What would happen if the spar was lifted back to the mast, scandalising the sail (I think)?
Hi, Simon.
It could work on a small mizzen and does work, on a huge scale, with Thames barges - who do it all the time. However, I've tried this on "Four Sisters" and you end up, at best, with a nasty flappy bit waving about in the breeze and, at worse, the damn thing balloons out, throwing the boat around and threatening to rip itself to bits. Also, to make the boom safe I have to stand up to the mizzen mast and use both hands. Not good in the usual circumstances for wanting the mizzen away in a hurry ! With roller furling you just release the snotter and yank the furling line. Job done!
As far as roller reefing goes Julian is probably right for the BR etc. Not worth the fuss. For the CBL and other “Storm” based boats it could well prove a benefit (assuming a decent sail shape can be kept) but implementing it with a sprit boom, however you rig it, is not easy! I’ve even tried a reefing claw (the sort of thing they used to have on roller reefed mainsails in the 60’s) but the weight of it (a home-made test piece made from plastic pipe, split lengthways) just pulled the boom down the mast, ruining the sail shape. Glad I didn’t invest in an expensive bronze one. It would have needed a sky hook !
The simplest answer is to lose the boom altogether and sheet the mizzen to a dirty great long bumkin. See below, as implemented by Nigel Irens. No need for mizzen reefing on this boat.
NB
“Romilly” is a beautiful boat and sails like a witch but I don’t think you’d want to trail it any distance with a ‘reasonably priced car’. Stick with the water ballast, guys !
Hmmm. I wonder what a 23 foot BayRaider Expedition would look like? It would only take a small Lottery Funding grant to find out......