What Are the Types of Sails on a Sailboat?

A sail is a piece of material (typically canvas or another cloth) that is hung on or extended from a mast in order to catch the wind. For centuries, sail-power was the most trusted means of propulsion for watercraft, particularly when it came to long, open-water voyages. And while there are a variety of different sailboats, all with their own specific sail configurations, the vast majority utilize some or all of these basic sail types: mainsail, trysail, Genoa, jib, spinnaker and gennaker.

  1. Mainsail

    • The mainsail is the most important (and largest) sail for most ships, as it is responsible for providing the majority of a ship's thrust. According to the website Sail Free, it is attached to the mainmast (the tallest, central mast) and kept taught by the boom, which is a pivoting spar or pole that controls the mainsails orientation. Sailing crews will typically give the mainsail the most attention, as it constantly needs to be readjusted (or trimmed) in order to maximize (or reduce) speed, according to startedsailing.com

    Trysail

    • According to the site Sail Free, during storms, sailors will often replace the mainsail with a trysail. The trysail is a small fore-and-aft sail---which means it runs parallel to the length of the boat---and is typically square or triangular. Instead of generating propulsion, the trysail is used to maximize control over a ship, and keep its bow pointed into the wind.

    Genoa

    • The Genoa sail, named after the Italian city, is a large sail that is nearly as tall as a mainsail, only less wide. According to the website Started Sailing, Genoas are typically used as secondary sails, and are responsible for making turns and keeping ships on straight headings. Unlike mainsails, they are not connected to a boom, meaning they flow freer and are susceptible to collapsing if a ship is too close to an oncoming the wind.This makes Genoa Sails great indicators of wind direction.

    Jib

    • A jib is a triangular sail that is very similar to a Genoa, only smaller. Sailors rarely use jibs, but when they do, it is during periods of strong winds. During these instances, Genoas can actually provide too much thrust, and threaten to overturn vessels. Thus, sailors take them down and put up jibs, which help slow ships down. Unlike Genoas, which stretch from the front-to-back of mainmasts, jibs are positioned entirely in front of mainmasts.

    Spinnaker

    • According to the site Cruise Charter, spinnakers (also called chutes) are large, billowing sails that are typically made from nylon. They are used primarily for sailboat racing, as they can trap a huge amount of wind and provide lots of propulsion. And while they are great on days with only light breezes, during strong winds they can be hard to control.

    Gennaker

    • A gennaker is similar to a spinnaker in that it is large, and used primarily for sailboat racing. However, unlike a spinnaker, which is attached to the mainmast of a ship, a gennaker is attached (by its bottom forward edge, or tack) to the bow or bowsprit of a ship.