Posted by Bruce A Clarke on October 28, 2000 at 08:09:43 from 203.149.1.198:
I have always puzzled about the Yard on the Swallow and the Amazon. When the boats are on one tack, the yard would press against the after side of the mast. When the boat tacked, the wind would then be on the other side of the sail and that would mean that the yard was now in front of the mast unless, the yard was dipped around the mast on each tack. Am I correct or have I missed something? I have never seen a yacht with a type of lug sail so have no idea really how the yard moves around the mast.
If the yard both presses against and is ahead of the mast on various tacks, is the behaviour of the boat different on one tack or the other?
Is the halliard tied to the yard in the centre of the yard?
What is the shape of the sail?