Definition

Noun A quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail suspended from a gaff. It is a type of sail used on sailing vessels, characterized by its four-sided shape and its attachment along its top edge to a spar called a gaff.

Usage

The term "gaffsail" is a technical nautical term. It is used to specifically describe the sail itself and its rigging configuration. * The schooner's mainsail is a large gaffsail. * He helped to hoist the gaffsail as the wind picked up.

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used in the context of traditional or historical sailing ship rigging, distinguishing this sail type from more modern triangular sails like the Bermuda rig.
• It can be part of compound terms describing specific sails on a vessel (e.g., main gaffsail, fore gaffsail).

Variants and Related Words

• Gaff: (noun) The spar to which the head (top edge) of a gaffsail is attached.
• Gaff-rigged: (adjective) Describing a boat or sail that uses a gaff and gaffsail configuration.
• Fore-and-aft sail: (noun) The general category of sails set along the line of the keel, to which a gaffsail belongs.

Synonyms

• Gaff-headed sail

Different Meanings

"Gaffsail" has a single, specific meaning in nautical terminology and does not have other common definitions.

Noun

1. a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail suspended from a gaff