A spectacular shot of Jeremy Pudney about to take off in his asymetric-rigged International 14 "Windjammer". These are real speed machines and, whilst they can't compete for speed with the 3-man 18-foot skiffs which are becoming increasingly popular, they are still one of the fastest single-hulled dinghies around.
The "asymmetric rig" refers to the
spinnacker which is not symmetrical as it would be in the classic-rig. Here,
one particular corner of the sail is always attached via the bowsprit, and the
asymmetric shape maximises the dinghy's speed when broad-reaching, the fastest
point of sailing.