Considering I am relatively new to the site, starting this thread and all of the spin off subjects has been an excellent way to find my way around JR topics and look into several different philosophies from the JR movement!

So just as an update: I previously wrote of my decision in the end to keep the engine whilst I convert my boat and see how it goes, so the proof will be if it does indeed work when required to or if it causes more pain than it is worth. Sailing from Watchet (Somerset) to Preston via Ireland next week, I am sure I will have the opportunity to find out. It will also give me a chance to dwell on how a JR will sit with the boat. I will update the process through my 'Elizabethan 31 Conversion' thread in the 'Technical Forums.

Thank you again folks.

The bermudan sailor's current answer to going to windward in light airs is the "cruising code zero". Not pointing high, but certainly sailing with the wind forward of the beam. Well and good when you have a permanent backstay, but I wouldn't want to use one on an unstayed mast without a running backstay. Too much complication, say I, for a sail that can only be used/should only be used for less than 5% of the time spent sailing.

Yesterday, I went out of Ravenglass for a quick sailing trial against a strong spring flood tide. I needed all 6HP of the Tohatsu plus some sail assist to get out. I would have had to wait until HW to try and sail out, and that would have given me no time outside before it was time to come back in again. At the same time, two visiting yachts came in. Bermudan-rigged, sails down and stowed, motoring in, fair wind, fair tide... I sailed back in to within a stone's throw of my mooring, just using the motor for the final pickup as there is little room to manoeuvre under sail just there. 

We bought a very pretty cruising chute for Badger and it worked like a charm - as long as we dropped the foresail.  We came to the conclusion that this was a bit counter-productive, and I sold it for a profit after about 6 months.

My take on it is that the people who have successfully used light-weather drifters, et al, have done so on boats that are conservatively canvassed.  Junk rig is at its worst going to windward in light airs: I don't think it would be possible to set a jib in such a way that it would give you those extra degrees of pointing, without putting shocking compression loads on the mast.  Judging by the amount of people who motor around in F1-2 breezes, your average bermudan-rigged boat doesn't do that well either - the only ones that do, have a wardrobe of hanked-on sails. 

Would I prefer a bermudan rigged boat in light airs?  No: I'd just wish I'd put a bigger sail on my junk, because when I get into harbour, I will have to deal with that damn great sail, and its ropes, put it all in a bag and find somewhere for the damn great bag.  And knowing my luck, I'll have managed to drop the sail in the water, so I'll have a damn great wet bag to deal with.

I actually adore drifting along in F1-2 and find one of junk rig's most appealing aspects is the way that the sail will just hang out peacefully and waft me along in the gentlest of breezes.  But not, it must be said, at 30 degrees to the apparent wind.

Am I putting a large enough sail on SibLim?  Probably not: I'm compromising because I don't want an overly long mast nor very long battens.

PS. Just to make myself clear. I have never actually hoisted my cruising-chute. In very light airs, there  isn't enough breeze to fill it. And when there is enough breeze to fill it - well, the boat doesn't need it.

Hi Bryan,

aren't the light weather conditions the reason that we make our junk sails as large as possible, often as much as 50% larger than the Bermudan predecessor. It is much simpler to make the junk rig as large as possible and then just reef as the wind gets too much for the area set. The lower panels can be made with lighter cloth as they will be reefed when the wind gets up, they can also carry more camber so that they give more drive in the lighter conditions they are set in.

David.