Standing vs. balanced lug

[almeyer]

Need some clarification on the difference between these two rigs. I "thought" that a standing lug rig had the tack of the sail attached to the mast or was just behind it, with the end of the boom secured to the mast via boom jaws or a goose neck, as in my Penobscot 14:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid181/pd8ac7b32ef777a18450882e4355121ee/f2e8c2ea.jpg
My understanding of a balanced lug was that the tack was forward of the mast, as shown in Don Maurer's very pretty Tammie Norrie:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid134/pf1f62587cd02842e3c05ee619652f1e3/f774724d.jpg
Then some very knowledgeable folks, such as Paul Gartside for instance, show a sailplan for RIFF in WB189 that has the tack forward of the mast but refers to it as a standing lug.
Obviously my distinction between the two types isn't very accurate. So can someone straighten me out?
Al

[Brian Palmer]

I think a standing lug is any lug that is not a dipping lug. A dipping lug has the tack attached to the stem or other point forward of the mast and a "lot" (e.g. a third) of the sail is forward of the mast. When the boat is tacked, the tack is unfastened and the yard is dipped around the mast and the tack is reattached so that the mast is always to windward of the sail.

-- Brian

[dredbob]

I would agree with your definitions of standing and balanced lugs, but with the understanding that the balanced lug is a form of standing lug, ie., one that need not be dipped or otherwise lowered to tack.

Bob

[Todd Bradshaw]

The way I learned it, a standing lug has the tack attached at the mast (could be to the front side, aft side or to a boom jaw/gooseneck assembly just behind the mast). The luff of the sail is not parallel to the mast and angles forward and away from the mast as you go up toward the throat corner. Standing lugs can be boomed or boomless, laced to a boom or loose-footed.

A balanced lug always has a boom and that boom always extends forward of the mast (though the amount varies). The luff of a balanced lug is usually pretty close to parallel to the mast and if the mast is raked, so is the luff. There may be some form of single jaw or gooseneck on the boom where it passes the mast or the job can be done with only the downhaul line, but something needs to be there to keep the boom from moving forward in use. Unlike a standing lug, this configuration tends to be self-vanging. It generally minimizes the amount of possible lift at the tail end of the boom and the upper sail twist to leeward that this boom lift would allow. This can be both good and bad. For wringing every possible ounce of power out of your sail area, being able to minimize twist is quite helpful. On the other hand, being able to induce boom lift aft, and the resulting upper-sail twist that it creates, can be a very good depowering tool in high winds. The balanced lug's lack of ability to depower in this way is one reason that they aren't very popular in large sizes and also a reason that they tend to have more elaborate reefing systems that many other small sail types.

Dipping lugs are a different animal and are sort of a refinement of the old principle of turning a small squaresail fore and aft, pulling the tack corner down to peak-up the aft end of the yard and getting your boat to point a bit higher than normal with a square.

[Woxbox]

I'll second all that, Todd. But the difference can become a somewhat fine one. The one thing balanced lugs always have is a boom, whereas most standing lugs do not. I found out very quickly that my balanced lug won't set properly unless the downhaul is pretty close to the tack, and the halyard is belayed somewhat back from the throat. In other words, rigging it with the luff parallel to the mast makes it tough to get the luff tension neccesary to keep the sail flat. But once set up right, it does swing like a barn door.

[almeyer]

Thanks for the responses. I've only got a limited understanding of the dipping lug, but from what I gather it seems like a royal pain to have to dip the yard every time you change tacks, but that's just my opinion with little experience to back it up.
My standing lug is boomed with a loose foot, but after reading Todd's comments I recall seeing a number of sketches showing an unboomed standing lug. I had never thought to look at the line of the luff with respect to the mast.
Al

[Clan Gordon]

Yes - on a big boat dipping the lug was not a job for the fainthearted. Here is a Zulu herring drifter (70ft) dipping her main lug (probably more than 1500 sq.ft)......

http://static.flickr.com/37/76340807_51ced74c3c.jpg

But on these boats they had lots of people onboard for working the nets so that helped. Also by the time these boats reached this size they had steam onboard (capstan for hauling the net rope and hoisting the sails).

Standing lug much easier - a smaller type (Loch Fyne Skiff, c. 37ft) of Scottish double ended herring boat in her regatta rig (white sails etc).....

http://static.flickr.com/37/76646104_30ff5f6d30.jpg

[ 03-21-2006, 08:59 AM: Message edited by: Clan Gordon ]

[Steve Lansdowne]

Al, is that really you? There is no photo of your grandson in your Penobscot, so I figured it was an impostor pretending to be you!

[almeyer]

Steve, the photo I posted above was taken at Lake Charles shortly before the grandson was born - and before Rita hammered Lake Charles. Grandson is doing well - he is a little joy. When he gets a little bigger, I'll buy him a life jacket and take him out with me - if his parents will let me smile.gif
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid199/pf0b54dd1460971726592144e77cea347/f0abfe12.jpg

[Stiletto]

Lovely shot! smile.gif