Editing Gaff rig

{{Short description|Sailing rig configuration}}
[[File:Reliance_Crossing_Finish_Line.jpg|thumb|right|[[Reliance (yacht)|Reliance]], a competitor in the 1903 [[America's Cup]] and the largest gaff rigged cutter ever built]]
[[File:Gaff rig spars.jpg|thumb|A gaff rigged sail and its surrounding spars]]
[[File:Gaff-sail-rigging-parts-nr.svg|thumb|Gaff sail - {{ordered list|Mast|Gaff|Peak|Throat|Boom|Clew|Tack|Saddle|Parrel|Sall|Bridle|Peak Halyard|Throat Halyard}}]]
'''Gaff rig'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frankhagan.com/weekender/gaffhaly.htm |title=The Gaff Rig Page |access-date=2008-10-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203151438/http://www.frankhagan.com/weekender/gaffhaly.htm |archive-date=December 3, 2008 }} </ref> is a [[sailing]] rig (configuration of sails, mast and stays) in which the [[sail]] is four-cornered, [[fore-and-aft rig]]ged, controlled at its [[Parts of a sail#Triangular|peak]] and, usually, its entire [[Sail components#Shape|head]] by a [[spar (sailing)|spar]] (pole) called the ''gaff''.  Because of the size and shape of the sail, a gaff rig will have running [[backstay]]s rather than permanent backstays.

The gaff enables a fore-and-aft sail to be four sided, rather than triangular. A gaff rig typically carries 25 percent more sail than an equivalent [[Bermuda rig]] for a given hull design.<ref>{{cite book |last=Philips-Birt |first=Douglas |title=Rigs and Rigging of Yachts |year=1954 |publisher=W&J Mackay & Co. Ltd. |page=176 }}</ref>

A sail hoisted from a gaff is called a '''gaff-rigged''' '''sail'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=N-gram comparison of 'gaff-rigged', 'gaff rigged', 'gaffrigged', 1900–2008 |url=https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=gaff-rigged%2Cgaff+rigged%2Cgaffrigged&year_start=1900&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=4&share= |publisher=Google Inc. |work=Google books Ngram Viewer |access-date=17 February 2013}}</ref>

==Description==
Gaff rig remains the most popular [[Fore-And-Aft Sail|fore-aft rig]] for [[schooner]] and [[barquentine]] mainsails{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} and other [[course (sail)|course sail]]s, and [[spanker (sail)|spanker]] sails on a [[square rig]]ged vessel are always gaff rigged. On other rigs, particularly the [[sloop]], [[ketch]] and [[yawl]], gaff rigged sails were once common but have now been largely replaced by the [[Bermuda rig]] sail,<ref>{{cite book|last=Cunliffe |first=Tom |year=1992 |title=Hand, Reef and Steer |publisher=Adlard Coles Nautical |location=London |page=12}}</ref> which, in addition to being simpler than the gaff rig, usually allows vessels to sail closer to the direction from which the wind is blowing (i.e. "closer to the wind").{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}

The gaff is hoisted by two [[halyard]]s:
[[File:Mainsail-edges.png|thumb|right|200px|Halyards (and edges) on a gaff rigged sail]]
* The ''[[throat halyard]]'' hoists the throat of the sail (the end closer to the mast) at the forward end of the gaff and bears the main weight of the sail and the tension of the [[Parts of a sail#Edges|luff]].<ref name="Leather2001">{{cite book|last=Leather|first=John|title=The Gaff Rig Handbook: History, Design, Techniques, Developments|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vunvLutTE7QC|edition=2nd|year=2001|publisher=WoodenBoat Books|isbn=978-0-937822-67-8|page=32 }}</ref>
* The ''[[peak halyard]]'' lifts the aft end of the gaff and bears the [[Parts of a sail#Edges|leech]] tension. Small craft attach the peak halyard to the gaff with a wire span with eyes at both ends looped around the gaff and held in place with small wooden chocks, larger craft have more than one span. Peak halyards  pull upwards, approaching the gaff at right angles.{{sfnp|Leather|2001|p=33}}
[[File:Rose Dorothea-1907-broke topmast racing-won Lipton Cup.jpg|thumb|alt=gaff rigged schooner with broken foretopmast|The gaff-rigged schooner ''Rose Dorothea'' won the 1907 Lipton's Cup, despite a broken foretopmast (pictured)]]

Additionally, a [[gaff vang]] may be fitted. It is a line attached to the end of the gaff which prevents the gaff from sagging downwind. Gaff vangs are difficult to rig on the [[aft]]-most sail, so are typically only found on schooners or ketches, and then only on the foresail or mainsail.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}

A triangular fore-and-aft sail called a jib-headed [[topsail]] may be carried between the gaff and the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]].{{sfnp|Leather|2001|p=54}}

[[Gunter rig|Gunter-rigged]] boats are similar, smaller vessels on which a spar (commonly, but incorrectly called the gaff) is raised until it is nearly vertical, parallel to the mast and close adjacent to it. Topsails are never carried on gunter rigs.

The [[spritsail]] is another rig with a four-sided [[Fore-And-Aft Sail|fore-aft sail]]. Unlike the gaff rig where the [[Parts of a sail#Corners|head]] hangs from a spar along its edge, this rig supports the [[Parts of a sail#Edges|leech]] of the sail by means of a spar named a ''sprit''.  The forward end of the sprit is attached to the [[mast (sailing)|mast]] but bisects the face of the sail, with the after end of the sprit attaching to the [[Parts of a sail#Triangular|peak]] and/or the [[Parts of a sail#Corners|clew]] of the sail.

==Sailing characteristics (small craft)==

For a given sail area a gaff rig has a shorter mast than a [[Bermuda rig|Bermudan rig]]. In short-ended craft with full body, heavy displacement and moderate [[ballast]] ratio, it is difficult to set enough sail area in the Bermudan rig without a mast of excessive height and a [[Forces on sails#Centre of effort|centre of effort (CE)]] too high for the limited [[Ship stability|stability]] of the [[hull (watercraft)|hull]].{{sfnp|Philips-Birt|1954|pp=47–48}} Because of its low [[aspect ratio]], the gaff rig is less prone to [[stall (fluid dynamics)|stall]]ing if oversheeted than something taller and narrower.{{sfnp|Cunliffe|1992|p=15}}

===Reaching with gaff sails===

Whilst [[Reaching (sailing)|reaching]], the CE being set further back, will encourage a small craft to bear up into the wind, i.e. strong [[weather helm]]. The boat builder can compensate for this at design stage, e.g. by shifting the keel slightly aft, or having two jibs to counter the effect. The gaff-cutter is in fact a very popular [[sailplan]] for small craft.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} The helmsman can reduce weather helm significantly, simply by sheeting out the mainsail. Sheeting out may appear to create an inefficient belly in the sail, but it is often a pragmatic alternative to having a heavy helm. A swing keel lifted halfway is the perfect treatment for weather helm on a gaffer.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} The usual adjustments to mast rake, or even bowsprit length may be made to a gaffer with persistent heavy weather (or lee) helm.

===Running with gaff sails===

On a gaff-rigged vessel, any heading where the wind is within 20 degrees of dead aft is considered a [[Running (sailing)#Running downwind|run]].{{sfnp|Cunliffe|1992|p=118}} When [[Points of sail#Running downwind|running]] with a gaff rig, the CE of the mainsail may actually be overboard of the hull, in a stiff wind the craft may want to [[Broach (nautical)|broach]]. Running goose winged with a balloon staysail poled out to windward will balance the CE; Nick Skeates circumnavigated ''Wylo II'' with this configuration.{{sfnp|Cunliffe|1992|p=120}}
In light winds, or when racing, a [[watersail]] may also be set.

==Gaffers Day==
Since 1972, the [[Sydney Amateur Sailing Club]] has regularly hosted a Gaffers Day for any classic sailing boat that can "hoist a spar". Up to 90 vessels from around Australia take part in sailing on Sydney Harbour in a practical demonstration of the skills and technology used in the nautical past.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sasc.com.au/gaffers-day/|title = Gaffers Day}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
File:J&ERiggin.jpg|Gaff rigged schooner ''[[J. & E. Riggin (schooner)|J. & E. Riggin]]''. Her sails, from left to right, are: [[jib]], [[staysail]], gaff foresail, gaff mainsail, and, above that, a main [[topsail|gaff topsail]]
File:Partridge 1885 - Sails.jpg|Gaff rigged Cutter [[Partridge 1885]]
File:18-04-20 ASTRID - MMSI 230998670 11-06-10.jpg|Gaff rigged ketch, ''Astrid'', off Helsinki, Finland
File:Bermudianised Gaff Rig.jpg|A near-vertical gaff allows this [[Gunter rig|Gunter]]-rigged boat to carry a triangular sail that is similar to the [[Bermuda rig]]
File:Schotel Gaffelaar.jpg|''Gaffelaar'', by [[Johannes Christiaan Schotel]], depicting both gaff and square-rigged boats
File:Sloop Carmita-2.jpg|''Carmita'', racing [[Cutter (boat)|cutter]]
File:Governor Ames.jpg|''[[Governor Ames]]'', five-masted [[schooner]]
File:Victory Chimes.jpg|[[Victory Chimes (schooner)|''Victory Chimes'']], National Historic Landmark
File:Errol Flynn's Zaca.jpg|[[USS Zaca (IX-73)|''Zaca'']], owned by [[Errol Flynn]]
File:IJsselmeerTraditionalBoat.JPG|Traditional Dutch sailing barge
File:Jacob van Strij - Het Jacht van de kamer Rotterdam.jpg|The yacht of the [[Dutch East India Company|VOC-Chamber of Rotterdam]], by Jacob van Strij
File:Rose Dorothea-Lipton's Cup-1907 Fishermen's Race.jpg|The schooner ''Rose Dorothea'' in 1907
File:Galway hookers, Belfast, June 2010 (06).JPG|Traditional Galway hooker, Ireland, June 2010
File: Bluenose sailing 1921.jpg|Original iconic Canadian schooner Bluenose
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{Commonscat|Gaff rigged sails}}
* [[Gunter rig]]
* [[Parts of a sail]]
* [[Spritsail]]
* [[Lug sail]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Rousmaniere|first=John|title=The Illustrated Dictionary of Boating Terms: 2,000 Essential Terms for Sailors & Powerboaters|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YyWkT-C3pBkC|year=1998|publisher=W.W. Norton|isbn=978-0-393-04649-6}}

{{Sail Types}}
{{Sailing vessels and rigs}}

[[Category:Sailing rigs and rigging]]
[[Category:Nautical terminology]]