Broome Luggers: Why are they called luggers?

[laika]

...when they don't have what I understand to be a lug rig?

I'm on shaky ground with non-bermudan rigs but went on a tour of Broome's pearling history today. The vessels they referred to as luggers seemed to be fairly normal gaff rigged ketches with main and mizzen luffs attached to the mast The actual example they had on display was just that. In the various pictures they had around the place of the old pearling fleets I saw maybe one or two boats which looked like they may have had lug sails amongst many tens which looked similar to the one below. I did ask the tour guide but sadly she was on a working holiday from california and knew no more than the tour patter.

We have a few aussies on here...anyone know?

 

[tidclacy]

The Broome lugger is a regional variant and there are about 40 of various styles still afloat around Australia. ... The first boats used for pearling in Australia were often ship's boats that used a lugsail, and so they were called luggers.

Maybe this is the answer?

 

[laika]

The idea that the earliest pearling boats were luggers and that the term was simply retained for a pearling boat regardless of sail configuration was also my best guess. If I find out more I'll post here.