--- On Mon, 4/20/09, Robert <cateran1949@
On extra sail area, Rather than always having the extra height, if you are going to have the extra track, you could fit a 5-6m spar with about 1m of bury onto the track As it is only needed for light winds,
It doesn't have to be made too heavy. You could then fit a large lightweight main if you had a boom extension. 30% higher and 30 percent wider gives a 60% increase.
*****
Isn't this the same idea that topsails were used for? Kind of modern topsail? Or if you have one big mainsail for this extension it is gunter rig. Gunter is good for small boats with limitations in spar length. There are problems with gunters in bigger sizes.
Topsail is logical for light air: more wind up high, no worries on too much heeling moment, light loads when light air. Handling with small crew is probably an issue with topsail unless someone finds new ways to handle it.
But topsail is not the answer for light air extras. Screecher with furler on lee bow and sheeted to main boom sounds like the one I would try first.
Arto
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