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The holdem starting hand Four-Four (44). Pocket Fours.
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Catamaran Sailboats
Catamarans are among the fastest sailboats, specially the larger ones. A catamaran has twin hulls, but as these are very narrow compared with a monohull sailboat, they slice through the Read more...
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Gaff-rig sailboats
The gaff-rig was standard on for a very ling time, until it was displaced by the more efficient Bermudian rig. So why would anyone want a gaff-rig today?
The reason the gaff rig was developed was that the mast is short because the yard extends higher than the mast. Therefore, you can have a short, strong mast with a fairly large sail. Traditionally, gaffers had a very large mainsail with two or more small foresails. To get these far enough forward, there was a long bowsprit, sometimes one-third the length of the hull.
Although the Bermudian rig sails are more efficient to windward, they are slower than a gaffer downwind, unless they use a spinnaker. This is because the gaff rig carries most of its sail high up, in the faster winds.
Good rig for very small sailboats
These days, a small gaff rig – just a mainsail – makes a good rig for a very small sailboat – say 10-12 feet - because the short mast is easy to stow, and the sail can be very simple. For larger sailboats, the attraction is in the appearance of the sail, and the easier motion. When the wind pipes up, the mainsail can twist off the wind, so the sailboat has a more pleasant
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action, without the sudden heeling you get with a Bermudian rig. The twist also makes for a safe small sailboat.
On the other hand, the twist in the sail reduces the drive, which is why Bermudian rigs are more efficient to windward. This can be overcome to some extent with an extra sheet which connects to the end of the yard, but most gaffers already have two aft stays, one being tightened on one tack, and loosened on the opposite tack. So there is not too much space for an extra sheet, or the compound sheeting systems that junk rigs have.
To reef a gaff rig, you first 'scarify' the sail, which is to lower the yard through about 30 degrees, so the top part of the sail bags. This is also a way of reducing drive if you want to come in slowly to a mooring, or are dredging for oysters as they still do in the Cornwall, England.
After that, you can tie the lower portion of the sail around the boom with ties, but the procedure is quite complicated. In practice, if you want a different rig for cruising – and most cruisers motor into the wind – then the junk rig is the answer. It is easy to handle and reef, is very fast downwind and modern ones sail well to windward.
Mini-Cruiser Sailboats
Do you love sailing, and want to cruise – but on a small budget. If so, a mini-cruiser sailboat could be for you. These boats are inexpensive, easy to handle, can be kept at home and trailed Read more...
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Bermudian rig sailboats
By John Hartley
Popular, and the best for racing, but not the best for cruisingSince it displaced the gaff rig, the Bermudian or Bermudan rig has become the most popular for sailboats. It Read more...
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Sabre 30 Sailboats
A Good Cruiser with standing headroomThe Sabre 30 sailboat is a sound cruiser, with aft cockpit and plenty of room below and 6 feet 1 in headroom. The Sabre 30 has Read more...
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Catamaran Sailboats
Catamarans are among the fastest sailboats, specially the larger ones. A catamaran has twin hulls, but as these are very narrow compared with a monohull sailboat, they slice through the Read more...
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