Sailboats with Free Standing Masts

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Allen Farrell's "China Cloud"

My opinion:

Cool and Salty Looking Boat.

Salty Looking Sailor.

Cool and Salty looking portrait of a salty sailor.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Greatketch33

Herreshoff cat ketch at:

Greatketch.blogspot.com

References and links to designer of free standing masts.

Enjoy,
Deric

Hi Deric,

Thanks for bringing the Herreshoff cat ketch to the discussion.

I looked at one online not long ago.

Do you have a photo you an post in the thread? IF so, please do.

And, tell us about your own boat too.

[Sand crab]

I've seen pics of the MF in a race for megayachts. When it's heeling good it looks like it will tip over. Just looks weird.

But here's a Chris White Juniper 55 tri. I'l bet it's fast.
55' Chris White 1989 Juniper 2 Trimaran Boat For Sale

[markpierce]

Difficult to tell if this is a schooner or a ketch, but I'm leaning toward ketch:

[HankOnthewater]

Thank you for starting this thread. I am one of those interested in free standing masts.
The main reason that I can see is for ease of sail handling, 2ndly reduced maintenance (of rigging, furlers), lastly less weight aloft.
I must add I never sailed one except a Laser and a large 45 or 48 footer with a single mast made by Swarbrick (West Austrialia), and that sailed like a ....., lets say I could not get it to sail properly.

I think someone else on this forum made a reference recently to Eric Sponberg, and this is his website Sponberg Yacht Design Inc. .
He is a great proponent of free standing masts. Lots of info there!

Whilst Bruce Kirby made his name with the Lasers his small (cruising?) NIS sailing boats (14-32 ft) deserve a mention here as all but one (the 31 ft one) have free standing masts:
...oops the NIS (Norwalk Island Sharpie) website is down... this is an alternative Norwalk Island Sharpie 18 Ketch and Yawl - Michael Storer Boat Design

And on the other end of the scale there is another alternative design by the Dutch naval architect Dijkstra on a 70 ton cruising yacht: Dykstra Naval Architects just click on 'cruising yachts' and scroll to the 'aerorig'.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Mark Pierce,

I think that is a Freedom 40 center cockpit, schooner rig. That's my guess because it looks similar to one I saw not long ago. If I can find a pic I will post do we can compare. Thanks for adding it to the thread.

-------

Sand Crab,

That does look fast. Thanks for showing us a trimaran example.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by HankOnthewater

Thank you for starting this thread. I am one of those interested in free standing masts.
The main reason that I can see is for ease of sail handling, 2ndly reduced maintenance (of rigging, furlers), lastly less weight aloft.
I must add I never sailed one except a Laser and a large 45 or 48 footer with a single mast made by Swarbrick (West Austrialia), and that sailed like a ....., lets say I could not get it to sail properly.

I think someone else on this forum made a reference recently to Eric Sponberg, and this is his website Sponberg Yacht Design Inc. .
He is a great proponent of free standing masts. Lots of info there!

Whilst Bruce Kirby made his name with the Lasers his small (cruising?) NIS sailing boats (14-32 ft) deserve a mention here as all but one (the 31 ft one) have free standing masts:
...oops the NIS (Norwalk Island Sharpie) website is down... this is an alternative Norwalk Island Sharpie 18 Ketch and Yawl - Michael Storer Boat Design

And on the other end of the scale there is another alternative design by the Dutch naval architect Dijkstra on a 70 ton cruising yacht: Dykstra Naval Architects just click on 'cruising yachts' and scroll to the 'aerorig'.

Hi Hank.
Thanks for joining the thread and for bringing in some more good info.

I am familiar with Eric Sponberg, and in another thread posted some links to his page about rigs. I will add that here tomorrow, when I get back tyo my Mac.

[micah719]

Great thread! Michael Kasten should surely be mentioned, here's an article of his on the junk rig:

What About The Junk Rig?

You haven't mentioned steel masts. When you do the math, it beats all the rest; considering longevity, cost, and peace of mind. The following is a rather complicated engineered mast, others simply buy tapered light poles:

SAILBOAT MAST BUILDING

Here is a steel Tahiti Ketch that is being jr'd with steel:

Sailing A Round The World Without A Sound - About La Chica - Paul's sailing boat

Experiences tuning a cambered jr:

Junk Rig

The yellow boat on the first page is called Speedwell of Hongkong, here's the lady's blog:

Speedwell of Hong Kong

The Junk Rig Association has tons of info, it's the go-to site:

The Junk Rig Association - HOME

Boatdesign thread about jr's on modern hulls, very informative:

Junk rig on modern hulls - Boat Design Forums

[Steadman Uhlich]

Howdy Michah!

Thanks for adding all those good links and comments to the discussion.

That's good stuff to see and consider.

Somewhere I came across a blog (lost link now) where the owner of a boat purchased a aluminum light pole (as I recall in Brazil) and rigged it for a mast on his boat.

And, I seem to recall there was a BIG (65 foot or so) "Brent Boat" being built of steel (perhaps I saw this on a Youtube video of some reality TV program), that also had huge masts that came from similar source (light poles,aluminum).

[Delancey]

I first read about artist and boat builder Allen Farrell and his with Sherrie in a Wooden Boat Magazine article years ago. Interesting guy.

I think the junk rig has a lot going for it and is unfortunately more often than not over looked due to a cultural bias. Like a balanced spade rudder, putting a portion of the sail area forward of the mast means less effort involved in trimming. Full battens, easy reefing, what's not to like? Very advanced in it's simplicity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O52F8yYPSw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw6mdrcDL1o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFb3AfxxgO0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIBDOUSd-Ag

[Delancey]

Not a huge commercial success I think due to it's complexity, the Aero Rig I alluded to earlier.

I think the Saildrone does it better but the Aerorig is still worth a mention. Like the junk it puts a portion of the sail area forward of the rotational axis. Why not?

[Delancey]

Then of course there is the Hoyt Offset Rig by Gary Hoyt, no slouch at innovation.

[micah719]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Howdy Michah!

Thanks for adding all those good links and comments to the discussion.

That's good stuff to see and consider.

Somewhere I came across a blog (lost link now) where the owner of a boat purchased a aluminum light pole (as I recall in Brazil) and rigged it for a mast on his boat.

And, I seem to recall there was a BIG (65 foot or so) "Brent Boat" being built of steel (perhaps I saw this on a Youtube video of some reality TV program), that also had huge masts that came from similar source (light poles,aluminum).

You're most welcome; it's also your own fault for picking a topic so near and dear to my heart.

Roger Taylor recently bought a new boat to replace his jr Corribee. He wanted a little more wl length so he could get another 1000 nm on his summer arctic cruises. He settled on an Achilles triple keel, 24 feet LOA and 44% b/d; he raced it in his club as part of his seatrials and did very well. He bought an alloy lightpole for the mast, youtube has videos of the refit, very interesting indeed. Of particular interest is the way he set up his cambered panels: he sewed them as individual panels and attached them to the battens with loops. He hasn't updated his site for a while:

Introduction to the junk-rigged Corribee Mingming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiepAeoWKlM

Another interesting guy is Kris Larson, an inspiration to the wannabes like me, and the poor people, also like me:

Atom Voyages - A Law Unto Himself - Kris Larson Sailing his Steel Junk

I'm still searching the micah-archives to find all the stuff I collected on steel masts. At first I was put off by the thought of the weight, but doing the numbers and considering all the benefits, there isn't anything else I'd consider now. 3.2mm wall thickness, 10 inch dia. at the partners, fully weld sealed with external halyards (except for a tube welded inside for electrics), as close to bombproof as a mast could be. Same weight as alloy for the strength, much tougher, and I was considering a layer of dynel cloth in epoxy as abrasion protection. I might need to watch out in case the riggers', sailmakers' & chandlers' unions take a contract out on me for loss of business....

[Scaramanga F25]

Having had 5 fully wire or rod rigged from Heavy Cruiser to an Ultalite racer and finally a Freedom freestanding rig. I would never go back.

My choice if I went cruising full time again would be a freestanding masted cat-
ketch or schooner.
There is a fabulous one for sale in Fla. A noted Lavranos design, in S.A. steel, and has freestanding masts. It is available at Yachtworld. For only 39K$ it would be my choice and I would not feel the need to carry insurance.

Why? I no longer would stand for the constant worry of a small fitting, one of hundreds to fail as on my heavy cutter, as failure happens to the very best.

Go ahead and count all the bits on your boats.

[CaptPFD]

Eclipse, a Freedom 32 freestanding rig has served me well for over 30 years and has seen her share of blows... never a doubt about her overbuilt mast.. and usually one of the last to reef...