Page:Small-boat sailing; an explanation of the management of small yachts, half-decked and open sailing-boats of various rigs; sailing on sea and on river; cruising, etc (IA smallboatsailing01knig).pdf/109

 CHAPTER VI

DECKED BOATS

A cutter's spars, sails, standing and running rigging—Advantages of the yawl and ketch rigs.

So soon as the small-boat sailor has gained his experience, he will in all probability be anxious to own a yacht with which he can cruise with comfort and safety on the open sea; and this he can certainly do with a ten-tonner, or an even smaller craft, provided she be a good sea-boat, and sound in hull and gear from truck to keel. As we are now concerned with small craft only, of ten tons and under, nothing need be said of the schooner rig, which is only suitable for larger vessels; and it will suffice to give in this chapter a description of the spars, sails, standing and running rigging of the cutter, the favourite English rig for this class of boat, and to make some remarks on the yawl and ketch rigs which but slightly differ from that of the cutter.

In Fig 55 are represented all the important parts of a small cutter yacht.