This helps you determine whether it was maintained well and whether there were any other damages that existed.

You need to ask all the necessary questions before buying salvage yachts for sale, theft recovery boats for sale, or any other old boat. You need to pick a boat that can be fixed without necessarily working on the entire boat. This makes it possible to know the pre-loss value of the boat and therefore you may place realistic offers or bid.

Considering damage

After successfully determining the pre-loss condition of the Yacht Salvage, you now have to consider the extent of the damage caused by the event that took place. This helps you evaluate the damages and establish what will be needed for the repairs. When you are considering the damage, you should overestimate it.

Types of damage that you can find on salvage boats for sale

You need to understand the damages that could possibly occur to a boat during the disaster. There are different types and they include:

In the case of Submersion, hurricane damaged  boats for sale have the most damage. Submersion damages the entire boat. Electronics equipment may be likely to tumble down by the water, but there is a possibility of saving the  boat engine  if it is taken care of instantly. This time it may be too late to prevent any actual damage and there are chances of hidden damage.

Dock rash happens when the boat rubs against other flutters, pilings, and the docks. Fixing can be done in some cases, but you may have to do some work to access some areas.  You will need some skills repairing this kind of wrecked boats for sale .

Wind damage

Repairable boats could also be wind damaged and this can be noted on the sails and canvas that could be shredded. Structural damage can also be caused by wind. The mast could also fall and cause damage to the deck and the top of the cabin. When there is wind rain, then more damage could occur inside the boat.

Salvage damage

Another thing you could notice when you buy salvage boats for sale. This happens as the container is being recovered. This is because the process could involve considerable stress and strains of drawing the boat from the water and into a vehicle for transport

This is also common and causes damage to the gear and fittings underwater. You may have to check the propeller shafts, rudders, keels, and props. You need to carefully inspect the insides of the boat and ensure you look at the steering system as well.

It is possible for hurricane salvage boats for sale to have one or more of the above damages. This is why a buyer needs to get as much information as possible about the boat that they are buying. You can look for an expert opinion before boat purchase .

Damage on salvage boats/wrecked boats for sale

Buying a boat with known damage is usually forthright, but the buyer needs to be prepared for unknown damage which may reveal itself during the course of repair. I suggest finding a reputable boatyard to affect the repairs. Documentation that the repair was done professionally should settle any prospective buyer’s concerns down the road when it is time to resell. I also suggest having a contingency budget for those unknowns as part of your overall approach. Buying a storm-damaged boat will take some risk, effort, and investment, but can result in keeping a good boat.

Best salvage yachts for sale at a salvage boat auction

Harbor Shoppers is one of the places you can start your search for the Repo salvage boats for sale. We can offer you expert advice regarding the best boats for sale from Yacht Salvage auctions online.

You can also search location-specific keywords on our website such as salvage boats Florida, hurricane damaged boats for sale BVI, junk boats for sale Bahamas , repairable boats for sale Dorian , salvage boats Texas, salvage boats Michigan, storm damaged boats for sale USA, etc.

We can also give an overview of some of the repairs that are necessary to get the boat up and running at a fair price. Also, you can get more information about Catamaran for sale , sailboats for sale , boat auctions ,  trawler boats for sale , small power boats for sale , used fishing boats for sale , used outboard motors for sale , repo boats for sale , cheap yachts for sale , cabin cruiser boats for sale , sailing boats for sale , high performance boats for sale , small boats for sale , cheap boats for sale , used boats for sale , powerboats for sale , monohulls for sale , ferry boats for sale , pleasure boats for sale , used deep v boats for sale , inflatable boats for sale , etc.

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