the mast on two irons. These irons are fixed to the yard, and are made to work easily on the mast.
The halyards lead through a sheave-hole at the top of the mast, and the end is fastened to the yard at the upper iron, or, better still, passes through an eye on the upper iron, and is made fast at the heel of the yard. The lower portion of the luff of the sail is held to the mast by a lacing.
In reefing, the yard is lowered to the required distance; and when the sail is close reefed the end of the yard is brought down to the end of the boom.
This rig, it will be seen, is particularly safe and snug. There is no top hamper and heavy gaff swinging about aloft, and the weight of the sail is in the body of the boat. To let the yard drop and close-reef the sail is a far simpler and quicker process than the reefing of a sail provided with a gaff.
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Fig. 49.
It is well to have a hinge in the lower iron, and to so fit the upper iron that it can be readily unclamped. If the lacing of the lower part of the sail be then cast off, the yard can be lowered on deck, an advantage when at anchor or when it becomes necessary to row the boat against a strong wind.
The sliding-gunter boat generally carries a jib and foresail or one large jib, and sometimes two
