Spreading gaff sails
The spreading gaff sail is a special sail on some, especially older, sailing ships. It is always anchored between two masts, with the luff on the front, as well as on the spreader gaff and sheet (unprofessional: the rope with which the position of the sail is regulated) on the aft of the two masts.
Similar to the boom of a surf sail, the spreading gaff is a two-part spar rotatably mounted on the mast ; the spreading gaff sail is thus a form of a spray sail .
A spreader gaff sail is usually supplemented by a staysail (e.g. a mizzen rig sail), which is also attached to the aft mast and roughly fills the triangular space between the spreader gaff sail and the aft mast.
Spreading gaff sails are a very effective type of sails, as they allow a large amount of sail area, measured by the number and height of the masts. It also has the advantage that individual sails can be struck when the wind comes up , whereas a mainsail would have to be reefed .
Ship types with spreading gaff sails
Depending on the number and relative size of the masts, a ship with a gaff sail (s) is referred to as:
- Spreizgaffel ketsch when it has two poles, of which the front than the rear mast is higher (see also Ketsch ). Here, the on other ships on the main mast ( "front mast") driven by a mainsail Spreizgaffelsegel and a spanker replaced staysails (Stagsegel at the rear mast). This type of sails is also known as a wishbone rig .
- Spreizgaffel saver when it has two or more poles, of which the second pole is at least as high as the front (see also saver ). A spreader gaff schooner leads to all but the aftmost ("rearmost") mast - one spreader gaff sail for a two-master or two spreader sails for a three- master . An example of a spreader gaff schooner is the Polish three- master Zawisza Czarny .
