After watching AIR’s videos, and reading some if the old posts on this forum, it seems that perhaps some sort of lug sail rig might improve the Sunfish’s cruising capabilities without sacrificing too much performance. Has anyone actually tried that out? I have seen several proposals,but no actual reports...
A Jens rig, named after Jens Hookanson who used it in winning the 1976 Sunfish North American Championship (at age 16!), lowers the point at which the upper spar is attached to the mast. This leaves more of the upper spar unsupported. In heavier winds, the upper spar can bend more, twisting the leech and “spilling” air. Since the upper part of the sail is depowered, it is easier to hold the boat flat without easing the sail out. Therefore pointing is not sacrificed.
Watching the “Adventures in Reach“ videos, I think what seaotter5 is referring to is how to deal with the drastically changing wind conditions that can be experienced in a multi day, long distance trip, such as the 150 miles around Isle Royale in Lake Superior with a sunfish. He experienced everything from a dead calm to 30 mile an hour winds and 10 foot waves. A Bermuda rig is easily reefed to power down the sail in high winds. The options to power down a sunfish sail that I’m aware of are:You said cruising...and performance...Do those two go together? It was the Racers who came along in the late 1800s with Marconi/Sloop rigs and messed up everything
Lugs are great along with any other square sail for slow cruising with wind anywhere from the beam and behind. And lateens. They have been used for Millineum to circumnavigate.
If you get a chance, please post pictures of the minisail rig on your Sailfish.Thanks for all of the above. You have given me plenty to think about! I appreciate all of the suggestions!
I spent a couple of days kayaking/kayaking 20 miles Chincoteague Sound this week, and while doing so I was able to clarify my thoughts a bit. I am in my 60s, retired, and not really in all that much of a hurry when cruising. Nor do I really want to dunk all of my camping gear in salt water. I really like the Sunfish’s handiness (the sound is a maze of sandbars) and the fact that it moves well with a kayak paddle, but I don’t like having to duck under the boom when the wind kicks up (and I have to take the sail off of geezer mode). A boom less, reefable sail rig (Not necessarily a lug rig) would adddress those concerns.
Joni and I are (weather permitting) are going to spend the weekend camping and sailing, and I will try the Minisail rig on my Sailfish. If that works out well, I will most likely just settle for that, using some of the techniques mentioned above when conditions warrant.
A boomless gunter rig?? What the?? Now you’re just making stuff up.You might experiment with a boomless gunter rig.
You could only do it on the water If you left off the sail clip/tie above the halyard on the gaff, and ran a loooonnnggg upper outhaul to a cleat near the deck. You’d loosen the outhaul and lower the sail, attach it to the tack with an s hook that is already in place, then tighten the daylights out of the gaff and foot outhauls.PS: Could this be done while on the water? I doubt it, but maybe someone will have another opinion?
I use an official Sunfish racing sail which is extra-reinforced in the first grommet up as it is usually used for the Cunningham. I’m not familiar with how the off-brand sails are made.I can't remember offhand which sails (brands) have reinforcement in the corners or not...but I might be concerned with the "new" tack not being reinforced, especially tightened extra and used in higher winds.
The other way to depower a Sunfish rig that racers use after the Jens is not enough is to reef. Untie the upper outhaul. Pull the sail down the gaff until the first grommet above the tack is now at the the tack, and tie that grommet to the tack (or use an s hook.). Then pull the upper outhaul very tight (You’ll need a longer upper outhaul line.). Then pull the lower outhaul tight and you are good to go! The sail stays nearly bunched along the boom and no reefing points are needed in the sail.