I own a C22 but I've become infatuated with a Southern Cross 28. I'm thinking about moving up and spending more time on the boat. Can anyone advise me on the difference between the sloop rig and the cutter rig? Of course I can see the difference, but I was wondering the reasons for cutter rig and how it would sail and feel in heavy weather. I noticed a lady just finished a circumnavigation in a SC28. Thanks, Dan
southern cross
- Thread starter Dan Vitale
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She probably chose...
...the SC28 because it is a brick outhouse - very heavy, deep draft, built for crossing oceans. Cutter rigs are well suited to long, tradewind voyages. The sails are smaller than a sloop rig and thus easier for a single hander to deal with, one at a time. There is a mighty big difference between an SC28 and a C22 and it is probably total overkill unless you are going across the G Lakes in heavy weather. Don't forget to punch draft into your equation before buying up there...
...the SC28 because it is a brick outhouse - very heavy, deep draft, built for crossing oceans. Cutter rigs are well suited to long, tradewind voyages. The sails are smaller than a sloop rig and thus easier for a single hander to deal with, one at a time. There is a mighty big difference between an SC28 and a C22 and it is probably total overkill unless you are going across the G Lakes in heavy weather. Don't forget to punch draft into your equation before buying up there...
Different than a sloop.....
A sloop has its mast at approx 30% aft of the bow w/r of the length on Deck (LOD). The SC28 mast is at approx 40% of LOD ( cant find an exact sail plan of the SC28). What this means is that the CE is (probably) in front of the mast and that will require the sails to be reefed 'back to front' in order to maintain 'balance'. On a (true) cutter you first reef the main, then the genoa, then deep reef the main, then completely dowse the genoa/yankee ..... and sail on with deep (or deeper) reefed main and staysail. On most 'true cutters' the CE is in the staysail. The versatility of the cutter is to shorten down to match the wind conditions. The (true) cutter wont 'point' as well as a sloop, but excels at 'reaching' as the staysail 'fills in' the foretriangle. A cutter is targeted for 'trade wind sailing' --- on a reach at 25-30 kts. Unless very precisely shaped and set a staysail is a detractive hinderance when 'beating' in light winds. http://www.arvelgentry.com/magaz/The_Double_Head_Rig.pdf Problems with a cutter primarily is that most will be difficult to tack-through in light winds. The SC28 below the waterline is composite with a foam core .... so that if the boat has had any severe impact you 'may' find some serious 'delamination' as the Airex doesnt 'recover' well from impact.... so you need a very experienced surveyor to determine the integrity of the hull. The SC28 is definitely a 'nice' boat and will take you far. http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html to compare the 'numbers' versus other boats. (Caution - these 'numbers'/formulas are a bit 'old' for comparison to 'modern standards').
A sloop has its mast at approx 30% aft of the bow w/r of the length on Deck (LOD). The SC28 mast is at approx 40% of LOD ( cant find an exact sail plan of the SC28). What this means is that the CE is (probably) in front of the mast and that will require the sails to be reefed 'back to front' in order to maintain 'balance'. On a (true) cutter you first reef the main, then the genoa, then deep reef the main, then completely dowse the genoa/yankee ..... and sail on with deep (or deeper) reefed main and staysail. On most 'true cutters' the CE is in the staysail. The versatility of the cutter is to shorten down to match the wind conditions. The (true) cutter wont 'point' as well as a sloop, but excels at 'reaching' as the staysail 'fills in' the foretriangle. A cutter is targeted for 'trade wind sailing' --- on a reach at 25-30 kts. Unless very precisely shaped and set a staysail is a detractive hinderance when 'beating' in light winds. http://www.arvelgentry.com/magaz/The_Double_Head_Rig.pdf Problems with a cutter primarily is that most will be difficult to tack-through in light winds. The SC28 below the waterline is composite with a foam core .... so that if the boat has had any severe impact you 'may' find some serious 'delamination' as the Airex doesnt 'recover' well from impact.... so you need a very experienced surveyor to determine the integrity of the hull. The SC28 is definitely a 'nice' boat and will take you far. http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html to compare the 'numbers' versus other boats. (Caution - these 'numbers'/formulas are a bit 'old' for comparison to 'modern standards').
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