Sail Plans
Pelican sets 11 sails on 3 ‘pole’ masts (à la polacre).
The main mast carries the four square sails, three on aluminium yards. Only the Royal is a lowering sail on a wooden spar.
The Yards:
They can brace 20º off centre line, some 15º sharper than other conventionally rigged ships, giving Pelican her exceptional
weatherly performance.
The Sails:
Total area 525 sq m in Richard Hayward ‘sunwing classic’ cloth, a polyester (terylene UK), built by James Lawrence, sailmaker,
of Brightlingsea are cut specifically for windward performance. The colour is Egyptian cream with exceptional high yarn strength.
The loft carries out annual survey and repair.
Shrouds and Stays:
These are in 7 x 7 galvanised wire, traditionally served with turn backs, four seizings and terminated with new bottle
screws to Lloyds specifications. The bowsprit furniture and bobstay are in bronze chain.
Running Rigging:
To give a traditional appearance a variety of polypropylene 3 strand rope is used. Only the rescue boat falls are in polyester
for added strength. Dyneema is used in the Topsail and T’gallant sheets to offset wear at the sheaves.
The Pole Masts:
They are twenty-sided folded section steel, tapered and doubled where required by Lloyds. All joints and fittings are
welded before galvanizing overall – another unique feature.
SAILING PERFORMANCE
The secret is in the sail combination on the foremast the geometry of which mimics the lateen sail of the Xebec. Even with a 3-masted rig,
sail management is easy and not crew intensive. In reasonable conditions Pelican has cruised at 10 knots under sail and points within 40º of
the apparent wind, unheard of in a square rigger.
