12/4/2023 0 Comments Cruising code zero![]() Unlike a symmetrical spinnaker that requires a pole to take the load from the tack and the guy, an asymmetric (A-sail) can simply be flown by attaching the halyard and sheets, with its tack taken to a fixed point forward on the yacht. This is where bigger off-wind sails became popular and, necessary.Ī removable bowsprit creates space for more sail area, and keeps it clear of the This is wonderful when tacking upwind, but in light winds, and when sailing off-wind, you start paying the penalty for reduced sail area.Ī narrow headsail loses more power at the head of the sail as the leech falls away and it is increasingly blanketed by the larger mainsail the further off the wind you sail. Not only did this increase upwind performance with more efficient sail shapes, it also made sail handling easier:Ī shorter foot can be tacked faster as half of the sail doesn’t have to be dragged around the front of the mast before being sheeted in – 90% headsails have the advantage that they can also be self-tacking. With the high aspect ratio rigs and the increased ‘I’ measurement (foretriangle height), and a reduction in the J (foretriangle base) jibs went from being 150-130% of the foretriangle down to 110% or less. Leading the sheet through the shrouds improves the sheeting angle, but spreaders still prevent an overlapping genoa from being used. Modern high aspect ratio rigs sail better upwind, but lack power off the windĬlearly this conflicts with an overlapping genoa which has to go outboard of the shrouds. ![]() Outboard chainplates reduce the loads on the mast and rigging, but to get good windward performance the sheeting angle has to be as small as possible. To right this wrong, bow rollers started protruding forward. In no time there were battle-scarred bows all around the world. ![]() Plumb bows and anchors are not good bedfellows, as anchors seem to be as attracted to them as curious hands are to ‘wet paint’ signs. On deck, things weren’t as rosy for the cruising yachtsman. This change has improved performance as the static waterline length and forward buoyancy in the hull have increased. Over the last 15 years bows have become less raked and more vertical. Mast sections and materials became lighter and stronger, enabling rigs to go higher.īy moving the mast forward in the boat, it enabled designers to open up the saloon, and by moving the chainplates outboard and attaching them directly to the hull, eliminated the need for tie rods that eat into accommodation, increasing the feeling of space below while also reducing manufacturing costs. The increase of popularity in cruising, and the lack of rules constraining it, gave designers a free hand. Gone are the stumpy masthead rigs and vast overlapping genoas encouraged by the IOR without penalty, which have been replaced by tall, efficient high aspect ratio rigs. The IOR rules of the 70s did much to determine hull shape, but the demand for more space and accommodation has changed yachts forever. Their popularity has mostly been brought about by modern yacht design and the quest for better accommodation. Older masthead rigs tend to have large overlapping genoas, which are less efficient upwind
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