A gaff vang is a line on a

gaff rig Gaff rig is a sailing rig (configuration of sails, mast and stays) in which the sail is four-cornered, fore-and-aft rigged, controlled at its peak and, usually, its entire head by a spar (pole) called the ''gaff''. Because of the size and sh ...

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

used to exert lateral force on the gaff and thus control the shape of the sail. Rarely used now they are commonly shown on old pictures and drawings. Typically separate port and starboard vangs were fitted. The primary purpose of the gaff vang is to reduce the twist in the sail caused by the gaff "sagging away to leeward".Cunliffe, Tom (1992). Hand, Reef and Steer, Adlard Coles Nautical, London, page 26. This sag is the main cause of the

's poor performance to windward relative to the

Bermuda rig Bermuda rig, Bermudian rig, or Marconi rig is a type of sailing rig that uses a triangular sail set abaft (behind) the mast. It is the typical configuration for most modern sailboats. Whilst commonly seen in sloop-rigged vessels, Bermuda rig is ...

. The gaff vang "works well on a ketch or schooner, but is often found to be unleadable on a cutter" Another use of the gaff vangs was to steady the gaff on a boomless gaff rig like a

bawley A bawley was an English sailing vessel typified by a boomless cutter rig and probably named for having a boiler for cooking shrimp in amidships. "The majority were built by Aldous of Brightlingsea",Leather, John, The Gaff Rig Handbook, 2002, Adla ...

when the sail is brailed up.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaff Vang Sailing rigs and rigging Shipbuilding Sailboat components Sailing ship components Nautical terminology