The Gaff rig



While the gaff rig was used occasionally in Polynesia after European contact, few have been seen until recently in Tahiti where these elegant outriggers seem to have put the gaff rig to good use.



Comments

  1. wow didnt know that this is a so big Sport, very impressive :)

    welcome to my Blog I am Photographer and Illustrator http://besoulmate.blogspot.com/
    I just started so hope you like it:)

    best wishes

    Mate

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  2. Hi, it's a very great blog.
    I could tell how much efforts you've taken on it.
    Keep doing!

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  3. Thanks for posting these nice pictures, Gary. I whish I could find more video material about these boats. Do you know of any?
    Best regards,
    Peter

    PS: Spam in comments was a novely to me also, found out only recently.

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  4. Always interesting to see how east-meets-west is not just a modern Western thing. However, those photos remind me how the outrigger boom to provide a stay-base is traditional -- I think I will add one to my 16 footer to add stays to reduce lug-sail-mast bend. -- Wade Tarzia

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  5. Hi Gary,
    They're stunning photos, presumably taken from a helicopter. Obviously these are tacking canoes, is that the reason for the long amas and akas?

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  6. I also note volume-forward hull-forms, which seems to be a tacking-canoe style. -- Wade Tarzia

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  7. OK... but I have a very frustrating question... look at these gaff rigs and tell me how they're dealing with the boom and aft stay!? I'm stumped. I want to play with this rig but I can't figure that one out... am I missing something obvious?

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  8. I can't see a backstay at all, but I would think they'd need a pair of runners to keep the rig up downwind.

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  9. Ah... sweet, blissful ignorance. I think I'm in for a lesson on the gaff rig... internet research just won't cut it. Thanks Gary!

    BTW- whoever is the resident blogger here: Your blog kicks serious ass.

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  10. answer to question. does it have to do with the reinforment of so many lines attached to the aft from the boom

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