Junk-Rigged Cruiser Thread and AMA

[Paul Howard]

We circumnavigated the world on a junk rigged, steel hull boat, single masted and 30ft. Later, when in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on our sloop rigged catamaran met Pete Hill on China Moon and also Shirley Carter. Further on, met them again on the Beagle Channel, shared meals and anchorages with them. We were on our return to Toronto and were surprised to meet both of them again in Bermuda, Pete sailed in on China Moon and a couple days later Shirley Carter arrived. We went for a picnic sail around the Bermuda lagoon on China Moon.
Last I heard from Pete Hill he had sold China Moon and was on his way delivering it to Australia. He also sailed a Kingfisher 20+ with a junk rig in a trans-atlantic, and we had owned one of those with junk rig back in the 1970's, brought it back to Canada and eventually sold it to someone in Nova Scotia.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

I met Shirley in Bermuda while on my annual cruise there.

Cute ship <3
Looks a little under powered though, especially considering that junks need 10% more sail area than a bermudian rig, but hey, if you got the time...

[fatherchronica]

We met a couple in the Sea of Cortez with a 40 ish foot Colvin engineless ketch. They went several places we went always arriving much later than us. But they were calmer people than I am. One day we were eating lunch at a beachside restaurant at the far East end of La Paz and watched them sail up the long narrow channel. I was really impressed seeing anyone do it in any full keel boat.

[Paul Howard]

Originally Posted by Captn_Black

Cute ship <3
Looks a little under powered though, especially considering that junks need 10% more sail area than a bermudian rig, but hey, if you got the time...

If you look closely at the photo you will see there are some panels lying in the lazyjacks, so the sail is reefed.

[fatherchronica]

Oh yeah. One day we passed in someone else’s power boat what I believe was either Jester or an exact copy at a dock North of Ambergris Cay. I told the owner I would like to swing in and take a couple pictures on our return but my wife grabbed a conch shell at our terminus and sliced open her hand and we had to race back to get stitches. Her thumb was numb for over 20 years. I was sad about her thumb and not seeing Jester. I am ok now thankfully.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by Paul Howard

If you look closely at the photo you will see there are some panels lying in the lazyjacks, so the sail is reefed.

Yup, I am rather intimate by now with the design of junk rigs, I was judging the sail area from the height of the mast and width of the sail.

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by Captn_Black

Cute ship <3
Looks a little under powered though, especially considering that junks need 10% more sail area than a bermudian rig, but hey, if you got the time...

Perhaps this angle is more representative of her true sail area. She still has at least one panel reefed.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

Perhaps this angle is more representative of her true sail area. She still has at least one panel reefed.

Yea, it does look bigger from that angle. It looked like the boom would barely reach the cockpit from the other photo.

Wasn't trying to take anything away from the ship, I had assumed perhaps she had a shorter LWL than it appeared or other considerations that called for a smaller sail.
And yes, normally the yard would sit about 10-15% below the masthead with a full sail raised, so I didn't need to see the full sail to estimate the size.

[Arion1234]

Pete Hill built another junk rigged catamaran after China Moon called Oryx,in England, an 8m Kohler design stretched to 10m. He sailed it down to Brazil, across to South Africa, Mauritius, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia and back to NZ. He is currently in England again, refitting a Forrestier schooner. Shirley Carter is in New Zealand on Speedwell of Hong Kong. Her rig is a low-aspect Reddish-style sail, hence the short mast. I have written comprehensive, illustrated articles about both these sailors and others in my series, The Junk Rig Hall of Fame, which anyone can access on the home page of the Junk Rig Association, if you paste in this link:
https://www.junkrigassociation.org/hall_of_fame



I have not worked out how to make the link live, unfortunately, or to post photos.



Junk rigged yachts have always been a minority and most likely always will be. Despite being a low-tech, low stress, low budget, easy to manage rig, it does not suit everybody. The rig is brilliant off the wind but slower when hard on the wind, even though the development of cambered sails has improved that aspect. I became interested in junk rig in 1968 when I read about Jester in the OSTAR , but was always talked out of fitting one when I raised the idea. Until 2011, when I converted my Tom Thumb 24, Arion. Now I'd be reluctant to go back to bermudian rig, and have recently converted another boat, the Top Hat 25, Blue Moon. Though I might add that all rigs are compromises, just like life.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by fatherchronica

We met a couple in the Sea of Cortez with a 40 ish foot Colvin engineless ketch. They went several places we went always arriving much later than us. But they were calmer people than I am. One day we were eating lunch at a beachside restaurant at the far East end of La Paz and watched them sail up the long narrow channel. I was really impressed seeing anyone do it in any full keel boat.

Haha, yea, 4 years cruising without an engine here, although working now, with some minor issues remaining. Although my greatest engineless feat was in my first ship, sailing under a bridge from the sea into the ICW with barely 6 feet to spare on either side. Though I'm not sure that I would risk that with our current ship, my gf is co owner, and slavic women are not to be messed with

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by Arion1234

Junk rigged yachts have always been a minority and most likely always will be. Despite being a low-tech, low stress, low budget, easy to manage rig, it does not suit everybody. The rig is brilliant off the wind but slower when hard on the wind, even though the development of cambered sails has improved that aspect. I became interested in junk rig in 1968 when I read about Jester in the OSTAR , but was always talked out of fitting one when I raised the idea. Until 2011, when I converted my Tom Thumb 24, Arion. Now I'd be reluctant to go back to bermudian rig, and have recently converted another boat, the Top Hat 25, Blue Moon. Though I might add that all rigs are compromises, just like life.

Yea, I don't think I would want a Bermudian rig again. Tbh, if you did the work yourself, selling the rigging from a bermudian rig should easily fund the conversion I reckon.

[Gaia]

I am always surprised to read that junk rigged boats are slow. That is certainly not the case with our Gazelle. Off the wind we are almost always faster than similarly sized conventionally rigged vessels. It is only when spinnakers are popped up that we become at a disadvantage and I am of the school avoiding them on a short handed cruising boat offshore.

We have no problem in decent winds sailing GAIA at hull speed and have learned over the years that reefing is a more comfortable and safer option. In strong winds sailing GAIA deeply reefed, down to say 3 panels on the foresail only and doing 7 knots is a delight. No stress, no fuss as she is not at hull speed. Simply marvelous.

Jim SV GAIA

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by Paul Howard

We circumnavigated the world on a junk rigged, steel hull boat, single masted and 30ft. Later, when in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on our sloop rigged catamaran met Pete Hill on China Moon and also Shirley Carter. Further on, met them again on the Beagle Channel, shared meals and anchorages with them. We were on our return to Toronto and were surprised to meet both of them again in Bermuda, Pete sailed in on China Moon and a couple days later Shirley Carter arrived. We went for a picnic sail around the Bermuda lagoon on China Moon.
Last I heard from Pete Hill he had sold China Moon and was on his way delivering it to Australia. He also sailed a Kingfisher 20+ with a junk rig in a trans-atlantic, and we had owned one of those with junk rig back in the 1970's, brought it back to Canada and eventually sold it to someone in Nova Scotia.

Ahh, nice to see you comment Paul of Lorca and the book 'All in the Same Boat' if I remember correctly. Do you remember giving one of your talks on your circumnavigation in Deep River Ontario?

Jim SV GAIA

[Mike Banks]

Thomas Colvin's famous Gazelles are usually, but not always junk rigged. He has several designs using this rig.

My next vessel will be a Junk-derived catamaran sail system. The junk rig has the potential to be a much more efficient sail system than many current junk rigs.

[Arion1234]

Originally Posted by Gaia

I am always surprised to read that junk rigged boats are slow. That is certainly not the case with our Gazelle. Off the wind we are almost always faster than similarly sized conventionally rigged vessels. It is only when spinnakers are popped up that we become at a disadvantage and I am of the school avoiding them on a short handed cruising boat offshore.

We have no problem in decent winds sailing GAIA at hull speed and have learned over the years that reefing is a more comfortable and safer option. In strong winds sailing GAIA deeply reefed, down to say 3 panels on the foresail only and doing 7 knots is a delight. No stress, no fuss as she is not at hull speed. Simply marvelous.

Jim SV GAIA

There are two situations when junk rig is slower, in my opinion. One is when hard on the wind in the open sea. Mostly I choose not to do that. Once the rig is cracked off to a close reach, the speed is about the same, and with the wind aft of the beam junk rig is more powerful than fore and aft bermudian sails would be. Something like flying a flat-cut spinnaker, but effortless in comparison.
The other time junk rig is at a disadvantage is in very light winds, when bermudian rigs can set light weather sails, from drifters to reachers. This is especially true in a swell. But as I said before, all rigs are compromises, and I am perfectly happy to trade off the above limitations for the low stress on the rig, and the ease of handling. Furling the sail, reefing, running downwind, gybing, etc are all done from the security of the cockpit.