Ep. 14 - LUG OR GUNTER? Onboard a Welsford Navigator at Little Swanport... 

Thanks to all that attended the 'Premier'. I think we had a few people viewing but the ability to comment was a bit tricky and perhaps not user friendly. We hope you enjoyed the episode...Stay Salty...⚓👍

Another great episode, and I'm loving my standing lug yawl with no bowsprit, no shrouds and no fuss

A hug from everyone here in Brazil❤

Myself and a mate just watched your video together. We think your videos are very well put together and it keeps the interest on a high. But we both concluded in high winds like over 20 knots with the original gunter there are more options possible. Because there are 3 sails, 3 configurations thus giving more options in high winds. Which is why we own Pathfinders and Navigators. Above 25knots we have found that the main is dropped and a small storm Bermuda rig is hoisted and the jib is reefed which is needed to point. To conclude the Navigator design is very good, she was designed as a gunter and Bermuda rig racing training dinghy and it's no surprise that the lug sail also works. Love your videos and thanks for your good work.

Have you considered the junk rig? I've seen 15' PocketShips and even smaller dinghies with junk sails. It's not as simple as a lug sail, so maybe not worth the "upgrade" for you, but it has some advantages, such as quick and easy reefing (safety). Modern cambered junk sails can also point high, so that drawback doesn't apply anymore. Nothing wrong with a lug sail though, they're simple and beautiful. After all, a junk sail is basically a balanced lug sail with battens, sheetlets and lazy jacks.

I like what you have done with the rig.😊

I still haven't found where you make live chat comments! I would have thought the gunter would be quite a bit better to windward. But Mike Storer, with his followers have tweaked the way you rig, tension, sail the balanced lug rig. It gets close to triangle sails pointing, with all it other advantages intact, like great offwind performance, with lower centre of effort short mast & no stays. Nice video Matt.

There was a larger Hobie cat type on a trailer at the local tip shop north east NSW . . that I could't tip over myself in a fit . . even for a song

Another great video, the lug looks great. I so very nearly bought a Navigator before the Shrimper presented itself and, whilst it's doing everything we want at the moment, I can see a John Wellsford boat in my future.

You've got it too easy down there. All you Tasmanians seem to do all day is go sailing or fishing. Wonderful time management skills, if you ask me. Thanks for the video.

Turned back over small hire cats off of Mindil beach Darwin NT back in day . . huge fun

I love discussions about different rigs on small boats. That's sort of hard to find here on RU-vid. I sail a cats paw dinghy with a sliding ghunter that's right out of a Herreshoff book. It's a beauty and sails quite close to the wind. It also spills wind in big gusts. I feel quite safe in that boat. It's cat rigged, so there no jib. It's very easy to setup and go, or to drop sail if necessary.

Yes, the lugsail rig makes much more sense imo, the gunter sail on the Navigator whilst good, took far too long to setup and then unrig at the boat ramp. A day-sailer should spend most of the day actually sailing.

Great video, this is what I was looking for a couple of years ago when I built a Navigator and was deciding on the rig. I picked the gaff rig with mizzen and sold it not long after I built it, as it took so long to set it up. If I had of seen this I would have gone with the balanced lug as this is what I had on my Goat Island Skiff. I hope other Nav builders see this as the boat is fantastic but a simpler rig means less time on the beach and more on the water. I have really enjoyed your previous videos and look forward to your future adventures.

I'm picking up a scamp 12 this summer. It has a balanced lug. I plan to add a mizzen and bowsprit to it. Thanks for this post. It was timely.

a high angle gaff rig gets the beat of each.

Excellent video Mat really enjoyed it and interesting to see what your thoughts on the Lug change over.Will be interesting to see what you think in some stiff breeze.

The famous Little Swanport Coconuts!

What would you use the shorter bowsprit for? Could you fly an assymetrical kite? (I'm guessing longer bowsprit the better for that)

More Info - PLEASE - can you tell us more about the measurements of the sale you used here? God willing, I'll need to get one some day! Thanks so much.

Really enjoy your boating down there in Tassy, the Welshford boats are extremely well thought out. Your Navigator is a luvely vessel, works well with the lug rig & mizzen. Practically speaking can you camp on the Navigator, looks a little tight? Thanks for taking the time to make these vids, cheers

Thank you for another great vid! Having grown up racing fibreglass 1 design dinghies and yachts, it's fascinating to learn about different approaches to sailing rigs and performance. Please keep up the good work! Hey, what type of dinghy was that lug rig actually meant for?

Have always been interested in trimarans. What made you choose the Hobie over the Weta?

Great video. I'm building a Navigator now. Which RSS sail did you use? What boat was it designed for?

I will be honest, I have a series 1 GP14 that somehow emigrated to the US. As I often sail her solo, I find her a little headstrong and difficult to manage when the wind pops up. Even reefed down, she is a handful. I have thought of talking to Michael at RSS about designing a lug rig for her. Even if it is the same amount of sails, putting all the canvas closer to the water should help keep her right side up, non?

The navigator looks so much better with a lug sail

Stellar production as usual Matt! How’s the new set heaving to?

Fun. Have you tried a cat ketch rig like the Norwalk Islands Sharpie? Just wondering…