antenna

An antenna is a long spar, typically wooden or modern aluminum, that runs diagonally from the mast to the outer corner of a lateen sail. The sail's head and foot are both lashed or attached to this spar, which is then raised up the mast as a single unit. This rigging design, common in Mediterranean sailing vessels and still seen on traditional dhows and feluccas, allows the sail to be set and trimmed without the need for a separate boom running along the bottom edge.

The antenna must be strong enough to support both the weight of the sail and the wind forces acting on it, yet light enough to be hoisted and maneuvered by hand or with tackle. The angle at which the antenna is cocked, typically around 45 degrees when the sail is set, directly affects how efficiently the sail presents itself to the wind. Unlike a modern gaff rig, where the upper and lower spars are independent, the antenna and the mast form a fixed geometric relationship that sailors adjust by raising or lowering the antenna's foot along the mast.

Practical use and handling

When preparing to set a lateen sail, the crew secures the antenna at its lower end to a fitting on the mast called a parrel or sling, which allows the spar to rotate and slide slightly. The sail is bent on by lashing its luff (front edge) and leech (rear edge) to the antenna. As the antenna is hauled up the mast using halyards, the sail unfolds and the spar swings out, the sail filling as wind catches it. Lowering the antenna reverses this process and brings the sail down in a compact bundle.

Damage to an antenna most often comes from the stress of tacking in strong wind, when the spar must be swung through a wide arc and the sail loaded with considerable force. Spars can splinter, twist, or develop cracks at the point where rigging is attached. In wooden vessels, the antenna is typically tapered from a thicker mast end to a thinner outer end, which can lead to fracture if the wood dries unevenly or if an impact occurs on the thinner section.

The word antenna itself has an obscure etymology in English maritime usage; some sources connect it to the Latin word for a pole or mast arm, but its entry into English sailor's vocabulary is unclear. The term remains the standard in English-language nautical reference despite lateen rigging being less common than in past centuries. In other languages, particularly Mediterranean ones, different terms persist for this spar depending on local tradition, making the vocabulary of lateen-rigged vessels valuable for understanding regional shipbuilding practices.