Smaller makeshift mast for river cruising

[Jammer]

I came across this video where a fellow was doing some river cruising and had his mast in a cradle for bridge clearance. But he rigged a smaller sail on a temporary mast, that gave him enough sail to make it upriver against the current during the day, and to maintain steerageway down the river later in the day in light airs. The rig is light enough that he can tilt or lower it to clear bridges.

https://youtu.be/dopnraKsV94?t=16m39s

The downriver part is at around 36:25.

His motive for doing this is that he enjoys sailing more than motoring. He's getting a few knots at most. The rig appears to be repurposed from a small one- or two-person day sailor.

Does anyone else do this, or is it just a personal experiment of his?

[Boatguy30]

Can't see that catching on.

[sailorcherry]

I think it's brilliant - good for him!
Sure it's not very sofisticated looking but it's lightweight to step, cheap (possibly free) and easy enough to drop when approaching your next bridge without loosing much ground.

Now if he really wants to have fun he should find its matching hull, throw it up on the foredeck and have fun dinghy sailing once at anchor.

[Kelkara]

The traditional gaffers on the Norfolk Broads had a counterweight at the base of the mast so that it could easily be raised/lowered when passing bridges.

Apparently skilled sailors could approach the bridge under sail, lower the mast, be carried through by their momentum, and casually raise the mast the other side of the bridge to carry on sailing ... all without resorting to an engine or poling off the bottom.

This video makes it seem much more complicated than I remember ... but we only ever rented 20ft'ers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJAEhNCCJQ

[RidgeRunner]

Glad to see folks are enjoying Dylan Winter's youtube channel (it's the antithesis of La Vagabonde). I have been a fan for years -his stuff is great!