The lug sail, or lugsail, is a fore-and-aft, four-cornered sail that is suspended from a spar, called a yard. When raised, the sail area overlaps the mast. There are three types, shown left-to-right in the image:
- Dipping lug: Boom-less sail whose yard is lowered or “dipped” when tacking to bring the sail around to the leeward side of the mast. The tack fastens to a point some distance forward of the mast.
- Balanced lug: The sail has both a yard and a boom, which both extend past the mast and remain on the same side of the mast on either tack. A junk rig (a fully-battened sail that crosses the mast at the head and foot) is similar to a balanced lug.
- Standing lug: The sail and yard remain on one side of the mast and the tack of the sail is set close to the mast. When the wind blows onto the side of the mast where the sail is mounted, it deforms the sail over the mast. A standing lug can be used with or without a boom.
A vessel using lug sails is called a lugger, particularly when there are two or more masts.
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