Blind (sail)
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A sail that was used in historical, frame-rigged sailing ships is called blind .
This sail was attached to the blind under the bowsprit . The extension of the bowsprit is called a jib boom. On large ships of the 17th century, a second, smaller blind sail was used, the so-called top blind or upper blind . The sails under the bowsprit were used to provide additional propulsion to the ships , which were difficult to steer in sideways wind due to drift . This improved the rudder efficiency and maneuverability. If the wind came aft , however , the blind was almost useless, just as in heavy seas when the bow dipped into the water. After 1810 blind eyes and sails were gradually abolished. Certainly in 1850 there were still ships with a blind eye and the associated sails, but from this point onwards almost only staysails were used. Later the blind eye and its sail are only mentioned as old-fashioned devices.
literature
- Otmar Schäuffelen: The last great sailing ships . 6th edition. Delius Klasing Verlag, Bielefeld 1986, ISBN 3-7688-0483-6 , p. 117.
- Dudszus, Henriot, Krumrey, The great book of ship types transpress, various years
