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Glite Dictionary
cat rig

cat rig

9.3
A sail setup for a small boat with one mast near the front and one sail
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : vela de catboat
  • The traditional catboat is equipped with a simple cat rig.

Examples

  • Sailors admire the ease of handling a cat rig in changing winds.

  • He chose a cat rig for his small lake sailboat because of its simplicity.

  • The cat rig is perfect for shallow waters.

  • Many sailors prefer a cat rig for its simplicity.

  • Sailors admire the ease of handling a cat rig in changing winds.

  • The traditional catboat is equipped with a simple cat rig.

  • He chose a cat rig for his small lake sailboat because of its simplicity.

Surface Forms

cat rig singular
cat rigs plural

Morphology

cat + rig

This is a specialized nautical term: 'cat rig' denotes a specific sailplan (single mast set well forward with one sail). Knowing 'cat' (general animal) and 'rig' (gear/assembly) does not allow a B1 learner to predict that precise configuration or meaning, so the expression is jargonistic and non-compositional for general learners.

Etymology

Cat rig may come from the small boat called a catboat, where cat named the boat and rig meant the mast-and-sail setup. Because these boats had a single mast set very far forward so the sail sat near the front, the cat rig now means a simple 'one-mast' sail setup that is easy to handle.