Papillon Sails
The “Papillon” sail is a 60 degree arc geometry, held by two spars attached to a small mast. The sail is shaped by small battens. A Papillon is the French name for a Butterfly
This unusual rig is a synthesis of several sails: “crab claw” from Indonesia, Chinese Junk rig and Gunter rig. The Papillion can also be compared to a Lateen sail and has elements from the Bermuda rig,
This efficient unstayed rig can be deployed in few minutes. This is a novel rig that can be handled easily with simple equipment, and it can be adjusted for every orientation (lateral, longitudinal and transversal). It allows you to explore a multitude of configurations.
This safe sail can be used in gusty conditions without reefing when opened like a kite. Moreover, the sail area can be reefed easily without any complicated manoeuvres
I have developed a number of different models designed to fit everything from a small dinghy with cat-boat rig up to a classic keel yacht of 8 meters length.