Improvements in Spars and Sails for Vessels Carrying Lug Sails.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spars and Sails for Vessels Carrying Lug Sails.
EDWARD LEMON, Canal Road, Frindsbury, Rochester, in the County of Kent,
Yacht Designer & Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
To obviate what is technically known as "dipping the lug" when sailing, by making
the yard of the lug sail in such a manner that it encircles the mast, and by dividing
the sail enabling it to work either side of the mast, without dipping.
The object of this invention is to avoid the trouble and loss of time usually incurred
by lowering a lng sail and passing the yard to the lee side of the mast, when altering
the course of the vessel, this is technically known as "dipping the lug."
My invention consists in making the yards of the lug sail in such a manner that
it encircles the mast, either by means of a joint or otherwise. As it is necessary that
the sail should work on either side of the mast, I divide the sail at the mast so that it
adjusts itself on the lee side of the vessel without the yard being lowered.
The two portions of the sail are attached to the mast by hoops, cords or other similar
means. I prefer to use hoops for that portion of the sail abaft the mast and to use
cords for that portion of the sail forward of the mast.
By making the yard in two portions joined together where it encircles the mast
the fore part of the yard and the fore part of the sail may be removed leaving the
vessel with an ordinary cutter rigged mainsail.
1100n
EDWARD LEMON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spars and Sails for Vessels Carrying Lug Sails.
I, EDWARD LEMON, of Canal Road, Frindsbury, Rochester, in the County of Kent,
Yacht Designer and Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in spars and sails for vessels carrying lug
sails and has for its object to obviate the trouble and loss of time incurred by
executing the manoeuvre known as dipping the lug when tacking to windward that
is to say by lowering a lug sail and passing the yard to the lee side of the mast when
altering the course of the vessel.
My invention consists in dividing the lug sail and its yard in such a manner as to
form two sails and two yards thereof, one on each side of the mast, the two yards.
being connected by a coupling surrounding the mast while the two portions of the
sail are attached to the mast by hoops, ropes, cords, or other similar means.
I may
use hoops for that portion of the sail which is abaft the mast and cords or ropes
for the other, but I prefer to join the two edges of the sail portions by cord loops
surrounding the mast. Owing to this division of the lug sail and yard, 1 am able
to adjust the sail on the lee side without having to lower the yard as hitherto
practised I may furthermore remove the fore part of the sail and of the corre
sponding yard and thus leave the vessel with an ordinary cutter rigged mainsail.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a sailing boat provided with a lug sail, constructed according to my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a view showing the divided yard joined by a coupling surrounding the

page_text: Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coupling disconnected.
Figs. 4 and 5 show respectively sectional views of the relative position of the sails
loops and mast when the sail wind to leeward, and when it is in midships.
B is the boat and M the mast S S¹ are the two sail portions into which the ordinary
lug sail is divided and y y¹ the two yards, which are connected by the coupling C,
composed of two semi circular halves e c' (Fig. 3) joined together by bolts and nuts
(Fig. 2) so as to surround the wast, the outer forked ends of these halves c c', being
secured to each yard portion by rivets or in any other suitable manner.
The half c is furnished with a ring or staple h to attach thereto, the hook of the
hoisting tackle t t is the hoisting tackle of the sail portion S'. The edges of the sail
portions S S.are joined by loops 11 of cord surrounding the mast M.
By properly manipulating the cords a a' fastening the sails to the boat B the
sails will be made to assume automatically, the leeward position clearly shewn in
Fig. 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) The improved lug sail for preventing dipping when tacking to windward,
consisting of two sail portions the yards of which are connected together by a coupling
surrounding the mast substantially as described and shewn in the drawing and for the
purpose set forth.
(2) In sailing boats, dividing a lug sail in two portions one on each side of the
mast and removing the stern portion so that the boat may be furnished with an
ordinary cutter rigged mainsail substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 9th day of December 1890.
RAYNER & CASSELL
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.