What is this?

[Celtic_Wind]

We have a new boat that just arrived at the local yacht club guest dock. I've never seen a mast/boom setup like this...

 

[gettinthere]

Aero Rig. $$$

 

[JohnVTX]

Don't know what it is, but I would guess you can turn the mast boom to the wind, instead of turning the boat.

 

[Casagf66]

These are some interesting rigs, lots of reading and pictures on the web. SCIENCE!

 

[Celtic_Wind]

Fascinating!
After seeing a few YouTube videos, I'd love to see her sail and see what the owner thinks about her.
I don't even want to think about cost!

 

[Benny17441]

Just think about sailing downwind "wing on wing". That rig seems to be motorized but I once seen a Catalina 22' sport a much simpler but similar rig.

 

[shemandr]

It looks heavy.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Reminded me of this one I saw in San Diego last year. Same kind of arrangement just with fixed wings .

Chris

 

[31seahorse]

How does that old saying go? The only difference between men and boys is the size and the price of their toys! Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[Ron20324]

[QUOTE="...How does that old saying go? ...[/QUOTE] Jimmy Bufffett said it, "Fins to the Left, fins on the top", etc.

 

[Hunter33MorningStar]

Had to opportunity to chat with the owner of that boat last summer in Coupeville, WA. Pretty interesting...apparently bought it in Australia and sailed it home....via Alaska. Very cool rig...

 

[Ken Henderson]

a carbon fiber unstayed self tacking mast and boom.

 

[shemandr]

Interesting... Some degree of vaning controls power? I guess the whole rig rotates. Do the individual fixed wings rotate as well?

 

[JohnShannon]

On the aero rig the jib is trimmed with respect to the forward "boom" the force generated by the jib is supposed to cancel a lot of the force generated by the main. So tugging on the mainsheet only requires you pull enough to overcome the difference between the main and the jib. Also when changing course one trim kinda adjusts both sails at the same time.

 

[marke14]

Fascinating and provocative ... thanks Celtic_Wind for asking the question and posting the picture! I will be on the lookout for such a rig and will be so pleased to be able to understand what I am seeing, should I ever encounter one.