Bermuda Rig
Both the Nottingham 48 and the Canterbury use the same rigs. There are three official rigs available:
An "A" rig which has the biggest sail area and is designed for light winds.
A "B" rig, the intermediate rig with a smaller sail area than the A rig. This is what I class as the "working" rig and will cater for most wind speeds. If you are starting with one rig this is the one to buy.
A "C" rig, the least sail area and sometimes referred to as a storm rig. This rig is for strong winds, or gusty conditions where the smaller sail area helps control.
The specifications for the rigs can be found in the section headed "Canterbury Rules" and most sail makers will have the designs to hand. I tend to use Peter Wiles of PJ Sails as I like his sails and he has been of great help and support. If you are new to the hobby and you order from him you don't need to specify the individual rig and deck fittings parts, only to tell him that you are buying a Nottingham 48 and he will send a pack of all the parts you need. Otherwise if you are using another sail maker or making the sails yourself then refer to the Canterbury rules for dimensions.
If you are ordering more than one rig note that you only need one deck fittings pack!
This is a picture of my original bermuda boat with an A rig. Black over White and named Vader, she's executing a hard turn. The model is very manoeuvrable and responds well to rudder control. The two tone finish, especially with white below the water line, helps identify how the hull is performing especially at distance...my eyesight isn't what it used to be!
This and the picture below are of my more recent bermuda model, Blue Vader which is Black over Light Blue, but with my original A rig and sailing in winds of about 5mph.
This model is same as the original Vader but with the alterations to the ballast as noted in the Build Manual.
She sits slightly lower at the bow and higher at the stern and I think the look on the water is improved. I've not raced this model but she should perform well in competition. In the meantime she provides great pleasure as a social sailing model, combining good handling and good looks!!
All three rigs will be recognisable to anyone who has sailed a Meter Class yacht. The rigs are fully "tuneable" to the prevailing conditions so as conditions require the rigs can be tuned to perform better in lighter winds or detuned as the wind speed increases to improve control. The model will work with a Meter Class rig but performance and control are improved with the rig designed for the model.