B&R rig

The earliest B&R rig was the result of wind tunnel tests and research by Lars Bergstrom and Sven Ridder at Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology.{{cite conference|last1=Bergstrom|first1=Lars|last2=Ridder|first2=Sven Olof|date=28 Jan 1995|title=The Development of the B&R Rig, Structural Space Frame and Tripod Support System with Integrated Boom|url=http://vm2330.sgvps.net/~syrftest/component/syrf_library/index.php?option=com_syrf_library&view=libraryarticle&type=author&val=Lars%20Bergstrom|conference=Chesapeake Sailing Yacht Symposium|location=Annapolis, Maryland|via=Sailing Yacht Research Foundation|conference-url=http://mararchief.tudelft.nl/file/49404/}} The first generation, built around 1970, included a backstay and was used on many production boats. A patent application for the B&R rig was submitted in 1973 and was granted in 1975. A second generation eliminated the backstay but used solid, deck-mounted struts to brace the lower mast section. In 1982 a second generation B&R rig with 2 forestays was incorporated into the {{convert|60|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} "breakthrough" racing yacht Thursday's Child. On February 13, 1989 Thursday's Child beat the 135 year old clipper ship record sailing {{convert|15000|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} from New York to San Francisco.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-13-sp-1512-story.html|title=Sloop Thursday's Child Sails Into Record Books|last=Byrne|first=Dan|date=13 Feb 1989|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=11 June 2018}} A third generation B&R rig mounted the mast on a tripod of struts, had a single forestay and no backstay. In 1993 the third generation was incorporated into the all carbon/kevlar {{convert|68|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} yacht Route 66.{{Cite web |url=http://www.yachtroute66.com/ |title=ROUTE 66 |website=www.yachtroute66.com |access-date=2018-06-12}}{{cite conference |title=Another New Approach to Cruising Sailboats - Fast, Safe, Long-Distance Cruisers |last=Bergstrom |first=Lars |date=14 November 1994 |conference=13th International HISWA Symposium on Yacht Design and Yacht Construction |location=Amsterdam |url=http://www.hiswasymposium.com/assets/files/pdf/previous/13th%20-%201994/Bergstorm@hiswasymposium-1994.pdf |conference-url=http://www.hiswasymposium.com/assets/files/pdf/previous/13th%20-%201994/13th%20-1994-%20Complete.pdf |pages=20–29}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.yachtroute66.com/Route%2066%20Specifications-updated%202-2017.pdf|title=Route 66 Specifications Document|website=Yacht Route 66 home page|access-date=13 June 2018}} The {{convert|60|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} yacht Hunter's Child finished 2nd in the 1994-95 BOC Challenge using a second generation B&R rig. By 1997 more than 10,000 production sailboats were using the B&R rig.{{Cite web|url=http://www.boats.com/reviews/boats/the-bampr-rig/#.Wx4HdlMvzUJ|title=The B&R Rig|website=Boat.com|access-date=10 June 2018}}

Part of the design of the B&R rig involves inducing a "pre-bend" in the mast which provides some of the side-to-side and fore-and-aft stability of the rig. The pre-bend is achieved by tensioning the reverse diagonals and certain other so called intermediate shrouds. Because the spreaders are swept back at approximately a 25° to 30° angle, this tensioning bows the mast. Balanced and proper tensioning keeps the bow and the mast aligned in the fore-aft direction and eliminates any curvature in the sideways direction. The pre-bend is generally set up on the ground before the mast is stepped (placed onto the boat). The mast is then stepped and all other standing rigging is attached to the boat and properly tensioned.{{Cite web|url=https://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_gen_70432613.pdf|title=Tuning the B&R Rig|website=HunterOwners.com|access-date=10 June 2018}}

The majority of Hunter Marine's fleet incorporated the B&R rig. However, manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean have employed B&R rigs in their boat designs.

{{cot|Models with 1st Generation B&R rigs}}

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{{cot|Models with 2nd Generation B&R rigs}}

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{{cot|Models with 3rd Generation B&R rigs}}

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{{reflist}}

• The yacht [http://www.yachtroute66.com/ Route 66] home page.
• Hunter Marine's video explaining the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd6B_7jwKQs B&R Rig Design].

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Category:Sailing rigs and rigging