The mizzensail has a major upside you just won't get with the Bermuda sloop rig. You have a spare sail, which will come in handy. The ketch can sail on all points of wind with the main down (or the mizzen or jib). For example, if you need to perform maintenance on your main, you can simply take it down, and continue sailing without losing control or a lot of speed. You can reef in all kinds of different combinations, and even take down the main if you have to. There are more sails to put up with light airs, but also more sails to take down when things get rough. The extra sail also provides more versatile sail plan options. The mizzensail provides more control over your stern.Īlso, with the additional sail, you get a lot more trimming options for all conditions, allowing you more precise control for each point of sail and with any wind. But the most important one is that you gain more control. This provides all kinds of benefits, and there are a couple of really surprising ones, which I'll come to later on. The ketch rig has three primary sails instead of two. Using Multiple Sails Allows for More Control Instantly, you're storm proof, while maintaining speed and course. This ensures comfortable reefing and results in less speed reduction.Īnother great tip I've read somewhere is that you can even quickly drop your main when the winds come in. There's less stress on the sails, and you can reef down gradually, in phases, moving through your sails one by one. Easier Reefingīecause you have more (and mostly smaller) sails, reefing becomes easier. Splitting up your sail area is just a great way to keep things in check, even with a small crew of just one or two people. Also, smaller sails are easier to handle in heavier winds. Using smaller but more sails allows you to have more sail area, while it's still manageable for one person. The ketch is a very good single-handed rig, especially for larger boats (40ft and up). Unless you're a racer, the ketch is a really good alternative to the Bermuda rig, and most people should at least consider it. But even then, the Bermuda rig and ketch can go neck-to-neck and the gap in performance isn't necessarily enormous. The mizzensail and mainsail can work together seamlessly and are far more efficient with most points of sail, except of course when sailing very close to the wind. While with the Marconi rig the main and jib get in each other's way on downwind runs, the ketch rig has far fewer problems. Ketches Generally Perform Better in Downwind Conditions It's also a great family cruiser, since you can sail a larger boat without needing additional crew members or having to operate humongous sails. For example, couples that want to sail around the world together, or liveaboards that go on long holidays or expeditions. The ketch is especially great for long-distance cruisers that face rough waters and heavier winds and are short-handed. This increased comfort is largely thanks to the extra sail aft, the mizzensail, which provides a better power balance. But the most important reason is that the ketch is incredibly comfortable, both in handling, maneuvering, operating, and the ride itself. There are multiple reasons to back up that claim, and we'll go over all of them one by one below. The Ideal Rig for Long-Distance Offshore CruisingĪll in all, the ketch rig is widely known as one of the best rigs for long-distance cruising. Using Multiple Sails Allows for More Control.Ketches Generally Perform Better in Downwind Conditions.The Ideal Rig for Long-Distance Offshore Cruising.There are some really creative ways to put your mizzenmast to use. Your mizzensail provides all kinds of benefits. The sail on the mizzenmast is also called the jigger. Just a quick recap: the ketch is a two-masted sailboat that has a mainmast (front) and shorter mizzenmast (aft or back). The ketch rig is an especially effective rig for larger boats (40ft and up). It offers more versatility in sail plan, and is known to handle very well in heavy winds. What are the benefits of a ketch rig? Since the sail area is divided over multiple sails, the ketch is more easily managed and is great for single-handed sailing. In this article, I'll sum up the most important benefits. If you're trying to figure out whether the ketch rig is for you, there are a couple of important factors to consider.
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