Just to keep pace;

A cable is a bundle of steel strands twisted at least twice, this is used for stays and shrouds.

A line or rope is a functional undefined piece of twisted or braided yarns.

A halyard is a line to hoist the sails. This line may be moderately stretching.

A sheet is a braided line attached to a sail to control it. This line should not stretch at all.

Rig

A rig is the combination of ropes, sails and poles including the sheets, halyards, stays and keel, daggerboard or centreboard, skeg and rudder.

The underwater accesories are perhaps not in the dictionary definition, as they are an integral part of the of sailing rigs but not for any vessel, they are included in this entry.

Outline of rigging

• Catboat

  
  A small vessel with one mast flying only a mainsail. These vessels do most often not have stays or shrouds, they have a centreboard or daggerboard and a rudder. Also the rudder may be pivoting like a centreboard. The tiller may be extended by a joystick. As long as the sail area is limited this vessel may have any kind of mainsail. Some catboats may use a sail with a sleeve for the mast, you will have to fit and haul down this before launching the vessel. As the catboat is often operated by a single person the cockpit will be small. The hull of the vessel will be buoyant. A valve like construction may be present in the stern in the cockpit acting as a drain. Beeing a single crew may involve hanging over the luff board, to keep control of the tiller you will have to use the joystick. Most are less then four metres in length.
  

• Sloop

  
  A small vessel with one mast, one mainsail and one one staysail. The foresail is attached to the forestay. Most often clinker build even the composite and aluminium hulls will have a plank like structure on the outside. The sloop has near to none keel, for sailing purposes sometimes bilge keels are present. A case for a daggerboard or a centreboard would compromise the structure. Most often leeboards are attached to the sides. A sloop can have near all types of rigging, though a wing or a spinnaker will not really fit the sailing properties of the hull. On flying only triangular sails the rig is called a Bermuda¹ rig or Marconi rig.
  
  Whithout a mast a sloop is also used for rowing. Up to eight rowers can handle the heavy oars and unlike the olympic rowers a sloop can stand high seas. Mr Ridgeway has rowed the Atlantic ocean in a sloop. Motorised sloops can be considered floating couches, the entire rig may be a freezer and a beer tap. This is the most common size and shape of rescue vessel, where non inflatables are used. Most are less then ten meters long.
  

• Cutter

  
  A cutter has one mast and sails with a mainsail and two foresails. The vessel may resemble a sloop but is designed more for independent sailing then as a dinghy. The fixed keelfin will make a cutter less practical as deck cargo. A cabin is common on a cutter. Near all sail types can be flown on a cutter. Also a cutter, without mast and keelfin, may be used for rowing or motoring it is renowned for beeing a pilot boat.
  

• Yawl

  
  A sailing vessel that has two masts. The aft mast or the mizzen, is shorter than the foremast. The mizzen mast is located aft the rudder post. Though the missen sail is used for propulsion the main task is to trim the point of sail. With some effort you do not need to use and keep at the helm. This course stability makes it an ideal one handed sailing vessel for longer journeys. The yawl has a keelfin and can handle near all kinds of sails.
  

• Ketch

  
  A sail vessel that has two masts, on these vessels the mizzen mast is located afore the rudder post. Most often the missen mast is shorter then the main mast, though some sail with equal size masts. The entire vessel will be longer then the yawl as to have a significant part of sail on the main mast, the mizzen mast has to be at some distance abaft the main. The mizzen is used for propulsion more then to keep the point of sail at an ideal direction, though it will be used similar. The ketch has a keelfin and can fly near any kind of sail, even rotor sails.
  

• Square rigger

  
  The impressive castles of the sailing era, tall ships, many masts, many sails and a large crew. The large crew requirement with more then three masts made them basically navy ships, the only commercial value was their speed.
  
  Upto three mast and with wide beam these were efficient cargo vessels, clinker build and using ballast to keep them upright without cargo. Near to none keel, a little skeg their main leeway drag is beeing clinker buid. As the square riggers do not reach more upwind then close reach, having a considerable leeway is not an issue.
  

• Proa

  
  One mast with one sail, two hulls one large, the vaka, for flotation cargo and positioning the mast, one ama the outrigger for stability and a lattice on the connecting beams, the aka as working platform. This vessel has two rudders², two stays, one shroud and no standing rigging! The sail is flying leeward on one board only, the vessel has to be at the luff side of the sail to keep control. The sail will be hanging over the water on the leeward side.
  

The Main Parts of a Rig

• Mast

  
  The mast is a standing spar generally positioned forward of the lateral point. Wooden masts were often extended with topmasts. Currently a mast is ellipsoid with aft a cavity to attach the sail and made of aluminium or carbon fibre.
  

• Stay

  
  The fore stay is most often present, even when there are no shrouds. The stay is cable connected to the very top of the mast using a tang. The fore stay is connected to the hull on the bow. A second fore stay may be connected to the bowsprit though mainly for carrying a second jib or staysail. A back stay is most often only present when there are more masts. Even then a bifurcation is used to spread the load over the boards at the stern.
  

• Shrouds

  
  The shrouds are the cables used to support the mast from bending to the boards. The shrouds may support the mast just below the top. Spreaders up the mast may be used to create a trussed lattice. This lattice gives support at more heights then single shrouds would give. The spreaders are also used to hoist flags or a radar reflector.
  

• Sail

  
  A woven or fabric sheet of light though airtight and smooth material. The edges are hemmed and lined with a boltrope, this is called a tabling. Corners are strengthened by multiple layers of fabric. The sail is not a flat sheet, it has a camber, you can not lay it flat without wrinkles. This camber is intentionally, a sail is always curved to catch and redirect the wind. Only hoist a sail when in irons, that is when the bow is pointing to the wind.
  

  • Corners and attached sides

    
    In each corner and the sides attached to spars or a stay of the sail you may find cringles, grommets, hanks or a zip rim.
    

  • Cringles

    
    Cringles are loops of the hemmed in tabling line, used to attach the sail. These cringles can be in the sail surface or at the corners extending out.
    

  • Grommets

    
    These are rings inserted into the sail, they are often covered and anforced with thread and clamped over the fabric.
    

  • Hanks

    
    Stay sails are attached to the stay with hanks, these are fixed to the sail and attached to the stay by rotating them and the tabling ninety degrees and slide the opening over the stay, or pulling a lever attached to a shackle.
    

  • Sliding zip

    
    Modern systems can be sliding the sail into a cavity in the pole, often using a rope to pull it through. The zip rim keeps the sail inside the cavity of the spar.
    

  • Furling

    
    Most easy is furling the sail into the boom or around the stay. Though as expected these systems may be somewhat expensive and relative fragile.
    

  • Sail Shape

    
    Sails may have assecories to keep in ideal shape or reduce the size. These are mainly used in main sails, jibs and flyers will be replaced instead.
    

  • Battens

    
    A sail may have battens, these are composit fiberglass or a flexible wood flat, thin and often long. Battens are used to keep the sail in shape beyond the fixed attachement points, this area is called the roach. The battens are slid tight into batten pockets, these are also enforced by multiple layers of fabric.
    
    A head board is seen in modern sails ever more, original just enforcing the head of the sail. Latest versions extending the roach while this 'not a gaff' batten in the top of former triangular sails extends the top over a substantial length. The rules for measuring the sail surface area are rewritten every year.
    

  • Reeflines

    
    During severe weather conditions the forces on the sail may exceed control to regain control the area of many main sails can be reduced. When not equipped with a boom furling system the main sail can often be reduced using a reef system. These grommets or reeflines will then be used to haul the sail against the boom.
    

  • Shackles

    
    These are metal fittings actually not on the sail but on the halyards and sheets. These U-shaped shackles can be opened and closed by rotating a threaded pin.
    

• Sheets

  
  The sheets are to control the sail, to optimise the range of control they often run through a block. This adjusts the direction from where you pull on the sail. This to enables you counteracting the force by pushing your feet against the vessel instead of having only your weight to pull. Also to run the sheet through a cam cleat. Some clever contraptions can be used to increase your pulling force. When you run a sheet from the clew to the hull, over a block, then back to the clew, through another block then back to the hull. For each length you pull only one third is used to move the sail, as this system works as a lever you increase your force three times.
  
  Hull  _________________________________________Clew
  Hull-(O______________________________________  Clew
  ____________________________________________O)-Clew
  Running end of sheet.
  
  This is known as a purchase system or a tackle, on sailing vessels often used for the main sail. The systems used on larger vessels often includes a winch, an enclosed gear system with a handle on top and a large drum on the outside. A stopper knot or a figure eight knot is used to prevent the sheet from running out of the blocks.
  

Sails

• Triangular Main Sail

  
  On triangular sails the luff is connected to the mast and the clew is controlled by the sheet. The luff is the foremost part of the sail, it is to be always the most wind ward part of the sail. The free, aft side of the sail is the leech. The lower side is the foot, often supported by a boom. The corner down on the luff is the tack. Way up on the luff we find the head. The head is where the sail is connected with the halyard.
  
  While hoistng the sail is slid in or connected to the mast. Hoist the sail until the luff is completely stretched, belay the halyard. The boom, if present, is attached to the mast with a gooseneck, this attachment gives a free swing over the beam. There is often a limited swing in the vertical direction.
  
  The boom can be used to adjust or limit the camber of the sail using a boomvang. The boomvang or kicking strap is a line attached to the boom at some distance from the gooseneck and to the mast the same distance down. By pulling the boom down you reduce the camber and make the sail perform better at high winds. The camber can also be reduced by stretching the foot of the sail this is done with the outhaul. The outhaul is connected to the clew of the sail and the aftmost tip of the boom. If there is no boom the tack of the sail is stretched down with a downhaul, a line between the tack and the mastfoot.
  
  All points of sail can be reached though gybing is not recommended above 6 Beaufort. The sheet is connected to the boom or to the clew and often to a central point afore the tiller. To keep the cockpit clear from the sheets an arc shaped tube construction over the tiller is used, this is called a traveller.
  

• Gaff Sail

  
  The gaff sail is quadrangular, it is not a rectangle just foursided. The top side is the head, this side is attached to the gaff. The topmost aft corner is the peek, the mast side top corner is the throat. The throat is also the fork shaped connection where the gaff is connected with the mast.
  
  Hoisting is a little more complicated, there are two halyards involved. First you find out which is which by tensioning them. If the peek halyard is pulled the peek should be lifted high enough to make the gaff swing free. Then you take both halyards and hoist the sail by pulling them both.
  
  Make sure you fit the luff of the sail and the fork of the gaff to the mast while hoisting. Temporary belay the peek halyard, or give it to someone else. Now tension the throat halyard to make the luff completely stretched, belay the throat halyard. Take the peek halyard again and see if the camber of the sail suits the wind. On high winds you should use a small camber and set the peek accordingly. None or moderate wind may require some more camber. Belay the peek halyard on the designated cleat. The best way to learn and adjust the gaff is by doing it many times. This sail may also have a boomvang and outhaul, though they can be adjusted, the influence of the gaff on the camber is more significant.
  
  All points of sail can be reached though gybing is not recommended above 5 Beaufort. The sheet is connected to the boom and to the hull.
  

• Sprit

  
  This sail is also quadrangular the sides and corners are named like the gaff sail. The yard is only at the peek connected to the sail. There are two halyards, one for the throat and one for the snotter. To hoist this sail you have to keep the sprit free from piercing the sail. Hoist the throat halyard for the luff to stretch. Lift the peek end of the sprit while hoisting the snotter, the lower end of the sprit, keep sufficient camber. This sail is most often small and rather fragile do not over stretch the downhaul or outhaul as like with the gaff sail the peek corner is set with a seperate halyard and this controls most of the camber. All points of sail can be reached. The sheet is connected to the boom.
  

• Lug

  
  A lug sail is another quadrangular sail this one has a yard connected to the head side of the sail. Hoisting is relative easy as the yard is attached to the halyard above the center of weight of the sail. The only consideration is on what side of the mast to put the yard. If your destination requires long tacks over one board that should be the preferred board to hoist the sail. You can sail on bad reach but this is not recommended due to heavy wear on the sail and the bad shape. Do not go beyond broad reach as the mast is only supported with a single stay and the yard will get entangled with the stay. Do not gybe or even come in a running reach! Two sheets are connected to this sail, one on the tack and forward of the mast, the mainsheet is connected to the clew and near the stern.
  

• Lateen

  
  This must be one of the oldest rigging types beeing able to reach close to the wind. This is a triangular sail where the yard side is longer the the other sides. On yard sails like the lateen rig the top most corner is the peek. The yard is attached to the entire luff side of the sail. The mast is most often short compared to the yard. Hoisting is done with a single halyard, the sail is not balanced so during hoist someone may need to adjust the tack sheet. The yard will be on a single board, take this into account regarding the wind and reach you are planning to use. If you have to change tack and your mast is shrouded you will have to lower sail, move the yard to the other board and hoist again. Sailing on bad tack may be possible if there are no shrouds or stays, this still induces high wear and bad airflow.
  
  Broad reaching is possible but running is not wise. Even when the yard does not entangle in the stay, the forces on the mast and rudder are significant. The tack sheet is connected but not really fixed near the bow, course changes may require adjustment. The mainsheet is connected to the clew corner of the sail and somewhere near the stern.
  

• Crabclaw Sail

  
  The main sail of many proas, these polynesian sails are remarkeably efficient. The sail is triangular where the spar sides are near same length and the free side is relative short. The crabclaw looks symmetrical, though one spar is the yard and the other is the boom. There is one halyard on the yard to hoist the sail into the relative short mast, the sail will be near balanced. The main attention point during hoist is not to forget or entangle any of the sheets. There are two tack sheets and two clew or main sheets. The tack sheets are running through blocks near the bows of the vaka and run to the ama for control. The clew sheets run over the stays directly to the ama.
  
  The proa does not tack but changing wind is done by shunting. Turn the proa to beam reach, release the sheet to lose momentum. What once was the bow now will become the stern. The mastfoot is shifted over the length of the aka towards the new bow and the stays re-adjusted. The rudder is lifted on one stern, the other rudder lowered on what was the bow. The clew sheets are released and the tack sheet is used to make the sail turn over with the tack down. This is a complex manouvre, still it can be done single handed with enough sheets, ropes and lines to control the entire rigging. This manouvre is called shunting and will give a small naming problem. The mast and stays are to be re-adjusted to change reach, the standing rigging has become running.
  
  The proa can reach close haul to near running courses, though gybing is completely impossible.
  
  A crabclaw can also be fitted on a more modern tacking vessel like a symmetrical catamaran, this requires two masts joining at the top. The sail can be hoisted between the masts. This vessel and rig combination is limited from close haul to broad reaches, running is highly inadvisable and gybing will make it tipple over.
  

• Junk

  
  Old chinese sailing rig with full length battens. This sail is technically a quadrangular sail, due to the battens the luff and leech side are both a segmented curve. The topmost batten acts like a gaff, that is, the peek side is hoisted above the tang. The mast will have a stay and can be shrouded. Hoisting the sail is done with a single halyard, the battens are connected to the mast. The architecture of the sail dictates the board you will have to use. The luff side of the sail extends fore the mast. This means there is a bad reach, though unlike a lateen sail the wear on the sail and airflow distortion is limited due to the battens. The battens help pivoting against the mast and avoid too much shape distortion in the camber of the sail.
  
  The junk rig can sail all reaches though the rig is heavy and the sail may be fragile, gybing is not recommanded. The sheeting is rather complex, each leech side of the battens has an attachement, the sheets use blocks to change the direction and the proportion of force to balance them out, for the control only one main sheet is required. There are also luff sheets, these are balanced as well and are set according to the windforce. The luff sheet determines the part off sail fore the mast. The main sheet runs to centre stern and the luff sheet runs to the luff side of the board fore the mast.
  

• Gibbons

  
  Another proa rig, originally designed using half a parachute as sail cloth. This sail is basically half circular, depending on the number of battens segmenting the leech sides, it may appear segmented.The sail has one yard on the luff straight side, full battens keep the shape half a circle. There is no defined number of battens, at least three are required. The sheets are connected to the ends of the yard and two on the central batten. The halyard is attached to the yard in the centre where also the battens come together. The mast should be a little more then half the yard long. Hoist until the battens are free of the deck. The yard end sheets run through a block near the bow of the aka, then to the ama. The centre batten sheets go over the stays to the ama. Set sail by pulling the luff yard sheet, the sail will turn 'up'. Now adjust the centre batten sheet to catch wind.
  
  Shunting is done by turning to beam reach, while releasing both sheets to loose momentum, pull the other yard sheet and adjust the centre batten sheet. The first seconds you will still be shrinking, the proa is light enough to gain speed soon enough. Nearly all points of sail can be reached, gybing is not possible.
  

• Wing

  
  The sailing speed record has been set several times by a wing rigged vessel. These proa like vessels can only sail in one reach, then have to beach and near rebuild ro return. The wing rig is also used in the Americas Cup. There is no hoisting procedure as the hollow wing is build up in the factory and with mast placed on the vessel. No noticable sheets are used, hydraulic rams position the sails. This is what the crew is pumping for inside the hull on the luff side of the catamarans. The helmsman controls some joysticks releasing and directing hydraulics to the actual controls.
  

• Rotor

  
  A rotor sail is a stiff volumous sail, not unlike the wing, though this sail creates a foil by rotating using the Magnus effect. It has the shape of a wide vertical cylinder and is used in pairs. Due to having not very usefull properties and the difficulty to reduce sail in high wind conditions it is not used very often. This sail can be used in all reaches though is really only usefull at beam reach. The lack of a sheet may be noticed, the sheet is replaced by an engine controlling the speed of rotation.
  

• Aero Rig

  
  Also known as a Balestron rig. A combination of a fore and aft sail on a single boom. The boom extends fore the mast and can rotate freely around the mast. The jib is attached to a stay on the foreward extention of the boom and the mainsail on the aft part. The jib uses a traveller mounted on the boom and thus only requires a single sheet. The main sail and jib system is then controlled by a sheet mounted on another traveller near the extend of the boom. This rig does not have stays or shrouds. Any reach but into the wind can be sailed. Though as the jib only follows the mainsail closely only close hauled the sails are optimal adjusted. For any other reach there will be an inbalance. Gybing is a breeze even with high winds and tacking in a narrow space is also reported to be a swift.
  

• Windmill

  
  Not unlike a gyrocopter, a set of running blades, a kind of windmill, acts as an airfoil. A rotatable mast without stay or shrouds is required, the mill should be fixed to the mast above head high, a line running round the rotating axis of the mill as break. A short boom attached to the bottom of the mast to rotate the mast and mill, the break line runs along the boom. A moderate to strong wind is required, a steel face a must. Sail by pretending to yourself it is a sail even while it does not look like anything. Able to reach just closer then beam reach, perhaps some more adjustments may be required. Breaking the rotation of the mill is like reefing the sail, giving the mill a swing increases the 'surface'.
  

• Jib

  
  A Jib or stay sail requires a stay. These sails are triangular most often the clew has a right angle and the foot will be near parallel to the deck. Hoist the sail with the halyard connected to the head. The foremost corner is the tack and the near vertical rear is the luff side. While hoisting connect the hanks on the luff side to the stay and make sure the sheets do not entangle. Run the sheets through blocks near or aft the shrouds on the boards. Only pull the leeward sheet after the mainsail catches wind. Perhaps help the mainsail by rotating the vessel with a short tensioning of the luff sheet, this is called to heave. The jib will help rotating the vessel as the push from luff is afore the lateral point. On tacking release the jib, the mainsail will push abaft the lateral point, you rotate through the wind and after the main catches wind you can pull the other, now leech, sheet. A stay sail may be a smaller version for high wind conditions, also referred to as a try sail. Other stay sails may be attached foreward to the jib, sometimes a bowsprit is used to extend the bow and connect the fore stay. The jib is controlled with two sheets, one over each board. The crewmember controlling the jib has to follow the mainsail and pay attention to the helmsman. The jib is rarely used on its own.
  

• Genoa

  
  A stay sail like the jib but with much more surface area, by definition a sail extending abaft the mast. Hoist like the jib, the sheets go further abaft then the jib sheets. If you are flying both sails the control should be synchronised to avoid 'collisions' between sheets and sails. The sheets are running through blocks abaft the jib sheets and probably outside the shrouds.
  

• Spinnaker

  
  A sail only for broader then beam reaches and only used by yachts. This sail has a high camber and two long luff sides. The spinnaker is not held by a stay and has two sheets, one on each clew corner on the lower or feet side of the sail. When in use one crewmember will be busy all the time controlling it, either by avoiding the other sails or by holding the pole to the luff corner, trying to catch the last breeze. There are no predefined attachent points for the sheets as this will differ for every vessel. The ideal function for the spinnaker is to lift the weight of the vessel above the waves, this is rarely managed on normal yachts, only multihull yachts manage reaching planing conditions.
  
  Seeing these magnificant sails on the fancy magazine covers makes many sailors drool. You can use a spinaker sail on a catboat, however you will have to cramp in with the sail on your feet on your close reach course back again.
  

• Flyer

  
  Not unlike the spinnaker only for broad reach this sail is wider and shorter then the spinnaker, near triangular. The sheets are longer and it is even more difficult to keep the sail efficient.
  

• Windsurf Sails

  
  The windsurf sail started off with the triangular shape of a lateen sail. There are resemblences with a 'Leg O’ Mutton' sail due to the foot rising up to the clew as well as with the 'Una' rig, due to the backward curved tensioned mast.
  
  The Sail has a sleeve on the luff fitting the mast. At between a quarter and a third from the tack corner there is an opening in the sleeve for attaching the boom to the mast. Tension the sail over the mast with the downhaul, this links the mast Universal Joint and sail together. Most windsurf rigs use a molded plastic attachment on the boom to make it fit sturdy to the mast. The teardrop shaped boom is attached at a near right angle to the mast and extending on both sides of the sail to the clew corner. Fit the battens into the sail and make sure the full length battens are fitting in their respective slots. These battens may have each a molded plastic shape to keep them in place with respect to the mast, these are cambers. The boom will have an outhaul line to tension the sail, do not be afraid, it is normal the mast head will bend backward. Now we can tension the leech side of the individual battens.
  
  The sleeve for the mast smoothens the transition from the mast to the flat sail area. Unlike with most sails on a windsurf sail the mast is part of the sail area. Over years the sails have become cut higher, more area in top over the foot. Also the boom has become shorter, once it was nearly two metres, currently just over one metre is not rare. Windsurf sails have a more quadrangular and more wing like shape then they used to. Windsurf sails can be used on any reach.
  

• Kites

  
  Not at all the traditional diamond kite shape, more matress like, actual wing shaped. When airborne the kite will form an arc. The kite has a leading edge in the front, a trailing edge or rear and sides. There are basically three control lines, these are not called sheets. The direction control lines are attached to the sides and a fabric or a lattice of lines make it contol the trailing edge of the kite. The power line is often split with a mouse ear like ring contruction and a lattice of lines to the leading edge of the kite.
  
  These lines are handled with a control bar. The direction lines are on the ends and the power line is in the centre. The control bar is with the chicken loop attached to the harness. The chicken loop is free running through the control bar and attached to the power line. By stretching our arms you reduce the angle of attack, the kite will pull less hard. By pulling the control bar toward your chicken line the angle of attack will increase and the kite will pull harder. When you pull the control bar with one hand you will let the kite change direction to that hand side.
  
  The kite itself should be pretty large, though start with a medium size as larger require more skill to handle properly. There are self inflating kites, not unlike a parachute. Valved openings in the front will make the two layered structure stiff and retaining its shape for several minutes. These are called foils. The most common and a little easyer to handle kite will have a manual inflatable tube and a single layer. These Supported Leading Edge kites will retain their shape for hours.
  
  For kites we have to throw overboard most of the sailing concepts. Not only are there unidirectional and bidirectional boards, shunting is as much used as gybing. There is also a different view on the wind. It does not change direction though kite surfers standing with their back to the wind see the wind as a sphere segment. They call this the wind window. Directly downwind and a kite height above the horizon is an imaginary ellips called the power zone³. Straight up and extending to your shoulders is an area called the wind shoulder, this is where you can park your kite when you do not use it for propulsion. The remaining arc in the wind window is the area you use for kite surfing.
  
  Launching a kite should be done close to the wind shoulder as we then have most control over the direction it will take. It may be usefull to use your board or body to create extra drag until the kite is airborn. Now let the kite fly up above the surface gradually sliding it away from the wind. As we are gaining speed let the kite turn to the wind, through the wind and down again. The actual path in the wind window is a sideways figure-8. Considering the wind window half a circle we use a chord between fifteen degrees above the horizon and hundredeighty degrees straight above you. This is a power stroke, by varying the angle you keep a balance between power and direction. With some practice it is possible to kitesurf upto close reaching courses. The broad and running courses are most easy to do.
  
  There are automated systems launching and controlling a kite on sea going freighters are also in use. The kite is fitted on top of a mast on the fore deck. This system will only be used in broad to running reaches.
  

Waterwork

• Hull

  
  The lateral point is not static. With little wind on close reaches, the crew sitting on the lee side helps the hull in creating a foil pushing the vessel to the luff. On running or broad reach you can all stand on the stern, gaining in planing.
  

• Keel

  
  For one thing a keel is not to prevent a vessel from tipping over. With some effort any vessel can be made to tip over. This idea has probably grown from the ballast as often carried in a bulb tipping of the keelfin. This ballast is to balance the vessel as the high rising rigging otherwise tends to make it top-heavy. A sailing vessel is kept as light weight as possible and the extended keel makes it possible to reduce the required ballast due to the lever effect.
  
  The main reason to have this clumsy, draft increasing fin under the vessel is to prevent the vessel from beeing blown leeway while sailing. The drag may be signiticant though the curves give the heeling vessel an extra luffward foil.
  
  At the Volvo Ocean Race the standard class 'VO65' yachts use a keel swinging to the boards and pivoting in the length axis of the vessel. The swing luffward reduce the required ballast and the pivot giving it a lifting foil property.
  

• Centreboard

  
  A centreboard is a foil enclosed in a centreboard case on the keel line in the bottom of the vessel. The centreboard may have some ballast attached. It is pivoting on the front side and goes deeper and foreward when released. The extend of release is significant for the lateral point. Completely retracted the lateral point will be right before the skeg, wile fully extended the lateral point will be just behind its pivot. The centeboard is sometimes an extention on a fixed keelfin, this will increase the cabin or cockpit space as no visible casing is required. The centreboard casing may be complete or partially closed on top. One of the advantages is, it is 'automatically' retracted when you run to the ground. However sometimes it stays 'automatically' in its casing.
  
  On beam and close reaching you will have the centreboard extended, while on broad to running you will retract it. On broad reach with low wind and high wave conditions it can be a medicine against seasickness as it prevents some rolling and yawning.
  

• Daggerboard

  
  A daggerboard is a vertical retracting or extending foil, most often controlled from the deck. The baggerboard case is always open on the top and will thus always extend to above the waterline. On close reach and close haul you will have it, or the leeward only, fully extended. On beam and broad reach half up and on running course full retracted. Depending on the kind of sailing you can adjust the extend to what you like, just keep in mind not to ground.
  
  Catamarans and racing yachts may have two daggerboards one for each board. The Americas Cup catamarans uses J-shaped daggerboards⁴ where the horizontal part is acting as a lifting foil.
  

• Leeboards

  
  Old style flatbottomed sailing vessels will need leeboards or side daggerboards to sail. These outboard mounted pivoting foils are surprisingly efficient. Only one at the time will be used, the leeward board. At tacking one should lower the other before retracting the previous. As soon as the vessel takes wind the leeway will push the leeboard against the board of your vessel and you can not move it anymore. By beeing used on the low side due to the heeling of the vessel the board is the draft of the vessel. As with a centreboard it will 'automatically' retract on grounding.
  

• Bruce foil

  
  On proas the outrigger, the ama may have a keelfin like structure, this can be used as rudder as well as to 'hook' into the water. A J-shape hooking leeward in the water will reduce leeway as well as manage to help keep the ama in the water.
  

• Skeg

  
  Not much you can do with the skeg, still it will take some part in the lateral point. On kiteboards and sailboards the tail fin or fins are often replacing the centreboard or daggerboard.
  

• Rudder

  
  If all previous mentioned trimming is not sufficient to stay on course you will have to fall back on the rudder to change the lateral point. Keep in mind though to see the rudder as a brake, any use will reduce the speed.