$fractional rig$

fractional rig

8.6

A sailing setup where the front sail, like a jib, does not reach the top of the mast

noun

Jargon

: arma fraccionaria

Many modern racing yachts use a fractional rig to improve their performance in various wind conditions.

Examples

The boat's fractional rig makes it easier to adjust the mainsail when sailing upwind.
Installing a fractional rig allows sailors to better control the shape of their sails.
The sailboat has a fractional rig that improves its performance.
Many racing yachts use a fractional rig for better speed.
Installing a fractional rig allows sailors to better control the shape of their sails.
Many modern racing yachts use a fractional rig to improve their performance in various wind conditions.
The boat's fractional rig makes it easier to adjust the mainsail when sailing upwind.

How High

masthead

Specialized

1 8.1

fractional rig

Jargon

8.6

Surface Forms

fractional rig singular

fractional rigs plural

Morphology

fractional + rig

The term is compositionally analyzable: 'fractional' means partial and 'rig' refers to the sailing gear, so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a type of rig with some part reduced. However, the precise technical detail (that the foresail does not extend to the top of the mast) is domain-specific and not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so full understanding requires prior sailing knowledge.

Etymology

Fractional rig comes from the fact that the front sail, the foresail, takes only a part of the mast and is fixed partway up instead of at the very top. That smaller, lower foresail makes the sails easier to shape and control, so the name now means a rig where the foresail 'does not reach the top of the mast' and is 'easier to control'.