What kind of sail is this and what is it for?

[theglo]

I'm finally getting to the extra sails that came with my boat.

This one is triangular and has an eye on each corner. There are no other attachments on it. I know it was used by the prior owner but not sure in what capacity. It only extends about 1/2 way up my forestay when I pull it up there. It's likely not rigged correctly, I just wanted to see it up.

Any ideas on how this may have been used? It's light fabric and I have a note on a bag it was in that says, CHUTE, but the bag may have been used for something else.

[belizesailor]

Trysail?

[capn_billl]

Looks like STORM sail to me too. heavy duty right?

[JPA Cate]

My thoughts went, where are the slugs or hanks? A trysail would have some way of being set on its track, don't see one there, and nor does it have slugs for if it were a heavy wx main.

Storm jibs have hanks, we used the Witchard ones that you can work with one hand.

If you're sure he used it, it may have been set as half of a downwind twin to the headsail that most closely matches it in size. Sometimes people would set the second sail, the one to leeward, flying, with the other poled out to windward. Can be done with one or two reefs and the main overtrimmed, for less rolling.

Ann

[billknny]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

Looks like STORM sail to me too. heavy duty right?

Originally Posted by theglo

Any ideas on how this may have been used? It's light fabric...

Reading is fundamental...

[theglo]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

My thoughts went, where are the slugs or hanks? A trysail would have some way of being set on its track, don't see one there, and nor does it have slugs for if it were a heavy wx main.

Storm jibs have hanks, we used the Witchard ones that you can work with one hand.

If you're sure he used it, it may have been set as half of a downwind twin to the headsail that most closely matches it in size. Sometimes people would set the second sail, the one to leeward, flying, with the other poled out to windward. Can be done with one or two reefs and the main overtrimmed, for less rolling.

Ann

While I'm not sure WHAT he used it for, I know that he used it. What you said about 2 headsails was my original guess and what I think I will take it out and try. I plan to pole out my genoa and then fly this on the other side … and see how that goes.

Thanks!!

Also, for others, its very light fabric. Definitely not a heavy storm sail.

[GordMay]

Could it be a staysail?
Pages 14 & 15 ☞ http://www.gonesailing.com/Documents/dufour.pdf

[mikedefieslife]

Is it just the camera angle, or is it hoisted the wrong way around?

It seems similar in size to the stay sail my Prout. 5-7m2 Normally it would have a luff bolt rope or hanks but if it's a light material for downwind only than they don't matter.

[svHyLyte]

I suspect it's a "Blooper", flown together with one's spinnaker when off the wind. One doesn't see them much any longer as they are somewhat a pain in the neck to manage for the modest advantage they confer. For more see: Forespar Blooper Archives


FWIW...

[pmagistro]

Might be a riding sail, to fly off the backstay at anchor to reduce swinging back and forth.

[Lodesman]

Gord's link lists a staysail on page 15 - measure the sail to be sure. That would be a mizzen staysail.

[psk125]

No prizes yet... Looks like a spinnaker staysail, or “cheater” that goes up in the foretriangle when the spinnaker is up. It flys free: no stay or need for hanks. In a race, the first watch typically puts it up and says the speed increases a half knot. When the second watch comes on they adjust it and decide to take it down, and they say the speed increases a half knot. It is supposed to improve airflow and help ventilate the spinnaker - a tricky thing to do. We found in a Marblehead-Halifax race that it added the most speed when half of it was luffing. Trimming it in slowed us down, dropping it slowed us down. (We won the race, BTW.) It is NOT a blooper. Bloopers are narrow sails that hoist to the masthead and are sheeted to the end of the main boom. The OP might want to tack his down closer to the deck and further forward, to improve the sheeting angle.

[sanibel sailor]

Bloopers are typically nylon, skinny and I believe had a scallop to the luff rather than straight. My understanding was that they were abandoned as ineffective.
Lack of luff attachment limits possibilities to free flying- not a spinnaker, not genny/mainsail. Mizzen staysail is good guess.


I am guessing this sail was not made for this boat, but made it's way aboard being repurposed. I'd send it back to the consignment shop. Luff is too short, even hoisted right side up to serve well as twin headsail.

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

mizzen staysail.

Originally Posted by psk125

spinnaker staysail, or “cheater”

It is one of these two things.

Given (I believe) the boat is a sloop (not a ketch), it was probably used as a light air cheater.

[MicHughV]

....if the sail has a wire or rope rope luff sewn in, it is likely a "removable" staysail.
...My Landfall had such a sail, it was attached only at the foot (at deck) and the head (halyard) and halyard tension was required to flatten the luff out out.
...by and large it worked reasonably well, creating a "slot" between the genny and main, but was a light air sail at best and then only on a reach or close reach.
...without the hanks and a wire stay, and depending only on the woven-in luff wire or rope luff, the sail had a tendency to have a "curvy" luff.
...hope this provides another option....