Is the junk rig the ideal cruising sail?

Is the junk rig the ideal cruising sail?

Junk Rig the ideal cruising sail. The diagram below of the Junk Rig describes the basic configuration of the western version of the Chinese sail. Over the thousands of years in which the Chinese rig has been evolving, there have been numerous variations on the theme.

Can a Marconi sail with a junk rig?

Performance-wise it is hard to compare a junk rig to a conventional Marconi rig, as the principles involved are so different. Any sailor familiar with a Marconi rig probably won’t be able to hop aboard a junk-rigged boat and sail it well without first practicing for a while.

What do you use to make a junk sail?

Battens for a junk sail likewise can be made from most any convenient material. The Chinese have traditionally used bamboo and most modern Western rigs employ fiberlgass rods, but anything with an appropriate shape and weight can be pressed into service. So it is with the entirety of the rig.

Is it easy to reef a junk rig?

Reefing:The ease of reefing a junk rig is legendary. Perhaps it is best illustrated with a brief story about sailing one quite windy day off Port Townsend on Migrant, sister ship to Colvin’s Gazelle. This was in 1979, when I was considering the junk rig for my own boat, then under construction.