lateen rigged sailboat

Lateen Sails – What Are They And Why Are They Important?

A lot of people have never even heard of lateen sails, but their invention changed the world. Lateen sails are arguably one of the most important inventions of ancient history.

But what even are lateen sails, how do they work, when were lateen sails first invented and why were they so revolutionary? We answer all those questions, and a lot more besides, in this ultimate and comprehensive guide.

Living on our sailboat for 5 years has given us a keen interest in maritime history. We’re massive sailing nerds, in other words.

The lateen sail is actually something we’ve written about several times, partly because it’s the precursor to the triangular sails that almost all sailing vessels use today, and partly because we’re… massive nerds.

The lateen is so interesting because it unlocked one critical new ability that changed sailing forever – and with it transformed the worlds of travel, trade, exploration, and warfare. Join us as we explore what makes lateen sails special and just why they were so important to the ancient world.

Table of Contents

What is a lateen sail, why was the lateen sail so important, how can boats sail upwind, modern day lateen rigs.

A lateen is type of rig used on sailing vessels, featuring a triangular sail held up on side side by a long wooden spar called a “yard”. The yard mounts at roughly a 45-degree angle to the mast, running forward and aft.

The very first examples of the lateen sail crop up in the Mediterranean around the 2 nd century AD, but the lateen didn’t become popular until around the 5 th century BC.

Don’t be fooled by that slow burn popularity, though – the lateen would go on to change the world, and remain relevant for over a thousand years.

It was arguably one of the most important technologies of ancient history, and in many ways the spiritual successor to the Bermuda-type rigs seen on modern sailing vessels like sloops.  

The lateen was one of the first rigs to use aerodynamic sails pointing forward and aft, rather than big, square sails designed to act like parachutes and flying laterally across the beam. Why that distinction is so important, we’ll see in a moment.

Another rig operating on similar principles and originating at a similar time in the Mediterranean was the settee . The settee is essentially a lateen with the front corner cut off, giving it a quadrilateral (four-sided) shape instead of triangular. Settees were seen on working Arab dhows right into the 20 th century.

But now, the really interesting question – why was the lateen sail so important, historically speaking?

Sailing has been around for an almost unbelievably long time. We know for sure that people were sailing over 6,000 years ago, because we’ve found clay tablets and inscriptions depicting sailing boats and crew, complete with primitive rigs and square sails.  

6,000 years is a fairly long time in terms of civilised human history – for a frame of reference, writing wouldn’t be invented for another 600 years ; Woolly Mammoths would still walk the earth for another 2,000 or so ( no, really ).

In the Encyclopaedia Brittanica’s timeline of the most important technological discoveries , sailing is right near the start – in between iron and irrigation. We’ve found completely preserved boats that are over 10,000 years old .

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Some historians and anthropologists think that people in ancient Asia had to have been voyaging island-to-island as long as 25,000 years ago , crossing distances that would appear to necessitate sail propulsion.

The kicker is that for the overwhelming majority of those 25,000 years, people could only sail downwind.

They could steer a little to either side of downwind, but if they wanted to travel upwind or across the wind they had to row – or make clever use of the tides and currents. This naturally had a huge determining impact on the direction countries explored in and the nations they could trade with.

Sails in those days worked like parachutes – they were just big bags designed to catch as much wind as possible.

The lateen changed all that: being rigged fore-and-aft, and having that yard across the top to control the draught and shape of the sail, they could point their sails into the wind, not just across it, and generate lift in the same way a bird’s wing does. The yard also meant they could tack the sail – move it from one side of the boat to the other.

The upshot of this is that the lateen rig could tack upwind – and across the wind, along a coastline and back again. Suddenly, people could transport vast quantities of goods (or troops) in almost any direction – not just downwind – and turn around and come back again.

Its effect on the world, naturally, was transformative – even if over the course of several hundred years.

Mediterranean powers, such as the Romans, made extensive use of the lateen in both war and peace from at least the 5 th century (its name even comes from the word “Latin”), but Northern European nations didn’t truly catch on to triangular sails until around the 14 th century .

Nonetheless, sail would remain the dominant means of trade, exploration and foreign invasion for most world powers right through to the 19 th century.

Even today’s modern pleasure yachts almost exclusively use a fore-and-aft rigged style, such as a Bermuda rig, and owe a lot to the lateens of old.

A triangular sail like that found on a lateen works a lot like the wing of an aeroplane in flight.

It has a curved surface, like a half-teardrop. As air strikes the curved surface of the sail, it naturally forms an area of low pressure across the convex outer surface, and an area of higher pressure across the concave inner surface.

This happens because the air literally has further to travel on the outside of the curve; it has more space to spread out. Approximately the same number of air molecules are flowing over both the front and back of the sail, but the ones at the back are packing into the curve and creating a pocket of denser air. 

Pressure always wants to flow from high to low; thus, the boat slips forward into the area of low pressure, relieving the high pressure behind, even though that’s upwind… against the very force it’s using to propel itself.

This action is assisted by the keel, which is longer than it is wide – and therefore resists sideways movement, known as leeway, more than forward motion. The keel incorporates a heavy weight, called a bulb ballast, to counteract the forces acting on the sail above.

In our aeroplane-in-flight example, the keel is also acting like the other wing of the ‘plane. Because water is much denser than air, the keel naturally has to be smaller than the sail above.

Sailing vessels cannot sail directly into the wind, but modern performance yachts can get to within about 40 or 35 degrees.

A sailing vessel can still travel directly upwind, they just have to claw their way up by tacking backwards and forwards across the wind, in a zig-zag pattern, at the closest angle their boat allows.

You may hear sailors talk about velocity made good (VMG) – referring to the velocity at which a boat is moving towards her destination, regardless of how she is travelling through the water and across the ground in the process of getting there.

For example, I could be tacking across the wind at a 45-degree angle and making 5 knots over the ground, but if my destination is directly upwind and I’m always moving towards it at a 45-degree angle, I am actually only progressing towards it at 3.5 knots (this is my VMG).

That’s assuming I make no leeway at all, which obviously I do. But you get the picture – tacking upwind can take a long time, especially once current and tide come into play.

While the lateen was largely out of fashion by the end of the 19 th century or so, it retained pockets of popularity well into the 20 th century – such as the Gundalows of Maine and New Hampshire.

Sailors liked that the entire sail and yard could easily be dropped for maintenance, and to pass under low bridges in the tidal waterways.

Similar rigs, such as the lug rig, were seen on fishing vessels right into the 20 th century as well.

The lateen was also heavily adopted by the Dutch and became the bezaan rig, which in turn eventually morphed into the Bermuda rig that was almost universally adopted by small sailing vessels by the end of the 20 th century.

As such, you could argue that the lateen’s DNA is present in almost all modern-day sailing boats, just minus the heavy yard!

Lateens fell from commercial use by the end of the 20 th century, but a handful of reproductions are still built and sailed – such as this lovely example .

Conclusion: Lateen Sails

The lateen represented a huge leap forward not just in sailing technology, but in the ability of ancient people to explore, trade, travel long distances and (unfortunately) invade each other.

That’s because it gave ancient people the ability to sail in almost any direction – upwind, downwind, or back and forth across the wind – say, along a coastline, from port to port and back.

Before the lateen, people could only sail in the direction the wind was blowing, give or take a few degrees. This severely hampered the usefulness of the boat as a means of transport – it could carry huge loads for great distances, but only in one direction.

The lateen changed all that. Its fore-and-aft-rigged design and aerodynamic shape allowed it to point upwind and generate enough lift and drive to propel the boat forward at 40 or 45 degrees off the wind.

It also introduced the ability to tack the sail, moving it from one side of the mast to the other. This in turn meant lateen-rigged boats could tack across the wind and even make progress towards a goal that was directly upwind, given time and persistence.

Naturally, this had huge military consequences – like every pawn on a chessboard suddenly getting queen moves. Manoeuvring became a decisive tactical factor in many of the great naval battles of the Age of Sail .

The lateen rig eventually gave rise to the Bermuda rig, which became more or less totally ubiquitous on small sailing vessels by the end of the 20 th century. Almost all modern pleasure yachts use a variation of the Bermuda rig, such as a sloop rig.

In conclusion the lateen was a hugely important and influential development; arguably one of the most important inventions of the ancient world, and certainly one of the most important sails of all time.

If you’re curious to find out more about modern day rigs then take a look at the best sails for cruising . They might look quite different but now you know where the inspiration came from!

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The Definition And History Of The Lateen (Triangular) Sail

Sailing, as we know it today, has been shaped by many developments and innovations throughout history. One of the most significant inventions that has helped to make sailing the sport it is today is the lateen sail. 

The lateen sail is identifiable by its triangular shape (see also ‘ Why Are Sails Made In A Triangular Shape? ‘) with a sloping yard that is longer than the other sides of the sail. 

These days, lateen sails (or the modernized versions, at least) are commonplace, but what exactly are they and how were they developed? That’s what we’re going to be exploring in today’s article. 

What Is The Lateen Sail? 

As previously mentioned, the lateen sail is a triangular sail where one side is secured to a sloping yard by each of its two corners. The third corner of the sail is secured to the sailboat close to the deck. 

Lateen sails, unlike some other sails, are mounted towards the middle of the mast, and the direction the sail runs in is known as ‘fore and aft’, which means that it runs both forwards and backwards, allowing it to withstand wind from both sides of the vessel.

Eventually, the lateen sail would be designed to allow ships using it to sail into the wind which, as we will find out over the course of this article, was instrumental in revolutionizing sailing. 

If you were wondering where the word ‘lateen’ comes from, it’s actually derived from ‘Latin’.

The reason for this is that the lateen sail’s origins have been pinpointed to the Mediterranean during the Roman era, although the invention really came into its own during the Age of Discovery. 

At the beginning of this article, we touched on the fact that the lateen sail is still used today. However, the version you’ll see on modern sailboats in the 21st century are modernized versions of the original design, known as crab claw sails.

We’ll be going into more detail about this later. For now, though, let’s explore the history of the lateen sail from the Roman era to the 14th century and beyond. 

The Lateen Sail’s History 

The roman empire .

If you’ve read through the article so far, you’ll already know that the lateen sail dates back to the Roman Empire. 

The lateen sail’s history actually begins with another kind of sail called the square sail rig. This is a type of rigging where multiple sails are mounted to a ship using horizontal spars. This was the design that inspired the evolution of the lateen rig. 

For a long time, it was unclear when exactly the lateen sail dated back to.

That was until a Belgian maritime historian named Lucian Basch pointed out that a Hellenistic painting from Alexandria dated at roughly the 1st century BC actually features a lateen rig, indicating that the lateen sail’s evolution dates back to at least this period in history. 

A lateen sail ship from roughly the year 400 AD has also been excavated, and the experts that helped to reconstruct the ship have stated that it’s likely the lateen sail’s existence extends further back than historical documentation would imply.

It is now thought that the lateen sail was actually developed by Muslim-led fleets before it began to be used in the Mediterranean. 

The 6th – 10th Centuries 

Until the 6th century AD, the square sail was the standard for sailors, hence the identification of the square sail rig as the starting point of the evolution of the lateen sail. 

However, by the end of the 6th century, the lateen sail had been established as the most effective type of sail, and it had almost completely replaced the original square sail, at least in the Mediterranean. 

The Byzantine dromon war gallery used the lateen sail as well, and considering that this ship has been hailed as the warship of greatest significance throughout the whole of the Byzantine period, this goes to show what an important innovation the lateen sail was. 

Various different navies around the world began using the lateen sail between the 6th century and the 10th century as the popularity of the hook-shaped masthead began to increase, showing that the lateen sail’s efficiency and benefits for sailing were beginning to become common knowledge. 

The 14th Century Onwards 

After the 14th century, the lateen sail continued to become established throughout the world. Baltic and Atlantic sailing vessels started using the lateen sail rather than the square sail from the 14th century onwards. 

During the late Middle Ages, the lateen sail became commonplace in Northern Europe as well. 

Contributions Of The Lateen Sail

In the section above, we covered how the lateen sail evolved out of the square sail rig and spread throughout the world between the Roman era and the Middle Ages. 

However, we haven’t yet covered the reasons behind the massive surge in the popularity of the lateen sail and why it eventually replaced the square sail in navies worldwide. 

Here are some of the main reasons for the lateen sail’s popularity in terms of what this sail design contributed to sailing as a whole: 

Better Maneuverability 

One of the biggest advantages of the lateen sail over other sail designs, including the square sail rig, is that it allows for greater maneuverability. 

Being able to maneuver a ship efficiently, especially in challenging weather conditions, is extremely important, and so a sail’s ability to facilitate this is crucial. 

Part of the reason why lateen sails made maneuverability easier is that they allowed ships to sail closer to the wind, which meant that weather conditions were less of a problem when it came to altering the course of a ship. 

However, more than that, lateen sails also operated using a pulley or block system known as a halyard system, where lines run through the sail starting at the stern and going all the way up the mast and down to the stern again. 

Halyard systems were instrumental in allowing reefing, which is where the sail area is made smaller to reduce the power during strong winds. This made the experience of sailing much more flexible and safer overall. 

More Speed 

Lateen sails allowed ships to travel faster than the previous square sail rig design had done, especially in the case of Caravel ships.  

The faster speeds achieved by Caravel ships using lateen sails made excursions and explorations much easier and quicker. Sometimes, the lateen sail would be combined with the square sail, as Columbus did when crossing the Atlantic. 

Greater Load Bearing 

We mentioned earlier that lateen sails improved the maneuverability of ships, but this had more benefits than simply making it easier to steer.

One of the biggest advantages of the increased maneuverability provided by the lateen sail was that ships were now able to carry more cargo. 

When you think about it, this makes a lot of sense. Before the lateen sail, ships did not have as much flexibility when it came to changing speed or course.

This meant that in order to maximize the maneuverability of a ship, the crew would have to minimize the amount of cargo on board to ensure that the ship was as light as possible for the rowers. 

With the advent of the lateen sail, heavier cargo was able to be transported since the rowing ability of the crew was no longer the main factor.

Not only did this mean that ships could transport more food and other necessities during excursions, but it was also a major step forward for commercial empires such as Venice. 

Venice was able to become hugely successful as a European commercial empire because its use of lateen sail ships allowed for the transportation of products throughout the Mediterranean. 

Designed For Longer Distances 

Part of the reasoning behind the design of the lateen sail was that it allowed ships to travel longer distances since it meant that ships could sail closer to the wind and at faster speeds. 

In fact, countries such as Spain and Portugal relied on sea travel over long distances to increase their national statuses, and the lateen sail was an instrumental part of this.

Spanish and Portuguese ships would travel long distances to other countries so that they could trade goods from those countries and build status as a result. 

Enabled Land Discovery

We just discussed how the lateen sail’s increased speed and maneuverability allowed for travel by ship over longer distances, and how this allowed countries to build national status and grow through trade. 

However, this new ability to travel greater distances also enabled the discovery of countries and lands that had not yet been explored.

This is one of the main ways in which the lateen sail contributed to what is now known as the Age of Exploration, between the 1400s and 1600s. 

This period of history is called the Age of Exploration because this is the period in which nations throughout Europe began to use ships to go on excursions and explore the rest of the world, which is what led to the discovery of countries in the Far East as well as the Americas. 

Developments In Warfare 

In addition to land discovery, the benefits of the lateen sail that we have described so far (speed, maneuverability, load bearing and distance travel) all helped to create developments in the field of naval warfare. 

Naval ships needed to bring more supplies if they were going to war because it was unclear how long the ship would be at sea, so the ability to carry more was of the utmost importance.

Lateen sails were also able to improve the maneuverability and speeds of larger, heavier ships with cannons on board, which was why the Dutch, Spanish, French and English all used lateen sails for their fleets during the 19th century. 

This had a significant impact on the balance of political power during the Crusades. 

The Modernization Of The Lateen Sail 

The crab claw sail .

We’ve already mentioned that while the lateen sail is still around today, it’s been modernized since its invention and is now usually known by a different name: the crab claw sail. 

It’s called the crab claw sail because it has a spar along the foot of the sail. This spar is aligned horizontally and connects to the mast. The joints in the sail spars have been designed to rotate in every direction for maximum flexibility. 

With this design, the sail sheet is connected to the spar at the bottom while the halyard connects to the spar at the top. The bottom spars stay parallel to the mast so that the sail forms a cone-shaped triangle. 

The Sunfish Sailboat 

Another difference between the lateen sail now compared to centuries ago is that lateen sails are now mainly used in smaller sailboats, typically those classified as recreational sailboats. 

Probably the most common example of a lateen sailboat in the modern day is the Sunfish, which is an individual-sized sailboat designed for personal use.

The modernized lateen sail on the Sunfish sailboat is attached to the mast and works using just one halyard, two lines, and of course, the sail sheet. 

These smaller, modern lateen sails are easy to work with and can be adjusted using a third line. This line can be used to pull on the lower spar so that it does down, creating tension in the other spars and allowing more control over the movements and positioning of the sail.

Final Thoughts 

The lateen sail has a fascinating history that spans from before the Roman Empire through the Middle Ages into the 19th century and, eventually, the modern day. 

This triangular sail revolutionized exploration, trading, and naval warfare by providing better speed, maneuverability, load bearing, and distance.

Countries were able to establish themselves and build status by fitting their fleets with lateen sails, and the use of these sails led to some of the greatest discoveries in history. 

Today, the lateen sail is better known as the crab claw sail and is used recreationally for smaller sailboats because of the simplicity and ease of use of its design. 

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Become the Confident Skipper of Your Own Sailboat

Lateen sail is fun but here’s what you need to know.

• Post author: Anns
• Post published: October 22, 2022
• Post category: Uncategorized
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Introduction

The lateen sail is a triangular sail on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast, running in a fore-and-aft direction. It is common in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea

Lateen Sail Is Fun But Here’s What You Need To Know: A blog about lateen sails and why they are awesome.

There are many reasons to love the lateen sail. First, it is an efficient sail shape that you can use for almost any type of sailing adventure. In addition, the design allows the boat to be easily controlled in different winds and waves by simply changing the angle of the sail. Finally, this shape allows you to set up your boat faster than other types of sails because there are fewer pieces involved!

A lateen or latin sail is a triangular sail set on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast, running in a fore-and-aft direction.

A latin or lateen sail is a triangular sail set on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast, running in a fore-and-aft direction. The sail derives its name from its shape which is similar to that of an equilateral triangle. In some texts it may be referred to as a latten sail (or latin) due to the material from which it was traditionally made.[1]

The triangular shape allows the sheeting angle of the attached spar to vary continuously along its length; this allows for greater control of sailing performance than if it were fixed at only one point along the mast.[2] A pair of such sails form one unit called thus: “two sails” would be two units and so on.

The earliest known depiction of an Egyptian vessel with such sails comes from an bas relief dating back as far as 1250 BC.[4] This relief shows an early example where two men are operating each side of these fore-and-aft rigged vessels, both equipped with long sticks used for steering and sailing.[5][6]

The lateen evolved out of the square rigged tanja sail, used by the Arabs and Greeks to reach East Africa and the Indian Ocean.

The lateen sail evolved out of the square rigged tanja sail, used by the Arabs and Greeks to reach East Africa and the Indian Ocean.

The tanja sail consisted of a square-shaped sail with its yard hung from a long spar called a boom. The boom was either attached to or parallel to the mast, depending on whether it was held away from or towards the centerline of the boat.

The modern Arab dhow is still rigged with one or two lateens, while most other boats use a fore and aft sloop rig, sometimes with a jib.

The main advantage of the lateen rig is that it allows the sail to be flown from a short mast and yet keep its shape and not collapse as happens with most other rigs. Because this sailboat has a triangular sail, it is also easier to tack when sailing in light winds.

Lateen sails are easy for one person to handle, so they are usually used on small boats by people who don’t want their boats to be too big or complicated. They are also good for sailing in shallow waters because the boat can get closer to shore than other types of boats can.

Lateens were also used on Roman ships to round the Iberian peninsula.

According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, the Romans used lateens on their ships to sail around the Iberian peninsula. This was incredibly important because they were able to conquer Spain using these ships.

However, while lateen sails are quite useful when it comes to maneuverability, they aren’t very effective at powering a large ship through rough water. Because of this limitation and other factors such as weight distribution and sail area ratio (the amount of surface area covered by the front of a given sail compared with its height), Roman war galleys didn’t use lateen sails.

From the beginning of the 12th century, as trade flourished between Egypt and India, the lateen gradually came into use in the Mediterranean.

The lateen sail was introduced to the Mediterranean in the 12th century, as trade flourished between Egypt and India. It was used for sailing on Arab dhows and Roman ships, which were usually merchant vessels.

The lateen sail is also known as the triangular sail because of its shape—a long triangle that makes up one side of a sailboat. This type of sail has been used in China since at least as far back as 700 B.C., but it didn’t become popular until after being adopted by Arab sailors during their voyages around Africa and into Asia in search of spices.

The Chinese junks have a hybrid rigging – with a forward-facing boom-rigged mainmast with one or more lugsails, and one or more lugsails on each side of the mizzen mast.

The Chinese junks have a hybrid rigging – with a forward-facing boom-rigged mainmast with one or more lugsails, and one or more lugsails on each side of the mizzen mast. The foremasts are usually rigged with junk sails, while the after mast may carry either square-rigged or junk gear.

We hope you found this article interesting and helpful. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask them in the comments below!

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• How to Sail a Boat: Navigating the Seas with the Lateen-Rigged Arab Sailing Vessel

Sailing has been an integral part of human history, connecting civilizations, enabling exploration, and facilitating trade. Among the various types of vessels used for sailing, the lateen-rigged Arab sailing vessel stands out for its unique design and historical significance. In this comprehensive article, we will delve deep into the art of sailing a boat, specifically focusing on the lateen-rigged Arab sailing vessel, and explore its role in maritime history. Join us on this extended voyage as we unravel the secrets of navigating the seas.

Setting Sail: The Basics of Sailing

Understanding the lateen rig.

Before embarking on any sailing adventure, it's essential to grasp the fundamentals of sailing. The lateen rig is a triangular sail that distinguishes Arab sailing vessels. We'll delve into its design, purpose, and the science behind its efficiency in capturing the wind's power.

Hoisting the Sails

Sailing a lateen-rigged vessel begins with the intricate process of hoisting the sails. We'll provide in-depth, step-by-step guidance on how to do this efficiently and safely, including the role of each crew member and the importance of teamwork in this process.

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Sail trim is a critical aspect of boat control and speed. We'll explore the art of adjusting sail angles, sail tension, and mast bend to optimize your boat's performance under different wind conditions.

A Glimpse into History: Who Was the First to Sail Around the World?

The pioneers of maritime exploration.

Discover the brave individuals who made history by circumnavigating the globe in their sailing vessels. We'll shed light on their incredible journeys, including Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, and the challenges they faced.

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Viking innovations in sailing.

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The Evolution of Sailing: From Ancient Times to the Present

Embracing the winds: the history of sailing.

Trace the history of sailing from ancient civilizations to the modern era. We'll explore the pivotal moments and innovations that shaped sailing as we know it today, including the influence of Asian, Mediterranean, and European sailing traditions.

Navigating Vast Oceans: Ocean Sailing and Its Challenges

Sailing across vast oceans presents unique challenges. Discover the skills and equipment required for oceanic journeys, including celestial navigation, weather forecasting, and modern GPS systems.

Conquering the Globe: Boats Built for World Exploration

Boats designed for global adventures.

Explore the various types of boats that have been used to circumnavigate the world. From historic vessels like the caravel to contemporary sailboats, we'll highlight their features, capabilities, and the historical significance of each.

The Golden Age of Exploration: Explorers and Their Vessels

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Celestial Navigation: Navigating by the Stars

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Sailing Beyond Borders: The Global Influence of Arab Sailing Vessels

Boat in arabic: a linguistic journey.

Discover the linguistic roots of nautical terms and how the Arabic language has contributed to the maritime lexicon. We'll also explore the influence of Arab navigators and traders on global seafaring.

Lateen Rig: Engineering Marvel of the Arab World

Take a deep dive into the engineering principles behind the lateen rig. We'll explore how this innovative sail design allowed Arab vessels to sail efficiently against the wind, revolutionizing maritime trade routes.

From Rafts to Galleons: When Were Ships Invented?

Tracing the origins of ships.

When did humans first set sail on vessels? Explore the history of shipbuilding, from ancient rafts to massive galleons, and its significance in maritime history. We'll also examine the evolution of ship design and construction techniques.

The Age of Exploration: Ships that Changed History

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The Timeless Allure of Old Ships

Preserving maritime heritage.

Uncover the enduring fascination with old ships and the efforts made to preserve these historical treasures. We'll take you on a virtual tour of maritime museums and shipwrecks around the world, showcasing the rich maritime heritage that continues to captivate enthusiasts.

Conclusion: Embrace the Spirit of Adventure

Sailing has always been a testament to human curiosity, courage, and innovation. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a landlubber with dreams of the sea, understanding the art of sailing and the historical context behind it can enrich your appreciation for this timeless pursuit. So, hoist your sails and set forth on your own voyage of discovery.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our range of charter boats and head to some of our favourite  sailing destinations.

I am ready to help you with booking a boat for your dream vacation. Contact me.

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Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types (with Pictures)

There are a lot of different sail rig types and it can be difficult to remember what's what. So I've come up with a system. Let me explain it in this article.

What are the different types of sail rig? The sail rig is determined by the number of masts and the layout and shape of sails. Most modern ships are fore-and-aft rigged, while old ships are square-rigged. Rigs with one mast are sloops and cutters. Ketches, yawls, brigs, and schooners have two masts. Barques have three masts. Rigs can contain up to seven masts.

'Yeah, that's a gaff brig, and that a Bermuda cutter' - If you don't know what this means (neither did I) and want to know what to call a two-masted ship with a square-rigged mainsail, this article is definitely for you.

On this page:

More info on sail rig types, mast configurations and rig types, rigs with one mast, rigs with two masts, rigs with three masts, related questions.

This article is part 2 of my series on sails and rig types. Part 1 is all about the different types of sails. If you want to know everything there is to know about sails once and for all, I really recommend you read it. It gives a good overview of sail types and is easy to understand.

The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

First of all, what is a sail rig? A sail rig is the way in which the sails are attached to the mast(s). In other words, it's the setup or configuration of the sailboat. The rig consists of the sail and mast hardware. The sail rig and sail type are both part of the sail plan. We usually use the sail rig type to refer to the type of boat.

Let's start by taking a look at the most commonly used modern sail rigs. Don't worry if you don't exactly understand what's going on. At the end of this article, you'll understand everything about rig types.

The sail rig and sail plan are often used interchangeably. When we talk of the sail rig we usually mean the sail plan . Although they are not quite the same. A sail plan is the set of drawings by the naval architect that shows the different combinations of sails and how they are set up for different weather conditions. For example a light air sail plan, storm sail plan, and the working sail plan (which is used most of the time).

So let's take a look at the three things that make up the sail plan.

The 3 things that make up the sail plan

I want to do a quick recap of my previous article. A sail plan is made up of:

• Mast configuration - refers to the number of masts and where they are placed
• Sail type - refers to the sail shape and functionality
• Rig type - refers to the way these sails are set up on your boat

I'll explore the most common rig types in detail later in this post. I've also added pictures to learn to recognize them more easily. ( Click here to skip to the section with pictures ).

How to recognize the sail plan?

So how do you know what kind of boat you're dealing with? If you want to determine what the rig type of a boat is, you need to look at these three things:

• Check the number of masts, and how they are set up.
• You look at the type of sails used (the shape of the sails, how many there are, and what functionality they have).
• And you have to determine the rig type, which means the way the sails are set up.

Below I'll explain each of these factors in more detail.

The most common rig types on sailboats

To give you an idea of the most-used sail rigs, I'll quickly summarize some sail plans below and mention the three things that make up their sail plan.

• Bermuda sloop - one mast, one mainsail, one headsail, fore-and-aft rigged
• Gaff cutter - one mast, one mainsail, two staysails, fore-and-aft rigged
• Gaff schooner - two-masted (foremast), two mainsails, staysails, fore-and-aft rigged
• Gaff ketch - two-masted (mizzen), two mainsails, staysails, fore-and-aft rigged
• Full-rigged ship or tall ship - three or more masts, mainsail on each mast, staysails, square-rigged

The first word is the shape and rigging of the mainsail. So this is the way the sail is attached to the mast. I'll go into this later on. The second word refers to the mast setup and amount of sails used.

Most sailboats are Bermuda sloops. Gaff-rigged sails are mostly found on older, classic boats. Square-rigged sails are generally not used anymore.

But first I want to discuss the three factors that make up the sail plan in more detail.

Ways to rig sails

There are basically two ways to rig sails:

• From side to side, called Square-rigged sails - the classic pirate sails
• From front to back, called Fore-and-aft rigged sails - the modern sail rig

Almost all boats are fore-and-aft rigged nowadays.

Square sails are good for running downwind, but they're pretty useless when you're on an upwind tack. These sails were used on Viking longships, for example. Their boats were quicker downwind than the boats with fore-and-aft rigged sails, but they didn't handle as well.

The Arabs first used fore-and-aft rigged sails, making them quicker in difficult wind conditions.

Quick recap from part 1: the reason most boats are fore-and-aft rigged today is the increased maneuverability of this configuration. A square-rigged ship is only good for downwind runs, but a fore-and-aft rigged ship can sail close to the wind, using the lift to move forward.

The way the sails are attached to the mast determines the shape of the sail. The square-rigged sails are always attached the same way to the mast. The fore-and-aft rig, however, has a lot of variations.

The three main sail rigs are:

• Bermuda rig - most used - has a three-sided (triangular) mainsail
• Gaff rig - has a four-sided mainsail, the head of the mainsail is guided by a gaff
• Lateen rig - has a three-sided (triangular) mainsail on a long yard

The Bermuda is the most used, the gaff is a bit old-fashioned, and the lateen rig is outdated (about a thousand years). Lateen rigs were used by the Moors. The Bermuda rig is actually based on the Lateen rig (the Dutch got inspired by the Moors).

Other rig types that are not very common anymore are:

• Junk rig - has horizontal battens to control the sail
• Settee rig - Lateen with the front corner cut off
• Crabclaw rig

Mast configuration

Okay, we know the shape of the mainsail. Now it's time to take a look at the mast configuration. The first thing is the number of masts:

• one-masted boats
• two-masted boats
• three-masted boats
• four masts or up
• full or ship-rigged boats - also called 'ships' or 'tall ships'

I've briefly mentioned the one and two mast configurations in part 1 of this article. In this part, I'll also go over the three-masted configurations, and the tall ships as well.

A boat with one mast has a straightforward configuration because there's just one mast. You can choose to carry more sails or less, but that's about it.

A boat with two masts or more gets interesting. When you add a mast, it means you have to decide where to put the extra mast: in front, or in back of the mainmast. You can also choose whether or not the extra mast will carry an extra mainsail. The placement and size of the extra mast are important in determining what kind of boat we're dealing with. So you start by locating the largest mast, which is always the mainmast.

From front to back: the first mast is called the foremast. The middle mast is called the mainmast. And the rear mast is called the mizzenmast.

What is the mizzenmast? The mizzenmast is the aft-most (rear) mast on a sailboat with three or more masts or the mast behind the mainmast on a boat with two masts. The mizzenmast carries the mizzen sail. On a two-masted boat, the mizzenmast is always (slightly) smaller than the mainmast. What is the purpose of the mizzen sail? The mizzen sail provides more sail area and flexibility in sail plan. It can be used as a big wind rudder, helping the sailor to have more control over the stern of the ship. It pushes the stern away from the wind and forces the bow in the opposite way. This may help to bring the bow into the wind when at anchor.

I always look at the number of masts first, because this is the easiest to spot. So to make this stuff more easy to understand, I've divided up the rig types based on the number of masts below.

Why would you want more masts and sail anyways?

Good question. The biggest advantage of two masts compared to one (let's say a ketch compared to a sloop), is that it allows you to use multiple smaller sails to get the same sail area. It also allows for shorter masts.

This means you reduce the stress on the rigging and the masts, which makes the ketch rig safer and less prone to wear and tear. It also doesn't capsize as quickly. So there are a couple of real advantages of a ketch rig over a sloop rig.

In the case of one mast, we look at the number of sails it carries.

Boats with one mast can have either one sail, two sails, or three or more sails.

Most single-masted boats are sloops, which means one mast with two sails (mainsail + headsail). The extra sail increases maneuverability. The mainsail gives you control over the stern, while the headsail gives you control over the bow.

Sailor tip: you steer a boat using its sails, not using its rudder.

The one-masted rigs are:

• Cat - one mast, one sail
• Sloop - one mast, two sails
• Cutter - one mast, three or more sails

The cat is the simplest sail plan and has one mast with one sail. It's easy to handle alone, so it's very popular as a fishing boat. Most (very) small sailboats are catboats, like the Sunfish, and many Laser varieties. But it has a limited sail area and doesn't give you the control and options you have with more sails.

The most common sail plan is the sloop. It has one mast and two sails: the main and headsail. Most sloops have a Bermuda mainsail. It's one of the best racing rigs because it's able to sail very close to the wind (also called 'weatherly'). It's one of the fastest rig types for upwind sailing.

It's a simple sail plan that allows for high performance, and you can sail it short-handed. That's why most sailboats you see today are (Bermuda) sloops.

This rig is also called the Marconi rig, and it was developed by a Dutch Bermudian (or a Bermudian Dutchman) - someone from Holland who lived on Bermuda.

A cutter has three or more sails. Usually, the sail plan looks a lot like the sloop, but it has three headsails instead of one. Naval cutters can carry up to 6 sails.

Cutters have larger sail area, so they are better in light air. The partition of the sail area into more smaller sails give you more control in heavier winds as well. Cutters are considered better for bluewater sailing than sloops (although sloops will do fine also). But the additional sails just give you a bit more to play with.

Two-masted boats can have an extra mast in front or behind the mainmast. If the extra mast is behind (aft of) the mainmast, it's called a mizzenmast . If it's in front of the mainmast, it's called a foremast .

If you look at a boat with two masts and it has a foremast, it's most likely either a schooner or a brig. It's easy to recognize a foremast: the foremast is smaller than the aft mast.

If the aft mast is smaller than the front mast, it is a sail plan with a mizzenmast. That means the extra mast has been placed at the back of the boat. In this case, the front mast isn't the foremast, but the mainmast. Boats with two masts that have a mizzenmast are most likely a yawl or ketch.

The two-masted rigs are:

• Lugger - two masts (mizzen), with lugsail (a cross between gaff rig and lateen rig) on both masts
• Yawl - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast is much taller than mizzen. Mizzen without a mainsail.
• Ketch - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller mizzen. Mizzen has mainsail.
• Schooner - two masts (foremast), generally gaff rig on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller foremast. Sometimes build with three masts, up to seven in the age of sail.
• Bilander - two masts (foremast). Has a lateen-rigged mainsail and square-rigged sails on the foremast and topsails.
• Brig - two masts (foremast), partially square-rigged. The main mast carries small lateen-rigged sail.

The yawl has two masts that are fore-and-aft rigged and a mizzenmast. The mizzenmast is much shorter than the mainmast, and it doesn't carry a mainsail. The mizzenmast is located aft of the rudder and is mainly used to increase helm balance.

A ketch has two masts that are fore-and-aft rigged. The extra mast is a mizzenmast. It's nearly as tall as the mainmast and carries a mainsail. Usually, the mainsails of the ketch are gaff-rigged, but there are Bermuda-rigged ketches too. The mizzenmast is located in front of the rudder instead of aft, as on the yawl.

The function of the ketch's mizzen sail is different from that of the yawl. It's actually used to drive the boat forward, and the mizzen sail, together with the headsail, are sufficient to sail the ketch. The mizzen sail on a yawl can't really drive the boat forward.

Schooners have two masts that are fore-and-aft rigged. The extra mast is a foremast which is generally smaller than the mainmast, but it does carry a mainsail. Schooners are also built with a lot more masts, up to seven (not anymore). The schooner's mainsails are generally gaff-rigged.

The schooner is easy to sail but not very fast. It handles easier than a sloop, except for upwind, and it's only because of better technology that sloops are now more popular than the schooner.

The brig has two masts. The foremast is always square-rigged. The mainmast can be square-rigged or is partially square-rigged. Some brigs carry a lateen mainsail on the mainmast, with square-rigged topsails.

Some variations on the brig are:

Brigantine - two masts (foremast), partially square-rigged. Mainmast carries no square-rigged mainsail.

Hermaphrodite brig - also called half brig or schooner brig. Has two masts (foremast), partially square-rigged. Mainmast carries a gaff rig mainsail and topsail, making it half schooner.

Three-masted boats are mostly barques or schooners. Sometimes sail plans with two masts are used with more masts.

The three-masted rigs are:

• Barque - three masts, fore, and mainmast are square-rigged, the mizzenmast is usually gaff-rigged. All masts carry mainsail.
• Barquentine - three masts, foremast is square-rigged, the main and mizzenmast are fore-and-aft rigged. Also called the schooner barque.
• Polacca - three masts, foremast is square-rigged, the main and mizzenmast are lateen-rigged.
• Xebec - three masts, all masts are lateen-rigged.

A barque has three or four masts. The fore and mainmast are square-rigged, and the mizzen fore-and-aft, usually gaff-rigged. Carries a mainsail on each mast, but the mainsail shape differs per mast (square or gaff). Barques were built with up to five masts. Four-masted barques were quite common.

Barques were a good alternative to full-rigged ships because they require a lot fewer sailors. But they were also slower. Very popular rig for ocean crossings, so a great rig for merchants who travel long distances and don't want 30 - 50 sailors to run their ship.

Barquentine

The barquentine usually has three masts. The foremast is square-rigged and the main and mizzenmast fore-and-aft. The rear masts are usually gaff-rigged.

Faster than a barque or a schooner, but the performance is worse than both.

The polacca or polacre rig has three masts with a square-rigged foremast. The main and mizzenmast are lateen-rigged. Beautiful boat to see. Polacca literally means 'Polish' (it's Italian). It was a popular rig type in the Mediterranean in the 17th century. It looks like the xebec, which has three lateen-rigged masts.

Fun fact: polaccas were used by a Dutch sailor-turned-Turkish-pirate (called Murat Reis).

The xebec is a Mediterranean trading ship with three masts. All masts are lateen-rigged. I couldn't find any surviving xebecs, only models and paintings. So I guess this rig is outdated a long time.

A boat with three or more masts that all carry square-rigged sails is called a ship, a tall ship, or a full-rigged ship. So it's at this point that we start calling boats 'ships'. It has nothing to do with size but with the type of rigging.

More sails mean less stress on all of them. These ships use a lot of sails to distribute the forces, which reduces the stress on the rigging and the masts. Square sails mean double the sail area in comparison to triangular sails.

They are quite fast for their size, and they could outrun most sloops and schooners (schooners were relatively a lot heavier). The reason is that tall ships could be a lot longer than sloops, giving them a lot of extra hull speed. Sloops couldn't be as large because there weren't strong enough materials available. Try making a single triangular sail with a sail area of over 500 sq. ft. from linen.

So a lot of smaller sails made sense. You could have a large ship with a good maximum hull speed, without your sails ripping apart with every gust of wind.

But you need A LOT of sailors to sail a tall ship: about 30 sailors in total to ie. reef down sails and operate the ship. That's really a lot.

Tall ships are used nowadays for racing, with the popular tall ship races traveling the world. Every four years I go and check them out when they are at Harlingen (which is very close to where I live).

Check out the amazing ships in this video of the tall ship races last year near my hometown. (The event was organized by friends of mine).

What is the difference between a schooner and a sloop? A schooner has two masts, whereas the sloop only has one. The schooner carries more sails, with a mainsail on both masts. Also, sloops are usually Bermuda-rigged, whereas schooners are usually gaff-rigged. Most schooners also carry one or two additional headsails, in contrast to the single jib of the sloop.

What do you call a two-masted sailboat? A two-masted sailboat is most likely a yawl, ketch, schooner, or brig. To determine which one it is you have to locate the mainmast (the tallest). At the rear: schooner or brig. In front: yawl or ketch. Brigs have a square-rigged foremast, schooners don't. Ketches carry a mainsail on the rear mast; yawls don't.

What is a sloop rig? A sloop rig is a sailboat with one mast and two sails: a mainsail and headsail. It's a simple sail plan that handles well and offers good upwind performance. The sloop rig can be sailed shorthanded and is able to sail very close to the wind, making it very popular. Most recreational sailboats use a sloop rig.

What is the difference between a ketch and a yawl? The most important difference between a ketch and a yawl are the position and height of the mizzenmast. The mizzenmast on a yawl is located aft of the rudder, is shorter than the mainmast and doesn't carry a mainsail. On a ketch, it's nearly as long as the mainmast and carries a mainsail.

There are a wonderful lots of DIY changeability shows on the cable airwaves these days.

Rick the rigger

There are SO many errors on this site it really should be taken down.

First major mistake is to say you are no longer afraid of the sea.

One that truly gets up my nose is the term ‘fully’ rigged ship. It’s a FULL rigged ship!! Your mast names are the wrong way round and just because there may be 3 it doesn’t automatically mean the one in the middle is the main.

I could go on and totally destroy your over inflated but fragile ego but I won’t. All I will say is go learn a lot more before posting.

Shawn Buckles

Thanks for your feedback. If you like to point out anything more specific, please let me know and I will update the articles. I’ve changed fully-rigged to full-rigged ship - which is a typo on my part. I try to be as concise as I can, but, obviously, we all make mistakes every now and then. The great thing about the internet is that we can learn from each other and update our knowledge together.

If you want to write yourself and share your knowledge, please consider applying as a writer for my blog by clicking on the top banner.

Thanks, Shawn

Well, I feel that I’ve learned a bit from this. The information is clear and well laid out. Is it accurate? I can’t see anything at odds with the little I knew before, except that I understood a xebec has a square rigged centre mainmast, such as the Pelican ( https://www.adventureundersail.com/ )

Hi, Shawn, You forgot (failed) to mention another type of rig? The oldest type of rig known and still functions today JUNK RIG!

Why are so many of the comments here negative. I think it is wonderful to share knowledge and learn together. I knew a little about the subject (I’m an Aubrey-Maturin fan!) but still found this clarified some things for me. I can’t comment therefore on the accuracy of the article, but it seems clear to me that the spirit of the author is positive. We owe you some more bonhomme I suggest Shawn.

As they say in the Navy: “BZ” - for a good article.

Been reading S.M. Stirling and wanted to understand the ship types he references. Thank you, very helpful.

This site is an awesome starting point for anyone who would like to get an overview of the subject. I am gratefull to Shawn for sharing - Thanks & Kudos to you! If the negative reviewers want to get a deeper technical knowledge that is accurate to the n-th then go study the appropriate material. Contribute rather than destroy another’s good work. Well done Shawn. Great job!

Good stuff Shawn - very helpful. As a novice, it’s too confusing to figure out in bits and pieces. Thanks for laying it out.

First of all I have to say that Rick ‘the rigger’ is obviously the one with the “over inflated but fragile ego” and I laughed when you suggested he share his knowledge on your blog, well played!

As for the content it’s great, hope to read more soon!

Alec Lowenthal

Shawn, I have a painting of a Spanish vessel, two masted, with. Lateen sails on both masts and a jib. The mainsail is ahead of the main mast (fore) and the other is aft of the mizzen mast. Would this be what you call lugger rig? I have not seen a similar picture. Thanks, Alec.

Thank you for your article I found easy to read and understand, and more importantly remember, which emphasises the well written.. Pity about the negative comments, but love your proactive responses!

This vessel, “SEBASTIAN” out of Garrucha, Almería, España, was painted by Gustave Gillman in 1899.

Sorry, picture not accepted!

Thank you for a very informative article. I sail a bit and am always looking for more knowledge. I like the way you put forth your info and I feel if you can’t say anything positive, then that person should have their own blog or keep their opinions to their-self. I will be looking for more from you. I salute your way of dealing with negative comments.

Thank you for a great intro to sailing boats! I searched different sailboats because I use old sails tp make bags and wanted to learn the difference. Way more than I ever expected. Thanks for all the work put in to teach the rest of us.

Your description of a cutter is lacking, and your illustrations of “cutters” are actually cutter-rigged sloops. On a true cutter, the mast is moved further aft (with more than 40% of the ship forward of the mast). A sloop uses tension in the backstay to tension the luff of the foresail. The cutter can’t do this.

Also, a bermuda-rigged ketch will have a line running from the top of the mainmast to the top of the mizzenmast.

wow great guide to rig types! thanks

Interesting guide, however I am confused about the description of the brig. You say the main mast on a brig can have a lateen sail, but in your picture it looks like a gaff sail to me. How is it a lateen sail?

Hi Shawn, thank you for taking the time to share this information. It is clear and very helpful. I am new to sailing and thinking of buying my own blue water yacht. The information you have supplied is very useful. I still am seeking more information on performance and safety. Please keep up the good work. Best Regards

mickey fanelli

I’m starting to repair a model sailboat used in the lake I have three masts that have long been broken off and the sails need replacement. So my question is there a special relationship between the three masts I do have reminents of where the masts should go. they all broke off the boat along with the sails I can figure out where they go because of the old glue marks but it makes no sense. or does it really matter on a model thank you mickey

Cool, total novice here. I have learnt a lot. Thanks for sharing - the diagrams along with the text make it really easy to understand, especially for a beginner who hasn’t even stepped on a sailing boat.

Daryl Beatt

Thank you. Cleared up quite a few things for me. For example, I was familiar with the names “Xebecs” and “Polaccas” from recent reading about the Barbary War. I had gathered that the two Barbary types were better suited to sailing in the Med, but perhaps they were less able to be adaptable to military uses,(but one might assume that would be ok if one plans to board and fight, as opposed to fight a running gun duel). Specifically, the strangely one sided August 1, 1801 battle between the USS Enterprise under Lt. John Sterett and the Polacca cruiser Tripoli under Admiral Rais Mahomet Rous. On paper both ships seemed nearly equal in size, guns and crew, but pictures of the battle are confusing. While the Enterprise is usually rendered as the familiar schooner, the polacca Tripoli has been pictured in radically different ways. Thus the Wikipedia picture by Hoff in 1878 used to illustrate the Battle shows a Brig design for Tripoli, indicating 77 years later, polaccas were no longer common.

Lee Christiansen

I am curious as to what you would call a modern race boat with a fractional jib,not equipped for full masthead hoist? Thanks Lee

Thanks Guy: The information and pictures really eliminate a lot of the mystery of the terminology and the meanings. Also appreciate the insight of the handling idiosyncrasies “hand” (staff) requirements to manage a vessel for one that has not been on the water much. I long to spend significant time afloat, but have concern about the ability to handle a vessel due to advancing age. The Significant Other prefers to sit (in AC comfort)and be entertained by parties of cruise line employees. Thanks again for the information.

Gordon Smith

Your discussion made no mention of the galleon, a vessel with either square-rigged Fore and Main masts and a shorter lateen-rigged Mizzen, or, on larger galleons, square-rigged Fore and Main masts, with a lateen-rigged Mizzen and a lateen-rigged Bonaventure mast, both shorter than either the Fore or Main masts. Also, it was not uncommon for a galleon to hoist a square-rigged bowsprit topsail in addition to the usual square-rigged spritsail.

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Different Sail Types

It is perhaps worth noting that a sailboat is only as good as its sails. The very heart of sailing comes in capturing the wind using artfully trimmed sails and turning that into motion. . Ask any good sailor and he'll tell you that knowing how and when to trim the sails efficiently will not only improve the overall performance of your boat but will elevate your sailing experience. In short, sails are the driving force of sailboats.

As such, it's only natural that you should know the different types of sails and how they work. Let's first highlight different sail types before going into the details.

• Jib - triangular staysail
• Spinnaker - huge balloon-shaped downwind sail for light airs
• Genoa - huge jib that overlaps the mainsail
• Gennaker - a combination of a spinnaker and genoa
• Code zero - reaching genoa for light air 
• Windseeker - tall, narrow, high-clewed, and lightweight jib
• Drifter - versatile light air genoa made from particularly lightweight cloth
• Storm jib - a smaller jib meant for stormy conditions
• Trysail - This is a smaller front-and-aft sail for heavy weather

The mainsail is the principal sail on a boat. It's generally set aft of the mainmast. Working together with the jib, the mainsail is designed to create the lift that drives the sailboat windward. That being said, the mainsail is a very powerful component that must always be kept under control.

As the largest sail, and the geometric center of effort on the boat, the mainsail is tasked with capturing the bulk of the wind that's required to propel the sailboat. The foot, the term for the bottom of any sail, secures to the boom, which allows you to trim the sail to your heading. The luff, the leading edge of the sail, is attached to the mast. An idealized mainsail would be able to swing through trim range of 180°, the full semi-circle aft of the mast, though in reality, most larger boats don’t support this full range of motion, as a fully eased sail can occasionally be unstable in heavy breeze.

. As fully controlling the shape of the mainsail is crucial to sailing performance, there are many different basic mainsail configurations. For instance, you can get a full-batten mainsail, a regular mainsail with short battens, or a two-plus-two mainsail with two full-length battens. Hyper-high performance boats have even begun experimenting with winged sails which are essentially trimmable airplane wings! Moreover, there are numerous sail controls that change the shape by pulling at different points on the sail, boom, or mast. Reefing, for instance, allows you to shorten the sail vertically, reducing the amount of sail area when the boat is overpowered.

Features of a Mainsail

Several features will affect how a particular sail works and performs. Some features will, of course, affect the cost of the sail while others may affect its longevity. All in all, it's essential to decide the type of mainsail that's right for you and your sailing application.

Sail Battens, the Roach, and the Leech

The most difficult part of the sail to control, but also the most important, are the areas we refer to as the leech and the roach. The roach is the part of the sail that extends backwards past the shortest line between the clew, at the end of the boom, and the top of the mast. It makes up roughly the back third of the sail. The leech is the trailing edge of the sail, the backmost curve of the roach. Together, these two components control the flow of the air off the back of the sail, which greatly affects the overall sail performance. If the air stalls off the backside of the sail, you will find a great loss in performance. Many sail controls, including the boom vang, backstay, main halyard, and even the cunningham, to name a few, focus on keeping this curve perfect. 

As for parts of the sail itself, battens control the overall horizontal shape of the sail. Battens are typically made from fiberglass or wood and are built into batten pockets. They're meant to offer support and tension to maintain the sail shape Depending on the sail technology you want to use, you may find that full battens, which extend from luff to leech, or short battens, just on the trailing edge, are the way to go. Fully battened sails tend to be more expensive, but also higher performance.

Fully Battened Mainsails

They're generally popular on racing multihulls as they give you a nice solid sail shape which is crucial at high speeds. In cruising sailboats , fully battened mainsails have a few benefits such as:

• They prevent the mainsail from ragging. This extends the life of the sail, and makes maneuvers and trimming easier for the crew.
• It provides shape and lift in light-air conditions where short-battened mainsails would collapse.

On the other hand, fully-battened mainsails are often heavier, made out of thicker material, and can chafe against the standing rigging with more force when sailing off the wind.

Short Battens

On the other hand, you can choose a mainsail design that relies mostly on short battens, towards the leech of the sail. This tends to work for lighter cloth sails, as the breeze, the headsail, and the rigging help to shape the sail simply by the tension of the rig and the flow of the wind. The battens on the leech help to preserve the shape of the sail in the crucial area where the air is flowing off the back of the sail, keeping you from stalling out the entire rig.

The only potential downside is that these short battens deal with a little bit of chafe and tension in their pockets, and the sail cloth around these areas ought to be reinforced. If your sails do not have sufficient reinforcement here, or you run into any issues related to batten chafe, a good sail maker should be able to help you extend the life of your sails for much less than the price of a new set.

How to Hoist the Mainsail

Here's how to hoist the mainsail, assuming that it relies on a slab reefing system and lazy jacks and doesn't have an in-mast or in-boom furling system.

• ‍Maintain enough speed for steeragewhile heading up into the wind
• Slacken the mainsheet, boom vang, and cunningham
• Make sure that the lazy jacks do not catch the ends on the battens by pulling the lazy jacks forward.
• Ensure that the reefing runs are free to run and the proper reefs are set if necessary.
• Raise the halyard as far as you can depending on pre-set reefs.
• Tension the halyard to a point where a crease begins to form along the front edge
• Re-set the lazy jacks
• Trim the mainsail properly while heading off to your desired course

So what's Right for You?

Your mainsail will depend on how you like sailing your boat and what you expect in terms of convenience and performance. That being said, first consult the options that the boatbuilder or sailmakers suggest for your rig. When choosing among the various options, consider what you want from the sail, how you like to sail, and how much you're willing to spend on the mainsail.

The headsail is principally the front sail in a fore-and-aft rig. They're commonly triangular and are attached to or serve as the boat’s forestay. They include a jib and a genoa. 

A jib is a triangular sail that is set ahead of the foremost sail. For large boats, the roto-furling jib has become a common and convenient way to rig and store the jib. Often working in shifts with spinnakers, jibs are the main type of headsails on modern sailboats. Jibs take advantage of Bournoulli’s Principle to break the incoming breeze for the mainsail, greatly increasing the speed and point of any boat. By breaking the incoming wind and channeling it through what we call the ‘slot,’ the horizontal gap between the leech of the jib and the luff of the mainsail, the jib drastically increases the efficiency of your mainsail. It additionally balances the helm on your rudder by pulling the bow down, as the mainsail tends to pull the stern down. .

The main aim of the jib is to increase the sail area for a given mast size. It improves the aerodynamics of the mainsails so that your sailboat can catch more wind and thereby sail faster, especially in light air

Using Jibs on Modern Sailboats

In the modern contexts, jib’s mainly serve  increase the performance and overall stability of the mainsail. The jib can also reduce the turbulence of the mainsail on the leeward side.

On Traditional Vessels

Traditional vessels such as schooners have about three jibs. The topmast carried a jib topsail, the main foresail is called the jib, while the innermost jib is known as the staysail. The first two were employed almost exclusively by clipper ships.

How to Rig the Jibs

There are three basic ways to rig the jib.

Track Sheets - A relatively modern approach to the self-tacking jib, this entails placing all the trimming hardware on a sliding track forward of the mast. This means that on each tack, the hardware slides from one side of the boat to the other. This alleviates the need to switch sheets and preserves the trim angle on both sides, though it can be finnicky and introduce friction.

Sheet up the Mast - This is a very popular approach and for a good reason. Hoist the jib sheet up the mast high enough to ensure that there's the right tension through the tack. Whether internally or externally, the sheet returnsto the deck and then back to the cockpit just like the rest of the mast baselines. The fact the hardware doesn't move through the tacks is essential in reducing friction.

Sheet Forward - This method revolves around ensuring that the jib sheet stays under constant pressure so that it does not move through the blocks in the tacks. This is possible if the through-deck block is extremely close to the jib tack. Your only challenge will only be to return the sheet to the cockpit. This is, however, quite challenging and can cause significant friction.

Dual Sheeting - The traditional method, especially on smaller dinghies, though it is not self-tacking. This requires a two ended or two separate sheet system, where one sheet runs to a block on starboard, and the other to port. Whenever you tack or gybe, this means you have to switch which sheet is active and which is slack, which is ok for well crewed boats, but a potential issue on under-crewed boats.

Another important headsail, a genoa is essentially a large jib that usually overlaps the mainsail or extends past the mast, especially when viewed from the other side. In the past, a genoa was known as the overlapping jib and is technically used on twin-mast boats and single-mast sloops such as ketches and yawls. A genoa has a large surface area, which is integral in increasing the speed of the vessel both in moderate and light winds.

Genoas are generally characterized by the percentage they cover. In most cases, sail racing classes stipulate the limit of a genoa size. In other words, genoas are usually classified by coverage.

Top-quality genoa trim is of great importance, especially if the wind is forward of the beam. This is because the wind will first pass over the genoa before the mainsail. As such, a wrongly sheeted genoa can erroneously direct the wind over the mainsail,spelling doom to your sailing escapades. While you can perfectly adjust the shape of a genoa using the mast rake, halyard tension, sheet tension, genoa car positioning, and backstay tension, furling and unfurling a genoa can be very challenging, especially in higher winds.

That being said, here are the crucial steps to always keep in mind.

• Unload and ease the loaded genoa sheet by going to a broad reach
• Do not use the winch; just pull on the furling line
• Keep a very small amount of pressure or tension on the loaded genoa sheet
• Secure the furling line and tighten the genoa sheets
• Get on the proper point of sail
• Have the crew help you and release the lazy genoa sheets
• Maintain a small tension while easing out the furling line
• Pull-on a loaded genoa sheet
• Close or cleat off the rope clutch when the genoa is unfurled
• Trim the genoa

To this end, it's important to note that genoas are popular in some racing classes. This is because they only categorize genoas based on the fore-triangle area covered, which essentially allows a genoa to significantly increase the actual sail area. On the contrary, keep in mind that tacking a genoa is quite a bit harder than a jib, as the overlapping area can get tangled with the mast and shrouds. It's, therefore, important to make sure that the genoa is carefully tended, particularly when tacking.

Downwind Sails

Modern sailboats are a lot easier to maneuver thanks to the fore-and-aft rig. Unfortunately, when sailing downwind they catch less wind, and downwind sails are a great way of reducing this problem. They include the spinnaker and the gennaker.

A spinnaker will, without a doubt, increase your sailing enjoyment. But why are they often buried in the cabin of cruising boats? Well, the first few attempts to rig and set a spinnaker can be difficult without enough help and guidance. Provided a solid background, however, spinnakers are quite straightforward and easy to use and handle with teamwork and enough practice. More importantly, spinnakers can bring a light wind passage to life and can save your engine.

Spinnakers are purposely designed for sailing off the wind; they fill with wind and balloon out in front of your sailboat. Structured with a lightweight fabric such as nylon, the spinnaker is also known as a kite or chute, as they look like parachutes both in structure and appearance. 

A perfectly designed spinnaker should have taut leading edges when filled. This mitigates the risk of lifting and collapsing. A spinnaker should have a smooth curve when filled and devoid of depressions and bubbles that might be caused by the inconsistent stretching of the fabric. The idea here is that anything other than a smooth curve may reduce the lift and thereby reduce performance.

Types of Spinnakers

There are two main types of spinnakers: symmetric spinnakers and asymmetric spinnakers.

Asymmetric Spinnakers

Flown from a spinnaker pole or bowsprit fitted to the bow of the boat, asymmetric spinnakers resemble large jibs and have been around since the 19th century. The concept of asymmetric spinnaker revolves around attaching the tack of the spinnaker at the bow and pulling it around during a gybe.

Asymmetric spinnakers have two sheets just like a jib., These sheets are attached at the clew and never interact directly with the spinnaker pole. This is because the other corner of the spinnaker is fixed to the bowsprit. The asymmetric spinnaker works when you pull in one sheet while releasing the other. This makes it a lot easier to gybe but is less suited to sailing directly downwind. There is the loophole of having the asymmetric spinnaker gybed to the side opposite of the boom, so that the boat is sailing ‘wing-on-wing,’ though this is a more advanced maneuver, generally reserved for certain conditions and tactical racing situations.

On the contrary, the asymmetric spinnaker is perfect for fast planing dinghies. This is because such vessels have speeds that generate apparent wind forward. Because asymmetrics, by nature, prefer to sail shallower downwind angles, this apparent wind at high speeds makes the boat think that it is sailing higher than it really is, allowing you to drive a little lower off the breeze than normal. . In essence, the asymmetric spinnaker is vital if you're looking for easy handling.

Symmetric Spinnakers

Symmetric spinnakers are a classic sail type that has been used for centuries for controlling boats by lines known as a guy and a sheet. The guy, which is a windward line, is attached to the tack of the sail and stabilized by a spinnaker pole. The sheet, which is the leeward line, is attached to the clew of the spinnaker and is essential in controlling the shape of the spinnaker sail.

When set correctly, the leading edges of the symmetric spinnaker should be almost parallel to the wind. This is to ensure that the airflow over the leading edge remains attached. Generally, the spinnaker pole should be at the right angles to the apparent wind and requires a lot of care when packing.

The main disadvantage of this rig is the need to gybe the spinnaker pole whenever you gybe the boat. This is a complicated maneuver, and is one of the most common places for spinnakers to rip or get twisted. If, however, you can master this maneuver, you can sail at almost any angle downwind!

How to Use Spinnaker Effectively

If you decide to include the spinnakers to your sailboat, the sailmaker will want to know the type of boat you have, what kind of sailing you do, and where you sail. As such, the spinnaker that you end up with should be an excellent and all-round sail and should perform effectively off the breeze

The type of boat and where you'll be sailing will hugely influence the weight of your spinnaker cloth. In most cases, cruising spinnakers should be very light, so if you've decided to buy a spinnaker, make sure that it's designed per the type of your sailboat and where you will be sailing. Again, you can choose to go for something lighter and easier to set if you'll be sailing alone or with kids who are too young to help.

Setting up Spinnakers

One of the main reasons why sailors distrust spinnakers is because they don't know how to set them up. That being said, a perfectly working spinnaker starts with how you set it up and this revolves around how you carefully pack it and properly hook it up. You can do this by running the luff tapes and ensuring that the sails are not twisted when packed into the bag. If you are using large spinnakers, the best thing to do is make sure that they're set in stops to prevent the spinnakers from filling up with air before you even hoist them fully.

But even with that, you cannot fully set the spinnaker while sailing upwind. Make sure to bear away and have your pole ready to go as you turn downwind. You should then bear away to a reach before hoisting. Just don't hoist the spinnakers from the bow as this can move the weight of the crew and equipment forward.

Used when sailing downwind, a gennaker is asymmetric sail somewhere between a genoa and a spinnaker. It sets itself apart because it  gennaker is a free-flying asymmetric spinnaker but it is tacked to the bowsprit like the jib.

Let's put it into perspective. Even though the genoa is a great sail for racing and cruising, sailors realized that it was too small to be used in a race or for downwind sail and this is the main reason why the spinnaker was invented. While the spinnakers are large sails that can be used for downwind sail, they are quite difficult to handle especially if you're sailing shorthanded. As such, this is how a gennaker came to be: it gives you the best of both worlds.

Gennakers are stable and easy to fly and will add to your enjoyment and downwind performance.

The Shape of a Gennaker

As we've just noted, the gennaker is asymmetrical. It doesn't attach to the forestay like the genoa but has a permanent fitting from the mast to bow. It is rigged exactly like a spinnaker but its tack is fastened to the bowsprit. This is fundamentally an essential sail if you're looking for something to bridge the gap between a genoa and a spinnaker.

Setting a Gennaker

When cruising, the gennaker is set with the tack line from the bow, a halyard, and a sheet that's led to the aft quarter. Attach the tack to a furling unit and attach it to a fitting on the hull near the very front of the sailboat. You can then attach the halyard that will help in pulling it up to the top of the mast before attaching it to the clew. The halyard can then run back to the winches to make the controlling of the sail shape easier, just like when using the genoa sail.

In essence, a gennaker is a superb sail that will give you the maximum versatility of achieving the best of both a genoa and a spinnaker, especially when sailing downwind. This is particularly of great importance if you're cruising by autopilot or at night.

Light Air Sails

Even though downwind sails can be used as light air sails, not all light air sails can be used for downwind sailing. In other words, there's a level of difference between downwind sails and light air sails. Light air sails include code zero, windseeker, and drifter reacher.

A cross between an asymmetrical spinnaker and a genoa, a code zero is a highly modern sail type that's generally used when sailing close to the wind in light air. Although the initial idea of code zero was to make a larger genoa, it settled on a narrow and flat spinnaker while upholding the shape of a genoa.

Modern boats come with code zero sails that can be used as soon as the sailboat bears off close-hauled even a little bit. It has a nearly straight luff and is designed to be very flat for close reaching. This sail is designed to give your boat extra performance in light winds, especially in boats that do not have overlapping genoas. It also mitigates the problem of loss of power when you are reaching with a non-overlapping headsail. Really, it is closer to a light air jib that sacrifices a little angle for speed.

In many conditions, a code zero sail can go as high as a sailboat with just a jib. By hoisting a code zero, you'll initially have to foot off about 15 degrees to fill it and get the power that you require to heel and move the boat. The boat will not only speed up but will also allow you to put the bow up while also doing the same course as before you set the zero. In essence, code zero can be an efficient way of giving your boat about 30% more speed and this is exactly why it's a vital inventory item in racing sailboats.

When it comes to furling code zero, the best way to do it is through a top-down furling system as this will ensure that you never get a twist in the system.

Generally used when a full size and heavier sail doesn't stay stable or pressurized, a windseeker is a very light sail that's designed for drifting conditions. This is exactly why they're designed with a forgiving cloth to allow them to handle these challenging conditions.

The windseeker should be tacked at the headstay with two sheets on the clew. To help this sail fill in the doldrums, you can heel the boat to whatever the apparent leeward side is and let gravity help you maintain a good sail shape while reaching.The ideal angle of a windseeker should be about 60 degrees.

Though only used in very specific conditions, the windseeker is so good at this one job that it is worth the investment if you plan on a long cruise. Still, you can substitute most off the breeze sails for this in a pinch, with slightly less performance gain, likely with more sacrifices in angle to the breeze. 

Drifter Reacher

Many cruising sailors often get intimidated by the idea of setting and trimming a drifter if it's attached to the rig at only three corners or if it's free-flying. But whether or not a drifter is appropriate for your boat will hugely depend on your boat's rig, as well as other specific details such as your crew's ability to furl and unfurl the drifter and, of course, your intended cruising grounds.

But even with that, the drifter remains a time-honored sail that's handy and very versatile. Unlike other light air sails, the drifter perfectly carries on all points of sails as it allows the boat to sail close-hauled and to tack. It is also very easy to control when it's set and struck. In simpler terms, a drifter is principally a genoa that's built of lightweight fabric such as nylon. Regardless of the material, the drifter is a superb sail if you want to sail off a lee shore without using the genoa.

Generally stronger than other regular sails, stormsails are designed to handle winds of over 45 knots and are great when sailing in stormy conditions. They include a storm jib and a trysail.

If you sail long and far enough, chances are you have or will soon be caught in stormy conditions. Under such conditions, storm jibs can be your insurance and you'll be better off if you have a storm jib that has the following features:

• Robustly constructed using heavyweight sailcloth
• Sized suitably for the boat
• Highly visible even in grey and white seas

That's not all; you should never go out there without a storm jib as this, together with the trysail, is the only sails that will be capable of weathering some of nature's most testing situations.

Storm jibs typically have high clews to give you the flexibility of sheet location. You can raise the sail with a spare halyard until its lead position is closed-hauled in the right position. In essence, storm jib is your insurance policy when out there sailing: you should always have it but always hope that you never have to use it.

Also known as a spencer, a trysail is a small, bright orange, veritably bullet-proof, and triangular sail that's designed to save the boat's mainsail from winds over 45 knots and works in the same way as a storm jib. It is designed to enable you to make progress to windward even in strong and stormy winds.

Trysails generally use the same mast track as the mainsail but you have to introduce the slides into the gate from the head of the trysail.

There are two main types of rigs: the fore-and-aft rig and the square rigg.

Fore-and-aft Rig

This is a sailing rig that chiefly has the sails set along the lines of the keel and not perpendicular to it. It can be divided into three categories: Bermuda rig, Gaff rig, and Lateen rig.

Bermuda Rig - Also known as a Marconi rig, this is the typical configuration of most modern sailboats. It has been used since the 17th century and remains one of the most efficient types of rigs. The rig revolves around setting a triangular sail aft of the mast with the head raised to the top of the mast. The luff should run down the mast and be attached to the entire length.

Gaff Rig - This is the most popular fore-and-aft rig on vessels such as the schooner and barquentine. It revolves around having the sail four-cornered and controlled at its peak. In other words, the head of the mainsail is guided by a gaff.

Lateen Rig - This is a triangular fore-and-aft rig whereby a triangular sail is configured on a long yard that's mounted at a given angle of the mast while running in a fore-and-aft direction. Lateen rig is commonly used in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.

Square Rigged

This is a rig whereby the mainsails are arranged in a horizontal spar so that they're square or vertical to the mast and the keel of the boat. The square rig is highly efficient when sailing downwind and was once very popular with ocean-going sailboats.

Unquestionably, sailing is always pleasurable. Imagine turning off the engine of your boat, hoisting the sails, and filling them with air! This is, without a doubt, a priceless moment that will make your boat keel and jump forward!

But being propelled by the noiseless motion of the wind and against the mighty currents and pounding waves of the seas require that you know various sail types and how to use them not just in propelling your boat but also in ensuring that you enjoy sailing and stay safe. Sails are a gorgeous way of getting forward. They remain the main fascination of sailboats and sea cruising. If anything, sails and boats are inseparable and are your true friends when out there on the water. As such, getting to know different types of sails and how to use them properly is of great importance.

All in all, let's wish you calm seas, fine winds, and a sturdy mast!

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Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Boat plans to make the sea more beautiful

Gabian: a lateen rigged boat.

• Post author: François Vivier
• Post published: 9 January 2016
• Post category: Actualités / Launchings / Wooden boat-building
• Post comments: 2 Comments

For many years, I had in mind to draw a Mediterranean boat, named pointu or barquette on the French Med coast. Michel Aubert, living in the countryside near Fréjus and Cannes, gave me the chance. As most of my designs, I did not try to draw a true replica of a given traditional boat, but to create something inspired from tradition, but suitable for both home builders and present days use. In particular, the boat had to be trailerable and easy to launch, such that it not necessary to have a permanent mooring. The hull length is 5 m for 1.75 m breadth, making the boat built and maintained in a current size garage. Dimensions and hull lines are close to existing barquette .

These Mediterranean hulls have a pointed stern. So, it is difficult to use the strip planking building method. Plywood clinker is very far from Mediterranean tradition and was not an acceptable way. Therefore, we have decided to build as a carvel hull, but using plywood boards. We use in fact the stitch and tape method, but with a high number of planks, 10 per side. All planks are CNC cut. Holes for stitching are also drilled by the CNC machine. The up-to-date 3D design software allows getting a very high accuracy, planks not requiring any adjustment, except to cut both ends. The hull is planked over a plywood egg box: backbone made of several layers of layers and bulkheads/frames. Buoyancy compartments are made at both ends.

Gabian is lateen rigged, with mainsail and jib. The lateen mainsail stands always on the same side of the mast. The mast is short and easily stepped. It is possible to use the “Catalan” type rig, with the lateen sail only which is changed from one side of the mast to the other when tacking. Then the mast is raked forward, but using the same mast partner. Using the Catalan sail is more complicated but allows to learn all the wealth of this rig used all around the Mediterranean sea in the past.We gave up using a centreboard, not consistent with a mast stepped close to mid-length. The keel has been made high (15 cm), with rocker, to get good upwind performance. Lead ballast (40 kg) is inserted into the plywood keel, which is only 36 mm thick to reduce drag. A water ballast, about 160 litres, gives the boat a displacement hull behavior, very useful if singlehanded. It is suggested to use a trailer without centreline rollers, allowing the hull to lay as low as possible and easing launching and retrieving. The rudder fittings allow to raise the rudder it when beaching.

We gave up using a centreboard, not consistent with a mast stepped close to mid-length. The keel has been made high (15 cm), with rocker, to get good upwind performance. Lead ballast (40 kg) is inserted into the plywood keel, which is only 36 mm thick to reduce drag. A water ballast, about 160 litres, gives the boat a displacement hull behavior, very useful if singlehanded. It is suggested to use a trailer without centreline rollers, allowing the hull to lay as low as possible and easing launching and retrieving. The rudder fittings allow to raise the rudder it when beaching.

The pointed stern makes difficult a motor arrangement. Most Med boats have fixed engines, but they are now very expensive and add weight, not desirable on a trailerable boat. We have studied several way to arrange an outboard, using 3D design. We have finally chosen an off-centered motor well of simple geometry. The owner preferred an electric motor, which is an excellent choice. The Torqeedo travel is light and is easily moved and stowed under side deck when under sail.

The deck arrangement is typical of Mediterranean custom, with a hatch of a moderate width allowing to close the deck with covers. It is possible to sleep on board, as the floorboard is 1.2 m wide. As the boat is almost decked, a simple tent is enough. A large locker is fitted ahead of the mast.

The first Gabian was built between February and July 2015 by Arwen Marine boatbuilder . Then Michel Aubert has made the rigging job. The boat, named Hasta Cipango , has been launched at the end of summer. Her behaviour at sea is very satisfactory, including with bad weather conditions as the Med is able to offer. The 2016 season will show how Gabian compares with other boats.

My intention is to work out this year the building instructions for home builders. If you are interested in building the boat, do not hesitate to get in touch with me. Please note that he study plan is an extract of the building plans and instructions. Therefore, it is not presently available.

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This post has 2 comments.

Lovely design. Reminiscent of a larger, Italian Leudo, I think. Fast, no doubt. Beautiful work..

Dear Francois, Living and working in Venezuela we do a lot of sailing along the 3.000 kms coast of Venezuela with the Caribbean. Being in Southern France last summer, I fell in love with the Pointu all along the Var departement. Could you help me out to buy a set of plans to construct a Pointu myself. I consider 5.50 meters as the perfect size for us. Hope to read you soon, Kind regards, Titus P.S If preferred we could write in French as well. T.

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Le poids lège est proche de la définition de masse lège définie par la norme ISO 8666.

C’est le poids du bateau prêt à naviguer avec un armement minimum comprenant la voilure de base, le moteur de puissance moyenne recommandée, une ligne de mouillage et quelques amarres. S’il y a un ballast liquide, il est vide.

Pour les voile-aviron, il n’y a pas de poids moteur mais le poids des avirons. S’il y a plusieurs versions de gréement, je prend la plus simple.

Le poids est susceptible de varier d’un bateau à l’autre en fonction du choix des essences de bois et des équipements choisis.

Il est courant que le poids indiqué sur les documentations d’autres architectes ou chantiers, ou publiés dans la presse, ne soit que celui de la coque seule et parfois même fortement sous estimé. Aussi je vous invite à faire preuve de discernement lors de la comparaison de mes bateaux avec d’autres.

Lire avant de passer commande

Le dossier d’évaluation est un extrait du plan pour en savoir plus avant achat. Donc inutile d’acheter plan et dossier d’évaluation.

Le plan, ou dossier de construction, est le document de base pour construire le bateau. Il comporte dessins, instructions de montage, photos, listes de matériaux et fournitures, etc… Il donne droit à une assistance par email ou téléphone. Le plan doit être acheté pour construire le bateau.

Ce bateau ne peut être construit qu’avec un kit de contreplaqué en découpe numérique ou les tracés vraie grandeur. L’un ou l’autre doivent être acheté en complément du plan. Compte tenu du nombre important de panneaux de contreplaqué, le kit est vivement conseillé.

Vous pouvez aussi commander des fichiers de découpe numérique pour faire découper le kit par une entreprise de votre choix.

Pour commander un kit, s’adresser à l’un de mes partenaires.

Les frais postaux et la TVA, si elle s’applique, sont inclus dans les prix affichés.

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