There seem to be two themes going on here, but as far as funny little bubbles to look out of and central steering positions, stern cabins etc are concerned, I refer folk again to Hasler and McCleod's 'Practical Junk Rig". It's all been done, to practical effect not just to be quirky, 20 - 30 years ago.
As promised (actually, as I promised myself), I'm not going to say any more about my own junk rig project (actions speak louder than words etc). Herewith some brief remarks about some of the comments made above.
Problems and Solutions. Claus is clearly very happy with, and defensive of, gunter ketch rig, and I would only be provocative if I suggested that there just might be a rig out there which is even handier and performs even better! I definitely have problems with the rig of my Storm Petrel (a lovely, fast, skittery and tender little thing), principally that reefing effectively means running for shore, which is inefficient, inconvenient, frustrating and potentially not even feasible. (I tried roller furling of the jib as first reef: for various reasons I was not happy with it.) That is MY major problem, which affects most of my sailing activities - I like to STAY OUT, even in a blow. I believe I have found an elegant, flexible and seamanlike solution.
All that string. A fair amount, and it needs setting up and tuning. However, this tweaking is 'permanent', and once done rigging the boat etc is an absolute doddle.
Stayed/unstayed masts. True junk rig, including its 'Western' development over the last 50 years, has an unstayed mast as basic. I am no engineer or whatever, but I understand it to be an established fact that the forces acting on the mast, and through the mast on the hull, are entirely different in the two instances, to an extent which can quite profoundly affect handling and sailing qualities.
Performance. In a recent issue of the Junk Rig Association Newsletter (actually a very elegant and beautifully illustrated little magazine) there is a picture of a yacht called Poppy, rigged with the latest kind of junk sail (sail panels between the battens individually cambered), absolutely storming through a big fleet of yachts, on the south (open) side of the Isle of Wight, in what looks like a force 5 - 6, during the 2008 Round the Island Race. She was apparently delayed off the start for non-sailing reasons, overtook the other boats by the score, and was one of the first round the Needles and into the Solent. Junk rig performance off the wind is recognised to be good (only bettered by boats with spinnakers). Poppy's upwind performance is reportedly startling.
Ease of handling. It may be because I am not managing to get any younger that the legendary ease of handling of junk rig is so attractive. Francis Chichester won the first solo transatlantic race, exhausting himself and losing lots of weight in the process. Blondie Hasler came second in junk-rigged Jester, having apparently spent much of the voyage cooking meals which resulted in him gaining weight, while the boat sailed herself. A junk rigged schooner called Galway Blazer took part in a Round Britain Race during which the weather was sometimes severe. It was remarked upon that, at the end of each leg, the only crew not utterly exhausted was that of (yes, you've guessed it) Galway Blazer (which has also circumnavigated, including Cape Horn). At the end of the 2008 Isle of Wight race mentioned above, the crew of Poppy was about the only one not on its collective beam ends with tiredness. Sailing, allegedly like Taxes (though that's a lie), doesn't have to be taxing to be enjoyable.
