This is the first time I've seen John’s PocketShip lugger. It is intriguing! I too like the idea of a yawl rig and I’m surprised that “so far [there have been] no takers.”
For this solo sailor a simpler rig is attractive. By “simpler” I mean maybe an unstayed mast, with sail bent to yard [and maybe the boom] semi-permanently by lacing rather than tracks and cars, no outhaul, no peak halyard, no jib w/two sheets, etc., etc, … Maybe an asymmetrical spinnaker could be deployed. Maybe not, with an unstayed mast.
For John, I have some questions about his fetching “lugger”: (1) If you still had a gallows [not shown on his drawing], it looks like the yard would be long enough to provide a support for a “boom” tent – or at least provide a stowage position for the m’sail w/boom ferruled to the yard (and lashed to mast at the tabernacle and resting on the gallows). Would that work? And (2) it also looks like the mizzen sail (ferruled to its boom & yard) could be lashed under the ferruled and stowed m’sail at anchor (or with all 3 spars when trailering) . Would that work? Or, (2a) could the mizzen w/its yard & boom be lashed to its mast when not sailing; or, (2b) often left deployed (perhaps reefed) with its sheet keeping the boom amidships as a “steading” sail at anchor? What are the lateral forces for sails and keel w/centerboard? With lug sails, can they be reefed with about the same ease (or trouble) as with other sails?
For a sailor not much interested in speed – do you think your lugger would be easier and/or safer to sail solo than the standard PocketShip rig? Would a lug rig w/o mizzen be possible? Or, desirable? Couldn’t the bow sprit be shortened and used to stow the anchor outboard and thus make launching and retrieving an anchor easier? The fore - aft weight balance might be improved (anchor outboard) for a solo sailer at the helm? Could the mast be redesigned (hollow and tapered) to be stay-less –- extending its foot below the anchor deck down to a step on the keel (positioned for appropriate “rake” and braced to the bottom of the forward cabin bulkhead? Couldn’t the bulkhead serve as a “mast partner” with appropriate bracing with a thru-deck wedged mast opening? Could the redesigned unstayed mast be light enough for one person to step it? I would think that you could keep the tabernacle with the same design -- but maybe not if the mast cross-section must be increased? The tabernacle could serve as a side-to-side and for-and-aft support (for part of the bottom) an unstayed mast as well as support for trailer-transport of all spars as well as on-the-water support for ferruled m’sail and canopy or boom tent. An unstayed mast would also require a redesign of the aft support for a shortened bowsprit. Most catboats have what is called an "unstayed" mast -- but (because of the weight of the m'sail, boom, and gaff) they often have a forestay, sometimes attached to a short bowsprit. With a lug rig, the weight of the sail and spars is shifted forward, maybe enough not to require a forestay?
If the details can be worked out so that sailing solo can be made easier and safer (with a lug-yawl) and I can still deploy my “boom” canopy – I’d commit to ordering the sails, building the spars, and making the mast partner, bulkhead, mast step, tabernacle, transom, and bowsprit modifications this winter so that the new rig would be ready for the 2013 sailing season. And I’d make a detailed report to the forum members. Maybe there could be a number of sailors who would “take to” your fetching lugger! And if it works out -- I could offer for sale (to PocketShip owners) my sails, stays, all spars, and perhaps (if not useful with a lug rig) my spinnaker.