Capt. Rob wrote:
I was looking through some old sailing books last night and started
reading about the Gaff rigged schooners and sloops. Looking at the
drawings I thought....

Doesn't the gaff allow for more roach with better control aloft? Is the
penalty just the spar, which could be made ultralight these days?

They're called full length battens nowadays.

Wouldn't still add more sail area and superior shape on a modern ketch?

That's why so many modern high performance boats like mine use them.
How about yours?

Well, it's a pretty rig in any case.

yup.