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

[hpeer]

Since they let anyone opine here’s my 2¢z

The OP has it set correctly. My guess is that if one were to look closely you would see the puff has a wire or other low stretch bolt rope. It is intended to be flow without a stay. You run it up with a halyard and pull it tight and it acts as it’s own stay.

I have such a sail, much bigger, on one of my boats. It’s an over lapping head sail of very light material. The PO called it a “drifter.”

Perhaps it is to be used as noted above in a twin headsail configuration.

So two questions:
Do you have a spare halyard?
What is the construction of the luff?
And also, is there any obvious attachment point for a foot pendant?

[jamescandelori]

Looks like the mizzen chute used downwind on a ketch

[jamescandelori]

You did say it was life material, right

[jamescandelori]

Lite material

[MicHughV]

..if it was me....I'd pick up the phone and call the previous owner...." hey, dis' funny looking sail 'ting...whaz izzit ????"

[Breaking Waves]

It is not tall enough hoist to be a typical drifter, wind seeker, downwind twin, etc

It is just exactly the right shape for a reaching mizzen staysail and the right cloth.

And since this seems to be a ketch .....I would expect you will find a sheave on the mizzen mast for a forward halyard. Sometimes they are tacked centerline, but can also be tacked to windward depending on angles.

[MicHughV]

...I'm pretty much in the camp that this is being used (or should be used) as a mizzen staysail....but not sure that this was the original intent for this sail.
...the cut and fabrication of this sail has the sail panels all more or less parallel to the horizon in the photo's, so the load path on the clew is not well distributed throughout the sail. Typically, you would see the sail panels radiate out from the clew location, as depicted in the previous photo..
...This sail could have have had another purpose at one time, but got old and baggy and was recut to be used as mizzen staysail ??

[JPA Cate]

If your DuFour 12000CT is a ketch, then I'd say it is a mizzen staysail. It does have that kind of shape.

It is almost certainly NOT a riding sail, it is too big, and riding sails, in the simple variety, are very flat and not made of light weight sailcloth. There are different styles, but the sail in the picture in the first post isn't a riding sail.

If your boat is a sloop or cutter, I really don't know what the purpose of the sail is, and therefore the idea to contact the PO and ask makes sense to me! :-)

Have fun with it.

Ann

[sanibel sailor]

Mizzen mast is 30+ feet tall. Sail is too small to be intended as mizzen staysail for this boat. I am sticking with "not for this boat"

[GILow]

Cockpit shade.

[theglo]

Wow, this thread took off today while I was away.

My boat is a ketch rigged Dufour 12000 CT. And I think I agree with the way this thread creeped toward mizzen stay sail.

I've never used this type of sail but will go rig it up in the next two days and see what it looks like.

The PO bought this boat new in 1983 but when replacing sails he bought all used ones and then tailored them to fit his needs. There are a number of random sails on board but none are ones that I believe just took up space. He sailed the boat far and wide and I imagine he had a use for all of them.

Thanks again for the group brain! I'm eager to see how this fits on the mizzen... and will now google how I'm supposed to use it.

[douginpa]

Actually, most sailors may not know what that sail is because they aren't entirely common. I'm going to place a link to Wikipedia that explains it some. First, it should be light sail, much lighter than your main or spinnaker. It's a cross between a genoa and a spinnaker. I use mine in light wind and it adds significant speed. Being asymmetrical or triangle like, it can actually help you point higher by pulling the clew back on either side like a gib. Being asymmetrical there are a number of trims that you can do with it. You'll be able to confirm it's a gennaker if the sail cloth is real light. If it is a gennaker, I'll be happy to help you out rigging it. One thing, it's supposed to attach to a bowsprit, but many boats don't have a bowsprit so I figured out a way to attach it. Also, because it changes shape there's also a collar that allows the movements. Feel free to contact me by email if it is an asymmetrical gennaker. I can explain how to rig and use it. doug.stratton@gmail.com

[jakkum]

Years ago, dutch inland freighters had to have an emergency sail onboard. Square fore the hull anywhere, triangular for the bow.
Not to take them home when the engine failed but to be pulled under the ship when for whatevere reason, it started to leak( rivets falling out, welds sheared.
Ii
have used this twice to bring a ship in safer waters. But the second time the material was not really watertiight enough, so we still had to do a lot of pumping.
If yours is of watertight material. more or less, it could be ment as an emergency tarp. Or used for that.

A triangular sail above the highest square sail on a squarerigger? isnt that called a raffee?

[GordMay]

Greetings and belated welcome aboard the CF, douginpa.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by douginpa

You'll be able to confirm it's a gennaker if the sail cloth is real light.

It's much too small to be a gennaker.