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Article plans for Square rig

Square rig is a type of sailing rig that uses mostly or exclusively square sails as a means of propulsion, usually for a ship or boat. Square sails are a type of sail that, when at rest, are at right angles ("square") to the line of the keel. This is in contrast to fore and aft rig, in which, at rest, the sails are aligned along the line of the keel. The result of this is that a square sail has a front and a back surface, and two vertical edges that are left (port) and right (starboard), whilst a fore and aft sail has surfaces that are left and right and edges (that have a vertical component) that are front (forward) and back (after) relative to the ship or boat's hull. Square sails are generally supported by a yard along the top edge of the sail.

The term "square rigged" may describe the entire sailing rig of a vessel, or it can be applied to one or some of several masts, with fore and aft rig being used for the others. It is common for a vessel that is square rigged on all masts to carry some fore and aft sails – staysails and, for example, a gaff-rigged spanker on the mizzen.

Square rig has existed since pre-historic times, as evidenced by illustrations in Pharaonic tombs. The precise technology has varied over this long period of use, with variations in the method of setting sails, reducing sail for higher winds and of furling sails. Some of that variation is due to the use of different materials, some were just the preferences and customs of the day. There were substantial developments during the second half of the 19th century due to the availability of wire rope, iron (and later steel) masts and spars, better winches and stronger hulls of iron and steel.