Every Sailboat Should Carry a Spinnaker. How You Use It is Up to You.

Whether you're out for a weekend sail or heading across an ocean, the right type and cut of spinnaker can make your cruising faster, more comfortable, and more fun.

Symmetrical or Asymmetrical Spinnaker?

We can build your symmetrical or asymmetrical spinnaker in any of three panel layouts (Tri-Radial, Radial Head, Starcut). Most cruisers prefer an asymmetrical spinnaker because a spinnaker pole is not necessary to fly the sail. The asymmetrical spinnaker also has a narrower head angle, and its girth and total area is 15% smaller than a symmetrical spinnaker. Usually, the asymmetrical spinnaker is tacked to the boat's bow fitting and used poleless as a very big genoa; the asymmetrical spinnaker is best used broad reaching and as tight as 75 degrees to the true wind. However, a symmetrical spinnaker (used with a pole) will allow you to sail directly downwind; using an asymmetrical, it is necessary to "tack" downwind (gybe at roughly 90 to 120-degree angles) to fly the sail successfully. Most racers prefer a symmetrical spinnaker's 15% larger area.

	SYMMETRICAL (Conventional) A symmetrical spinnaker has equal-length luffs and does not have an airfoil shape. It should be used with a pole, and for running conditions a symmetrical spinnaker will outperform an asymmetrical spinnaker.
	ASYMMETRICAL (Poleless) The luff of an asymmetrical spinnaker is about 15% longer than the leech, and the sail has an airfoil shape. Because it can be used without a pole (secure the tack to the bow), an asymmetrical spinnaker is easier to set and douse than a symmetrical spinnaker.

Which Panel Layout is Best For You?

Choose a panel layout according to the size of your boat and how you will use your spinnaker. Boats 40 feet and larger will get the best sail shape and longest service life from a Tri-Radial spinnaker. For boats under 40 feet, a Radial Head is appropriate. For smaller boats (20 to 25 feet), a Crosscut panel layout is fine.

	TRI-RADIAL By aligning the threadline of the fabric to the radials of the head and clews, the Tri-Radial layout reduces cloth stretch and prolongs the useful life of the sail.		RADIAL HEAD Using a radial design in the highly-loaded head area of the spinnaker makes the Radial Head a good choice for boats under 40 feet.
	STARCUT The Starcut panel layout aligns the threadlines of the nylon fabric with the major loads. The Starcut is best for larger and heavier boats.

 

About Cloth Weight and Furling Socks

For most coastal cruising and weekend sailing, .75 oz. fabric is recommended. If your boat is over 40 feet and you plan to carry a spinnaker in breezy conditions, 1.5 oz. fabric will have a longer service life than .75 oz. fabric. In either case, we recommend a furling sock (sausage) to make handling the spinnaker easier and safer. The only measurements we need are your boat's "I" (rig height) and "J" (foretriangle) dimensions, which can be entered on the Get a Quote form in the "Your Rig Measurements" section.