Interesting interpretation of the Jib Rule, not full luff length though. Would this be legal and would the system work with raking rigs?

Quite a bit of windage as well.

That looks mental, just checked the rules and the first two sentences under foresail rule it out instantly. Looks like the measurement peps saw it coming!

This looks like an extreme version of the 'parrot perch' that I had on an old boat of mine, it had a Needle Spar mast with rod rigging and a 'stuff luff' jib. At the time the measurers opinion was that at the point of measurement the 'perch' did not alter the line of the jib, it was very complicated and only showed flashes of speed so it was never the subject of a protest, but is was measured twice for championships and not challenged.

More interestingly - although in a far more mundane and boring way - is the new big rig that Seve had on the mighty Gotta Love It 7 (the class act in the fleet for the last few years). Big main, very big jib without overlap, with forestay attachment point much higher than the other boats are using. That would be legal in the Merlin if you can play with the formula and get away from the rather standard 2.8 sq m jib ... besides it's what JT has been doing for a year or so anyway ...

You can't move the jib point much higher unless you have the spinny sheave below it.

back to the 50's!!