- RACING
- CRUISING
Competitive race yachts carry up to five headsails not including storm sails. They usually consist of all or a combination of
the following:
Wind seeker – Drifter
Built from ultra light weight cloth this sail has a very powerful shape and super light construction to keep weight down making the sail easy to set and trim in light wind conditions. Has a maximum wind range of 8 knots apparent breeze. Recommended to be non overlapping
Code 1 – Light Headsail
Full size sail. Has a powerful draft and slightly fuller entry to keep the boat powered up and moving in light conditions. Has a maximum wind range of 16 knots apparent breeze.
Code 2 – Medium Headsail
Full size sail. Has a moderate draft and finer entry than a light. An easy sail to find the “groove” and performs well powered up. Has a maximum wind range of 20 – 22 knots apparent wind.
Code 3 – Heavy Headsail
A smaller sail that is full hoist. Often called a Blade or working jib. Usually non overlapping. Has a flatter draft and a moderate entry to help keep the yacht punching through the waves to windward. Has a wind range from 20 knots to 35 knots apparent wind.
Code 4 Headsail
Short luff with a pennant strop this sail is for heavy weather and is built strong for strong wind conditions. Often a Category 3 jib. Has a flat cut with a moderate entry making the sail easy to trim and control. Has a wind range from 25 knots to 45knots apparent wind.
Genoa Staysail
Some times used as an extra sail reaching or as a heavy weather jib depending on the yachts rig configuration. Can also be built for use as a storm sail.
Jib top
A reaching sail with a high clew these are a must for any serious race yacht. The high clew allows for waves to wash through below the sail when blast reaching. A powerful draft sail with a full entry to maximise power.
While cruising boats don’t need as many headsails as a race boat often keeping things simple is the best approach.
HEADSAIL TRENDS:
A common sail configuration especially for ocean cruising yachts is to have a series of headsails permanently attached on independent forestays attached with roller furlers. This set up allows easy sail changes without having to hoist or lower any existing sails keeping the boat sailing efficiently and seriously reducing any sort of risk for the crew. These Roller furler sails are constructed with a sacrificial Ultra violet protection strip on the leech and foot to protect the headsails while the sails are furled. These protection strips can be made from a variety of colours which would often match the colour of spray dodgers, sail covers or the yachts hull.
Genoa Headsail
A sail that overlaps the mast. This overlap can be anywhere from 120% to 160% of the yachts J length. Used for light air sailing with a wind range of 10-20 knots apparent.
Working Jib Headsail
This sail is an all purpose jib and often the most used sail on board a cruising yacht. A Working Jib can overlap up to 125% of the yachts J length though this is not always the case. Used for sailing when the breeze is in it has a wind range of 15 – 40 knots apparent wind.
Genoa Staysail
This sail can be hanked to an inner forestay or may fly independent in its own rope forestay. This sail is a non overlapping sail and is often the heavy weather jib. It can often be flown inside the Genoa or a Yankee when reaching and can really boost the boats average speed when passage making.
Yankee Headsail
A Yankee is a high clew Genoa flown off the forestay and is a very common sail on an offshore yacht. It has roughly the same length foot as the leech. The benefits of a Yankee are the high clew. Having the clew raised allows the waves to wash past the foot of the sail without causing extra stress loads on the sail. This sail can be used for reaching and upwind sailing and often ads a classic look to the yacht under sail. Used in a wide range of conditions from 1-35knots apparent wind.