Like Storm Petrel, she has decked ends, with plenty of dry
stowage behind huge watertight hatches. The original design was to have no
daggerboard, and instead, to have deep bilge-runners. However early trials
indicated that between 8 and 12 degrees of leeway was being lost, which when
sailing on rivers and crowded estuaries, was considered unacceptable. A dagger
board was then added which made all the difference.
The rig is similar to many traditional boats of her kind, with a balanced lug mainsail and a sprit boomed mizzen. Both sails can be tensioned reasonably flat giving her surprising upwind performance. When running, the sails can be set goose-winged, driving her to her hull speed quickly and under full control. The mizzen is also a handy maneuvering sail enabling the practiced owner to show off by sailing backwards or tacking when stationary!
The design also incorporates a storm jib that is hoisted
when conditions get really bad and the reefed mainsail is overpowering the
boat. The main is lowered and the halyard reattached to the head of the jib,
which can then be hoisted giving a sailboat the sturdiness of a pontoon boat. Many will be familiar with how weatherly this combination jib and mizzen
is.
The craft has many interesting possibilities for camping and cruising. A large tent could be comfortably rigged between the masts, and she could even be sailed under jib and mizzen like this.
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