Rob,

A Gaff rigged anything is an interesting thing. I think that is why my
father was so pleased to have one always. I agree they make a pretty
sailplan.

As opposed to the "Bermuda" or "Marconi" that evolved in the late 19th
century, you could get more sail area for the same mast. Close hauled
and beating, you pay for it. The weight aloft is some part of the
issue, but the whole top of the sail is in the wind shadow of the gaff
and the two halyard's tackle.

A Proposal - with modern materials:

I bet one could - make a gaff that had an aerodynamic section, and hoist
it and the throat with winches and single runs of "spider" line - boof
goes that issue.
Now, with the software top design sails that runs on a PC, you could cut
a sail that really worked.

There is one problem that I see right away, - teh peak halyard is going
to be really tough on the truck - when you want to tighten the leach to
minimize the twist you are going to have a really tight headstay
(assuming it is a masthead rig).

I also see something I like a lot. When you need to de-power fast, you
can drop the peak and let a bunch of sail fall behind the working
portion - it will just go hide there and not flog (and you can get your
father's catboat back to the morning and only get soaked to the skin).

Somebody want to pay me to build them one?

Matt Colie
Lifelong Waterman, Licensed Mariner and Perpetual Sailor


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?
Wouldn't still add more sail area and superior shape on a modern ketch?
Well, it's a pretty rig in any case.



RB
35s5
NY