Ketil Greve wrote:

It is very funny, but no-one who is competing South of Bergen and North of Egersund, will never ever say something negative about Junk rigged boats.  

I wonder why that should be, Ketil? ;-)

Bryan Tuffnell wrote:

(Anyone know where I can get a Walker Knotmaster?)

Bryan, I've got one in good nick in original box if you would like to give me a reasonable offer; PM me

Gavin

Scott Dufour wrote:

Well, I guess that the best revenge is a life well lived.

Nice tag, Scott.

It isn't just website forums. A great way to become branded as a hopelessly-out-of-date anachronism is to get busted by a fleet of Bermudan singlehanders in the boatyard tearoom one evening as you're finishing brummel splicing some 12 strand and beginning racking seizing a bit of twin braid... after you've been through the 'junk rig' bit, you get to shrug your shoulders at the 'windward speed' question because you don't have or particularly want a GPS on board - Strike Three...

(Anyone know where I can get a Walker Knotmaster?)

I've been talking, recently, with two new junkies: Bryan who has bought Fantail and Martin, who has bought Tytstie.  They are both raving about how wonderfully their boat sails and how much fun it is.  And they both commented that they don't know how I've managed to put up with it for so long.  They are experiencing that incredulity expressed by those who have never tried a junk, that the boat will even sail, let alone go to windward.

One of the nice things about the JRA, especially if there are no other junkies remotely within coo-ee, is the reassurance that you are Not Alone and there are a few others who agree with you!

Whew!  I just made the mistake of posting a question on another forum, and mentioned that I was converting to a junk.  It took less than 10 minutes for the first cry of, "Heresy!" to show up. 

As my only slightly intellectual inferior, Albert Einstein, once said, "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition by inferior minds." 

Sigh