Fore-and-aft rig

Fore- is a collective term for all the sails are set at rest in the direction of the ship's longitudinal axis. In sailing ships with Schratsegeln is also spoken by Schrattakelung.

On modern dinghies and yachts only be used on the fore- wind, as they allow for higher prices on the wind than square sails and are also easier to use. Fore- today are usually triangular ( mostly high sail ), formerly often square ( gaff sail, sprit sail, etc.).

In the sailor language all parts of the sail special name: The leading edge is called the luff, leech and the lower edge than the trailing edge as the leech. The corners of the sail is called the head ( top corner ), neck ( lower front corner) and clew. The head of the sail to which the case is fixed, usually reinforced by a special head with large board sailing.

The Schratsegeln the luff is attached to the mast with jib hanks or on a Stag ( staysail ). The position of a Schratsegels the wind is set by a sheet. Fore- wear, depending on the type of application and form special names such as jib, jib, gaff and Gaffeltopsegel and pointed and high sail.

Among the best known are Schratsegelschiffstypen Ewer, gaff schooner, Galiot, ketch, cutter, schooner, sloop, yawl, logger and tjalk. But cat- rigged boats belong to this. They have only sail behind the mast (usually a mast as well as a plurality of poles are possible).

Compared with square sails

Schratgetakelte ships can go up to the wind than square rigged. So angles down to 45 °, sports yachts up to 30 ° to the wind direction possible. Schratgetakelte ships can better contact while square rigged ships heavier and, in extreme cases - such as weak or unfavorable wind waves - can not apply. Finally, changes in driving direction to cause schratgetakelten ships less work, because at the same large sail area usually less pods ( " ropes " ) are to use.

On the other hand, the Rahtakelung has advantages on downwind courses (with " tailwind " ) because square rigged ships are better "pushed" by the wind. Benefits for square rigged vessels also arise when jibing, since square-rigged vehicles no sail and no tree has to be moved along the longitudinal axis of the ship. Accordingly, the dangers of an accidental jibe are ( involuntary, uncontrolled jibe ) mainly a problem of Schratsegler. For very large ships sail area of ​​hochgetakelten ships is generally difficult to handle; square rigged ships have here by the greater number of individual sails benefits.

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