Robin,

Thank you for your comments and comparisons to your fine vessel. Our boats are certainly or a similiar size but you may have more freeboard than me and probably get lighter winds in the Baltic than we do here in New Zealand. On balance, I think I will stick with the 22 square metres of sail area.

Regards

Rob

Question 1.

When we have mentioned our plan to convert Blondie to junk rig we have had a few negative reactions. Some people are concerned that we intend to tamper with a New Zealand classic yacht. Are we doing the right thing?

Hi Robert, great to meet you and Maren at Whangarei over the past couple weeks.
Those Kayakers were a bit dodgy the other day, oi!. 

I got a nasty email from the previous owners of my boat once they found out about the alterations I was making to the coach-house and companionway hatch.  I had not yet decided to change the rig to junk at that stage, so they've probably had heart failure now if they have found out about that.

Just like people, boats evolve. OCEAN PARTISAN was built over 50 years ago and was designed not to have an inboard engine, yet the previous owners installed one.  She was designed and built with a keel that went all the way back and joined up to the inboard rudder, yet the previous owner cut a swathe of deadwood out of her keel, and built a separate rudder and skeg--obviously to improve performance.  So, it's ok for them to make changes, but not me?

Interestingly enough the original builder of my boat way back in 1962 is fine with my alterations, and while skeptical of junk rig as he has only ever sailed bermudan rig, is just glad that the boat is still sailing and someone is making use of her.

BLONDIE as you surmise, may have already had her rig altered anyway.  Ask the people ,whom are giving you lip about the junk rig conversion, to pay for her restoration right back to how she would have looked on launch day 80 odd years ago, right down to the cotton sails and black tar below the waterline.  Watch them walk away as they would know the cost and man hours would make it a fanciful dream.  And then -- who is going to maintain this 'original' condition? 

Looking forward to following your conversion and seeing you sail her under her new rig.

Best, 

Zane

Robert, for comparison

Vanharouva :  length 6,0 m beam 2,2 m depth 1,2 m.  Original sail area 20 m2 , main and 

genoa. My junk sail area 27,5 m2. ballast + 25%, 550 kg + 145 kg , displ abt 1,8 t

Robin

Thank you Gerald, Karlis, David, Darren and Annie for your positive comments. Karlis and David made a very good point that the boat is far from the original as it is now, so that a conversion to JR is not that radical. With renewed enthusiasm, we will get the JR conversion underway right away and make the boat easier to sail and as Annie and David mention it could well extend her life.

Sailing trials with the Bermudan rig were interesting as they showed that the boat moved along easily and went to windward fine – really fun to sail. The boat was well balanced sailing with the big jib and full mainsail but surprisingly enough equally well balanced with the storm jib and full mainsail. There was no obvious weather or lee helm and the tiller was light at all times. We had water along the side decks a few times. The sail area of the Bermudian mainsail and big jib combined is 22 sq metres and we think that this area would be about right for the JR sail. 

We have had a go at a JR sail plan, leaning heavily on Arne's excellent descriptions in his Chapter Three. Our drawing is found on the following link.

https://app.box.com/s/8v0trlo113xz62kn9wvo38t5haoipo8o

Any comments on the sail plan would be very much appreciated.

I think Blondie would look pretty smart with a Junk Rig. 

Having cruised a summer with a bowsprit, I'm thoroughly in favour of cutting off such an annoying protuberance (maybe leave a stump to hang the anchor from).