boom is beyond question. Moreover, another most important advantage is gained, as has been pointed out in a previous chapter; a far lighter boom will resist the strain of the sail without buckling, when lacing is employed, than when the sail is merely attached to the two extremities of the spar.
The Gaff, like the boom, should be no heavier than is absolutely necessary. A heavy gaff, when hoisted, involves excessive top hamper, a weight aloft exerting great leverage, all of which is directed so as to decrease the stability of the vessel, and make her labour in a seaway. But, on the other hand, the gaff must not be too light, else it will buckle in a breeze, and the sail will be baggy.
The gaff travels up and down the mast on the jaws. These are horns of wood or iron covered with leather. The latter are neater, and are not so likely to jam the halyards. The jaws half encircle the mast, and the parral, a line with wooden beads threaded on it, passes round the mast from one horn of the jaws to the other, and so prevents the jaws from losing their hold on the mast.
The Topsail Yard is a light spar, to which the head of the topsail is bent, and to which the topsail halyards are made fast.
We now come to the cutter's sails. These are the mainsail, A (see Fig. 55), the foresail, B, the jib, C, and the topsail, D. The upper edge of a sail is called the head; the fore or weather edge is the luff; the lower edge is the foot; and the after edge
