I have often wondered about yawl rigs, i.e. a mizzen sail. My only experience of such is half an hour in a Drascombe Lugger. (I trail and cruise a GP14) However I have read Ken Duxbury’s "Lugworm on the Loose" and "Lugworm Homeward Bound" - husband and wife, Greece to England in a Drascombe Lugger- which I borrowed from our D.C.A. librarian at the cost of postage only.

The advantages of this rig seem to be:

1. Versatility - a) quick and easy reefing by lowering a sail b) choice of various combinations of 3 sails c) because of a) & b) above and 2 below, the possibility of greater prescribed sail area than on the same hull rigged as a sloop - and advantage in light airs.

2. Shorter masts; weight lower down and sail area lower down. I notice in this respect that Eric Coleman's Roamer has about the same area of mainsail as a GP but with a shorter mast and a larger boom.

The disadvantages of the yawl rig seem to be:

1. A less efficient rig, though how much less I am not sure.

2. Where to put the mizzen mast in relation to the rudder and tiller.

The Drascombe flotilla gets over this second difficulty by having a non lifting rudder in a slot forward of the transom and mizzen. I like a lifting rudder for beaching. In Drascombes, one has to withdraw the rudder and use an oar over the stern.

I came across a leaflet for an interesting device "The Outboard Sail" *** which might indicate possibilities for D.I.Y's. It has a sprit sail rather like an Optimist; of 3.5 m2 (37.7 sq ft) and costs £168! I think the idea could be adapted along the following lines: Permanently fix a hollow tube vertically on the outside centre at one’s transom (vertical transoms only). Make or adapt one's (lifting) rudder to pivot round this tube, and slot a wooden or metal unstayed mast into the tube.

I think it was in a bulletin of a few years ago that a member gave an open invitation to a yarn saying one could easily recognise "the Wayfarer with a mizzen mast" commenting "the kettle's always on". I should very much like to hear from him either through the bulletin or directly by phone or letter. Now come on all you Drascombe brigade, let’s have some letters about mizzens, loose footed sails and roller reefing jibs and how they fare in practice. Stephen Newbold

see next page for drawing

This drawing appears on page 5 of Bulletin no 86 and we are fairly sure that it is a drawing of the rig referred to in Stephen Newbold’s letter (last-but-one paragraph)….but we’re not certain!

Special Sprit Rig - Self-Steering

(No accompanying text - name of contributor uncertain….see note above)