Sailing vessel equipment

In a broad sense, the equipment of a sailing vessel includes its hull and gear: masts, sails, and rigging. The entire sailing rig system is designed to convert wind energy into propulsive force, as well as to alter the yacht's course and speed.

Spars are the primary marine equipment for setting sails and various above-deck structures. The entire assembly of spars is designed to hoist and maintain the sails in working condition.

Main components of spars:

• Masts Vertical spars to which yards and rigging are attached.
• Topmasts Additional extensions of the masts.
• Yards Horizontal spars for attaching the upper edges of square sails.
• Booms Fixed or movable spars for the lower part of fore-and-aft sails.
• Gaffs Inclined spars that can be shifted from one side to the other.
• Bowsprit A forward-inclined spar for the jib.

In the past, spars were made of wood, which is why the term “spar trees” is still used today. Modern rigging is manufactured from steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber.

Masts

Masts belong to the standing spars and are stepped along the ship's centerline. On sailing vessels, the lower end of the mast passes through the deck and is secured directly to the keel.

The primary purpose of a mast is to support and hoist the sails. Ancient vessels had a single mast and sail, but over time their numbers increased. Dividing the sail area into several sections of varying sizes and arranging them in tiers increased the total sail area while simultaneously making the canvas easier to handle.

Advances in modern technology have transformed mast manufacturing, shifting from classic two- or three-piece assemblies to single-piece structures. Cutting-edge composite materials allow for the construction of masts of virtually any height.

Upright masts are stepped on the vessel with an aft rake. Under wind pressure, the spar bends into a straight line, improving the sailing vessel's balance.

The inclined mast at the bow is set at a steep angle relative to the other masts; it helps tension the standing rigging and shifts the center of effort. The bowsprit improves the sailing vessel's maneuverability. In the past, it was further reinforced with a small mast called a sprit topmast, which carried a pennant or a small sail. Later, the topmast design evolved into an extension of the bowsprit known as the jibboom.

The names of a sailing vessel's masts originated at the dawn of the age of sail and were designed to simplify the crew's handling of the rigging as much as possible.

Mast components:

• Foremast the first from the bow.
• Mainmast the tallest and stepped amidships. It is considered the main mast on two- and three-masted sailing vessels, while on vessels with four or more masts, they may be designated by ordinal numbers. A single-masted sailing vessel always has only a mainmast.
• Mizzenmast the last one before the stern and the smallest mast. Note that in the XV–XVI centuries, the design of sailing vessels also included a very short bonaventure mizzenmast, which later disappeared from the rigging.

Dividing the mast into several sections, and consequently several sails, led to assigning specific names to each element.

The lowest section is called the mast, designated by its position: foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast. Next come the topmasts: fore topmast, main topmast, and mizzen topmast on the aftermost mast. At the junctions of these structures, special platforms called tops are fitted for handling sails and keeping watch. These are also named after their respective masts: foretop, maintop, and mizentop. Above them are the topgallant masts, which rest on transverse beams known as crosstrees. If the topgallant masts are sufficiently long, they consist of the topgallant mast proper and the royal mast, prefixed by the name of the corresponding mast.

Yards

Yards are attached horizontally to the mast at their midpoint and are designed to carry the sails. The canvas panels are hung on the yard by the upper edge of the sail. Rows of reef points are sewn into the canvas, through which lines are rove for furling the sail. The lower edges of the fabric are secured to the deck by sheets. Yards can be hoisted and lowered, as well as rotated in the horizontal plane, while always maintaining a level position.

The names of the yards correspond to their position on the mast: the lower ones are the fore yard, main yard, and mizzen yard; above the tops are the top yards: fore top yard, main top yard, and mizzen top yard; and the highest are the topgallant yards.

In the days when there were no jibbooms on the bowsprit, a spritsail topgallant yard was set on the vertical spritsail topmast, and at the attachment point of the bowsprit was the spritsail yard.

Rigging

Rigging comprises the entire set of a vessel's lines used to secure the spars and control the sails. The rigging consists of standing and running rigging.

Standing rigging

Standing rigging is designed to secure the spars in their fixed positions. It must be reliable and durable, so it is manufactured from galvanized steel wire rope, or tarred hemp and synthetic ropes. Sometimes short-link chains are used for securing.

Components of standing rigging:

• the forestay prevents the mast from falling aft;
• the backstay prevents it from falling forward;
• the shrouds support the masts laterally;
• the preventer shrouds and backstays secure the topmasts and topgallant masts.

Running rigging

Running rigging is used to move the spars and sails. These lines consist of movable ropes that hoist and lower yards, unfurl and furl sails, and quickly adjust the entire sailing rig of the vessel to the wind.

In the manufacture of running rigging, flexible ropes made of steel, hemp, and synthetic materials are used. The equipment includes braces, halyards, bowlines, tacks, and sheets. As a rule, one end of the rope is secured, while the other, passing through a system of blocks and pulleys, facilitates the movement of spar components, the furling and setting of sails; upon completion of the work, it is also secured in a specific place.

Running rigging equipment:

• A halyard hoists the sail up the mast and is designated by the sail's name: jib halyard and mainsail halyard.
• A sheet controls the horizontal trim of the sail, managing the draft and angle of attack. A jib has two sheets rigged, but only the leeward sheet is active at any given time. The mainsail is controlled via a sheet attached to the boom—the mainsheet.
• The boom vang is used to maintain sail shape on downwind points of sail, helping the mainsheet keep the sail in place.
• The topping lift runs through a block at the masthead and prevents the boom from dropping when the mainsail is lowered.

Deck hardware

Various small parts, known as deck hardware, are used to route and secure the rigging elements of sailing vessels.

Deck hardware for securing running rigging:

• Bollards cast fittings for securing mooring lines;
• Bitts metal or wooden posts passing through the deck to the keel, for mooring and towing;
• Cleats two-horned posts for belaying lines;
• Kevel pins metal rods inserted into a rack (kevel rack) or a ring (kevel ring);
• Clamps and stoppers.

Equipment for routing running rigging:

• various blocks;
• Fairleads small sheaves for changing the direction of the sheet's pull;
• Chocks rimmed openings for sheets;
• Tracks rails for moving blocks.

Deck hardware is also used to connect rigging components and secure them to the sails. These include various shackles, hooks, and snap hooks. Halyard and sheet winches, along with similar rigging fittings, are used to tension both the standing and running rigging.

Sails capture wind pressure and convert this energy into the vessel's propulsive force. The combination of all sails constitutes the yacht's sailing rig.

Common types of sailing rigs:

• full rig with square sails;
• gaff rig with fore-and-aft sails;
• lug rig with a movable yard;
• sprit rig with a boomless sail supported by a diagonal sprit.

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Square sails

Square sails are panels in the shape of a rectangle or trapezoid, set athwartships. Ocean-going sailing vessels for long voyages are typically equipped with square sails.

The large wind-catching area provides high speed but lacks the ability for quick maneuvers. Square sails struggle to sail close to the wind; the maximum angle to the wind for a square-rigged vessel is 67 degrees.

The panels of square sails are attached to the yard by the head edge through eyelets. The other edges are left free; the lower edge is led to the hull via sheets, and for the upper sails, to the ends of the yards. Sometimes the lower edge is cut concave upwards.

The names of square sails are derived from the names of the yards on which they are set. The lower large sails are the foresail, mainsail, and mizzen; next come the fore topsail, main topsail, and mizzen topsail; above them go the fore topgallant, main topgallant, and mizzen topgallant. The rare fourth tier is called the fore royal and main royal.

Fore-and-aft sails

Fore-and-aft sails are set along the centerline of the yacht; in shape, they are most often triangular or trapezoidal. Fore-and-aft rigs are ideal for small sailing vessels and sports yachts. The smaller sail area aids tacking in narrow areas and also facilitates rapid course changes and maneuverability along complex trajectories.

Types of fore-and-aft sails:

• Lateen sails are triangular in shape and attached to a yard that rests obliquely against the mast. The canvas is tensioned by a sheet attached to the clew.
• Gaff sails are trapezoidal, attached at the top to an inclined yard and at the bottom to a horizontal one. The luff of the sail is secured to the mast.
• Bermuda sails are triangular, with the leading edge secured to the mast and the lower edge to the boom.

Many vessels use a mixed sailing rig, as square sails provide high speed, while fore-and-aft sails enhance maneuverability. The ratio of square to fore-and-aft rigging depends on the specific type of vessel. Large sailing vessels with exclusively square sails may use additional jibs—triangular sails set between the foremast and the bowsprit. They facilitate entering port and tacking at sea.

The sailing rig of single-masted yachts typically consists of two sails.

The main sail, or mainsail, is attached aft of the mast. The yacht's entire movement and its behavior in challenging conditions depend on its trim relative to the wind. To improve aerodynamics, carbon fiber battens are sewn into the mainsail's fabric. Forward of the mast, a jib is set, which can be of any shape.

To improve maneuverability, additional sails are set on the sailing vessel:

• Spinnaker, used when sailing on full points of sail. A large, lightweight sail designed to increase speed.
• A gennaker is a hybrid of a genoa and a spinnaker. It is distinguished by its large size and ease of handling, and is attached to the yacht's bow at the tack.
• Storm jibs and storm trysails are made of highly durable fabric and are small in size. They are never hoisted on charter sailing vessels.

The type of sailing rig affects the vessel's sailing performance, its ability to harness the wind, as well as the ease of setting the sails and handling them when tacking.