Ok … balance lug vs sprit boom triangular sail on small sailing dinghies – what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these two rigs that naturally control sail twist
We finally had two OzRacers with either rig option on the same stretch of water. The event was the Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival.
Both a triangular sail with sprit boom and a balance lug version are available
The Sprit sail design and making method is in the plan for the OzRacer (a whole $20 for 90 pages – really a course on modern boatbuilding) and the lug rig is a free option for purchasers of the plan.
A happy Mike on the beach … look at that sail shape. Is there enough sail Mike?
You can see a story on his boat … the “sexy black PDRacer” below on this blog.
Our first comparison between Lug and Sprit boom rigs
This was the first time the boat had been in the water.
Waiting for the start gun … I sooo missed the start. Was really late trying to get clear wind and too far away from the line.
Mike got a very nice start and may have been in the first one or two boats to the windward mark before he had to come back and pack up. You can see the pink boat (me) trying to catch up.
And for those who wonder about the mast pressing against the sail … the windward leg had the sail on the “disadvantageous side”.
In other words, no material difference. (with 73 Oz Geese racing in the Philippines, some rigged with sail to port and some to starboard – there is no noticeable speed difference in racing. But there is a difference in “Feel”
Good foils make all the difference
I took the pink OzRacer through the whole race … confused my friends in the TS16 after I caught them on starboard on the last windward leg.
The Oz had the legs of the balance lug rigged 16footer furthest out when going upwind … the guy was a very good sailor – outfoxed everyone on the first downwind leg by heading high and coming down fast on a increase on windpressure. But the Oz
That was a boat of some historical significance too built as a tender to a major shipbuilding area in … um maybe Melbourne.
Pic is Mike coming in with his rudder in shallow mode. That buoy was attached to a long length of rope that went off to the left and was tied to the wharf.
It made sailing out of this space pretty crap and in the stronger breeze of saturday it made it exciting coming into the area too.
photos of OzRacers
Photos of the Goolwa show
Info on the OZ Racer sailboat Plan ($30) and abundantly detailed)
