A wishbone rig, sometimes also known as fishbone ketch, is a type of rigging on
sailboats
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 ...
.
This rigging is most popular on heavy two-masted vessels. The rig gets its name from the
wishbone, a V- or Y-shaped spar similar to the rig's gaff. A
ketch
A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch f ...
rigged in this fashion is called wishbone ketch. Examples of wishbone-rigged boats include the ''
Zawisza Czarny
}), he was revered as a brave knight. A monument to Zawisza at Golubac Fortress bears the inscription: "In Golubac, his life was taken by the Turks in 1428, the famous Polish knight, the symbol of courage and honor, Zawisza the Black. Glory to the ...
'' and the ''
Norda
''Norda'' is a wooden sailing vessel that was commissioned in 1928, originally used as a research vessel in Poland. It served as research vessel, fishing vessel and is now a yacht.
History
Research vessel
The vessel was commissioned in 1928 by ...
''.
Definition
A wishbone ketch rigged vessel is a vessel that is rigged as a
ketch
A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch f ...
where a permanent splitting gaff is mounted between two masts. Contrary to the
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 ...
(where the gaff is hoisted together with the sail) the gaff stays in the mast. The gaff is typically fixed on the first mast (the one closer to the front) and fixed via a line to the aftmost mast. These lines allow the sail to be trimmed to suit the wind.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
* Easier to hoist the sail than with 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 ...
* Offers a large sail area (advantageous in light winds) - the entire area between the masts can be covered
Disadvantages:
* Potential dangerous situation in case of unplanned
jibe
A jibe (US) or gybe (Britain) is a sailing maneuver whereby a sailing craft reaching downwind turns its stern through the wind, which then exerts its force from the opposite side of the vessel. It stands in contrast with tacking, where ...
, therefore difficult to use in broad reach (see
points of sail
A point of sail is a sailing craft's Course (navigation), direction of travel under sail in relation to the true wind direction over the surface.
The principal points of sail roughly correspond to 45° segments of a circle, starting with 0° dir ...
)
* Puts significant strain on the top of the aft most mast
* Additional weight high in the mast (although this rig is generally used only on heavy boats)
See also
*
Sail-plan
A sail plan is a drawing of a sailing craft, viewed from the side, depicting its sails, the spars that carry them and some of the rigging that supports the rig. By extension, "sail plan" describes the arrangement of sails on a craft. A sailing c ...
*
Ketch
A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch f ...
References
{{Sailing Vessels and Rigs
Sailing rigs and rigging
Ship types
Sailboat types