EVOLUTION

Figure 1. Square Rig

In the very early days of sail, most rigs were a mast, a yard and a square sail.

Figure 2. Early Lateen

Roughly 2000 years ago, one end of the yard came down to the deck to which a triangular sail was attached creating the first lateen rig. It was a significant development, enabling ships to be less dependent on the direction of the wind. It worked well on the one tack when the yard was to leeward of the mast but not so on the other tack because of the distortion of the sail by the mast. This tack was called the "bad tack".

Figure 3. Early Split Rig

They solved this problem by splitting the sail down the mast line, thus creating two sails, one aft of the mast and one forward of the mast...the so called "split rig".

Figure 4. Present Split Rig

Much later, most split rigs evolved from gaff to "Marconi" mains but the vertical mast supporting the main and jib prevailed and exists to this day. Off the wind, the blanketing effect of the main on the jib and the off-center-line thrust of the sails hanging off to leeward causes "weather helm" and in severe conditions, "broaching". "Wing and wing" sailing and/or spinnakers can help but the systems involved in setting, controlling, and adjusting all these sails become ever more complex. In sudden wind shift situations, all (many) hands are required.

Figure 5. The Flying Lateen

The Flying Lateen has resurrected the lateen sail by simply getting the mast out of its way. Instead of cutting the sail at the mast line creating the "split rig", the mast itself has, in effect, been split and spread apart allowing the lateen to fly between its legs. A swivel attachment at the hounds (at the top of the split mast) and another directly below it just under the boom, create an axis (formerly the single mast) around which the lateen sail with its spar and boom, flies freely on any tack and/or any point of sail.