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For many years, skippers around the world have been using variations of the swing rig to try to improve the
performance of their Marblehead in light winds. We have had numerous requests for a swing rig for our
yachts, but have resisted this "fad", because we had never really seen consistent, significant improvement
in performance from these rigs. While they have good performance downwind, our conventional rigs have
always dominated to windward and reaching, even in light winds. We felt that to a large degree, this was
due to the small jibs swing rigs had to use to make the rig rotate properly. Once the wind speed exceeded
4 or 5 mph, our conventional rigs proved time and again to be faster around the course. In addition, swing
rigs have a very nasty habit of causing the yacht to dive when a puff hits sailing downwind, and many regattas
have been lost because a swing rig equipped yacht dove, filled the jib with water, and rolled over on its side,
sitting there until the main luffed and allowed the yacht to right herself. In Europe, where swing rigs have
been used the longest, most of the top skippers have gone away from swing rigs for all but the top suit, for
exactly this reason. During development of the VIPER, we quickly came to realize that the 74" luff rig we have been calling the "B+" is a fabulous rig for the boat. While not quite as quick as the 80" luff "A" rig in the lightest winds, by the time you had 4 to 5 mph winds, it was the fastest rig. For the last couple of years, we have been working on developing a specialized light air rig, utilizing a semi-elliptical mainsail. The goal was to develop a conventional rig that worked more like a rig with an 84" luff, even though the luff was only 80". The rig showed promise, and great bursts of speed when properly tuned, but it was difficult to tune, and therefore, inconsistent. Over the last few months, we decided to incorporate the idea of an elliptical mainsail into a swing rig, with the idea that the highly bent mast, which moves the wide head of the sail further aft of the mast centerline, thereby helping rig rotation, would enable us to fit a larger jib than that used on most swing rigs. We were able to incorporate a 240 sq.in. jib, 20% larger than the 200 sq.in. jibs typical on most swing rigs. In addition, the rotating mast enabled us to build a mainsail having a completely elliptical area distribution. Instead of the luff of the sail being vertical, the mast is bent so much that the leach is vertical creating what sailplane pilots call a Schumann platform, which has proven to be the most efficient type of elliptical platform. There is more area up high where there is more wind in light airs, with a Center of Effort height higher than a conventional 90" luff rig would have, if it was legal to build a rig that tall!  The VIPER+ uses the new STerne swING Rig for light winds, changing to the proven 74" B+ and 64" C+ keel-stepped conventional rigs for their superior performance and ease of boat control in heavier winds. The new STING RIG, built to the maximum legal height, has incredible performance in light conditions. It is extremely fast in all directions, and yet is easy to tune. The molded Carbon Fiber mainboom/jib-yard comes pre-assembled. To attach it to the mast, you need only slide it over the base of the mast, and glue it in place. The rig is supplied with Teflon mast bushings, a Carbon Fiber tube to mount the rig into the boat, a Carbon Fiber jib boom, and a Carbon Fiber mast crane. We have also developed a workable jib-trim system which can be fitted to the rig without inhibiting its rotation, and this is now standard equipment. If you decide to use it, it will utilize the same jib-trim servo, mounted in the same location, that you would use for the conventional rigs. In keeping with our policy of only supplying the best possible equipment and materials, we have changed over to supplying 44M modulus Carbon Fiber masts, which are about 30% lighter for the same stiffness. This applies to all rigs and yachts we manufacture. The cost has, of course, increased a bit. During the development of the STING RIG, we experimented with a variety of jib pivot arrangements, including a radial jib fitting, and a string-type breakback assembly. We concluded that these were an unnecessary complication, added weight, and had NO effect of the pointing ability of the yacht. When all is said and done, pointing ability is only the ability to sail closer to the apparent wind. This is a function of the lift-to-drag ratio of the rig and the lift-to-drag ratio of the underbody and appendages. The VIPER+ combines the superior lift-to-drag of our new STING RIG with its elliptical Schumann platform with the already proven VIPER hull and appendages. Try it and see! The VIPER+ Kevlar Kit is the same price as the VIPER, but the Sting Rig Kit is more expensive, because it is more complete. The VIPER+ is also offered as a Deluxe Kit with the Keel Trunk, Rudder Tube, and Sting Rig Tube installed prior to shipping. In this way, the all-important alignment of these critical parts is guaranteed. Conventional Rigging Kits for the B+ and C+ rigs are also available when you purchase your VIPER+, and consist of mast, booms, and sails. The prices are the same as for the VIPER. Please note that Rigging Kit prices only apply when they are ordered with the yacht. ...7 lbs. on 19" fin for extra power... Destined to become the new standard... If you have any questions, please email me at: rcsail@ca.inter.net |