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Type of ship sail
A raffee sail is a triangular topsail carried aboard certain sailing ships. Originally used in Ancient Rome to maneuver ships at sea, the raffee was eventually implemented as a downwind sail set below a square-rigged yard to fill in areas needed for light airs. In later pilot schooners, it was a triangular sail set above a yard from the masthead. Today a "raffee" is any square downwind sail set off the mast at a right angle.
References
L. Sprague de Campe (1963). The Ancient Engineers. Barnes & Noble. p. 209.
Mendal Johnson (November 1972). "Sailplans". Motorboating & Sailing. p. 105.
