I am working on Model Shipways now-discontinued yacht America, to which I have decided to add sails. The gaff topsail rigging in the plans has me befuddled. It shows the sail attached to the topmast with “lacing”. If that means loosely tied, then I suppose the sail could be lowered as far as the point at which the mast and top mast overlap, but that wouldn’t be a very satisfactory way to douse sail in a sudden squall. The downhaul is shown as running from the clew up to a block at the heat of the sail and then down to the deck, and if the halyard was eased and the downhaul pulled tight, the clew and head would be bunched together at that point of mast overlap, but that still leaves a bunch of sail flapping in the wind, and the only way to get the whole sail down to the deck is to run someone up the mast in a bosun’s chair. Is that what was done? Alternatively, maybe the sail isn’t attached to the mast at all except at the halyard (contrary to the lacing shown in the plans), but I don’t see that working very well going to weather. But maybe this is a sail that is used only when r broad eaching or running?
I can’t think of anyone better equipped to provide some insight than the learned members of this forum.
Thanks
