Cutter rig on Nimble 30

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Created by

BluewaterBound > 9 months ago, 17 Jul 2021

BluewaterBound

VIC

85 posts

17 Jul 2021 10:03am

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I'm being kept away from my boat by the Melbourne lock-down, so I thought I'd share a moment of sailing enlightenment ... Earlier in the week I got out on Port Phillip Bay in my Ted Brewer-designed Nimble 30. The weather records show the wind blowing between 17 and 24 knots during the three hours I was out, and it probably gusted up to about 27 knots. I was double reefed on the main and had the genoa furled to about the same proportions, and the boat handled it all with ease. When I was home again I was thinking through the sail-plan and did a bit of online research into cutter rigs. I finally understood their strength by watching this video between the 6 and 16 minute marks ...

In that video the guy shows how purpose-built cruising boats use 'check-stays' in place of running back-stays to balance the forces on the mast. So in high winds, a cutter rigged boat can use a small jib on the inner forestay which will balance perfectly with a double or triple reefed main. The check-stays and main-sail tension keep everything nice and strong and the centre of effort of both sails is kept closer in to the mast than would be the case using a partly furled genoa.

So my lightbulb moment was to realise that Ted Brewer had designed the Nimble 30 in exactly this way. The lesson is that I should mostly start off the day with the inner forestay jib, then add genoa as appropriate to get the full cutter effect - all the while balancing the main by reefing or shaking out reefs.

If you look at the attached pic you should be able to see the check-stays joining the deck just behind the mast, and of course the inner forestay. (And for those who know these boats, mine was built without the yawl arrangement that most of them had.)

I have not tested this set-up due to the lock-down, but I can't wait for another windy day when I can. Any thoughts on what I've got right or wrong about this would be appreciated.

r13

NSW

1714 posts

17 Jul 2021 10:50am

Looks like you are all over it. Nice boat. But where do the "check stays" join the mast? The ones you allude to look more like the standard after lower diagonals which join under the spreaders? Maybe you have both which would be ideal, with the check stays joining the mast at the same height as the inner forestay for the staysail, and maybe attaching to the deck a bit further aft than the aft lowers.

See here a custom alum one for sale with cutter rig.

www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f152/aluminum-30-ted-brewer-cutter-for-sale-202692.html

Assume you are aware of this site.

www.facebook.com/128378391091489/posts/the-nimble-30-was-a-ted-brewer-design-with-only-29-boats-built-at-nimble-boat-wo/128379611091367/

MorningBird

NSW

2703 posts

17 Jul 2021 11:40am

I had Morning Bird set up with an inner forestay on which I used a storm jib. On the Lord Howe trips I'd set the storm jib up on departure and as the wind increased progressively reef the main (only two reefs, big and f...ing big) and furl in the heady. I'd end up with a small main and the storm jib, both close to the mast and the boat in balance.
Using the reefed heady instead of the storm jib left the boat out of balance.
A few S&S34s have this mod, Jessica Watson used it. It works.
The only downside is you need to furl the heady in to tack as the space for it to go across isn't much. On a long passage you might only tack twice a day. For local sailing the inner forestay was secured to the toe rail near the shrouds.

BluewaterBound

VIC

85 posts

17 Jul 2021 1:00pm

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r13 said..
Looks like you are all over it. Nice boat. But where do the "check stays" join the mast? The ones you allude to look more like the standard after lower diagonals which join under the spreaders? Maybe you have both which would be ideal, with the check stays joining the mast at the same height as the inner forestay for the staysail, and maybe attaching to the deck a bit further aft than the aft lowers.

See here a custom alum one for sale with cutter rig.

www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f152/aluminum-30-ted-brewer-cutter-for-sale-202692.html

Assume you are aware of this site.

www.facebook.com/128378391091489/posts/the-nimble-30-was-a-ted-brewer-design-with-only-29-boats-built-at-nimble-boat-wo/128379611091367/

Good point r13. Now that I peer at my photos a bit more closely, I don't think mine has check stays as such. Ted Brewer's bigger cutters do - see pic below of his Oceanic 46. I have noticed that my mast and boom have a pretty heavy-duty cross-section to them compared with similar sized boats in my marina, so I guess the diagonal stay is enough to stop the mast flexing too much. I won't get a really good view until lockdown is over and I can get to my boat again. The point remains, though, that I'll probably get more out of my boat if I use the cutter rig.

r13

NSW

1714 posts

17 Jul 2021 1:12pm

Ok goodo. Yes expect your mast would be a reasonably beefy section. Certainly agree you will have good sailing with the staysail and main reef plan.

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