Amateur construction
In today's sailboat market, junk rigs have become confidential, reserved for discerning amateur builders. And yet, in the field of amateur construction, it offers strong arguments: economy, simplicity of construction and maintenance... many junk sails are sewn on the dining room table!
Although the junk rig is mainly used for long-distance cruising, there are also a number of small boats that use it to great effect. The option of junk-rigging boats, often bought cheaply and restored, is attractive for its simplicity of construction and low cost.
New developments to help you get closer
In an attempt to solve the problem of upwind performance, amateur builders have gradually experimented with a variety of methods. Time has passed since the flat sail concept described in the famous "Practical Junk Rig" bible. To sail close-hauled, you had to put hollows in your sails.
The tremendous simplicity of junk rigging has facilitated the implementation of solutions, some of which have proved promising:
- The introduction of articulated battens. The battens bend when the sail is inflated, giving it camber. The camber remains constant, whatever the wind. Upwind performance is improved.
- The development of cambered panels, initiated by the Norwegian Arne Kverneland. Each sail panel is cut to a "barrel cut" shape, giving it a cambered profile when the sail is assembled. To date, this is the solution most often adopted, with convincing results.
- The split junk rig, designed and implemented by the Englishman Slieve Mc Galliard. The part of the sail in front of the mast is not attached to the part behind, creating a split effect. The panels are also "barrel cut" to give them a hollow appearance.
In conclusion, to answer the eternal question: " Does it go back upwind? "The answer today is that the shape of the hull and the weight of the boat will determine this criterion. Sail trim also plays a role, and the ease with which junk rigs can be adjusted will be an important parameter in the comparison with other types of rig.
It's so easy to sail up an estuary or a channel with a junk rig that junk sailors use this saying: "It's so easy to sail up an estuary or a channel with a junk rig that junk sailors use this saying: "It's so easy to sail up an estuary or a channel with a junk rig Upwind, a junk-rigged boat is overtaken by Bermudian boats... ON THE ENGINE! "
So, what's the ideal rig?
It's up to you to make up your own mind, according to your needs and your sailing schedule. Economical, easy to handle, reassuring and high-performance, the junk rig suffers from a lack of recognition in the sailing world. The industry's focus on Bermuda rigging has relegated it to oblivion.
Very little represented in the regatta sphere, it hasn't benefited from the technical advances or media coverage generated by racing. Nevertheless, we can cite the X99 " Marie G "A Norwegian boat that had been transformed into a junk rig. At over 75, he regularly raced single-handed in his Fjord against Bermudian rigs. Only boats using their spinnaker could beat him. According to him: " Nobody in my fjord says that a junk-rigged boat can't sail upwind! ".
With the exception of hardcore racers, who are hampered by the absence of a measurement system, junk rigging could be the ideal solution for a large proportion of yachtsmen. Requiring no physical effort or agility, and operated from the cockpit, it is also particularly well-suited to "hardcore" sailors with white hair ".
Current situation: the disappearance of industrial supply
The multiplicity of regattas and ocean races has boosted research and development in favor of Bermuda rigging, which is virtually the only type of handicap gauge used in racing. Carried along by the wave of technical innovation, this type of boat has constantly benefited from major advances in materials, sails, fittings and rigging...
The media coverage of racing has conditioned the market. To appeal to a public focused on speed, boats had to resemble racing boats, displaying the same technological advances. The public wanted the dream, the shipyards sold the dream, and the industry focused on the Bermuda rig standard.
The production of industrial junk-rigged sailing yachts has been completely discontinued. Despite this lack of supply, junk-rigged boats are regularly seen in port or underway. But in the absence of a commercial offer, the production of junk-rigged boats remains highly confidential.
No sailing school offers training in junk rigging. No shipyard offers it, not even as an option. There are currently only two sailmakers in Europe with this expertise (in England and Germany). In Europe, there are no manufacturers offering masts suitable for junk rigging. Masts are either locally-built from wood, aluminum alloy tubing, or a combination of aluminum and wood.
However, junk rigs can be found all over the world. On the European continent, the largest fleet is to be found in Great Britain, but aficionados exist all over the world. The simplicity of handling, versatility of rigging and ease of repair mean that a significant proportion of ocean cruisers, both single and multihulls, are junk-rigged.
Modifying a boat into a junk rig
In amateur construction, some boats initially designed for a Bermuda rig are converted to a junk rig. The biggest modification concerns the mast and its location.
Because of the need for a self-supporting mast, reuse of the original mast is not an option. The mast will have to be stronger, with a larger diameter and a certain taper to limit the weight at the top. The construction of a wooden mast is very well detailed in the "Practical Junk Rig", but it is not uncommon to use aluminum lamppost tubes or flagpoles. It will need to be positioned further forward, as on a cat-boat, and cross the deck to be implanted on the bottom of the hull. The deck will need to be reinforced at this point. This new location will have an impact on the interior layout of the forward cabin.
Sail design and manufacture are often carried out by amateurs, with a good sewing machine and the enormous technical support provided by the Junk Rig Association (JRA). This website provides a tutorial for making several types of sails, explaining in detail their positioning and geometry, the height and mechanical characteristics of the mast.
Today, the Junk Rig Association is a very active institution, with an abundant knowledge base and a community of enthusiasts always ready to exchange ideas on junk rigging. It regularly organizes gatherings of this type of boat.
So, the junk rig?
The best way to discover it is to try it out under sail. Beware, junk rigging is addictive: to try it is to adopt it... And what's more, it's pretty!