The author's red mizzen staysail was designed and made for WAXWING, his François Vivier-designed, lug-yawl rigged Ilur. Sailmaker Stuart Hopkins writes about this sail: "We drew a 40-sq-ft sail to be tacked on the weather rail forward and sheeted to the leeward rail aft. We cut it rather flat from 3-oz polyester (instead of nylon) 'storm spinnaker' cloth, in the hope it will prove useful even with the wind a little forward of the beam, and keep its shape in slightly stronger winds."
John Hartmann
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Nice write up John, you’ve given the staysail a great review for small boats. I’ll add a note: Usually a mizzen staysail main sheet is lead next to the clew of the mizzen sail—that’s in bigger boats and doesn’t seem practical on boats such as ours. I like your sail’s cut as you have better visibility under the foot. I’m a bit restricted, however, I absolutely love my sail and the extra speed or at times compensating for extra weight of gear or passengers, seems to me to make things all even against the solo sailor.
I’ll give a big shout out to Douglas Fowler, my sailmaker, who gave this some good thoughts on design and knows the Caledonia yawl’s rig as few do.
Brilliant! Just the site I have been looking for. I have recently bought a Fairlite Gull,a gaff rigged dinghy, and am just getting it organized. I shall keep an eye out for Small Boats Monthly. Cheers, Rob
I have a 16′ Falmouth Bass Boat with a ketch rig and am looking to rig a mizzen stay sail and perhaps even a flying jib. Your article is the best I have seen on the subject. Many thanks.