I will very occasionally see a boat at anchor with a riding sail at the aft end of the main or mizzen boom. I understand they are useful for keeping the bow into the wind at anchor and can be a good heavy weather tactic in combination with a sea anchor off the bow. Is anyone out there using one? How do you like it? How do you rig it? Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
- Status
They really are helpful. They keep the boat into the wind and creates a nicer motion. Rob has a yawl, so it's built in but I think one of Lin & Larry's books has details on how to make your won. Don't know which one but they're all worthwhile reads!! LaDonna
Check Sailrite, they have one also.
Used a Sailrite kit to make my bimini. Now they send a catalog and I noticed the "anchor sail". I will probably try one, easy to make. See: http://www.sailrite.com/
Used a Sailrite kit to make my bimini. Now they send a catalog and I noticed the "anchor sail". I will probably try one, easy to make. See: http://www.sailrite.com/
An alternative to riding sails
Whether and how to use riding sails is a bit of a puzzle. That is probably the reason they never became very popular. In most places that we anchor there are generally 3 concerns: (1) not to drag; (2) not to roll; and (3) not to hunt (i.e. sail at anchor). The riding sail tries to solve problem (3) by increasing wind resistance ("drag") in the aft section of the boat, thereby helping to keep the bow into the wind. Unfortunately, when it is effective as a wind drag device it will also increase the strain on the anchor rode, thereby potentially increasing problem (1)......... When we were playing with a riding sail years ago, I first tried to set it nice and tight in order to minimize wind drag because of my concern about (1). The result was, of course, that I was simply adding a little close-hauled mainsail and the vessel's tendency to sail up and tack actually increased. Even when I set it loose and baggy, thereby decreasing the tendency to sail up, its position at the extreme aft end of the boom still could not prevent the bow from tacking at anchor, but in fact seemed to cause more frequent, short tacks. If one wants to use a riding sail that prevents tacking it may make a lot more sense to set it like a storm jib (more or less trying to "heave to" at anchor), since jibs rarely tack spontaneously. IMHO, a far better solution is to put a bridle on the anchor rode that is led to one of the cockpit winches and winched in far enough to stop hunting. By choosing carefully between port and starboard side on the basis of the direction of swells in the anchorage you can generally also reduce rolling, i.e. concern (2), without resorting to "flopper stoppers" and other ungainly damping devices. When doing so, one probably also increases the static strain on the anchor rode a bit but this may be compensated by the decrease in dynamic loading. If you do happen to have a riding sail (or small storm jib) on board, however, don't get rid of it. It makes a great external collision mat (to help you quickly stem the flow of water if you are holed in a collision). Flying Dutchman
Whether and how to use riding sails is a bit of a puzzle. That is probably the reason they never became very popular. In most places that we anchor there are generally 3 concerns: (1) not to drag; (2) not to roll; and (3) not to hunt (i.e. sail at anchor). The riding sail tries to solve problem (3) by increasing wind resistance ("drag") in the aft section of the boat, thereby helping to keep the bow into the wind. Unfortunately, when it is effective as a wind drag device it will also increase the strain on the anchor rode, thereby potentially increasing problem (1)......... When we were playing with a riding sail years ago, I first tried to set it nice and tight in order to minimize wind drag because of my concern about (1). The result was, of course, that I was simply adding a little close-hauled mainsail and the vessel's tendency to sail up and tack actually increased. Even when I set it loose and baggy, thereby decreasing the tendency to sail up, its position at the extreme aft end of the boom still could not prevent the bow from tacking at anchor, but in fact seemed to cause more frequent, short tacks. If one wants to use a riding sail that prevents tacking it may make a lot more sense to set it like a storm jib (more or less trying to "heave to" at anchor), since jibs rarely tack spontaneously. IMHO, a far better solution is to put a bridle on the anchor rode that is led to one of the cockpit winches and winched in far enough to stop hunting. By choosing carefully between port and starboard side on the basis of the direction of swells in the anchorage you can generally also reduce rolling, i.e. concern (2), without resorting to "flopper stoppers" and other ungainly damping devices. When doing so, one probably also increases the static strain on the anchor rode a bit but this may be compensated by the decrease in dynamic loading. If you do happen to have a riding sail (or small storm jib) on board, however, don't get rid of it. It makes a great external collision mat (to help you quickly stem the flow of water if you are holed in a collision). Flying Dutchman
- Status