Gaffsail

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of sail that is attached to a rig by a gaff, which helps to provide improved shape and efficiency in sailing
2. A triangular sail that is extended from the mast to a boom or pole, enhancing the performance of a boat
3. A specialized sail used primarily in smaller sailing vessels for better handling and speed in various wind conditions

Etymology: A gaffsail is named for its spar. The gaff is the pole, usually wooden or metal, that runs along the top edge of a four-sided sail, holding it out and up, while the boom along the bottom holds the foot. Put the two words together and you get a sail defined by the spar that controls its shape, rather than by the wind it catches. The gaff itself is a much older piece of equipment than the sail built around it. Its name has a separate history in English, and the compound simply joins it to "sail," a word that has been used for a piece of cloth catching wind since Old English. The combination describes a plain structural fact: this type of sail hangs from a gaff, and that arrangement lets a boat carry a large area of canvas while keeping the peak of the sail angled upward.