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The earliest form was the sliding gunter. The yard is connected to the mast by two "gunter irons". The top iron is attached to the yard just below where the single halyard turns over the sheave at the mast-head; the lower iron is at the lower end of the yard. This arrangement keeps the yard parallel to the mast and able to slide up and down as the sail is hoisted, lowered or reefed. The benefit of this is that the yard is under better control as sail is lowered (thereby avoiding a hazard to the crew). The disadvantage is that lowering sail is

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