Gaff rigged sailboats

[Tom Hamilton]

I am looking at a Whittholz designed steel sailboat (Departure 35) that is rigged as a gaff rigged cutter. I will use the boat in the chesapeake and carribean if I buy it maybe even do an atlantic crossing. What are thoughts on sailing qualities of a gaff rig, ie tacking, sailing to windward, off the wind etc. I own a San Juan 23 currently and crew for ocean passages on a Benneteau 411. These of course are standard sloops and can be readily handled by one or the one guy on watch in the case of the 411 in the ocean. Thanks for your comments.

 

[Wanderer138]

Gaff cutters

The sailplan on a cutter is a lot more flexible than on a sloop, because you can set the staysail and jib separately or together, depending on wind conditions. On some gaff rigs, you can also set a topsail above the gaff for even more sail area. With the gaff down, the mast is shorter than a sloop, so you can squeeze under some bridges when others have to wait.As far as seaworthiness goes, gaff rigs have been bluewater sailing for years and years. My guess is that seaworthiness is more a function of the hull and keel rather than the rig.PeterH23 "Raven"

 

[Larry W.]

Gaffers

Tom; A gaff rig is not nearly as weatherly as a sloop, but they reach like trains. Also, gaffers are usually wooden spars, so the maintenance is more, but they are prettier. Depends on what you want to do, I guess.