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A studding sail, or stun'sl (pronounced stuns'l ) is an extra
The origins of studding sails are relatively uncertain. The earliest reference is in 1655, but precise information on how these early examples were rigged is unknown. It is not until 1790 that this is available. Some changes in the detail of design and usage occurred over succeeding years.
All ordinary working square-rigged vessels were usually fitted out to set stun'sls by the start of the 19th century. This started to change in the last quarter of the 19th century. As steamers took over routes and cargoes that needed fast passages, sailing vessels competed by being able to cut costs much more easily. Crew sizes were reduced, so there were fewer experienced hands to set and take in stun'sls. Any ship which pressed on in rising winds risked breaking a stun'sl boom or damaging sailsif the owner had all or some of the stun'sls sent ashore, there was less to break and these repair costs avoided.
A studding sail is an
showing and '' Pride of Baltimore#PoB2, Pride of Baltimore II'', each with a topmast studding sail set on the port side of the foremast. {{Sail Types Sailing rigs and rigging
A studding sail, or stun'sl (pronounced stuns'l ) is an extra sail
A sail is a tensile structure—which is made from fabric or other membrane materials—that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails may ...
on a square rig
Square rig is a generic type of sail and rigging arrangement in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or square, to the keel of the vessel and to the masts. These spars are called ''yards'' and ...
ged vessel for use in fair weather. It is set outside the square sails, using stun'sl booms which run out along the yards. They came into use some time in the middle of the 17th century and by the beginning of the 19th century were usual on all square rigged sailing vessels. They started to become less common in the last quarter of the 19th century, as the economies of smaller crews and avoidance of damage to the ship's gear became more important than a fast voyage.
History
The origins of studding sails are relatively uncertain. The earliest reference is in 1655, but precise information on how these early examples were rigged is unknown. It is not until 1790 that this is available. Some changes in the detail of design and usage occurred over succeeding years.
All ordinary working square-rigged vessels were usually fitted out to set stun'sls by the start of the 19th century. This started to change in the last quarter of the 19th century. As steamers took over routes and cargoes that needed fast passages, sailing vessels competed by being able to cut costs much more easily. Crew sizes were reduced, so there were fewer experienced hands to set and take in stun'sls. Any ship which pressed on in rising winds risked breaking a stun'sl boom or damaging sailsif the owner had all or some of the stun'sls sent ashore, there was less to break and these repair costs avoided. Clipper
A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. Clippers were generally narrow for their length, small by later 19th century standards, could carry limited bulk freight, and had a large total sail area. "C ...
s on the routes to China continued to race against each other with large crews and full suits of sails (which included stun'sls) until they also had their trade taken over by steamers in the years following the opening of the Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
in 1869. As these ships took other routes, most of them had the same economies applied.
Description
A studding sail is an extra
Extra or Xtra may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film
* ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film
* ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film
Literature
* ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper
* ''Extra!'', an American me ...
sail hoisted alongside a square-rigged sail. It is named from the mast that it is set alongside: top-gallant studding sail, topmast studding sail and lower studding sail. These sails provide extra speed in fine weather.
References
Bibliography
*External links
Two picturshowing and '' Pride of Baltimore#PoB2, Pride of Baltimore II'', each with a topmast studding sail set on the port side of the foremast. {{Sail Types Sailing rigs and rigging