▁into ▁the ▁Atlantic , ▁where ▁the ▁wind s ▁are ▁constant ▁and ▁a ▁square ▁rig ▁had ▁the ▁advantage . ▁ ▁Modern ▁small - bo at ▁late en ▁s ails ▁ ▁The ▁modern ▁late en ▁diff ers ▁from ▁traditional ▁loose - fo oted ▁late ens ▁by ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁sp ar ▁along ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁the ▁sail , ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁c rab ▁cla w ▁sail ▁tradition ally ▁used ▁on ▁the ▁pro a . ▁ ▁The ▁lower ▁sp ar ▁is ▁horizontal , ▁and ▁is ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁m ast ▁where ▁it ▁cross es . ▁ ▁The ▁front ▁ends ▁of ▁both ▁sp ars ▁are ▁joined ▁together . ▁ ▁Both ▁joint s ▁are ▁designed ▁to ▁allow ▁free ▁rotation ▁in ▁all ▁directions . ▁ ▁The ▁sheet ▁is ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁lower ▁sp ar , ▁and ▁the ▁hal yard ▁to ▁the ▁upper ▁sp ar . ▁ ▁The ▁geometry ▁of ▁the ▁sail ▁is ▁such ▁that ▁the ▁upper ▁and ▁lower ▁sp ars ▁are ▁conf ined ▁to ▁a ▁plane ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁m ast . ▁ ▁This ▁results ▁in ▁the ▁sail ▁forming ▁a ▁con ic ▁section , ▁identical ▁to ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁Rog allo ▁wing ▁commonly ▁found ▁in ▁k ites ▁and ▁hang ▁gl iders . ▁ ▁The ▁modern ▁late en ▁is ▁often ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁simple ▁rig ▁for ▁cat bo ats ▁and ▁other ▁small ▁recre ational ▁sail ing ▁craft . ▁ ▁In ▁its ▁most ▁basic ▁form , ▁it ▁requires ▁only ▁two ▁lines , ▁a ▁hal yard ▁and ▁a ▁sheet , ▁making ▁it ▁very ▁simple ▁to ▁operate . ▁ ▁O ften ,