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A mast aft rig is a sailboat sail-plan that uses a single mast set in the aft half of the hull to support a jib or multiple staysails, with either a small or completely absent mainsail. Mast aft rigs are uncommon, and found on few production sailboats.

In the typical Bermuda rig, the jib generally delivers a significant percentage of the driving force. The stay that supports the leading edge of the sail causes far less turbulence than a typical mast, resulting in better airflow across the lee side of the sail. Many Bermuda rigs have slowly grown larger and larger jibs or genoas, and smaller and smaller mainsails, in order to take advantage of the greater lift afforded by the jib. The cutter, with its use of multiple foresails, achieves the same goal of placing a higher percentage of the sail area in staysails.

The ultimate expression of the mast aft rig goes one step further and eliminates the issue of turbulence from the mast interfering with the mainsail by eliminating the mainsail altogether. Additional advantages of using staysails is that they may be rigged for roller furling, allowing the sail(s) to quickly and easily be reefed by simply rolling the sails around the stays. It is this ease of reefing that is one of the main attractions of the mast aft rig.

Mast aft rigs are viewed as unconventional, and since recreational sailors often choose boats based on what "looks" right, mast aft rigs face resistance in the recreational market. Racing sailors will use whatever is fastest within class rules, and class rules are generally very closely tied to the conventional Bermuda rig.

Another disadvantage of the mast aft rig, when set up with no mainsail, is the drag on the mast. While the mast may interfere with the airflow around the mainsail, the mainsail also serves to reduce the drag on the mast. By not having a sail attached to the trailing edge of the mast, the mast becomes a significant source of drag.

• Revisiting the mast-aft sailing rig, by Brian Eiland of RunningTideYachts, Ltd
• Reviewing the Prout Snowgoose 34 catamaran, which uses a mast aft rig with a small mainsail.

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