I had meant to discuss just a couple more details of the jangada's rig in my last post, but the subject got away from me, so here they are:
- The upper end of the mast is apparently very flexible: it appears bent severely back in every photo I've seen, and I presume that the bend is put there by tension on the mainsail's leech.
- The loose-footed sail is huge, but since it's made of muslin, it probably lets a good deal of wind through. The Jangadieros carry a carved wooden scoop with which they throw water on the sail to swell the fibers and make it a bit less porous to the wind.
- Most or all of the sails have advertisements printed on them. According to Hollander, savvy marketers in Brazil, who recognize the value of such a picturesque, tradition-laden image, provide the jangadieros with the sails for free.
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"Four Men on a Raft" Orson Welles film about the jangadeiros can now be found on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpdxGygXPzM
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