Has anyone built a Weekender with a junk rig?

[Normanby]

G'day folks,

Matt from Melbourne, Australia here. I'm new to this forum, and very interested in the Weekender design.

But, for years i've been completely obsessed with the Chinese Junk (or battened lug sail) rig. More specifically, the western adaptations of it, as pioneered by Jock McLeod and Blondie Hasler for the first solo trans-Atlantic races of the early sixties.

The thing is, an unstayed mast and battened sail are about 20% heavier than a standard Bermudan rig, and the advice from the Junk Rig Sailing Association (of which i'm one of only three Australian members) is to add some extra ballast to compensate, and to make sure the boat will right itself if/when capsized.

So, i'd like to hear from anyone who's had to add ballast to the keel of a Weekender. Does the freeboard become ridiculously low, because of the extra weight?

Or anyone who might have some ideas that will fill me with the confidence i need, to go off and build a Weekender and graft a junk rig onto it.

Thanks,

Matt

[Barry Pyeatt]

You can use the search function to pull up the threads on ballast. The discussions have been long and involved. Ray Frechette, Jr. has added ballast to his Weekender to make it more stable when he walks about the deck. It also helps to keep it from healing quite as much. It was successful for him and he seems to have accomplished his goal.

I believe that there is one weekender being built that plans on junk sails but we haven't heard anything since the original posts.

The design is not self righting as it has no extended keel and ballast. With the standard gaff rig it isn't necessary for good performance.

[Normanby]

Thanks Barry, i'll do a search.

Now that i look at it, the Pocket Cruiser looks a little more suited to the junk: the mast, for one thing, is stepped much further forward (is what is known as a Catboat?).

And for $112, the plans are a bargain.

Cheers 8) ,

Matt

[Barry Pyeatt]

Matt,

You may find the Pocket Cruiser a better boat for that rig anyway, it is much beamier and with the leeboards, it is a nice handling boat. It is also much roomier than the Weekender. One or more have been built at 124% of plan size and a couple at 112%. They are good handling boats.