Components of a museum-quality model

Gaff sails Flying gaff topsail   In the first half of the 18th century gaff sails superseded mizen lateen sails. Initially they were still carried on lateen yards, then after the middle of the 18th century on the gaff proper in conjunction with a boom (driver), or without the boom (spanker). In the merchant service the name spanker was used for a mizen gaff sail with or without a boom. In the 19th century boomless gaff sails replaced staysails between the masts in the Royal Navy and were known as trysails. When fitted to merchant ships they were called spencers. After the late 18th century gaff topsails were also carried in many merchant ships on the mizen only. The parral The parrals for the gaff and driver boom were fitted with a series of trucks early on, but after the middle of the 19th century an iron goose neck was used (see GAFF and DRIVER BOOM). The throat halyard The throat halyard served to hoist the gaff. An upper block was suspended from the crosstrees, a lower one on a ring bolt in the gaff jaws. The two were joined by the throat halyard. The peak halyard The peak halyard assumed the job of lifts and set the correct angle of the gaff. There was a very wide variety of methods of attaching the peak halyard, as the drawings on the right show. Vangs  The vangs served as braces to the gaff, and were rigged in a similar way The topping lift The topping lift held the driver boom horizontal. It was attached to the     cap, and there were various methods of rigging it. The sheet The sheet was used to control the driver boom. The strop of its upper block was prevented from slipping by a thumb cleat. The lower block was often hooked to a transverse iron rod, known as the horse. In the case of spencers the sheet was also hooked or shackled to a horse. The peak outhaul A rope ran via a sheave on the peak of the gaff to the peak of the sail and back to the mast; the sail was hoisted by this means. The downhaul A further rope was fixed to the peak, which passed to the jaws and on to the base of the mast; by this means the sail could be hauled down when it was to be furled The foot outhaul The outhaul ran via a block or a sheave on the end of the boom and ran directly inboard on small ships, or by means of a purchase on large ships, then belayed to a cleat. Brails There were up to 5 brails, which were used to haul the sail to the mast when the sail was to be furled. Gaff topsail: 1. Halyard; 2. Down haul; 3. Tack;4. Sheet   Standing gaff topsail