Alex wrote: ... link doesn't work for me unfortunately...

Possibly you could not open the file because it is an epub publication.

You need the "Aquile Reader" app installed on your computer in order to open and read it.

Aquile Reader is free to download and install, you can get it from the Microsoft App Store here. 

After you have installed Aquile Reader, log in to the JRA website and go to "Books and Magazines"

click on "JRA Library", which brings you to"

scroll down to here:

Select "Voyaging on a Small Income - Annie Hill epub" and you will see:

Ignore the message and click "download". When it has finished downloading you will find the file in your download folder. Now that you have "Aquile Reader" you should be able to open the file and read it. (Then you will want a  hard copy for your library!)

A quicker way, as I have just discovered, is simply download the book from here.

It's available from Amazon.com, (expensive: 2, used, from US$133.00) but I saw this bargain (NZ$9.00) in a bookseller here -

It's in New Zealand, but at that price I would buy it now and get it posted.

Welcome Alec

A lot of new members refer to 'Yoyaging on a Small Income" by Annie Hill, as one of the factors which convinced them to live aboard and enjoy the benefits of junk rig. It seems you are already convinced - but I think this book more than answers your question: "Is it viable with a junk rig to cruise full time? Will there be any limiting factors of the rig to consider when making plans to travel? 

If you haven't already got a copy of it. I suggest it is just the book for you. Annie has very generously made it available to members through the JRA library and if you sign in you can download it from here.

My guess is that if you do, you will want to beg, borrow or steal a copy for your own boat bookshelf.

Hello all! 

My name is Alec and I'm a new member to the JRA. What a great forum full of helpful information (which I am trying to work my way through) 

Firstly perhaps an introduction. I'm 35 years old and a bit of a weirdo. Relatively new to sailing and boat ownership, having spent the last few years living nomadically out of my self converted ex prison van I now find myself itching to explore the seas and shores of Europe and beyond! The boat I've gone with is a 33ft Seacracker which needs a fair bit of work to look pretty again which I'm currently working on and, as part of this work I would really love to convert it to a Junk rig and sail off. 

I have hundreds of questions and advice on any subject is always welcome but here is a few to kick us off. Does anyone else here live aboard your boats? Is it viable with a junk rig to cruise full time? Will there be any limiting factors of the rig to consider when making plans to travel? 

I plan to make as much as I can myself (learning as I go) from the sails to every thing that can be made. The boat is currently at Pin Mill in Ipswich, and I am about to be hauled out for a month to start the work. 

I figure due to my total lack of understanding a good place to start would be having a professional help me design the new rig, sails and mast placement especially, so following a link from this forum I've reached out to a lovely man called Alan who is going to do the design for me. 

But oh lord, help. 

Is there anyone local I can buy a beer for to chat about all this? Anyone willing to take me out on their Junk for a day or so to show me the ropes? (Ha) 

Any recommendations for sail cloth to buy? I'd love to have a big ol' purple sail when it's completed for no other reason than I like purple and I think it'll look awesome. I've no idea how or where to get this from and there are many different materials. 

How do you build a windvein self steering system? I think I'll need one. 

I could literally go on for ever but, for now, hi! I'm Alec. I can wait to meet some or all of you in the coming years and see what this whole sailing lark has to offer.