Posted by Andy G on August 23, 2005 at 11:29:21 from 130.159.248.44 user AndyG.
In Reply to: Re: Swallow anew? - but which one? posted by Posting by someone else on behalf of Jock on August 22, 2005 at 14:35:58:
Ahhhhh!
...the drawing of the Lune whammel boat depicts a jib and appears to have a balanced sail plan. I like that. A lot. But the transom rake is wrong for Swallow, and we know Swallow only has one sail.
Interestingly, Roger Fothergill - the owner of S2 immediately after AR - decided that, as bought, the main sail alone produced too much weather helm for comfort, and so he added a jib to balance the rig, and apparently much improved her performance. Now, the photo of the "Whammel boat ~1900" here, shows a rig which seems far too "aft" for my modern eyes, though it does sort of say Swallow...but there's a short bowsprit present, which must be for a jib to once again reduce weather helm and balance the boat.
I'm left wondering whether AR would have owned and sailed an unbalanced boat ("Slug" to one side)...or did Mr Fothergill misremember the details, writing as he was from many decades later? If S2 was unbalanced (and too much weather helm can make sailing an absolute pig of a job) was it because speed and efficiency weren't at the top of AR's list, or was it because he was sailing single-handed and not keen to include the extra effort of handling a jib? Or could it have been because the image of Swallow (with space in front of the main mast, one sail only, room for children) was more important than the practicality required by RF?
Whatever's the case, the sailor in me would like to try a jib-less boat of this type, to see how bad it might have felt.
Curious,
Andy G