- I = Height of headstay
termination above the sheer line
- J = Distance between
the headstay termination at the deck and the front of the mast at the
sheer line.
- P = Distance between
black bands on the mast, or the maximum luff length of the main.
- E = Distance between
black bands on the boom, or the maximum foot length of the main
- PY & EY are similar to
P & E, but indicate mizzen dimensions
- Fore-mast - the first
mast, or the main-mast
- Main-mast - the
tallest mast of the ship
- Mizzen-mast - The mast
immediately aft of the main-mast
- Jigger-mast - the
fourth mast
Sailboat Rigging Types
-
Fractional rig:
A fractional rig on a sailing vessel consists of a
foresail, such as a jib or Genoa sail, that does not
reach all the way to the top of the mast.
-
Sloop rig:
sloops are designed to optimize upwind sailing. However,
sloops also offer an excellent overall compromise
acceptable, if not optimal, to all points of sail.
-
Bermuda rig:
The rig consists of a triangular sail set aft of the
mast with its head raised to the top of the mast; its
Luff runs down the mast and is normally attached to it
for its entire length; its tack is attached at the base
of the mast; its foot controlled by a boom; and its clew
attached to the aft end of the boom, which is controlled
by its sheet.
-
Gaff rig: Gaff rig
is a sailing rig (configuration of sails) in which a
sail is a four-cornered fore-and-aft rigged item
controlled at its peak and, usually, its entire head by
a spar (pole) called the gaff. The gaff enables a fore
and aft sail to be four sided, rather than triangular,
and as much as doubles the sail area that can be carried
by that mast and boom, if a boom is used in the
particular rig.
-
Mast aft rig:
A mast aft rig is a sailboat sail-plan that uses a
single mast set in the aft half of the hull to support a
jib or multiple staysails, with either a small or
completely absent mainsail. Mast aft rigs are uncommon,
and found on few production sailboats.
Parts of rigging
Cordage: The term
cordage refers to the ropes, called lines, that connect and
manipulate sails. Cordage is attached to the spars and
sometimes the sails by systems of metal pulleys and clips.
The materials chosen for cordage are determined by the
strength and weight of the rope. Cordage is divided into two
types: running rigging and standing rigging.
Standing rigging is
cordage which is fixed in position. Standing rigging is
almost always between a mast and the deck, using tension to
hold the mast firmly in place. Due to its role, standing
rigging is now most commonly made of steel cable. It was
historically made of the same materials as running rigging,
only coated in tar for added strength and protection from
the elements.
Running rigging is the
cordage used to control the shape and position of the sails.
Running rigging must be flexible in order to allow smooth
movement of the spars and sails, but strong enough for the
role it plays. For instance, a halyard, used to hoist heavy
yards up and down, must be very strong and durable. On the
other hand, a sheet, used to control the orientation of a
triangular sail, must be very flexible and smooth, and need
only be strong enough to support the tension caused by the
wind.
Sails
Sails are fabric aerofoils designed to
catch the wind and manipulate the air currents surrounding
the vessel. They are attached to spars and rigging in
various ways, such as metal clips, rope hoops, or in a luff-groove.
Sails are usually rectangular or triangular in shape, which
determines their use and placement. Rectangular sails
attached to yards, and hanging perpendicular to the keel
line are referred to as square sails, because they are
"square" to the keel line (not because of their shape); and
this type of sailplan is known as square-rigged. Sails
hanging along the keel line at rest are known as
"fore-and-aft" sails, and the sailplan as fore-and-aft rig;
although when under way both square and fore-and-aft sails
can fly at a variety of angles relative to the vessel.
Fore-and-aft sails may be triangular (see Bermuda rig), or
quadrilateral (see Gaff rig).
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