I had to a double-take when I saw this shot. Not sure what this rig is called or what he benefits would be. It's not a schooner rig as the foremast would be shorter. Maybe its easier to single-hand. One of the early singlehanders in the Golden Globe Race in 1968 had a junk rig with similarly placed and sized masts.
Anyone?
I think it’s called a “cat ketch”.
I think this is just a ketch with the foresail lowered. It isn’t a junk rig; those sails are completely aft of the masts. Just full-batten mail and mizzen. It may just be an optical illusion that the foremast appears further forward than it actually is. But I believe that’s a jib halyard to the right of the main.
So far I am going with tillerman. The boat doesnt seem long enough for the rig you are suggesting John
Yeah, the more I look at it, the more it looks like the mainmast really is right up at the bow. A cat ketch it is, then.
I’d still like to know what that line is up front, though. Spinnaker halyard? If this is a cat ketch, then the purpose behind that configuration would be a simpler rig with no headsail to fuss with, making for an almost completely self-tacking rig. But then you’re defeating the purpose of a simple rig by adding a spinnaker, one of the most complicated sails to set and trim. And without a jib this boat won’t point as high.
And anyway, with the two-masted rig, it would be easy enough to goosewing each sail out when running, so the spinnaker is redundant anyway.
Seemed simple enough when I first saw it. But it is a strange affair.
I think Tillerman is right. That was my first take, too. My guess is it’s a Sparhawk 36, like this one:
http://tinyurl.com/yduh4cp
Turns out that’s a SF Bay boat, the Andiamo II, just one marina away from mine. Here’s more info, and you you can buy it if you want – it’s for sale.
http://www.boatloco.com/boats/showthread.php?t=29955
The guy’s ad has some links to the boat’s designer, history, and more on the cat-ketch rig, which I think was used by Freedom Yachts quite a bit.
Thanks for solving the mystery. We were quite curious when we saw them out on Saturday.
Aaah, the power of the nauticoblogosphere thingie. Photo on Flickr, question on a NJ based blog, part of the answer from a RI blogger, and finally some CA dude tracks down the actual yacht.
Next question please.
Looks like that puppy can move.