Moving from oars to a complex sailing rig also requires improvements in block-and-tackle systems. The comparison between the crew needed for a clipper's sails and the people handling a trireme's single sail shows how much handling technology has changed. Larger masts and multiple layers of sail place greater demands on the hull and keel supporting them. The rig therefore has to develop alongside the ship's structure, rather than being treated as an independent alteration to an ancient vessel.
Notable Point · 4:03:45-4:05:51
Why a clipper rig requires changes throughout the ship
Sail handling, mast size and hull strength have to develop together before an ancient ship can approach a clipper's rig.