Gaff Rig

A fore-and-aft rig in which a gaff supports the head of a generally four-sided sail.

The gaff’s forward end lies against or near the mast and its aft end extends to the sail’s peak. Throat and peak halyards commonly hoist and control it, while the sail’s foot may be set on a boom or left loose-footed.

Gaff rigs can carry substantial sail area on a relatively short mast and appear on many traditional and modern craft, but handling complexity, centre of effort and performance depend on the exact rig. Topsails, multiple masts and different gaff arrangements create further variants rather than one universal configuration.