A Photo & Discussion Forum for Wharram Design Enthusiasts

sunfish rig on a Melanesia

I aim to try using a sunfish rig on my Melanesia? It looks like it should be a good combination to me. Someone must have tried this already. Any thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Pete Cresswell on December 25, 2013 at 2:53pm

Not on a Melanisia, but I'm using one on my 21' Ulua: http://tinyurl.com/qcrjnqf

Since the photo, I've gone over to a stubby mast setup as in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-fwnw_cSd8 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNyoBwmgmj4

Old windsurfer mast reinforced with carbon where it passes through the deck for the stubby. Castoff windsurfer mast for the gaff, fiberglass tubing of unknown origin for the boom. This rig is *light*....

Both configs seem to work well, but I prefer the stubby for ease of rigging when the wind is blowing and for the ability to quickly strike the sail while on the water.

Only exception I have is that it's not what I would call pretty. A little scoop in the leech would help, as would some crab claw-ish curvature in the spars.