Sailing Brig Sail Control

These illustrations show the method of sail control used on Reg Radley's Brig (click on the photos for enlarged views). There is a movie of the Brig sailing.

An arm mounted on a servo in the hull of the Brig has lines ("braces") from either end which run aft, and emerge above deck at the foot of the mainmast. The two braces are led up the mainmast to the top of the main yard and then run forward horizontally to be attached to the main yard on the foremast at points port and starboard which are a similar distance apart as the total length of the servo arm. Thus the servo turns the main yard on the foremast and all the other yards are linked as slaves to that one master yard.
(1) The sail servo mounted in the hull with the sail control arm shown for port and starboard tacks.

(2) Left to right:
(a) general view of the braces;
(b) detail of the main-braces at the top of the mainmast main-yard;
(c) attachment of the main-braces to the foremast main-yard.

(3) Left to right:
(a) showing the attachment of the top-yard to the foremast;
(b) showing the rigging for the mizzen mast which has a fixed length of sheet;
(c) overall view of the rigging.