Mainsail
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A mainsail is the most important sail raised from the main (or only) mast of a sailing vessel.
On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast.
On a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest and often the only sail rigged aft of the main mast, and is controlled along its foot by a spar known as the boom. A sail rigged in this position without a boom is generally called a trisail, and is used in extremely heavy weather.
The modern bermuda rig uses a triangular mainsail as the only sail aft of the mast, closely coordinated with a jib for sailing upwind. A large overlapping jib or genoa is often larger than the mainsail. In downwind conditions (with the wind behind the boat) a spinnaker replaces the jib.
Traditional fore-and-aft rigs used a gaff to control the top of the mainsail, sometimes setting a topsail above it.
| Sails, Spars and Rigging | |
|---|---|
| Sails | |
| Course | Driver | Extra | Genoa | Gennaker | Jib | Lateen | Mainsail | Moonsail | Spanker | Spinnaker | Spritsail | Staysail | Studding | Tallboy | Topgallant | Topsail | Trysail | |
| Sail anatomy and materials | |
| Clew | Foot | Head | Leech | Luff | Roach | Tack | | Dacron | Kevlar | |
| Spars | |
| Boom | Bowsprit | Fore-mast | Gaff | Jackstaff | Jigger-mast | Jury Rig | Main-mast | Mast | Mizzen-mast | Masthead Truck | Spinnaker Pole | Yard | |
| Rigging components | |
| Backstay | Block | Boom vang | Braces | Buntlines | Cleat | Clevis Pin | Clewlines | Cunningham | Downhaul | Forestay | Gasket | Gooseneck | Guy | Halyard | Outhaul | Parrell beads | Peak | Preventer | Ratlines | Rigging (Running) | Shackle | Rigging (Standing) | Sheet | Shroud | Stay mouse | Stays | Throat | Topping lift | Trapeze | |
