Stanley Smith's _Nova Espero_, the 20-footer that Stanley Smith sailed both
ways across the Atlantic, was a gunter rig, and Smith considered it a big
advantage to be able to drop the main quickly when a gale came up suddenly.
For the second crossing, the _Nova Espero_ had a small mizzen sail added,
so they would often drop the gunter-rigged main and sail with just jib and
mizzen when the wind came up. Later, when Smith designed the Potter, he
naturally used the gunter rig, which had served him so well.
The higher cost of the wooden spars used on HMS Marine's Potters from 1966
through the early 70s was apparently a factor in the decision to change to
the more modern-looking Marconi rig with aluminum mast and boom.
Regards,
Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA
>>What's a gunter rig?
>
>Only found on P15's from before 1972ish. Mast, boom and gunter spar were
>wood. Mast was shorter than current version, but the gunter spar would
>extend it.
>
>Base of sail (excuse the jargon ;<) ) attached to boom with traditional
>bolt rope. The side of sail that usually runs up the mast is attached to
>gunter spar with bolt rope. Halyard is attached to back of gunter spar
>about in the middle. Pulling on the halyard moves the gunter spar from
>being parallel with the boom to being parallel with the mast. Since halyard
>is in the middle, about half the spar (with sail) extends above the mast.
>
>Real salty looking but is more difficult at times than the newer design.
>There is a wonderful picture of a Gunter rigged Potter 15 on the front page
>of the web site.
>
>Cheers
>
>John Haley
>P15 #391 Morgan
>Rochester NY
>