[MHml] DynaRig, Mast-Aft, Bi-Plane sailing rigs

[Alan Christoffersen]

Dave wrote:
> Brian, I can understand your bristling at Rob's comments. However, you
> repeatedly (seem to) contend that, since a biplane rig is *not*
> suitable for cruising, that a square rig somehow *is*. Wouldn't it be
> more realistic to compare the dynarig with more conventional rigs when
> making positive assertions about them?

Brian replied:
I didn't chose to make this comparision at first. If you look back a few
threads you will find I was responding to an inquiry from an interested 
party
that demoted the DynaRig and my mast-aft concept in favor of the BiPlane 
rig.
That's how the subject came up.


I think that I may be the guilty party Brian is talking about. I am not "an 
interested party" nor did I "enquire"  , in fact I responded to an off-line 
(I think, - mail that Brian sent.)

I fully support Dave's comments regarding the lack of  proven track records 
of most of the participants in the boatbuilding threads that Brian uses as 
if they are quoting facts.(Most of them are enthusiastic  amateurs like me)
There are not many larger (>40 ft) bi-plane rigged cats out there, so the 
reference base is limited. Sure there are disadvantages for the bi-plane 
rig, blanketing being the main issue if the boat isn't fast enough.But I'm 
going to give it a try on a 45 footer. I will have one side beefed up, so 
if its a disaster, I can exchange 2 masts for a single larger Ballestron 
type in one of the hulls.

What will that be then?  A bi-maran??


The major points for me are that the rig is more manageable, no stays for 
added windage, reefable under all conditions.

Brian, the latest issue of Yachting world, (june 2007) has a Supersail 
World magazine enclosed. Have a look at the "Spider" structure they 
(Maltese Falcon) need to support the mast with.
There are 75 electric winches aloft for the 15 sails. Thats 5 per sail!! 
 Even on a small scale without the electric winches, 5 lines per sail 
multiplied by say 3 sails per mast. That's alot of exstra weight up