[mdougan]

Well, there is no question that this boat was born to be a gaff-rigg... and, it would be outstanding of you to restore it as such... or for you to sell it to someone who would...

Whether this is the right boat for you, and the type of sailing you want to do is another matter entirely. If your question is, "will I be able to sail this boat with a gaff-rigg alone or with just one other crew," I''d say yes, but it will be more challenging than a Bermudian rig... if you will be sailing in an area where you have to tack alot, and/or do a lot of close-hauled sailing, then it will be a lot of work. Maybe more than you''d prefer.

My friend, Reid Stowe (www.1000Days.net) has sailed his 70'' gaff schooner all around the South Atlantic with just he and his wife aboard (she, a 100 lb. ex model), with only two non-tailing winches and no autopilot... he''s also sailed his boat down to Antartica with a small crew... so, it can be done.

Having sailed on both, there is a difference in the type of sailing you do... if I just want to get out on the water, tack around the bay for the day, not do too much work, then a bermudian rig suits me fine (better yet, my friend''s catamaran is great)... but when I''m on a gaff-rigged boat, the sails are set and we''re off cruising, I really feel like I''m on a sailboat!

Good luck with whatever you choose.
Mike
(and thanks for the clarification Jeff... I hadn''t thought about the problem of wrapping the jib around the stay...)