"modern" gaff rig

[rdahmes]

Bob Perry and I are working on a 20 ft gaff cutter with a modern underbody and gaff rig. We will be using composite spars. I'd like to rig a topsail, but I need to figure out a way that the topsail will: 1. be easy to rig, 2. work well while tacking, 3. be easy to furl.

My wife and I will be the crew and both of us are disabled. One thought I had was to make the topsail THE means of hoisting the gaff and main. That way, the peak and throat halyards would not interfere with the topsail's shape on different tacks. On a blustery day, we would simply not hank on the topsail and would utilize a bridle to hoist the gaff and main.

I understand that this is not traditional, but I'm thinking of a modern adaptation of a classic design.

Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

Rob Dahmes