It was luck not judgement that my first and only sailing boat was suitable for cruising. She was gunter rigged with a mizzen and I learned to sail between the trees up the Thames where her 120 square feet of canvas seldom seemed enough. If I had scrapped the mizzen and used a longer beam the area could have increased but I kept the yawl rig because this looked pretty, unaware I was not using the rig to its best advantage. With help from the Dinghy Cruising Association I took to the sea and I'll never forget the first time tied up on the Isle of Wight.

While I learned about tides and rough water most of my time was spent sitting out with a reefed main and when I wanted a drink she was heaved to; an uncomfortable way to take refreshment in my opinion and I never like to stop my boat once she is sailing.

So I took another look at this rig with comfort in mind and first concluded that a boom is an unnecessary hazard on a yawl where the transom is far enough behind the main sail to sheet it in the same way as a jib. I was not convinced that the peace and calm this simplification had brought to the cockpit would not have some hidden disadvantages and I sailed for several days with the boom in the bottom of the boat just in case it was wanted but I am happy to say it never been used since.

My next attack was on the gunter; true it had never thickened my ear as the boom had done so often with the precision of a prize fighter, but to windward I had doubted its efficiency and when reefed it barely extended beyond the top of the mast. Like the boom, it had to go! I was now left with a mast only a couple of feet longer than the hull and no boom on to which to reef.

If there is anything I have learned about cruising a dinghy it is the importance of being able to adjust sail area to the conditions. Not just a foot off the bottom of the main but by 50% when the elements demand, not as a pre sail decision based on a forecast and set before leaving port but to have the capability, under all conditions, to be able to re-arrange sail areas at sea.

Never have I fancied the idea of tying the bottom of a boomless sail into a bundle as a method of reducing its area.

When sail adjustment is required the best method is to change the sail for one of suitable size. To make this practicable in a small boat I accept that my main sail is a simple triangular sheet with an eye in each corner and no battens. I now carry four sails, apart from the mizzen, largest is 55 square feet and is used only as a main sail. The second is 45 and can be used as a genoa or as a number 2 main, the third is 35 which makes a large jib or the number 3 main and the smallest is 25 used mostly forward but has proved useful as a main in a strong following wind.

The mizzen is permanently laced onto its mast and boom, I see no advantage to this sail being boomless which would demand along bumkin. When not required the mizzen sail is wrapped round the mast with its boom pointing upwards and neatly inside the rolled sail. To my surprise and delight. the windward performance has not been spoiled partly because I suspect the gunter was less efficient than its area suggested and mainly because I no longer have to expose my bulk to the wind sitting out to keep her upright instead with a low aspect and the ability to use just the right area for the day. I can sail sitting on the floor and enjoy the protection of the hull. A wet-proof cushion adds to my comfort and just exposes my head above the gunwale except when I am really trying to get to windward when I disappear completely.

I was warned that while such drastic reduction in sail area may provide as much as can usefully be employed while beating, I would be under canvassed down wind. As a cruiser I have never found this a problem, usually she will run fast enough for my pleasure and on occasions too fast for comfort. My procedure running is to select 2 of the 4 sails and set both on the main mast, these then goose wing to give one area of 100 square feet or less. This area is nicely balanced with about half out each side of the boat, an obvious advantage over a traditional rig where the whole area of mainsail can only be balanced by the jib.

To avoid chafing either of these twin sails can be rigged forward of the shrouds.

Next time you accidentally gybe just after removing the top from the thermos flask, think on the possibilities of the yawl rigged dinghy.