Sailing Rig

Below are links to all the pages concerning the design and manufacture of Befur’s sailing rig (including Louise’s epic sewing work).

Befur’s rig is a modern development of the ancient Chinese Junk Rig design. It’s optimised for ease of handling and simplicity of making. We made the whole rig ourselves.

The pages are shown in Chronological Order (oldest to newest), if you instead want to look at the latest posts first, then just click on the “Sailing Rig” link in the word cloud on this page.

POSTS on “SAILING RIG”

  • Mast Partners and Step – CAD/CAM
    As noted in the last post, the plans for the cabin/mast arrived from Selway Fisher. Having poured/poored/pawed?? over these for a few weeks we have concluded we are going to slightly modify the proposed arrangement by installing a set of steel bracing inside the boat to support the Mast Partners (the thing the mast hinges… Read more: Mast Partners and Step – CAD/CAM
  • Fit-out and Steelwork
    Fitout The current process is trying to finalise the major items in the fit-out of the boat, so that I can install the major structural elements for the cabin and mast. This is a bit of a “round in circles” process, You imagine how it will be, draw it out, see it doesn’t fit, imagine… Read more: Fit-out and Steelwork
  • Fuel Tank, Mast Structure and Galvanizing
    This is a hotchpotch of notes on progress we have made in the last few weeks. I am now focusing my attention on the internal fit-out. We need to get Befur in a state to move her on a trailer to our new home in Cumbria in August, this is adding some needed pressure, to… Read more: Fuel Tank, Mast Structure and Galvanizing
  • Mast Ordered!
    Today confirmed the order for the mast for Befur. A 6.4metre extruded alloy lamp post! This is an unstayed mast, to support 16sqM of sail. Spent a long time trying to figure out how strong it needed to be – then suddenly realised it was much simpler than trying to figure the maximum wind load… Read more: Mast Ordered!
  • A Start on Befur’s Sailing Rig
    Time to make a Yacht! Following on from appearing to have (temporarily at least) sorted the steam plant, it’s time to get on with fitting Befur with her Junk-Rig sails, so that she can truly be the Steam Yacht that she was always intended to be. The embarrassment of having to be towed home on… Read more: A Start on Befur’s Sailing Rig
  • December ’19 – a progress update…
    Well winter is with us A quick note on where we are at, while we wait to hear from Windermere Lake Wardens on our application for a berth at Ferry Nab next year…. The boat is back in Heggerscale, and we are working on the following items: LP cylinder “small end” (crosshead bearing) replacement: This… Read more: December ’19 – a progress update…
  • Progress on the Rig
    While January is pretty cold here in Cumbria, we have managed to make some progress on the Rig, here are some pictures and notes… Mast etc.
  • Raising the Mast
    Today, the weather was calm (pretty unusual for Heggerscale), dry (very unusual for Heggerscale) and almost 8-degrees C (almost unheard of for January at 900ft), so it’s time to hoist the mast and cast the rubber foot for the mast to fit into the tabernacle… It’s the second time we have hoisted the mast, but… Read more: Raising the Mast
  • Sails, Cabin, Boiler & Gally – February ’20 update
    Just a note to record the things we have been doing over the last month or so. Most importantly we have secured a berth at Ferry Nab on Winderemere, so Befur will be exploring new waters this year. So, as always, the cosh is upon us, with the berth being available from the 1st April… Read more: Sails, Cabin, Boiler & Gally – February ’20 update
  • Thank God for the Lockdown!
    Well, here we are in May 2020, and we are actually looking like Befur will soon warrant her “S.Y.” prefix, being a real Steam Yacht and all! Nine years work, and we feel like we are getting close to the end – the lockdown has been a blessing, as it has removed the stress of… Read more: Thank God for the Lockdown!
  • Winter Work
    Well, Befur is back in the fells for some winter work. The pull-out and trip home was uneventful, thanks to Simon and Dean’s help, and the garage finally finding and fixing the leak in the Land Rover’s turbo pipes! Much less smoke and much more go! Work to do We have a tentative list of… Read more: Winter Work
  • Getting to the end of the worklist
    I’m falling behind! No progress update since January – sorry. We have been working hard to get her ready for re-entering the water… This winter’s workslist has turned into quite a major refit. The list below shows the work we are undertaking, and all is completed except installing the engine and the work on mast… Read more: Getting to the end of the worklist