Started Sailing

Head Sails

by JR Reynolds
(Salt Lake City, USA)

What are the differences between cruising spinnakers, gennakers, and drifters?

Thanks

JR

Comments for
Head Sails

Mar 16, 2010

Light-air headsails and their use.
by: Han

Dear JR,
I think all differences in size, camber and use are to be found in these four sites: http://www.pamlico-nc.com/content/spinnakerprimer.htm, http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/doityourself/spinnaker/spinnaker.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gennaker, and http://www.porttownsendsails.com/pdf/light_air_sails.pdf.

Apart from the three kinds of headsails your question is about, there are also the forestay and staysail, the jib-boom and the jib, the cutter-rig, the Solent-stay and the flyer, about which I will write an article this spring because there's a lot of confusion about them and their use.

If you've got more questions, please ask them; I'm sorry I took some time to answer this one, my health was in my way.

Regards,

Han.