Lugsail

The Solway Dory BALANCED LUGSAIL is an ideal cruising sail. It is quick to raise or lower, easy to reef, sets well when reefed and has a low centre of effort so the boat heels less. A sophisticated modern cut allows surprising performance from a sail of traditional appearance. This is my favourite sail.

We supply lugsails in three sizes: 44, 30 and 14 sq ft. The 44 or 30 may be used on their own to make single masted rigs or either of them can be combined with a 14 sq ft mizzen to make a ketch rig. 

• The individual sails are smaller and easier to handle.
• The strains the rig imposes on the hull are well spread out.
• The masts are moved out to the ends of the boat away from where people want to sit.
• A very quick and efficient reef can be taken by dropping one sail.
• If you sheet in the mizzen and ease the main you can stop the boat and sit facing comfortably head to wind (eg. while you wait for other people to catch up!)
• The overall centre of effort of the rig is very low indeed even lower than might be expected as the booms don't have to be high enough to see underneath.

The rig is generally supplied as a mainsail of 30sq ft and a mizzen of 14sq ft adding up to the OCSG's 44sq ft. However the sails can be supplied separately. The 14sq ft mizzen can be used in conjunction with a 44sq ft main to make a large low aspect rig for cruising a stable boat in lighter winds. It could also be used on its own as an efficient stormsail or a kayak sail.

The 30sq ft sail would work well on its own on a 'Little Pete' or any other small canoe or as a heavy weather sail for a boat which normally carries 44sq ft. It could also be used as a mizzen on a canoe with big outriggers.

Please note that our rig prices do not include rudder or leeboard. The rig will not work without a leeboard.

Second hand items