Steve,

On the plus side, you have two great oprions, so you can't really go wrong.  It really depends on what kind of sailing you enjoy.  It's a very subjective choice and all any of us can offer you is his opinion.

The vast majority of my sailing time has been with a bermudan cutter rig: a main, a jib, and a staysail.  Three halyards and three sheets.  When I was younger, I got a charge out of squeezing every bit of speed out of the wind and would endlessly tinker with sail trim.  By my current standards, that's just too much work and detracts from the joy of sailing.  I also feel that the fewer strings you have to manage, the safer you are in an open boat.

It all depends on your frame of reference.  If you are out for maximum speed and don't mind extra work when sailing, go with the gunter.  If you want simplicity and relaxation when you sail, maybe the lug is best for you.

Regards,

Dick

thanks very much Dick   

overall....i just recognized this phase was going to be labor intensive and just paced myself and over about a week or two  got it to a very satisfactory conclusion.

___

eman