Fractional rig

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A fractional rig on a sailing vessel consists of a foresail, such as a jib or genoa sail, that does not reach all the way to the top of the mast.

In the picture to the right, the forestay that secures the mast at the front of the boat is attached to the mast at a lower point and the fore sail (jib or genoa) is rigged to this stay. The mast is farther forward on the boat than on a masthead rig and so it has a larger main sail.

A fractional rig is typically used on dinghy sailing boats and racing oriented keel boats, such as the J/24.