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Rigging on ships and sailboats consists of masts, sails, spars, and rigging, which work together to harness wind power for propulsion. The number and complexity of these elements vary depending on the size and type of the vessel. Cordage, or ropes, is also a key component of rigging.
Rigging is a combination of elements on a ship or sailboat that, when combined, gear up to push the ship forward using wind power. The four main elements of the rig are the rigging, masts, sails and spars. The word may be of English origin, from the word wringan, meaning “to dress”, or from the Danish rig, “to equip”. The first use of tackle as a noun dates from 1822, but it was probably used much earlier.
The platform apparatus is attached to the hull of a ship. The hull is the main frame found in the water. The shape and position of the rig is exposed and changed to maximize wind power. If there is no wind to catch, then the rig becomes useless and other means of propulsion are needed, such as motors and oars.
Ships and sailboats vary in size and complexity. The first ships, like those that sailed the Nile in Egypt and the Viking ship, were simple affairs. They often have a single mast and sail. Over time these developed into two- and three-masted ships with multiple sails per mast and complicated rigging designed to maximize wind power.
The masts are the most important element of the platform. They provide the skeleton, and without them the rigging and sails would be just a mess of cloth and rope. Masts are tall, upright poles attached to the hull of the ship. Traditional masts were made of wood, but modern ones can be made of aluminum, carbon fiber, or composite materials.
The horizontal poles are called stringers. They are attached to the masts, and sails are hung from them. The number of masts depends on the number of masts, as well as the number of sails that can be hung from one mast. Simple ships will have one mast, one mast and one sail, but others may have four or five sails on any one mast.
The sails are the lungs of a ship. They catch the wind and propel the ship forward. Sails are used on two types of rigs: square rigs and fore and aft. The square rig uses square or rectangular sails hung on spars from a right angle. Boats and yachts prefer to use fore and aft platforms on which sails are mounted parallel to the keel.
Cordage, one of the key elements in rigging, refers to the ropes used to attach masts, spars, and sails. The number of ropes used depends on the complexity of the boat. A square rigged ship will require at least nine ropes per sail, while a fore and stern rigged ship will require approximately three per sail.
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