Saturday, June 30, 2012

The Various Parts Of Rigging

By Claudia Campos


The apparatus that is mounted on sailing vessels to trap wind for propelling it forward is called rigging. The apparatus includes masts, sails, cordage and yards. Rigs are commonly attached to the hull of the vessel to make sure the whole vessel moves.

Different sail plans are used to set different aerodynamic properties for different sailing vessels. Sailing vessels are therefore classified according to hull design and sailing apparatus. There are various parts of a rig. One of the parts is the cordage. Cordage is the lines made of rope that connect and control sails. Cordage is attached to spars and sails by pulleys and clips. The material that makes the cordage is determined by weight and strength of rope.

In a standing rig the cordage is fixed. A standing rig is usually between the deck and a mast and it is made of steel. A running rig should be flexible to allow sails and spars to move and cordage controls the position and shape of the sails.

The sail is another part of the rig. The sails are made of fabric such as canvas or Kevlar. Sails are designed to trap maximum wind and manipulate air currents surrounding the boat. They are attached to spars and rigs by rope hoops or metallic clips. They are designed in different shapes according to the intended sail plan.

The last part of the rig is the spars. Spars are made of aluminum and carbon fiber. They are hollow and solid beams that support and control the sails. Spars are made up of yards, masts, booms, gaffs and battens. Sails are attached to the spars by hanks, bolt-ropes and sliding systems which are made to allow a range of motion that does not affect aerodynamic properties of the boat.

In case you buy a new boat and you need to learn how to sail there are many businesses that will help you out. They will offer you different rigging guides depending on what you intend to do with the boat. They will help you set up everything and train you on the different configurations. Such businesses can be found from the internet.




About the Author:



No comments: