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riding sail

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Greg Jackson
1st Mate

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84 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2003 : 20:32:10

I have used my riding sail a few times. I have a standard riding sail which I got from a used sail broker. In light air it has little effect. Less than 10 knots of wind and the boat will tack like nothing is there. It will begin to work well as the wind comes up.

A little tacking is not a very big deal, but tacking when a thunderstorm comes through the mooring and you can lose hold on the bottom. About the only reason I use mine is to stay put in a storm.

I believe that the spinaker style discussed here is not used by cruisers because it will pretty much guarantee that you lose your footing in a storm. There is no doubt that they will work much better in light air, but in that case there is not much need for one.

The plastic tarp idea is interesting, but I doubt you would get any sleep. Sometimes I have tried to keep a burgee or something similar rigged and it always seems to wake me up at 2:00 AM when the wind comes up. A flapping plastic tarp would drive me nuts.

When you work to keep the boat stable, keep in mind all effects. I believe the boat will tack much more if there are several people in the cockpit since it puts the back end of the boat deeper in the water. Put a couple people up in the V berth and it will settle down very well. Letting the rudder swing free also helps reduce tacking.

G. Jackson

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2003 : 21:28:24

Hi Greg,

The plastic tarp is a stictly a test bed to see if a canvas awning of similar design would be worthwhile. Wind loading should be positive to only the outside of its sails and it will be interesting to see just how noisy it will be.

I'm with you about noise and sleep which is why I avoid staying at marinas while cruising. That is one of the complaints against the traditional flat riding sail.

Right on about the primary need of a riding sail to prevent what happened to me last summer when a thunderstorm hit and sailed the boat up on her rode causing enough strain to drag.

I don't think the heavier riding sail that I will try will contribute any thing near the kind of drag in high winds that the hull does at a 45 degree angle to the wind trying to sail higher. The two sails with a common luff form a wedge into the wind and if anything should stretch the sheets and cause the wedge to collaspe towards a single sail shape reducing drag.

It is not a design that traps wind. The test will be interesting.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

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