A home builder in Tasmania ask for a sprit rig for my Aber design. This rig is now available. I will also add shortly a lug sloop rig option. Sprit rig has many benefits on a small boat. It is easy to set as the sail may be wrapped around the mast and both are easily handled. It is also more efficient when running, compared to the lug sail as the sprit unfold the sail. The sprit itself does not distort the sail due to the natural twist, even when the sprit is on the lee side. If designed with a high aspect ratio, as I did on Aber, the sprit sail is also excellent to windward. The only drawback of the spritsail is that it is not possible to reef down as much as on other rigs. Two small reefing lines are the very maximum. However, it is possible to sail without sprit in case of a sudden storm, with the top of the sail folded. And last but not least, the sprit sail gives a very looking to you boat!
I use a sprit sail on my own Youkou-Lili. This allows me to learn this rig and to discover some tricks. For example, it is easier to have the sprit low end into the water, on the boat side, to insert the peak of the sail and then push upward. More recently, on Elorn, we have used a clam-cleat made for dinghy trapeze. It allows easy tuning of the snotter tension (the snotter is the line which maintains the sprit against the mast).Labels: Rigs, Sail and oar
