Thoughts on riding sails and rigging

[Hippocampus]

The trick is to get more wind resistance as far aft as possible. Have noted just putting the dinghy up on its davits improves things as did installing two D400 wind generators on 4” ss poles. Would think even leaving the aft sun enclosure up with the sides down might help a bit. Basic problem is the bow falls off. More commonly on power than sail because major wind resistance forward on a sailboat is the rolled headsails but on power its this size it’s the house and placement. One would expect boats like the Dashews, Artnautica and Arksen to hunt less. We anchored next to a Dashew 64 frequently in the Leewards. It was rock solid without a riding sail.

 

[Fish53]

A sailboat already has everything you need except the sail itself. All you do is clip the sail to the back-stay and raise with a halyard, tie the front to the boom/mast junction and you're done. Takes less than 2 mins. Boat stays straight into the wind and barely moves at all. Not saying something couldn't be rigged for different power boats but it is not obviously apparent as on a sailboat. For my Mainship Pilot, I'll likely just deal with the sailing at anchor. It's not that excessive, and I don't want to go to great lengths to construct something that may or may not help much.

Like I said you'd have to want to, Some folks like screwing around experimenting and some folks don't it is after all your boat and your choice.

 

[Fish53]

Interesting.

My riding sail is enormous. I'm going to guess 50 or more square ft. Like I said, I've never used it but I think that because of it's size it just might work. Now I'm intrigued so the next time I anchor out I'm going to try it just out of morbid curiosity.

BTW, do you live on Pitcairn Island of Bounty fame?

No I live in Maine where we have our own version of mutineers.

 

[Bud]

No have not used it underway. We have stabilizers.
Bud

 

[Bud]

Where was your homeport?
Bud

 

[Fish53]

I know this is an old thread and don't know if I should be using it at all but it seems silly to start another for my little comment. Just wanted to post a picture of my riding sail to add to the previous mix.

 

[backinblue]

Looks like that should work well. How do you like it? On my sailboats it was like a miracle cure when anchored.

 

[Fish53]

Looks like that should work well. How do you like it? On my sailboats it was like a miracle cure when anchored.

On the mooring or anchored it works great, underway it actually has some roll damping effect, drifting it holds the bow about 20 degrees off the wind. I'm going to try one that's a little bigger and see if I can get it to hold her head up better drifting. For now it's just a poly tarp sail until I find what works best then I'll have a proper sail made.

 

[backinblue]

Nice job, good luck!

 

[Fish53]

Thanks