PDRacer Sailboat - Articles

The Many Sails of the Cultus Hehtheht
By Andrew Linn
www.andrewlinn.com
November 2004

My first effort was a Chinese Junk rig. I just like the looks of these - really nautical, don't you think? It also generates a lot of interest from onlookers. This sail works very well, even at just over 52sqft in size. I had one day in very light wind where I couldn't make it go where I wanted. Other times, like the day shown here, it would push me and a passenger along quite nicely.

Compared to the other sails, the junk rig is a freaking nightmare to cut and assemble.

I began thinking I wanted something with a little more 'hoofta' to it, more sail area so I could get to hull speed faster. I recovered a gigantic tarp from the Willamette river and decided to try some new sails. My next effort was this Lug. There are standing lugs and dipping lugs, I really don't know what this one is. Just a sail that ain't square. I actually shaped this one, trying for that '10% draft, 30% back' mentioned so often by real sail makers.

Overall, I was quite pleased with this sail, but it just isn't very 'sexy,' you know? Lugs are working sails, created to give a maximum of sail area in a small space. Overall, I'd have to say it is like a fat girlfriend - works just fine, but not something to brag about. I am going to give this one to John and Logan for use on the Stinkbug.

My next effort was this cross between a Lug, a Lateen, and a Crab Claw, which I have dubbed a Clug Sail, shown here with Doug, one of the people who fishes at Cascade Gateway park. Doug used to build and sail boats, he even put a sail on an inflated waterbed mattress. He really liked the look of the Clug.

When rigged crossways, like a Lateen, she does just fine and goes into the wind very nicely. Rigged uppy-downy, like how I imagine a Crab Claws are used, she does just fine as well, perhaps not pointing quite as high into the wind, but still very well. And it looks really cool.

One thing I noticed with the Clug was there were times when I could pull it tight and the rudder seemed to lose effectiveness - I couldn't turn, the sail seemed to be overpowering me. This happened both when rigged as a Lateen and as a Crab Claw. The wind was not all that stiff, maybe 10mph max.

I will practice more with the Clug, but right now it seems to be my sail of choice. I never had any problems with the others, but I like the ability to rig it like a Crab Claw and get the wind that is blocked by the trees. It is just more versatile and flexible that way. It is possible I will need to lop a little off it if it does turn out to be overpowered on my boat, but it is sure cool.

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