Subject: [Homestead] Boat topics, some of my favorites
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 12:47:32 -0500
Stuff I didn't include in prior posts on boats---foldable trimarans, the
history of Lord Riverdale, Blue Bird of Thorne (Robb
design)---beautiful, fast, safe twin-keelers from the 1930's that are
still sailing) Added stuff on junk-rigs--best for simple singlehanding
without complicated rotating masts, hydraulics or unreliable electric
winch gear)
The Chinese Sailing Rig: Designing and Building Your Own
by Derek Van Loan, Don Haggerty
Where to find it:
Not in the public domain.
Buy it used at Amazon.com: The Chinese Sailing Rig
Review:
I originally bought this because Practical Junk Rig (PJR) by Hasler was
out of print, and its price was out of sight. Now this is out of print,
too, and in short supply. Still, it's a valuable book, worth getting in
its own right. This book tells how to rerig your boat with a differently
shaped sail than PJR describes, and the different design goals and shape
seem to lead to different results. The emphasis in this book is very
practical and hands-on, and the shorter, wider sail it advocates may
give better windward performance than PJR's tall, narrow, flat sail. If
you're seriously interested in the Chinese rig, I recommend this book,
as well as PJR.
http://www.boatbuilding.com/content/twinkeels/ (Lord Riverdale's Blue
Bird of Thorne---first scientifically-designed twin-keel yacht---way to
go safely and in comfort in shallow water---if you run aground on a
reef, just wait until high tide and motor, sail or winch off---you won't
grind through the twin keels, whereas a laid-over deep-keel monohull
will puncture quickly on a coral reef.)
More to come.
Practical Junk Rig: Design, Aerodynamics & Handling
by H. G. Hasler
Where to find it:
Not in the public domain.
Buy it used at Amazon.com: Practical Junk Rig
Buy it new from Amazon.co.uk: Practical Junk Rig The U.S. Amazon doesn't
have it yet, but you can get it from the British Amazon. Ordering from
Britain seems to be painless, and this is the only way most of us will
be able to afford it!
Review:
NEW! Adlard Coles Publishers has finally reprinted this! It's not on
sale in the U.S. yet, but you can use the link above to get it from Britain.
This book is the cannonical tome on the practical design and use of
modern junk rigs on modern, western hulls. It was writen by Colonel
Hasler to explain how to rerig modern boats so that they could be
handled entirely from below-decks, with no need to expose the crew to
the weather. He sailed his little folkboat Jester with this rig in many
trans-Atlantic races, and succeded in his goal of making a safe,
easily-handled rig. Somewhat later, the Hills sailed Badger for 20 years
with a Hasler-style rig, and praised it highly. This book gives the
theory and the practical knowlege you need to understand the junk rig
and design your own. Unfortunately, it's out of print, probably
permanently, so you will have to either pay a frightening price for an
original copy, or go the library and copier route. This book belongs on
the shelf of any serious designer, and the shelf of anyone who's serious
about junks
[Homestead] Boat topics, some of my favorites,
tvoivozhd, 01/15/2005