sail yacht rigging

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The definitive guide to sailing yacht rigging

The evergreen Bermudan rig

The Bermudan rig is the all-rounder, able to perform well at all angles of sail. It is efficient upwind, while downwind the sail area can be significantly boosted with a big gennaker or spinnaker. For good reasons, it is the first choice for nearly every modern sailing yacht up to around 60 to 65 metres for cruising and regatta racing alike. At larger sizes, however, things start to become trickier, and the trade-offs get interesting.

Over the last decade, sail handling technology has steadily advanced to allow sloop rigs to grow larger and larger. “But with that comes a highly loaded rig, many tonnes of compression from tension in the rigging, and you have to build structure in the boat to accept that,” explains Paul MacDonald, founder and superyacht sales manager of Southern Spars.

“You have to have a lot of deck gear and captive winches below decks and the machinery for that. But over the years, boom furling systems and MPS [Multi Purpose Sails for downwind angles] stored on a drum, for example, have made sail handling safer.

Bill Tripp is the designer behind the 86-metre Aquijo , which broke new ground in 2015 as the world’s largest Bermudan ketch. Tripp prefers to call the rig a "sketch", a portmanteau word for a rig that is neither a sloop nor a ketch “because the main and mizzen are identical”. Even though the sailplan is divided over two masts, each spar is still a towering 90 metres above the water. Aquijo perfectly illustrates the issues involved with a Bermudan rig when scaled up.

“The sloop is great but I prefer the ‘sketch’ for sailing around the world under full control due to the desirability of a two-masted rig for reaching ability, which dominates passages, and the safety of controllable loads when sailing in all kinds of conditions miles from nowhere,” he says.

Upwind, Aquijo sets a jib, staysail, mainsail and mizzen, all in North Sails 3Di, totalling 3,821 square metres. A furling Code sail for reaching and downwind angles increases that to a vast 5,051 square metres.

While Aquijo has a crew retinue of 17, it can be controlled under sail by six or seven people. With custom winches to handle halyards and sheets, the sails can be hoisted astonishingly quickly for such a large rig. “It takes five minutes to put the main up, on average, and the main and mizzen can go up at the same time,” Tripp says. Aquijo has now sailed 100,000 nautical miles around the world and the owner is planning another circumnavigation through the Northwest Passage.

Tripp is not convinced of the wisdom of a much larger single-masted sloop rig. “If you are day sailing in the Med, a sloop would be awesome, but I am not sure if you had fewer sails you would be able to [reduce canvas] well enough. Also the mast is a windage problem when the keel is up and you are beam-to. If you are on anchor, that’s no problem but you’d have to be able to cope with being on the docks in 70 knots. The windage at 120 metres is not only more but the centre of effort is so much higher, and so the heeling loads all go up.”

However, British designer Malcolm McKeon , the name behind the high-performance, sloop-rigged carbon composite superyachts Missy and Ribelle , is pushing the sloop rig to new heights. His 85-metre design concept Apex, developed with Royal Huisman , would be the largest sloop-rigged yacht in the world. “The loads are enormous,” he admits, “but it is all scalable.”

“The big disadvantage is sail handling. The downwind sails are pretty complicated once you start hoisting and retrieving, even with drum and reel systems. It is not straightforward.” But, he adds, “I think we know the advantages of a sloop: if you want all-round performance you can’t beat it, even at the top end.”

Advantages of a clipper rig

The DynaRig has been around as a concept since the 1960s when German engineer Wilhelm Prölss devised these free-standing, rotating rigs as a fuel-saving solution for large commercial vessels. The idea was ahead of its time, so much so that its first realisation came nearly 40 years later when American owner Tom Perkins bought the residual technology and commissioned Dykstra Naval Architects to create a three-masted DynaRig for Maltese Falcon , his 88-metre Perini Navi.

The DynaRig is not as efficient upwind as the Bermudan rig, and is probably not the best solution for a yacht smaller than around 65 metres, suggests Jeroen de Vos of Dykstra. “We wouldn’t advise putting a DynaRig on a small yacht because there are other ways to manage sail handling. But on a larger yacht the DynaRig becomes an alternative because there is no rigging, no highly loaded sheets, low-tech [small] sails and no big winches.”

The beauty of the DynaRig is that its automatic systems can be handled by one or two people and, notes de Vos, “you don’t have to get out of your chair to go sailing. Maltese Falcon can sail on and off the anchor and can set 2,400 square metres of sail in six minutes. On other boats it takes six minutes to get the sail cover off.”

Damon Roberts of Magma Structures, which built the rigs for Maltese Falcon and the only other DynaRig yacht to date, the 106-metre Black Pearl , says: “You can do any manoeuvre easily; it’s like sailing a dinghy. There are no highly loaded sheets or ropes or flogging lines. You can luff up, bear away, tack and gybe at any time and really enjoy sailing the boat without any apparent fuss.”

So with all these advantages, why has the DynaRig been chosen for only two sailing superyachts? For some designers, such as Malcolm McKeon, it is partly to do with compromises imposed by the large mast tubes and bearing diameters on the internal structure and layout, “particularly in the cockpit area,” he says. He also points out that the clipper ship look is not to every owner’s taste. “Sloops are more conventional looking,” he says.

Damon Roberts says there is still development work to be done. He has teamed up with Southern Spars and, with their additional resources, expects evolution with several new projects. “These include two at the moment that are twin-masted DynaRigs,” he says. “We did quite a lot of wind tunnel work early on as we felt that was really the sweet spot for it, and people will be stunned at how efficient these are.”

The future of the wingsail

Wingsails have been around for decades too, but with their adoption by the last two America’s Cups and the confluence with foiling technology, they have undergone rapid and revolutionary development.

To date, there is no proven solution for reefing a wing that would be suitable for offshore cruising or ocean passages. As the pronounced aerodynamic “nose” at the leading edge of a wing can develop force in strong winds, they could potentially make a large yacht uncontrollable in port as well.

“How do you get rid of sail and how does [a boat] handle when caught out in heavy wind conditions – which you will be? How do you keep the angle of attack all the way up the rig and how do you handle squalls?” Roberts asks. “A mechanism to reduce sail might be easy to sketch out but it is difficult to engineer.”

Jeroen de Vos says: “The wingsails are more developed towards performance and I wouldn’t say that they are as practical as soft sails or would ever make handling easier. But if somebody wants that, why not? Reefable soft sails, wings that are inflated, hoisted panels, possibly these are applicable. The development of this area is happening very rapidly.”

Paul MacDonald of Southern Spars agrees that the time is not here yet but thinks it will come. “In reality we are in the early days of wings. For the America’s Cup, they are the most efficient way of sailing by a long shot, but with them comes handling issues, which the industry hasn’t resolved yet. But I am sure they will be in 10 years’ time. Designers such as VPLP are starting to [work on concepts] and we are going to see something that is usable and efficient and suitable for ocean work eventually,” he says. “And whatever the solution is, you imagine that it will scale.”

Looking to the future

A drive for greener superyachts could present an opportunity for sail, but perhaps it needs to be less daunting.

“There is this intimidation of sheets and backstays, and sailing is a language you don’t learn in a year,” Tripp says. “But we have a project we are doing now with a yard with some new rig technology and some soft wings that we think is going to be viable.

“We can uncomplicate sailing more. If we can win people over from motorboats it will help, but we are only winning these battles one or two at a time. We need [more] projects like Sailing Yacht A , which are something really different, and do more things better with less energy. We as architects need to elicit change.”

McKeon also sees change coming. “People are more and more concerned about keeping their image green and sails are the way to do that,” he says. “Simpler sailing systems are needed. The current generation is used to Bermudan sloops. In years to come, the traditionalists will all be gone, and maybe new people will be more accepting of [different ideas]. I think in the future we will certainly have wings.”

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The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

What's that sail for? Generally, I don't know. So I've come up with a system. I'll explain you everything there is to know about sails and rigs in this article.

What are the different types of sails? Most sailboats have one mainsail and one headsail. Typically, the mainsail is a fore-and-aft bermuda rig (triangular shaped). A jib or genoa is used for the headsail. Most sailors use additional sails for different conditions: the spinnaker (a common downwind sail), gennaker, code zero (for upwind use), and stormsail.

Each sail has its own use. Want to go downwind fast? Use a spinnaker. But you can't just raise any sail and go for it. It's important to understand when (and how) to use each sail. Your rigging also impacts what sails you can use.

Cruising yacht with mainsail, headsail, and gennaker

Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types (with Pictures)

First I'll give you a quick and dirty overview of sails in this list below. Then, I'll walk you through the details of each sail type, and the sail plan, which is the godfather of sail type selection so to speak.

Click here if you just want to scroll through a bunch of pictures .

Here's a list of different models of sails: (Don't worry if you don't yet understand some of the words, I'll explain all of them in a bit)

Jib - triangular staysail
Genoa - large jib that overlaps the mainsail
Spinnaker - large balloon-shaped downwind sail for light airs
Gennaker - crossover between a Genoa and Spinnaker
Code Zero or Screecher - upwind spinnaker
Drifter or reacher - a large, powerful, hanked on genoa, but made from lightweight fabric
Windseeker - tall, narrow, high-clewed, and lightweight jib
Trysail - smaller front-and-aft mainsail for heavy weather
Storm jib - small jib for heavy weather

I have a big table below that explains the sail types and uses in detail .

I know, I know ... this list is kind of messy, so to understand each sail, let's place them in a system.

The first important distinction between sail types is the placement . The mainsail is placed aft of the mast, which simply means behind. The headsail is in front of the mast.

Generally, we have three sorts of sails on our boat:

Mainsail: The large sail behind the mast which is attached to the mast and boom
Headsail: The small sail in front of the mast, attached to the mast and forestay (ie. jib or genoa)
Specialty sails: Any special utility sails, like spinnakers - large, balloon-shaped sails for downwind use

The second important distinction we need to make is the functionality . Specialty sails (just a name I came up with) each have different functionalities and are used for very specific conditions. So they're not always up, but most sailors carry one or more of these sails.

They are mostly attached in front of the headsail, or used as a headsail replacement.

The specialty sails can be divided into three different categories:

downwind sails - like a spinnaker
light air or reacher sails - like a code zero
storm sails

The parts of any sail

Whether large or small, each sail consists roughly of the same elements. For clarity's sake I've took an image of a sail from the world wide webs and added the different part names to it:

Diagram explaining sail parts: head, luff, tack, foot, clew, and leech

Head: Top of the sail
Tack: Lower front corner of the sail
Foot: Bottom of the sail
Luff: Forward edge of the sail
Leech: Back edge of the sail
Clew: Bottom back corner of the sail

So now we speak the same language, let's dive into the real nitty gritty.

Basic sail shapes

Roughly speaking, there are actually just two sail shapes, so that's easy enough. You get to choose from:

square rigged sails
fore-and-aft rigged sails

I would definitely recommend fore-and-aft rigged sails. Square shaped sails are pretty outdated. The fore-and-aft rig offers unbeatable maneuverability, so that's what most sailing yachts use nowadays.

Green tall ship with green square rigged sails against urban background

Square sails were used on Viking longships and are good at sailing downwind. They run from side to side. However, they're pretty useless upwind.

A fore-and-aft sail runs from the front of the mast to the stern. Fore-and-aft literally means 'in front and behind'. Boats with fore-and-aft rigged sails are better at sailing upwind and maneuvering in general. This type of sail was first used on Arabic boats.

As a beginner sailor I confuse the type of sail with rigging all the time. But I should cut myself some slack, because the rigging and sails on a boat are very closely related. They are all part of the sail plan .

A sail plan is made up of:

Mast configuration - refers to the number of masts and where they are placed
Sail type - refers to the sail shape and functionality
Rig type - refers to the way these sails are set up on your boat

There are dozens of sails and hundreds of possible configurations (or sail plans).

For example, depending on your mast configuration, you can have extra headsails (which then are called staysails).

The shape of the sails depends on the rigging, so they overlap a bit. To keep it simple I'll first go over the different sail types based on the most common rig. I'll go over the other rig types later in the article.

Bermuda Sloop: the most common rig

Most modern small and mid-sized sailboats have a Bermuda sloop configuration . The sloop is one-masted and has two sails, which are front-and-aft rigged. This type of rig is also called a Marconi Rig. The Bermuda rig uses a triangular sail, with just one side of the sail attached to the mast.

The mainsail is in use most of the time. It can be reefed down, making it smaller depending on the wind conditions. It can be reefed down completely, which is more common in heavy weather. (If you didn't know already: reefing is skipper terms for rolling or folding down a sail.)

In very strong winds (above 30 knots), most sailors only use the headsail or switch to a trysail.

The headsail powers your bow, the mainsail powers your stern (rear). By having two sails, you can steer by using only your sails (in theory - it requires experience). In any case, two sails gives you better handling than one, but is still easy to operate.

Let's get to the actual sails. The mainsail is attached behind the mast and to the boom, running to the stern. There are multiple designs, but they actually don't differ that much. So the following list is a bit boring. Feel free to skip it or quickly glance over it.

Square Top racing mainsail - has a high performance profile thanks to the square top, optional reef points
Racing mainsail - made for speed, optional reef points
Cruising mainsail - low-maintenance, easy to use, made to last. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
Full-Batten Cruising mainsail - cruising mainsail with better shape control. Eliminates flogging. Full-length battens means the sail is reinforced over the entire length. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
High Roach mainsail - crossover between square top racing and cruising mainsail, used mostly on cats and multihulls. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
Mast Furling mainsail - sails specially made to roll up inside the mast - very convenient but less control; of sail shape. Have no reef points
Boom Furling mainsail - sails specially made to roll up inside the boom. Have no reef points.

The headsail is the front sail in a front-and-aft rig. The sail is fixed on a stay (rope, wire or rod) which runs forward to the deck or bowsprit. It's almost always triangular (Dutch fishermen are known to use rectangular headsail). A triangular headsail is also called a jib .

Headsails can be attached in two ways:

using roller furlings - the sail rolls around the headstay
hank on - fixed attachment

Types of jibs:

Typically a sloop carries a regular jib as its headsail. It can also use a genoa.

A jib is a triangular staysail set in front of the mast. It's the same size as the fore-triangle.
A genoa is a large jib that overlaps the mainsail.

What's the purpose of a jib sail? A jib is used to improve handling and to increase sail area on a sailboat. This helps to increase speed. The jib gives control over the bow (front) of the ship, making it easier to maneuver the ship. The mainsail gives control over the stern of the ship. The jib is the headsail (frontsail) on a front-and-aft rig.

The size of the jib is generally indicated by a number - J1, 2, 3, and so on. The number tells us the attachment point. The order of attachment points may differ per sailmaker, so sometimes J1 is the largest jib (on the longest stay) and sometimes it's the smallest (on the shortest stay). Typically the J1 jib is the largest - and the J3 jib the smallest.

Most jibs are roller furling jibs: this means they are attached to a stay and can be reefed down single-handedly. If you have a roller furling you can reef down the jib to all three positions and don't need to carry different sizes.

Originally called the 'overlapping jib', the leech of the genoa extends aft of the mast. This increases speed in light and moderate winds. A genoa is larger than the total size of the fore-triangle. How large exactly is indicated by a percentage.

A number 1 genoa is typically 155% (it used to be 180%)
A number 2 genoa is typically 125-140%

Genoas are typically made from 1.5US/oz polyester spinnaker cloth, or very light laminate.

A small sloop using an overlapping genoa

This is where it gets pretty interesting. You can use all kinds of sails to increase speed, handling, and performance for different weather conditions.

Some rules of thumb:

Large sails are typically good for downwind use, small sails are good for upwind use.
Large sails are good for weak winds (light air), small sails are good for strong winds (storms).

Downwind sails

Thanks to the front-and-aft rig sailboats are easier to maneuver, but they catch less wind as well. Downwind sails are used to offset this by using a large sail surface, pulling a sailboat downwind. They can be hanked on when needed and are typically balloon shaped.

Here are the most common downwind sails:

Big gennaker
Small gennaker

A free-flying sail that fills up with air, giving it a balloon shape. Spinnakers are generally colorful, which is why they look like kites. This downwind sail has the largest sail area, and it's capable of moving a boat with very light wind. They are amazing to use on trade wind routes, where they can help you make quick progress.

Spinnakers require special rigging. You need a special pole and track on your mast. You attach the sail at three points: in the mast head using a halyard, on a pole, and on a sheet.

The spinnaker is symmetrical, meaning the luff is as long as its leech. It's designed for broad reaching.

Large sailing yacht sailing coastal water using a true spinnaker

Gennaker or cruising spinnaker

The Gennaker is a cross between the genoa and the spinnaker. It has less downwind performance than the spinnaker. It is a bit smaller, making it slower, but also easier to handle - while it remains very capable. The cruising spinnaker is designed for broad reaching.

The gennaker is a smaller, asymmetric spinnaker that's doesn't require a pole or track on the mast. Like the spinnaker, and unlike the genoa, the gennaker is set flying. Asymmetric means its luff is longer than its leech.

You can get big and small gennakers (roughly 75% and 50% the size of a true spinnaker).

Also called ...

the cruising spinnaker
cruising chute
pole-less spinnaker
SpinDrifter

... it's all the same sail.

Small sloops using colorful gennakers in grey water

Light air sails

There's a bit of overlap between the downwind sails and light air sails. Downwind sails can be used as light air sails, but not all light air sails can be used downwind.

Here are the most common light air sails:

Spinnaker and gennaker

Drifter reacher

Code zero reacher.

A drifter (also called a reacher) is a lightweight, larger genoa for use in light winds. It's roughly 150-170% the size of a genoa. It's made from very lightweight laminated spinnaker fabric (1.5US/oz).

Thanks to the extra sail area the sail offers better downwind performance than a genoa. It's generally made from lightweight nylon. Thanks to it's genoa characteristics the sail is easier to use than a cruising spinnaker.

The code zero reacher is officially a type of spinnaker, but it looks a lot like a large genoa. And that's exactly what it is: a hybrid cross between the genoa and the asymmetrical spinnaker (gennaker). The code zero however is designed for close reaching, making it much flatter than the spinnaker. It's about twice the size of a non-overlapping jib.

Volvo Ocean race ships using code zero and jib J1

A windseeker is a small, free-flying staysail for super light air. It's tall and thin. It's freestanding, so it's not attached to the headstay. The tack attaches to a deck pad-eye. Use your spinnakers' halyard to raise it and tension the luff.

It's made from nylon or polyester spinnaker cloth (0.75 to 1.5US/oz).

It's designed to guide light air onto the lee side of the main sail, ensuring a more even, smooth flow of air.

Stormsails are stronger than regular sails, and are designed to handle winds of over 45 knots. You carry them to spare the mainsail. Sails

A storm jib is a small triangular staysail for use in heavy weather. If you participate in offshore racing you need a mandatory orange storm jib. It's part of ISAF's requirements.

A trysail is a storm replacement for the mainsail. It's small, triangular, and it uses a permanently attached pennant. This allows it to be set above the gooseneck. It's recommended to have a separate track on your mast for it - you don't want to fiddle around when you actually really need it to be raised ... now.

US naval acadamy sloop in marina with bright orange storm trysail and stormjob

Sail	Type	Shape	Wind speed	Size	Wind angle
Bermuda	mainsail	triangular, high sail	< 30 kts
Jib	headsail	small triangular foresail	< 45 kts	100% of foretriangle
Genoa	headsail	jib that overlaps mainsail	< 30 kts	125-155% of foretriangle
Spinnaker	downwind	free-flying, balloon shape	1-15 kts	200% or more of mainsail	90°–180°
Gennaker	downwind	free-flying, balloon shape	1-20 kts	85% of spinnaker	75°-165°
Code Zero or screecher	light air & upwind	tight luffed, upwind spinnaker	1-16 kts	70-75% of spinnaker
Storm Trysail	mainsail	small triangular mainsail replacement	> 45 kts	17.5% of mainsail
Drifter reacher	light air	large, light-weight genoa	1-15 kts	150-170% of genoa	30°-90°
Windseeker	light air	free-flying staysail	0-6 kts	85-100% of foretriangle
Storm jib	strong wind headsail	low triangular staysail	> 45 kts	< 65% height foretriangle

Why Use Different Sails At All?

You could just get the largest furling genoa and use it on all positions. So why would you actually use different types of sails?

The main answer to that is efficiency . Some situations require other characteristics.

Having a deeply reefed genoa isn't as efficient as having a small J3. The reef creates too much draft in the sail, which increases heeling. A reefed down mainsail in strong winds also increases heeling. So having dedicated (storm) sails is probably a good thing, especially if you're planning more demanding passages or crossings.

But it's not just strong winds, but also light winds that can cause problems. Heavy sails will just flap around like laundry in very light air. So you need more lightweight fabrics to get you moving.

What Are Sails Made Of?

The most used materials for sails nowadays are:

Dacron - woven polyester
woven nylon
laminated fabrics - increasingly popular

Sails used to be made of linen. As you can imagine, this is terrible material on open seas. Sails were rotting due to UV and saltwater. In the 19th century linen was replaced by cotton.

It was only in the 20th century that sails were made from synthetic fibers, which were much stronger and durable. Up until the 1980s most sails were made from Dacron. Nowadays, laminates using yellow aramids, Black Technora, carbon fiber and Spectra yarns are more and more used.

Laminates are as strong as Dacron, but a lot lighter - which matters with sails weighing up to 100 kg (220 pounds).

By the way: we think that Viking sails were made from wool and leather, which is quite impressive if you ask me.

In this section of the article I give you a quick and dirty summary of different sail plans or rig types which will help you to identify boats quickly. But if you want to really understand it clearly, I really recommend you read part 2 of this series, which is all about different rig types.

You can't simply count the number of masts to identify rig type But you can identify any rig type if you know what to look for. We've created an entire system for recognizing rig types. Let us walk you through it. Read all about sail rig types

As I've said earlier, there are two major rig types: square rigged and fore-and-aft. We can divide the fore-and-aft rigs into three groups:

Bermuda rig (we have talked about this one the whole time) - has a three-sided mainsail
Gaff rig - has a four-sided mainsail, the head of the mainsail is guided by a gaff
Lateen rig - has a three-sided mainsail on a long yard

Diagram of lateen-rigged mast with head yard, gaff-rigged mast with head beam, and bermuda-rigged mast with triangular sail

There are roughly four types of boats:

one masted boats - sloop, cutter
two masted boats - ketch, schooner, brig
three masted - barque
fully rigged or ship rigged - tall ship

Everything with four masts is called a (tall) ship. I think it's outside the scope of this article, but I have written a comprehensive guide to rigging. I'll leave the three and four-masted rigs for now. If you want to know more, I encourage you to read part 2 of this series.

One-masted rigs

Boats with one mast can have either one sail, two sails, or three or more sails.

The 3 most common one-masted rigs are:

Cat - one mast, one sail
Sloop - one mast, two sails
Cutter - one mast, three or more sails

1. Gaff Cat

White cat boat with gaff rig on lake and three people in it

2. Gaff Sloop

Two-masted rigs

Two-masted boats can have an extra mast in front or behind the main mast. Behind (aft of) the main mast is called a mizzen mast . In front of the main mast is called a foremast .

The 5 most common two-masted rigs are:

Lugger - two masts (mizzen), with lugsail (cross between gaff rig and lateen rig) on both masts
Yawl - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast much taller than mizzen. Mizzen without mainsail.
Ketch - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller mizzen. Mizzen has mainsail.
Schooner - two masts (foremast), generally gaff rig on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller foremast. Sometimes build with three masts, up to seven in the age of sail.
Brig - two masts (foremast), partially square-rigged. Main mast carries small lateen rigged sail.

Lugger sails behind berth with rocks and small sloops in the foreground

4. Schooner

White schooner with white sails and light wooden masts

5. Brigantine

Replica of brigatine on lake with lots of rigging and brown, green, red, and gold paint

This article is part 1 of a series about sails and rig types If you want to read on and learn to identify any sail plans and rig type, we've found a series of questions that will help you do that quickly. Read all about recognizing rig types

Shawn Buckles

HI CVB, that’s a cool plan. Thanks, I really love to hear that. I’m happy that it was helpful to you and I hope you are of to a great start for your new adventure!

Hi GOWTHAM, thanks for the tip, I sometimes forget I haven’t specified the new term. I’ve added it to the article.

Nice article and video; however, you’re mixing up the spinnaker and the gennaker.

A started out with a question. What distinguishes a brig from a schooner? Which in turn led to follow-up questions: I know there are Bermuda rigs and Latin rig, are there more? Which in turn led to further questions, and further, and further… This site answers them all. Wonderful work. Thank you.

Great post and video! One thing was I was surprised how little you mentioned the Ketch here and not at all in the video or chart, and your sample image is a large ship with many sails. Some may think Ketch’s are uncommon, old fashioned or only for large boats. Actually Ketch’s are quite common for cruisers and live-aboards, especially since they often result in a center cockpit layout which makes for a very nice aft stateroom inside. These are almost exclusively the boats we are looking at, so I was surprised you glossed over them.

Love the article and am finding it quite informative.

While I know it may seem obvious to 99% of your readers, I wish you had defined the terms “upwind” and “downwind.” I’m in the 1% that isn’t sure which one means “with the wind” (or in the direction the wind is blowing) and which one means “against the wind” (or opposite to the way the wind is blowing.)

paul adriaan kleimeer

like in all fields of syntax and terminology the terms are colouual meaning local and then spead as the technology spread so an history lesson gives a floral bouque its colour and in the case of notical terms span culture and history adds an detail that bring reverence to the study simply more memorable.

Hi, I have a small yacht sail which was left in my lock-up over 30 years ago I basically know nothing about sails and wondered if you could spread any light as to the make and use of said sail. Someone said it was probably originally from a Wayfayer wooden yacht but wasn’t sure. Any info would be must appreciated and indeed if would be of any use to your followers? I can provide pics but don’t see how to include them at present

kind regards

You may also like, 17 sailboat types explained: how to recognize them.

Ever wondered what type of sailboat you're looking at? Identifying sailboats isn't hard, you just have to know what to look for. In this article, I'll help you.

Sailboat in front of NYC with Bermuda mainsail and Jib

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Sail Rigs And Types - The Only Guide You Need

A well-designed sailboat is a thing of pure beauty. Whether you're a proud owner of one, a guest on one, or a shore-side admirer, you'll fall in love with the gliding sails, the excitement of a race, and the eco-friendly nature of these sophisticated yet magnificent vessels. With good sails, great design, and regular maintenance, sails and rigs are an important part of a sailboat.

If you’re thinking about going sailing, one of the first things you have to understand is the variety of modern sail plans. Unlike old sailboats, modern sailboats don't need huge, overlapping headsails and multiple masts just to get moving. In the past, when sailboats were heavy, keels were long, the only way to get the boat moving was with a massive relative sail area. You needed as much square footage as you could just to get your sailboat moving. But with the invention of fiberglass hulls, aluminum or composite masts, high-tensile but low diameter lines and stats, and more efficient sails, sailboats no longer need to plan for such large sail plans.. Still, there are various rig styles, from the common sloop, to the comfortable cat-rig, to the dual masted ketch and schooner, there are various sail types and rigs to choose from. The most important thing is to know the different types of sails and rigs and how they can make your sailing even more enjoyable.

There are different types of sails and rigs. Most sailboats have one mainsail and one headsail. The mainsail is generally fore-and-aft rigged and is triangular shaped. Various conditions and courses require adjustments to the sails on the boats, and, other than the mainsail, most boats can switch out their secondary sail depending on various conditions.. Do you want to sail upwind or go downwind? You cannot hoist just any sail and use it. It's, therefore, of great importance to understand how and when to use each sail type.

In this in-depth article, we'll look at various sail types and rigs, and how to use them to make your sailing more enjoyable.

Table of contents

Different Sail Types

It is perhaps worth noting that a sailboat is only as good as its sails. The very heart of sailing comes in capturing the wind using artfully trimmed sails and turning that into motion. . Ask any good sailor and he'll tell you that knowing how and when to trim the sails efficiently will not only improve the overall performance of your boat but will elevate your sailing experience. In short, sails are the driving force of sailboats.

As such, it's only natural that you should know the different types of sails and how they work. Let's first highlight different sail types before going into the details.

Jib - triangular staysail
Spinnaker - huge balloon-shaped downwind sail for light airs
Genoa - huge jib that overlaps the mainsail
Gennaker - a combination of a spinnaker and genoa
Code zero - reaching genoa for light air
Windseeker - tall, narrow, high-clewed, and lightweight jib
Drifter - versatile light air genoa made from particularly lightweight cloth
Storm jib - a smaller jib meant for stormy conditions
Trysail - This is a smaller front-and-aft sail for heavy weather

The mainsail is the principal sail on a boat. It's generally set aft of the mainmast. Working together with the jib, the mainsail is designed to create the lift that drives the sailboat windward. That being said, the mainsail is a very powerful component that must always be kept under control.

As the largest sail, and the geometric center of effort on the boat, the mainsail is tasked with capturing the bulk of the wind that's required to propel the sailboat. The foot, the term for the bottom of any sail, secures to the boom, which allows you to trim the sail to your heading. The luff, the leading edge of the sail, is attached to the mast. An idealized mainsail would be able to swing through trim range of 180°, the full semi-circle aft of the mast, though in reality, most larger boats don’t support this full range of motion, as a fully eased sail can occasionally be unstable in heavy breeze.

. As fully controlling the shape of the mainsail is crucial to sailing performance, there are many different basic mainsail configurations. For instance, you can get a full-batten mainsail, a regular mainsail with short battens, or a two-plus-two mainsail with two full-length battens. Hyper-high performance boats have even begun experimenting with winged sails which are essentially trimmable airplane wings! Moreover, there are numerous sail controls that change the shape by pulling at different points on the sail, boom, or mast. Reefing, for instance, allows you to shorten the sail vertically, reducing the amount of sail area when the boat is overpowered.

Features of a Mainsail

Several features will affect how a particular sail works and performs. Some features will, of course, affect the cost of the sail while others may affect its longevity. All in all, it's essential to decide the type of mainsail that's right for you and your sailing application.

Sail Battens, the Roach, and the Leech

The most difficult part of the sail to control, but also the most important, are the areas we refer to as the leech and the roach. The roach is the part of the sail that extends backwards past the shortest line between the clew, at the end of the boom, and the top of the mast. It makes up roughly the back third of the sail. The leech is the trailing edge of the sail, the backmost curve of the roach. Together, these two components control the flow of the air off the back of the sail, which greatly affects the overall sail performance. If the air stalls off the backside of the sail, you will find a great loss in performance. Many sail controls, including the boom vang, backstay, main halyard, and even the cunningham, to name a few, focus on keeping this curve perfect.

As for parts of the sail itself, battens control the overall horizontal shape of the sail. Battens are typically made from fiberglass or wood and are built into batten pockets. They're meant to offer support and tension to maintain the sail shape Depending on the sail technology you want to use, you may find that full battens, which extend from luff to leech, or short battens, just on the trailing edge, are the way to go. Fully battened sails tend to be more expensive, but also higher performance.

Fully Battened Mainsails

They're generally popular on racing multihulls as they give you a nice solid sail shape which is crucial at high speeds. In cruising sailboats , fully battened mainsails have a few benefits such as:

They prevent the mainsail from ragging. This extends the life of the sail, and makes maneuvers and trimming easier for the crew.
It provides shape and lift in light-air conditions where short-battened mainsails would collapse.

On the other hand, fully-battened mainsails are often heavier, made out of thicker material, and can chafe against the standing rigging with more force when sailing off the wind.

Short Battens

On the other hand, you can choose a mainsail design that relies mostly on short battens, towards the leech of the sail. This tends to work for lighter cloth sails, as the breeze, the headsail, and the rigging help to shape the sail simply by the tension of the rig and the flow of the wind. The battens on the leech help to preserve the shape of the sail in the crucial area where the air is flowing off the back of the sail, keeping you from stalling out the entire rig.

The only potential downside is that these short battens deal with a little bit of chafe and tension in their pockets, and the sail cloth around these areas ought to be reinforced. If your sails do not have sufficient reinforcement here, or you run into any issues related to batten chafe, a good sail maker should be able to help you extend the life of your sails for much less than the price of a new set.

How to Hoist the Mainsail

Here's how to hoist the mainsail, assuming that it relies on a slab reefing system and lazy jacks and doesn't have an in-mast or in-boom furling system.

‍Maintain enough speed for steeragewhile heading up into the wind
Slacken the mainsheet, boom vang, and cunningham
Make sure that the lazy jacks do not catch the ends on the battens by pulling the lazy jacks forward.
Ensure that the reefing runs are free to run and the proper reefs are set if necessary.
Raise the halyard as far as you can depending on pre-set reefs.
Tension the halyard to a point where a crease begins to form along the front edge
Re-set the lazy jacks
Trim the mainsail properly while heading off to your desired course

So what's Right for You?

Your mainsail will depend on how you like sailing your boat and what you expect in terms of convenience and performance. That being said, first consult the options that the boatbuilder or sailmakers suggest for your rig. When choosing among the various options, consider what you want from the sail, how you like to sail, and how much you're willing to spend on the mainsail.

The headsail is principally the front sail in a fore-and-aft rig. They're commonly triangular and are attached to or serve as the boat’s forestay. They include a jib and a genoa.

A jib is a triangular sail that is set ahead of the foremost sail. For large boats, the roto-furling jib has become a common and convenient way to rig and store the jib. Often working in shifts with spinnakers, jibs are the main type of headsails on modern sailboats. Jibs take advantage of Bournoulli’s Principle to break the incoming breeze for the mainsail, greatly increasing the speed and point of any boat. By breaking the incoming wind and channeling it through what we call the ‘slot,’ the horizontal gap between the leech of the jib and the luff of the mainsail, the jib drastically increases the efficiency of your mainsail. It additionally balances the helm on your rudder by pulling the bow down, as the mainsail tends to pull the stern down. .

The main aim of the jib is to increase the sail area for a given mast size. It improves the aerodynamics of the mainsails so that your sailboat can catch more wind and thereby sail faster, especially in light air

Using Jibs on Modern Sailboats

In the modern contexts, jib’s mainly serve increase the performance and overall stability of the mainsail. The jib can also reduce the turbulence of the mainsail on the leeward side.

On Traditional Vessels

Traditional vessels such as schooners have about three jibs. The topmast carried a jib topsail, the main foresail is called the jib, while the innermost jib is known as the staysail. The first two were employed almost exclusively by clipper ships.

How to Rig the Jibs

There are three basic ways to rig the jib.

Track Sheets - A relatively modern approach to the self-tacking jib, this entails placing all the trimming hardware on a sliding track forward of the mast. This means that on each tack, the hardware slides from one side of the boat to the other. This alleviates the need to switch sheets and preserves the trim angle on both sides, though it can be finnicky and introduce friction.

Sheet up the Mast - This is a very popular approach and for a good reason. Hoist the jib sheet up the mast high enough to ensure that there's the right tension through the tack. Whether internally or externally, the sheet returnsto the deck and then back to the cockpit just like the rest of the mast baselines. The fact the hardware doesn't move through the tacks is essential in reducing friction.

Sheet Forward - This method revolves around ensuring that the jib sheet stays under constant pressure so that it does not move through the blocks in the tacks. This is possible if the through-deck block is extremely close to the jib tack. Your only challenge will only be to return the sheet to the cockpit. This is, however, quite challenging and can cause significant friction.

Dual Sheeting - The traditional method, especially on smaller dinghies, though it is not self-tacking. This requires a two ended or two separate sheet system, where one sheet runs to a block on starboard, and the other to port. Whenever you tack or gybe, this means you have to switch which sheet is active and which is slack, which is ok for well crewed boats, but a potential issue on under-crewed boats.

Another important headsail, a genoa is essentially a large jib that usually overlaps the mainsail or extends past the mast, especially when viewed from the other side. In the past, a genoa was known as the overlapping jib and is technically used on twin-mast boats and single-mast sloops such as ketches and yawls. A genoa has a large surface area, which is integral in increasing the speed of the vessel both in moderate and light winds.

Genoas are generally characterized by the percentage they cover. In most cases, sail racing classes stipulate the limit of a genoa size. In other words, genoas are usually classified by coverage.

Top-quality genoa trim is of great importance, especially if the wind is forward of the beam. This is because the wind will first pass over the genoa before the mainsail. As such, a wrongly sheeted genoa can erroneously direct the wind over the mainsail,spelling doom to your sailing escapades. While you can perfectly adjust the shape of a genoa using the mast rake, halyard tension, sheet tension, genoa car positioning, and backstay tension, furling and unfurling a genoa can be very challenging, especially in higher winds.

That being said, here are the crucial steps to always keep in mind.

Unload and ease the loaded genoa sheet by going to a broad reach
Do not use the winch; just pull on the furling line
Keep a very small amount of pressure or tension on the loaded genoa sheet
Secure the furling line and tighten the genoa sheets
Get on the proper point of sail
Have the crew help you and release the lazy genoa sheets
Maintain a small tension while easing out the furling line
Pull-on a loaded genoa sheet
Close or cleat off the rope clutch when the genoa is unfurled
Trim the genoa

To this end, it's important to note that genoas are popular in some racing classes. This is because they only categorize genoas based on the fore-triangle area covered, which essentially allows a genoa to significantly increase the actual sail area. On the contrary, keep in mind that tacking a genoa is quite a bit harder than a jib, as the overlapping area can get tangled with the mast and shrouds. It's, therefore, important to make sure that the genoa is carefully tended, particularly when tacking.

Downwind Sails

Modern sailboats are a lot easier to maneuver thanks to the fore-and-aft rig. Unfortunately, when sailing downwind they catch less wind, and downwind sails are a great way of reducing this problem. They include the spinnaker and the gennaker.

A spinnaker will, without a doubt, increase your sailing enjoyment. But why are they often buried in the cabin of cruising boats? Well, the first few attempts to rig and set a spinnaker can be difficult without enough help and guidance. Provided a solid background, however, spinnakers are quite straightforward and easy to use and handle with teamwork and enough practice. More importantly, spinnakers can bring a light wind passage to life and can save your engine.

Spinnakers are purposely designed for sailing off the wind; they fill with wind and balloon out in front of your sailboat. Structured with a lightweight fabric such as nylon, the spinnaker is also known as a kite or chute, as they look like parachutes both in structure and appearance.

A perfectly designed spinnaker should have taut leading edges when filled. This mitigates the risk of lifting and collapsing. A spinnaker should have a smooth curve when filled and devoid of depressions and bubbles that might be caused by the inconsistent stretching of the fabric. The idea here is that anything other than a smooth curve may reduce the lift and thereby reduce performance.

Types of Spinnakers

There are two main types of spinnakers: symmetric spinnakers and asymmetric spinnakers.

Asymmetric Spinnakers

Flown from a spinnaker pole or bowsprit fitted to the bow of the boat, asymmetric spinnakers resemble large jibs and have been around since the 19th century. The concept of asymmetric spinnaker revolves around attaching the tack of the spinnaker at the bow and pulling it around during a gybe.

Asymmetric spinnakers have two sheets just like a jib., These sheets are attached at the clew and never interact directly with the spinnaker pole. This is because the other corner of the spinnaker is fixed to the bowsprit. The asymmetric spinnaker works when you pull in one sheet while releasing the other. This makes it a lot easier to gybe but is less suited to sailing directly downwind. There is the loophole of having the asymmetric spinnaker gybed to the side opposite of the boom, so that the boat is sailing ‘wing-on-wing,’ though this is a more advanced maneuver, generally reserved for certain conditions and tactical racing situations.

On the contrary, the asymmetric spinnaker is perfect for fast planing dinghies. This is because such vessels have speeds that generate apparent wind forward. Because asymmetrics, by nature, prefer to sail shallower downwind angles, this apparent wind at high speeds makes the boat think that it is sailing higher than it really is, allowing you to drive a little lower off the breeze than normal. . In essence, the asymmetric spinnaker is vital if you're looking for easy handling.

Symmetric Spinnakers

Symmetric spinnakers are a classic sail type that has been used for centuries for controlling boats by lines known as a guy and a sheet. The guy, which is a windward line, is attached to the tack of the sail and stabilized by a spinnaker pole. The sheet, which is the leeward line, is attached to the clew of the spinnaker and is essential in controlling the shape of the spinnaker sail.

When set correctly, the leading edges of the symmetric spinnaker should be almost parallel to the wind. This is to ensure that the airflow over the leading edge remains attached. Generally, the spinnaker pole should be at the right angles to the apparent wind and requires a lot of care when packing.

The main disadvantage of this rig is the need to gybe the spinnaker pole whenever you gybe the boat. This is a complicated maneuver, and is one of the most common places for spinnakers to rip or get twisted. If, however, you can master this maneuver, you can sail at almost any angle downwind!

How to Use Spinnaker Effectively

If you decide to include the spinnakers to your sailboat, the sailmaker will want to know the type of boat you have, what kind of sailing you do, and where you sail. As such, the spinnaker that you end up with should be an excellent and all-round sail and should perform effectively off the breeze

The type of boat and where you'll be sailing will hugely influence the weight of your spinnaker cloth. In most cases, cruising spinnakers should be very light, so if you've decided to buy a spinnaker, make sure that it's designed per the type of your sailboat and where you will be sailing. Again, you can choose to go for something lighter and easier to set if you'll be sailing alone or with kids who are too young to help.

Setting up Spinnakers

One of the main reasons why sailors distrust spinnakers is because they don't know how to set them up. That being said, a perfectly working spinnaker starts with how you set it up and this revolves around how you carefully pack it and properly hook it up. You can do this by running the luff tapes and ensuring that the sails are not twisted when packed into the bag. If you are using large spinnakers, the best thing to do is make sure that they're set in stops to prevent the spinnakers from filling up with air before you even hoist them fully.

But even with that, you cannot fully set the spinnaker while sailing upwind. Make sure to bear away and have your pole ready to go as you turn downwind. You should then bear away to a reach before hoisting. Just don't hoist the spinnakers from the bow as this can move the weight of the crew and equipment forward.

Used when sailing downwind, a gennaker is asymmetric sail somewhere between a genoa and a spinnaker. It sets itself apart because it gennaker is a free-flying asymmetric spinnaker but it is tacked to the bowsprit like the jib.

Let's put it into perspective. Even though the genoa is a great sail for racing and cruising, sailors realized that it was too small to be used in a race or for downwind sail and this is the main reason why the spinnaker was invented. While the spinnakers are large sails that can be used for downwind sail, they are quite difficult to handle especially if you're sailing shorthanded. As such, this is how a gennaker came to be: it gives you the best of both worlds.

Gennakers are stable and easy to fly and will add to your enjoyment and downwind performance.

The Shape of a Gennaker

As we've just noted, the gennaker is asymmetrical. It doesn't attach to the forestay like the genoa but has a permanent fitting from the mast to bow. It is rigged exactly like a spinnaker but its tack is fastened to the bowsprit. This is fundamentally an essential sail if you're looking for something to bridge the gap between a genoa and a spinnaker.

Setting a Gennaker

When cruising, the gennaker is set with the tack line from the bow, a halyard, and a sheet that's led to the aft quarter. Attach the tack to a furling unit and attach it to a fitting on the hull near the very front of the sailboat. You can then attach the halyard that will help in pulling it up to the top of the mast before attaching it to the clew. The halyard can then run back to the winches to make the controlling of the sail shape easier, just like when using the genoa sail.

In essence, a gennaker is a superb sail that will give you the maximum versatility of achieving the best of both a genoa and a spinnaker, especially when sailing downwind. This is particularly of great importance if you're cruising by autopilot or at night.

Light Air Sails

Even though downwind sails can be used as light air sails, not all light air sails can be used for downwind sailing. In other words, there's a level of difference between downwind sails and light air sails. Light air sails include code zero, windseeker, and drifter reacher.

A cross between an asymmetrical spinnaker and a genoa, a code zero is a highly modern sail type that's generally used when sailing close to the wind in light air. Although the initial idea of code zero was to make a larger genoa, it settled on a narrow and flat spinnaker while upholding the shape of a genoa.

Modern boats come with code zero sails that can be used as soon as the sailboat bears off close-hauled even a little bit. It has a nearly straight luff and is designed to be very flat for close reaching. This sail is designed to give your boat extra performance in light winds, especially in boats that do not have overlapping genoas. It also mitigates the problem of loss of power when you are reaching with a non-overlapping headsail. Really, it is closer to a light air jib that sacrifices a little angle for speed.

In many conditions, a code zero sail can go as high as a sailboat with just a jib. By hoisting a code zero, you'll initially have to foot off about 15 degrees to fill it and get the power that you require to heel and move the boat. The boat will not only speed up but will also allow you to put the bow up while also doing the same course as before you set the zero. In essence, code zero can be an efficient way of giving your boat about 30% more speed and this is exactly why it's a vital inventory item in racing sailboats.

When it comes to furling code zero, the best way to do it is through a top-down furling system as this will ensure that you never get a twist in the system.

Generally used when a full size and heavier sail doesn't stay stable or pressurized, a windseeker is a very light sail that's designed for drifting conditions. This is exactly why they're designed with a forgiving cloth to allow them to handle these challenging conditions.

The windseeker should be tacked at the headstay with two sheets on the clew. To help this sail fill in the doldrums, you can heel the boat to whatever the apparent leeward side is and let gravity help you maintain a good sail shape while reaching.The ideal angle of a windseeker should be about 60 degrees.

Though only used in very specific conditions, the windseeker is so good at this one job that it is worth the investment if you plan on a long cruise. Still, you can substitute most off the breeze sails for this in a pinch, with slightly less performance gain, likely with more sacrifices in angle to the breeze.

Drifter Reacher

Many cruising sailors often get intimidated by the idea of setting and trimming a drifter if it's attached to the rig at only three corners or if it's free-flying. But whether or not a drifter is appropriate for your boat will hugely depend on your boat's rig, as well as other specific details such as your crew's ability to furl and unfurl the drifter and, of course, your intended cruising grounds.

But even with that, the drifter remains a time-honored sail that's handy and very versatile. Unlike other light air sails, the drifter perfectly carries on all points of sails as it allows the boat to sail close-hauled and to tack. It is also very easy to control when it's set and struck. In simpler terms, a drifter is principally a genoa that's built of lightweight fabric such as nylon. Regardless of the material, the drifter is a superb sail if you want to sail off a lee shore without using the genoa.

Generally stronger than other regular sails, stormsails are designed to handle winds of over 45 knots and are great when sailing in stormy conditions. They include a storm jib and a trysail.

If you sail long and far enough, chances are you have or will soon be caught in stormy conditions. Under such conditions, storm jibs can be your insurance and you'll be better off if you have a storm jib that has the following features:

Robustly constructed using heavyweight sailcloth
Sized suitably for the boat
Highly visible even in grey and white seas

That's not all; you should never go out there without a storm jib as this, together with the trysail, is the only sails that will be capable of weathering some of nature's most testing situations.

Storm jibs typically have high clews to give you the flexibility of sheet location. You can raise the sail with a spare halyard until its lead position is closed-hauled in the right position. In essence, storm jib is your insurance policy when out there sailing: you should always have it but always hope that you never have to use it.

Also known as a spencer, a trysail is a small, bright orange, veritably bullet-proof, and triangular sail that's designed to save the boat's mainsail from winds over 45 knots and works in the same way as a storm jib. It is designed to enable you to make progress to windward even in strong and stormy winds.

Trysails generally use the same mast track as the mainsail but you have to introduce the slides into the gate from the head of the trysail.

There are two main types of rigs: the fore-and-aft rig and the square rigg.

Fore-and-aft Rig

This is a sailing rig that chiefly has the sails set along the lines of the keel and not perpendicular to it. It can be divided into three categories: Bermuda rig, Gaff rig, and Lateen rig.

Bermuda Rig - Also known as a Marconi rig, this is the typical configuration of most modern sailboats. It has been used since the 17th century and remains one of the most efficient types of rigs. The rig revolves around setting a triangular sail aft of the mast with the head raised to the top of the mast. The luff should run down the mast and be attached to the entire length.

Gaff Rig - This is the most popular fore-and-aft rig on vessels such as the schooner and barquentine. It revolves around having the sail four-cornered and controlled at its peak. In other words, the head of the mainsail is guided by a gaff.

Lateen Rig - This is a triangular fore-and-aft rig whereby a triangular sail is configured on a long yard that's mounted at a given angle of the mast while running in a fore-and-aft direction. Lateen rig is commonly used in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.

Square Rigged

This is a rig whereby the mainsails are arranged in a horizontal spar so that they're square or vertical to the mast and the keel of the boat. The square rig is highly efficient when sailing downwind and was once very popular with ocean-going sailboats.

Unquestionably, sailing is always pleasurable. Imagine turning off the engine of your boat, hoisting the sails, and filling them with air! This is, without a doubt, a priceless moment that will make your boat keel and jump forward!

But being propelled by the noiseless motion of the wind and against the mighty currents and pounding waves of the seas require that you know various sail types and how to use them not just in propelling your boat but also in ensuring that you enjoy sailing and stay safe. Sails are a gorgeous way of getting forward. They remain the main fascination of sailboats and sea cruising. If anything, sails and boats are inseparable and are your true friends when out there on the water. As such, getting to know different types of sails and how to use them properly is of great importance.

All in all, let's wish you calm seas, fine winds, and a sturdy mast!

Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Exceptional Strength: Dyneema rigging boasts remarkable strength-to-weight ratio, making it incredibly robust and reliable even in demanding conditions.
Low Stretch: Dyneema has minimal stretch, which translates to improved sail control and responsiveness, ensuring better performance.
Lightweight: It's significantly lighter than traditional rigging materials like steel, reducing the overall weight of your vessel and enhancing speed and maneuverability.
Low Maintenance: Dyneema rigging requires minimal maintenance, offering sailors peace of mind and more time on the water.
Resistance to Corrosion: Unlike metal rigging, Dyneema is not susceptible to corrosion, ensuring a longer lifespan and durability.
UV Resistance: Dyneema is highly resistant to UV rays, making it ideal for prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Easy Handling: Its flexibility and ease of handling simplify rigging installation and adjustments.
Enhanced Safety: Dyneema's strength and reliability contribute to safer sailing experiences, reducing the risk of rigging failure.
Versatility: It's suitable for a wide range of applications, from standing rigging to halyards, making it a versatile choice for sailors.
Eco-Friendly: Dyneema is an environmentally friendly option as it doesn't release harmful substances into the water, contributing to a cleaner marine ecosystem.

Dyneema vs. Kevlar

Weigh the pros and cons of Dyneema and Kevlar to determine which suits your sailing needs best:

Dyneema Rigging:

Exceptional Strength: Dyneema boasts impressive strength, making it highly reliable for rigging purposes.
Low Stretch: It has minimal stretch, enhancing sail control and overall performance.
Lightweight: Dyneema is significantly lighter than traditional materials, reducing the vessel's weight.
Low Maintenance: Requires minimal upkeep, saving time and effort.
Corrosion Resistance: Dyneema is not susceptible to corrosion, ensuring durability.
UV Resistance: It's highly resistant to UV rays, making it suitable for extended exposure to sunlight.
Safety: Dyneema's strength and reliability contribute to safer sailing experiences.
Versatility: Suitable for various rigging applications, from standing rigging to halyards.
Cost: Dyneema can be more expensive than some traditional materials, initially.
Abrasion Resistance: It may be less resistant to abrasion compared to Kevlar.

Kevlar Rigging:

Excellent Abrasion Resistance: Kevlar is highly resistant to wear and tear, ensuring longevity.
High Tensile Strength: It offers impressive tensile strength, making it suitable for demanding applications.
Stiffness: Kevlar is stiffer than Dyneema, which can be advantageous for some rigging configurations.
Heavy: Kevlar is heavier than Dyneema, potentially impacting vessel performance.
Low UV Resistance: It is less resistant to UV radiation, which can affect its durability over time.
Higher Stretch: Kevlar tends to stretch more than Dyneema, which can impact sail control.
Prone to Corrosion: Unlike Dyneema, Kevlar can be susceptible to corrosion.
Cost: It can be expensive, and the initial investment may be higher than other materials.

Choosing between Dyneema and Kevlar depends on your specific sailing needs and priorities. Dyneema is favored for its strength, low stretch, and light weight, while Kevlar excels in abrasion resistance and tensile strength. Consider these factors when making your rigging material selection.

Stainless Steel Yacht Rigging

When it comes to yacht rigging, durability is paramount, and stainless steel rigging wires stand out as a top choice. Their robust nature, coupled with an unmistakable touch of elegance, makes them an ideal option for discerning sailors. Stainless steel yacht rigging is highly resistant to corrosion, even in the harsh marine environment. This resistance not only ensures a longer lifespan but also reduces maintenance efforts, allowing you to spend more time on the water. Additionally, the sleek appearance of stainless steel adds a touch of sophistication to your vessel. Whether you're cruising the open seas or participating in regattas, stainless steel yacht rigging combines style and substance to offer a premium sailing experience.

Spectra Standing Rigging

Spectra standing rigging is a game-changer for sailors seeking top-tier performance and durability. This advanced material, known for its incredible strength and low stretch properties, has revolutionized the way we approach standing rigging. Spectra rigging offers advantages that are hard to beat – it enhances the stability and safety of your vessel while providing exceptional responsiveness. The minimal stretch ensures precise sail control, making it the go-to choice for those who demand the utmost from their rigging. If you're looking to take your sailing experience to the next level, Spectra standing rigging is a choice that can't be ignored.

Read our top notch articles on topics such as sailing, sailing tips and destinations in our Magazine.

Rigging a Yacht: A Step-By-Step Guide

Now that you've grasped the basics and material options, let's dive into the practical aspect of rigging a yacht. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth and safe sailing experience.

Planning and Preparation

Rigging a yacht is a meticulous process that requires careful planning and thorough preparation. Before embarking on your sailing adventure, it's crucial to ensure that every aspect of your yacht's rigging is in top-notch condition. The advantages of this step-by-step guide are manifold. It guarantees the safety of both the vessel and its passengers, reduces the risk of mid-sail complications, and ultimately enhances your overall sailing experience. By meticulously inspecting your rigging and addressing any issues during the planning and preparation phase, you can set sail with confidence, knowing that your yacht is ready to navigate the open waters seamlessly.

Inspecting Your Rigging

Rigging a yacht is a meticulous process that demands careful attention to detail. One crucial aspect is inspecting your rigging. This step ensures the safety and efficiency of your sailing adventure. Regular inspections , even before you set sail, can identify potential issues and help prevent mishaps on the water . Inspecting your rigging is not only a safety measure but also a way to guarantee that your yacht performs at its best, allowing you to enjoy smooth and stress-free sailing experiences.

Rigging Replacement

When it comes to maintaining your yacht's rigging, the necessity of rigging replacement cannot be overstated. Whether due to wear and tear or a desire to upgrade to modern materials, knowing when and how to replace your rigging is crucial.

Specialized Rigs for Small Sailboats

For small sailboat enthusiasts , specialized rigs can enhance your sailing experience. Explore the options available for these nimble vessels.

Ship Rigging Terms

Sailboat rigging comes with its unique terminology. Get acquainted with the essential terms:

Mast: The vertical spar or structure that supports sails and rigging.
Boom: A horizontal spar that extends from the mast to support the bottom of a sail.
Shroud: Rigging wires that support the mast from the sides.
Stay: Rigging wires that support the mast from the front or back.
Halyard: Lines used to raise and lower sails.
Sheet: Lines used to control the angle of the sails with respect to the wind.
Jib: A triangular foresail set in front of the mast.
Tack: The lower forward corner of a sail.
Clew: The lower after corner of a sail.
Topping Lift: A line that supports the boom when the sail is not in use.

Understanding these ship rigging terms is essential for efficient and safe sailing, allowing you to communicate effectively with your crew and navigate the open waters with confidence.

Sailboat Stays and Shrouds

Sailboat rigging comprises various components, and among the most critical are sailboat stays and shrouds. Stays are the fixed support cables or wires that keep the mast upright, while shrouds add lateral support, preventing the mast from swaying. These components work together to maintain the mast's stability and ensure safe and efficient sailing. The proper tension and alignment of stays and shrouds are crucial for the overall performance and safety of a sailboat. Regular inspections and maintenance of these rigging elements are essential to prevent wear and tear, making sure they remain reliable on your sailing adventures. Understanding the role of sailboat stays and shrouds is fundamental for any sailor, whether you're navigating coastal waters or crossing the open sea.

In conclusion, boat rigging is a multifaceted subject that greatly influences your sailing experience. Understanding the fundamentals, material choices, and the process of rigging a yacht is essential for a successful voyage.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our range of charter boats and head to some of our favourite sailing destinations .

Standing Rigging (or ‘Name That Stay’)

Published by rigworks on november 19, 2019.

Question: When your riggers talk about standing rigging, they often use terms I don’t recognize. Can you break it down for me?

From the Rigger: Let’s play ‘Name that Stay’…

Forestay (1 or HS) – The forestay, or headstay, connects the mast to the front (bow) of the boat and keeps your mast from falling aft.

Your forestay can be full length (masthead to deck) or fractional (1/8 to 1/4 from the top of the mast to the deck).
Inner forestays, including staysail stays, solent stays and baby stays, connect to the mast below the main forestay and to the deck aft of the main forestay. Inner forestays allow you to hoist small inner headsails and/or provide additional stability to your rig.

Backstay (2 or BS) – The backstay runs from the mast to the back of the boat (transom) and is often adjustable to control forestay tension and the shape of the sails.

A backstay can be either continuous (direct from mast to transom) or it may split in the lower section (7) with “legs” that ‘V’ out to the edges of the transom.
Backstays often have hydraulic or manual tensioners built into them to increase forestay tension and bend the mast, which flattens your mainsail.
Running backstays can be removable, adjustable, and provide additional support and tuning usually on fractional rigs. They run to the outer edges of the transom and are adjusted with each tack. The windward running back is in tension and the leeward is eased so as not to interfere with the boom and sails.
Checkstays, useful on fractional rigs with bendy masts, are attached well below the backstay and provide aft tension to the mid panels of the mast to reduce mast bend and provide stabilization to reduce the mast from pumping.

Shrouds – Shrouds support the mast from side to side. Shrouds are either continuous or discontinuous .

Continuous rigging, common in production sailboats, means that each shroud (except the lowers) is a continuous piece of material that connects to the mast at some point, passes through the spreaders without terminating, and continues to the deck. There may be a number of continuous shrouds on your boat ( see Figure 1 ).

Cap shrouds (3) , sometimes called uppers, extend from masthead to the chainplates at the deck.
Intermediate shrouds (4) extend from mid-mast panel to deck.
Lower shrouds extend from below the spreader-base to the chainplates. Fore- (5) and Aft-Lowers (6) connect to the deck either forward or aft of the cap shroud.

Discontinuous rigging, common on high performance sailboats, is a series of shorter lengths that terminate in tip cups at each spreader. The diameter of the wire/rod can be reduced in the upper sections where loads are lighter, reducing overall weight. These independent sections are referred to as V# and D# ( see Figure 2 ). For example, V1 is the lowest vertical shroud that extends from the deck to the outer tip of the first spreader. D1 is the lowest diagonal shroud that extends from the deck to the mast at the base of the first spreader. The highest section that extends from the upper spreader to the mast head may be labeled either V# or D#.

A sailboat’s standing rigging is generally built from wire rope, rod, or occasionally a super-strong synthetic fibered rope such as Dyneema ® , carbon fiber, kevlar or PBO.

1×19 316 grade stainless steel Wire Rope (1 group of 19 wires, very stiff with low stretch) is standard on most sailboats. Wire rope is sized/priced by its diameter which varies from boat to boat, 3/16” through 1/2″ being the most common range.
1×19 Compact Strand or Dyform wire, a more expensive alternative, is used to increase strength, reduce stretch, and minimize diameter on high performance boats such as catamarans. It is also the best alternative when replacing rod with wire.
Rod rigging offers lower stretch, longer life expectancy, and higher breaking strength than wire. Unlike wire rope, rod is defined by its breaking strength, usually ranging from -10 to -40 (approx. 10k to 40k breaking strength), rather than diameter. So, for example, we refer to 7/16” wire (diameter) vs. -10 Rod (breaking strength).
Composite Rigging is a popular option for racing boats. It offers comparable breaking strengths to wire and rod with a significant reduction in weight and often lower stretch.

Are your eyes crossing yet? This is probably enough for now, but stay tuned for our next ‘Ask the Rigger’. We will continue this discussion with some of the fittings/connections/hardware associated with your standing rigging.

Ask the Rigger

Do your masthead sheaves need replacing.

Question: My halyard is binding. What’s up? From the Rigger: Most boat owners do not climb their masts regularly, but our riggers spend a lot of time up there. And they often find badly damaged Read more…

Selecting Rope – Length, Diameter, Type

Question: Do you have guidelines for selecting halyards, sheets, etc. for my sailboat? From the Rigger: First, if your old rope served its purpose but needs replacing, we recommend duplicating it as closely as possible Read more…

Spinlock Deckvest Maintenance

Question: What can I do to ensure that my Spinlock Deckvest is well-maintained and ready for the upcoming season? From the Rigger: We are so glad you asked! Deckvests need to be maintained so that Read more…

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The Running Rigging On A Sailboat Explained

The running rigging on a sailboat consists of all the lines used to hoist, lower, and control the sails and sailing equipment. These lines usually have different colors and patterns to easily identify their function and location on the vessel.

Looking at the spaghetti of lines with different colors and patterns might get your head spinning. But don’t worry, it is actually pretty simple. Each line on a sailboat has a function, and you’ll often find labels describing them in the cockpit and on the mast.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the functions of every component of the running rigging. We’ll also look at the hardware we use to operate it and get up to speed on some of the terminology.

The difference between standing rigging and running rigging

Sometimes things can get confusing as some of our nautical terms are used for multiple items depending on the context. Let me clarify just briefly:

The rig or rigging on a sailboat is a common term for two parts, the standing , and the running rigging.

The standing rigging consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the sails when sailing. Check out my guide on standing rigging here!
The running rigging consists of the halyards, sheets, and lines we use to hoist, lower, operate and control the sails on a sailboat which we will explore in this guide.

The components of the running rigging

Knowing the running rigging is an essential part of sailing, whether you are sailing a cruising boat or crewing on a large yacht. Different types of sailing vessels have different amounts of running rigging.

For example, a sloop rig has fewer lines than a ketch, which has multiple masts and requires a separate halyard, outhaul, and sheet for its mizzen sail. Similarly, a cutter rig needs another halyard and extra sheets for its additional headsail.

You can dive deeper and read more about Sloop rigs, Ketch Rigs, Cutter rigs, and many others here .

Take a look at this sailboat rigging diagram:

Lines are a type of rope with a smooth surface that works well on winches found on sailboats. They come in various styles and sizes and have different stretch capabilities.

Dyneema and other synthetic fibers have ultra-high tensile strength and low stretch. These high-performance lines last a long time, and I highly recommend them as a cruiser using them for my halyards.

A halyard is a line used to raise and lower the sail. It runs from the head of the sail to the masthead through a block and continues down to the deck. Running the halyard back to the cockpit is common, but many prefer to leave it on the mast.

Fun fact: Old traditional sailboats sometimes used a stainless steel wire attached to the head of the sail instead of a line!

Jib, Genoa, and Staysail Halyards

The halyard for the headsail is run through a block in front of the masthead. If your boat has a staysail, it needs a separate halyard. These lines are primarily untouched on vessels with a furling system except when you pack the sail away or back up. Commonly referred to as the jib halyard.

Spinnaker Halyard

A spinnaker halyard is basically the same as the main halyard but used to hoist and lower the spinnaker, gennaker, or parasailor.

The spinnaker halyard is also excellent for climbing up the front of the mast, hoisting the dinghy on deck, lifting the outboard, and many other things.

A sheet is a line you use to control and trim a sail to the angle of the wind . The mainsheet controls the angle of the mainsail and is attached between the boom and the mainsheet traveler . The two headsail sheets are connected to the sail’s clew (lower aft corner) and run back to each side of the cockpit.

These are control lines used to adjust the angle and tension of the sail. It is also the line used to unfurl a headsail on a furling system. Depending on what sail you are referring to, this can be the Genoa sheet , the Jib sheet , the Gennaker sheet , etc.

The outhaul is a line attached to the clew of the mainsail and used to adjust the foot tension. It works runs from the mainsail clew to the end of the boom and back to the mast. In many cases, back to the cockpit. On a boat with in-mast furling , this is the line you use to pull the sail out of the mast.

Topping lift

The topping lift is a line attached to the boom’s end and runs through the masthead and down to the deck or cockpit. It lifts and holds the boom and functions well as a spare main halyard. Some types of sailboat rigging don’t use a topping lift for their boom but a boom vang instead. Others have both!

Topping lifts can also be used to lift other spars.

A downhaul is a line used to lower with and typically used to haul the mainsail down when reefing and lowering the spinnaker and whisker poles. The downhaul can also control the tack of an asymmetrical spinnaker, gennaker, or parasailor.

Tweaker and Barber Haul

A tweaker is a line, often elastic, attached to the sheet of a headsail and used to fine-tune the tension on the sheet.

Barber haul

A barber haul is a line attached to a headsail’s sheet to adjust the sheeting angle to the wind. It is often used to pull the clew further toward the center or outboard than the cars allow.

Boom Preventer

A boom preventer is a line attached to the boom’s end when sailing off the wind. Its function is to hold the spar in place and prevent it from swinging wildly.

If the boat were to get an accidental gybe, it could cause serious damage to the rigging or even harm people on board. It is important for the rigger to be cautious when setting up the boom preventer.

Running Backstay

Running backstays is similar to a normal backstay but uses a line instead of a hydraulic tensioner. Some rigs have additional check stays or runners as well.

Bonus tip: Reefing

The term reefing is used when reducing the effective sailing area exposed to the wind of a given sail. Headsails are usually reefed by partially furling them in, and they often have marks for what we refer to as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reefs.

The mainsail is reefed similarly with an in-mast furling or in-boom furling system.

On a traditional mast, we use a system called slab reefing. The system has reefing lines running through the boom to reinforced points on the luff and leech, allowing you to pull the sail down to the boom and effectively reduce the sail area.

Having at least two reefing points in the mainsail is normal, but most cruising sailboats have 3. The 3rd is used for the heaviest conditions, giving you only a tiny bit of sail area exposed to the wind.

You want to reef your sails before the wind increases to a point where your boat gets overpowered.

It is essential to practice your reefing technique . You will find yourself in situations with rapidly increasing winds where you need to reduce your sails quickly.

Rule of thumb: If you think setting a reef might be a good idea, do it.

Shaking a reef is the term used when we sail with a reefed sail and want to increase the sail area back to full.

Hardware used for sail handling and the running rigging

Furling system.

Most sailboats have their headsail on a furling system. A furling system is a tube that runs along the forestay from the bottom furler drum to the masthead swivel.

This system allows you to roll the headsail around the forestay, making furling the sail in and out accessible. It is also convenient when reefing the sail when the wind picks up, as you can easily do this from the safety of the cockpit. These furling systems come in manual versions and electric versions.

In-mast furling

In-mast furling is a system that rolls the mainsail in and out of the mast. To unfurl the mainsail, we use the outhaul .

In-boom furling

In-boom furling is a system that rolls the mainsail in and out of the boom. This system has been costly and has mostly been seen on big yachts earlier. They are becoming more affordable and common on smaller boats, though. To unfurl this setup, we use the main halyard.

A Stack pack is also called a Lazy Bag or Lazy Pack. It is a bag with a zip attached to the boom where the mainsail is stored when unused. It protects the mainsail from UV rays from the sun and weather elements. It is a very nice and tidy way to store the mainsail and reefing lines if you don’t have in-mast or in-boom furling.

Lazy Jacks is a system of lines running from the stack pack to the mast. The Lazy Jacks guide the mainsail up and down from the Stack Pack and prevent it from falling down on the deck. It is also possible to rig Lazy Jacks without a Stack Pack.

A block is a pulley with a sheave wheel. Blocks are used to change the direction of a pull on a line or rope and give a mechanical advantage. They have many uses, especially onboard sailboats.

A winch is a metal drum that gives you a mechanical advantage to control and tighten lines. These can be operated by turning a rope around it and pulling manually or by a winch handle to get more force. Most modern winches are self-tailing, which means they lock the line on so you can winch the line without holding on to it. Some boats even have electrical winches operated by a button.

Mainsheet Traveler

The mainsheet traveler is a horizontal track that the mainsheet is attached to through a series of blocks. The traveler enables you to adjust and lock the boom at an angle and also plays a critical part in trimming the mainsail.

Most cruising sailboats have their traveler attached to the top of the coachroof in front of the spray hood. A racing boat typically has the traveler in the cockpit near the helm to give the helmsman better control over the mainsheet.

The cars are basically a pulley or block attached to a track on the port and starboard deck that your headsail sheets run through. Cars are used to control the angle of the sheet between the clew and the deck. The cars are handy when you trim the sail to set the right balance of tension between the foot and leech, depending on your point of sail.

The jammer is used to lock a line in place. Most sailboats use these for locking the halyards, mainsheet, outhaul, reef lines, traveler lines, boom vang lines, etc. You can pull or winch a line through a closed jammer, but it won’t run away if you let go of it unless you open the lock.

As I explained earlier, it is normal to have most or all of the lines led back to the cockpit, and they are usually run through a series of jammers.

The jammers are often labeled with the name of the line it locks, which makes it easier to remember which line goes where.

Spinnaker Pole

A spinnaker pole is a spar used to wing out a headsail when sailing off the wind, particularly the spinnaker. The spinnaker pole should have the same length as the distance between the mast and the forestay measured along the deck. We use a fore and aft guy and the pole’s topping lift to rig a pole correctly.

The rigging varies depending on the layout of the boat, but it usually looks like this:

One line runs from the bow to the end of the pole.
An aft line runs from near the stern to the end of the pole.
A topping lift is used to raise and lower the pole.

Whisker Pole

A whisker pole is similar to the spinnaker pole and is rigged similarly. It is typically built lighter and attached to a track on the mast. These can be found in fixed lengths or adjustable lengths. Ideally, the length should be the same as the foot of the headsail you intend to pole out.

Boom Vang/Rod Kicker

The Boom Vang has a few different names. Rod-kicker, kicking strap, or kicker. It is used to tension the boom downwards. When you are sailing downwind and have the boom far out, the mainsheet won’t pull the boom down as much as inboard, and you can then use the vang to adjust the twist and shape of the mainsail.

Mooring line

A mooring line is a traditional rope lead through a fairlead to the vessel’s cleat and a mooring buoy, key, or pontoon.

Final words

Congratulations! By now, you should have a much better understanding of how the running rig on a sailboat functions. We’ve covered the different lines, their purpose, and the hardware used to operate them. I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide and learned something new.

Now it’s time to take what you’ve learned and put it into practice by getting out on the water, setting sail, and getting hands-on experience with the lines.

Or you can continue to my following guide and learn more about the different types of sails .

Sharing is caring!

Skipper, Electrician and ROV Pilot

Robin is the founder and owner of Sailing Ellidah and has been living on his sailboat since 2019. He is currently on a journey to sail around the world and is passionate about writing his story and helpful content to inspire others who share his interest in sailing.

Yachting Monthly

Digital edition

Expert advice: sails and rigging

Katy Stickland
December 22, 2021

Keeping sails and rigging in tip-top shape are of key importance to sailors. Read our tips and tricks from experts to improve their longevity

Tony's homemade mast steps are still going strong after two circumnavigations of the world. Credit: Tony Curphey

Sails and rigging are the engine room of any sailing boat from small dinghies up to giant superyachts. No matter how big or how new your boat, the sails and rigging need to be checked regularly and will need intermittent updating.

Updating of rigging on a yacht in particular will often be a requirement for insurance purposes so any owner will want to be mindful of that and make sure they upgrade often enough for those purposes – usually 10-15 years, but check your policy.

But you don’t need to focus on buying new to make improvements to your boat. Sure brand new sails will give you a performance boost, but there is plenty to be done with your old sails and rigging to improve performance and their longevity.

Tidy up your rigging – Dr Nick Bamford

Keeping lines shorter will help keep a clear cockpit. Credit: Dr Nick Bamford

When changing your standing rigging, look at your running rigging too.

The hi-tech, non-stretch polyester with which we just replaced our old wire and rope halyards has massively reduced the friction and now makes hoisting the mainsail a joy.

And this prompted another review. The advantages of all halyards and reefing lines led back to the cockpit, in terms of ease of operation as well as safety, are well known.

But the price you pay is that mountain of spaghetti cluttering up the cockpit!

I realised that a lot of mine was simply not needed. The lines were the length they were because they always had been! It was time for a rethink.

I treated myself to a £20 butane rope knife and set to work, and the result is a joyfully tidy cockpit.

I do have one other rigging tip, which I discovered when I lost a reefing line in the boom.

While specialist mousing devices are not cheap, curtain wire is! And it works a treat

Carabiner at your boom – Harry Dekkers

Carabiners will make it easier to reef. Credit: Harry Dekkers

How often did you try to hook the reefing eye of the mainsail at the forward end of the boom only to find that it has fallen out before you are able to hoist the halyard?

I have overcome this issue by welding carabiners on the existing ramshorn hooks on both sides of the gooseneck.

Secure every inch of your sails – Jonty Pearce

Sails and rigging advice: Ensure genoas are well secured on their roller reefing forestay before leaving the boat. Credit: Theo Stocker

When wandering around marinas, moorings, and boatyards, I am always dismayed by the number of yachts left with a triangle of genoa unfurled on their roller reefing forestay.

Not only does this engender potential weakness as a result of exposure to damaging solar ultraviolet, but that small handkerchief of unrolled sail can be worried by strong winds until it risks a catastrophic unfurling with consequential ripping and destruction of the flogging material.

It seems that every winter I spot a tattered rag of an unfurled sail that could have been properly protected by secure tight rolling.

My habit is to roll my genoa away with at least two turns of overlying sheet to trap the sail; the sheets are then tightened and securely tailed on the winches. This protects against unwanted unfurling and also provides an extra handhold.

When leaving the boat for any time, those more obsessional than I might back the sheets up with a safety lashing around the sail/sheet combination, as well as tying a preventer onto the roller reefing drum so that any damage to its furling line does not result in the sail unwrapping.

Homemade mast steps – Tony Curphey

Tony’s homemade mast steps are still going strong after two circumnavigations of the world. Credit: Tony Curphey

Mast steps are invaluable when you are cruising. They don’t have to be expensive. Mine cost me about £100, which was the price of a flat aluminium bar and Monel pop rivets. It’s necessary to have a good large pop riveter like the trellis one I have.

I used my small, onboard vice to bend them into shape. Make sure each step is wide enough for your foot with hard shoes on.

Start from the deck and put as few on as possible, spacing them apart as far as you can step up. You can use your bosun’s chair to drill and rivet, using 4x 6.4mm rivets per step.

Finish off with two together at the top so that you can stand on them and work at the very top of the mast.

I finished mine off with gold spray paint to match Nicola Deux ’s 1970s mast.

The mast steps have been there for five years and two circumnavigations, and are as firm and strong as when first fitted.

The mast has 14 steps, but I have long legs.

DIY quick-release soft shackles – Duncan Wells

Soft shackles are just the business these days; easy on the hands, no chafe to worry about and no pin to drop in the drink.

Soft shackles made from Dyneema are lighter and stronger than stainless steel, they are also kinder to your boat and your hands.

But a soft shackle, such as the one above does still present and issue in that getting them undone does require you to pull the inner core to open the loop end and allow the diamond knot through. This is why a quick-release system is a good idea.

Tie off the ends once you have passed your quick release lanyard through the shackle. Credit: Duncan Wells

Pull the inner core of the shackle out so it makes a loop sufficient to get the diamond knot through comfortably.

Then make your hole. Use a fid (a pen or screwdriver will do) to separate the 12-strand rope, pass the lanyard through and tie in a knot. Now set the shackle and smooth the outer core from the diamond knot end to the loop end and nip it up tight.

To release, pull on the lanyard.

Preventing chafe on sails and rigging – Julian and Patricia Morgan

Sewing on anti-chafe covers to lines ahead of a passage. Credit: Patricia and Julian Morgan

Chafe and rubbing damage is an ongoing enemy and it is surprising how quickly small rubs can lead to considerable damage to sheets, sails, halyards, lines and equipment.

On long-distance passages we do a detailed boat inspection, using a checklist, at least twice a day, including looking for signs of chafe.

We have installed tough anti-chafe covers on halyards and reefing lines where damage is likely, for example where ropes pass around sheaves or blocks.

We carry a bag full of short lengths of plastic pipe, which we use to pass over mooring and other lines when wear is likely to be an issue.

We also have plenty of readymade Dyneema soft shackles and loops, and have replaced many of our shackles with Dyneema equivalents, again reducing wear and damage.

Sails are very susceptible to chafe on long passages.

We have to be careful that our mainsail does not rub on our spreaders and shrouds when sailing downwind and have had covers sewn over our batten pockets where chafe has arisen.

We put one reef in the main when running to stop the sail touching the upper intermediate shrouds.

The ideal Genoa sheet attachment – Vyv Cox

Sails and rigging advice: A soft shackle makes an ideal genoa sheet attachment. Credit: Vyv Cox

There are many different ways in which genoa sheets may be attached to the sail, ranging from the simple but inelegant cow hitch, via bowlines or other knots, to some quite sophisticated methods.

In most cases they may be much of a muchness but there is one particular case that complicates the issue, and this is the presence of a baby-stay.

On our boat the combination of a large overlapping genoa and baby-stay has probably led to more sailing foul-ups than anything else on the boat.

Over the years we have tried most common methods of attachment but in every one there is a good chance that the knot or join will catch when tacking.

The only answer, short of going forward to unhitch it is to let the boat’s bow fall away until the sail blows free, not conducive to efficient tacking and doubling the effort of sheeting the sail home on the new tack.

We have tried most types of bearing on the stay itself, large and small diameter plastic tubes in various order, but none was truly satisfactory.

Then, soft shackles came onto the market. This seemed like the perfect solution to the problem, and so it proved.

I spliced loops into the end of each sheet, not quite as easily as it might have been as I was using a welding rod as a fid, and working with rope that was several years old.

Nonetheless, after an afternoon’s work we had a new system to try and the transformation was remarkable.

I cannot claim that the sail never hangs up on tacking but the occasions are pretty rare.

We have now used this same original shackle for 10 years and it continues to give excellent service.

Permanent boom preventer – Helen Melton

A permanent preventer attachment makes sailing easier. Credit: Helen Melton

Our Westerly Ocean 43 has a large, fully battened mainsail.

In light winds, or in anything less than flat seas, we have found it is essential to pin the main into place to curb any unnecessary flogging and hence prevent an accidental crash gybe.

Having a dedicated preventer line and pulley blocks in the cockpit locker ready for such conditions was helpful, but attaching it to the end of the boom in a centre cockpit boat whilst at sea felt like a needlessly hazardous manoeuvre that I wasn’t comfortable with.

We solved the problem by rigging a permanent line along the underside of the boom, one end with a hard eye splice and the other with a snap shackle.

From the relative safety of the mast foot, the preventer can now be secured and winched into place.

Wash your turning blocks with warm water – Graham Walker

Salt crystals and other debris can prevent turning blocks and clutches from running smoothly. Credit: Graham Walker . Use warm water to wash them down

Sails and rigging advice: Salt crystals and other debris can prevent turning blocks and clutches from running smoothly. Credit: Graham Walker

Before we set off on our Atlantic passage from Las Palmas, we had an expert rigger do full rig inspection for us.

At the same time he gave us a lot of valuable advice about maintenance.

One thing he recommended was to wash all of our turning blocks and clutches with warm, fresh water to remove all the salt crystals and other debris ingrained in the blocks and their bearings.

We took his advice and used a lot of warm water to wash everything down thoroughly.

It was eye-opening to see how much friction we were able to remove from the system by getting everything really clean.

That then translated directly into less effort on sail handling and sail changes.

Think like a climber – Helen Melton

Using an ascender and climbing hardness has made it easier for the crew of SeaEye to climb the mast. Credit: Helen Melton

After a few years of taxing work winching a crew member, sat in a bosun’s chair, up the mast we rethought how to lighten the load, (literally) and bought ourselves two ascenders and a climbing harness.

Also known as jumars, they clip and lock to a rope – we use the spinnaker halyard on our boat – sliding freely in one direction but clamping firmly when pulled in the opposite direction.

By using them in pairs, one with a foot loop affixed, the climber can alternate taking weight through their harness whilst easily manoeuvring the other upwards, then stepping up on the foot loop.

In an emergency, the mast can be ascended alone without support whilst if crew are available, a second halyard can be used as a safety line.

This brings about an added advantage when descending in that they can be lowered away efficiently on the winch.

A rigger, who has recently worked on our boat, works alone and always uses this technique, mousing his own halyard to be 100% certain of the condition of the line bearing his weight.

It is recommended that you wear a helmet when climbing the mast.

Check furling line fairleads – Harry Dekkers

A worn furling line fairlead can make hauling lines heavy work. Credit: Harry Dekkers

Do you sometimes wonder why your headsail furling line is not running freely? Is it the wind, the furling system itself or is it a problem with the furling line fairlead?

I found out that mine was 50 pert cent worn out, as you can see in the picture.

No wonder it took me a lot of effort.

It is also worth remembering that when unfurling your headsail, always control the furling line because if a strong wind makes the headsail run out too fast, the furling line will be tangled in the furling drum and you will only notice it once you need to furl the sail again

Practice working aloft – Graham Walker

Sails and rigging advice: Make sure every crew member has experience going aloft. Credit: Kate Walker

Who normally goes aloft when the need arises?

Depending on the task and the situation it may not always be appropriate for this to be the most experienced person (possibly the skipper) or the lightest member of the crew.

On a long passage it makes good sense for all members of the crew to have experience going aloft and putting other crew members aloft.

Before our transatlantic we made sure that everyone on board had the opportunity to go aloft and experience working on the mast.

Cost-effective mainsheet horse – Tony Curphey

Tony’s mainsheet horse has stood up well to a circumnavigation of the world. Credit: Tony Curphey

Most of the changes I make to my Nicholson 32 are for economic and simplistic reasons.

When I built the new large stern locker to reduce the volume of my cockpit, I had to move the mainsheet horse.

The new mainsheet horse was very simple and cost only the price of four new long 12mm stainless steel ringbolts.

It is also better than the old one because it’s higher so doesn’t chafe on the top guardrail when sailing off the wind.

I used the original four bolt holes for the new long ringbolts but raised them with hardwood by 5 inches.

A single length of 3-strand pre-stretched 10mm polyester rope (the boltrope from an old sail) was passed through all four ringbolt eyes and the ends tied together.

The sliding part of the horse is a 12mm stainless steel bow shackle, over all four parts of the rope. All ringbolts have equal strain.

The rope horse did a complete circumnavigation via the Southern Ocean with very little sign of wear.

Put chafe guard on your genoa sheet – Graham Walker

Sailing and rigging: a chafe guard on a genoa sheet

Chafe guard will make your sheets last longer. Credit: Graham Walker

When we started sailing longer passages we read about the problem of chafe, particularly on genoa sheets when poled out downwind.

The junction between the jaw on the pole and the section of sheet just behind the bowline seemed to be a particular area of wear.

\We learnt that rigging the pole so as to minimise movement between the jaw and the sheet makes a massive difference.

To try to eliminate any possible chafe we put Dyneema chafe guard on the first 2m of the genoa sheets, covering the area that would be in contact with the pole jaw.

After 12 years we’ve replaced a few metres of chafe guard, but we still have our original genoa sheets.

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Sailboat line & rigging - halyards, sheets, control lines & more.

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Recommended Diameter by Application & Boat Length


6mm / 1/4 in	6mm / 1/4 in	8mm / 5/16 in	8mm / 5/16 in	9mm / 3/8 in	11mm / 7/16 in
6mm / 1/4 in	6mm / 1/4 in	8mm / 5/16 in	8mm / 5/16 in	9mm / 3/8 in	11mm / 7/16 in
6mm / 1/4 in	6mm / 1/4 in	8mm / 5/16 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in	11mm / 7/16 in
6mm / 1/4 in	6mm / 1/4 in	8mm / 5/16 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in	11mm / 7/16 in
8mm / 5/16 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in	11mm / 7/16 in	12mm / 1/2 in
6mm / 1/4 in	8mm / 5/16 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in	11mm / 7/16 in	12mm / 1/2 in
6mm / 1/4 in	8mm / 5/16 in	8mm / 5/16 in	8mm / 5/16 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in
5mm / 3/16 in	6mm / 1/4 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in	9mm / 3/8 in	11mm / 7/16 in

1mm = 3/64 inch	2mm = 5/64 inch	3mm = 1/8 inch	4mm = 5/32 inch	5mm = 3/16 inch	6mm = 1/4 inch
7mm = 9/32 inch	8mm = 5/16 inch	9mm = 3/8 inch	10mm = 25/64 inch	11mm = 7/16 inch	12mm = 1/2 inch

If you are replacing an existing line, the easiest way to determine what diameter you need is to match what you already have. This can be done with a caliper or by close estimation with a tape measure. For example, if you've previously used a 7mm halyard and it has performed well, another 7mm line is likely a great choice. In most applications, there is some flexibility in the exact diameter that can be used. Most blocks, for example, have an 'ideal' diameter (ie, the line diameter that runs most effectively though the block's sheave) but also have a range so that you can run a slightly thinner or slightly thicker line. If you have a halyard that is getting hung up in your rig, stepping down 1-2mm might help the halyard run more efficiently. If you have a larger boat or rig and want to run a thinner halyard, consider a double braid line that features a Dyneema or Spectra core for strength. A similar approach can be applied to replacing sheets, control lines, and other line on your sailboat.

Double Braid vs Single Braid

Two terms you will often see in line descriptions are 'double braid' and 'single braid', which refer to the way the line is constructed. At the most basic level, a double braid line has a cover and a core whereas a single braid does not, but there are other important distinctions to consider when making a line selection.

Single Braids are made up of either 8 or 12 strands that are braided into a circular pattern, half clockwise and half counter clockwise. This produces a line that is supple, absorbs twists, and tends not to kink. There are two types of single braid lines: performance single braids and polyester/blended single braids. Performance single braids are made from fibers with very low stretch and designed to handle extreme loads - think Dyneema, Spectra, or Vectran. Polyester/blended single braids, sometimes called hollow braid, are soft and easy to grip, built for sheets and hand-adjusted control lines. These are less common than performance single braid lines but recommended in a few specific applications.

Double Braids , sometimes called braid on braid, have a braided core within a braided outer jacket or cover. This creates a strong, durable, smooth-running line that is easy to handle. Double braids are used for the vast majority of all running rigging on sailboats including sheets, halyards and control lines for both cruising or racing. There are two types to consider: polyester double braids and high-tech double braids. Polyester double braids, found most commonly on recreational and cruising sailboats, have a polyester cover with polyester core. These are low maintenance, affordable, and long-lasting, while offering relatively low stretch and high working loads. For additional strength and minimal stretch, consider high-tech double braids. These lines typically feature a Dyneema or Spectra core (non-stretch) inside a polyester or polyester/dyneema blend cover for additional durability. They are more expensive but often the go to choice for high performance racing boats.

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Practical Boat Owner

Digital edition

Trysail trimming: a guide for sailors

Ben Meakins
September 11, 2024

Ben Meakins explains how to set and deploy trysails to improve boat control in high-wind conditions

When things get hairy at sea, you need to be able to reduce sail to suit.

Most cruising boats have two or three sets of reef points in the main, but once the wind’s up to Force 7 or above (35 knots plus) even that is likely to be too much sail.

Mostly, and especially with today’s excellent weather forecasting , we don’t venture out in that much wind: but sometimes, should a harbour or anchorage become untenable, should the unexpected happen and a storm hit at sea (or, simply, should we want to go for a windy sail), it pays to be prepared.

Ocean sailors can make their trips much more comfortable with suitable ways to reduce sail.

As with any debate in sailing, the decision over whether to use a trysail or an extra reef in the main is founded in decades of opinions.

The case for the trysail

A trysail is an odd beast to look at, but has a cutaway tack and a long foot which, instead of using the boom, sheets to the toerail.

The cutaway tack allows waves to pass underneath the sail, causing a minimum of damage to sail and spars.

A secondary track on a yacht for hoisting a trysail

Here, a secondary track for the trysail ensures it’s ready to use

The leech and foot are both hollowed to avoid the edges flogging in heavy winds.

But the main advantage of a trysail is that it avoids the need for the boom.

Booms are dangerous things at the best of times, but swinging around in a gale, they can make moving around hazardous.

With the trysail up, the boom can be lashed to the deck, keeping it (and you) safely out of harm’s way.

Downwind, this is especially important.

As the boat rolls, the boom can hit the water, leading to damage and, potentially, a broken boom.

But with the boom lashed down and a trysail set, things become much more manageable.

Using a trysail also means you can protect your mainsail for longer instead of flogging it as you try to sail in extreme conditions.

Trysails can also be used in conjunction with a sea anchor to keep the boat’s bow to the wind.

The case for adding an extra reef

Some people prefer to add a fourth reef to their mainsail instead of using a trysail.

This, they argue, is not only safer, but much easier to set up.

A sail with a third reed in it on a boat

This is a typical third reef – a fourth will bring the sail area much lower

Instead of battling sailcloth (many trysails require you to remove most of the sliders from the mast, then flake and lash up the mainsail), they argue that you can simply slab in another reef, which is quicker, safer and easier than battling a trysail.

There’s also a performance advantage, the same people will claim, over a trysail – a deep reefed mainsail is likely to let the boat point better upwind.

Tips for using a trysail

Practise with it on a moderate day so you can know its workings inside out.

Write instructions for its specific use on the outside of the sail bag.

If you’re planning some ocean or high-latitude sailing, consider adding a separate track to the mast.

Another option is Harken’s innovative switching system

This allows you to leave the mainsail attached via its sliders and to simply hoist the trysail on a separate track. A hi-tech system is made by Harken.

Similar to a railway line, the trysail is attached to a separate track which merges with the main track at a set of points above the deck.

You can leave both set up and simply switch between the two.

The system is available in 26, 32 and 50mm sizes.

Getting a trysail made

International Offshore racing rules state that the area of a trysail should not exceed 17.5% of the mainsail luff length x mainsail foot length.

This means that, as the leech and foot are hollowed out, the area will be roughly 25 to 30 per cent of the mainsail.

Offshore racing boats are now required to have the sail made from high-visibility orange cloth, or at least with a large orange patch on the sail – this aids visibility to other craft in big seas.

How to set a trysail, step-by-step

It’s a great help if you can know what to do with the trysail before you need it – here you can see written-on instructions for hoist height, downhaul tension and sheet positions.

1. On this boat, the first job is to lower and secure the mainsail.

2. The top 10 sliders must be removed from the mast track.

3. That done, the stack pack can be zipped up. We added a few extra sail ties to the sail and boom to keep it secured.

4. The lazyjacks must be taken forward and hooked around the reefing horns.

5. This done, the boom can be lowered and lashed to the toerail – here, we’re using a length of Dyneema for extra strength. The mainsheet can then be tensioned to keep the boom secure.

A man rigging a trysail on the mast of a yacht

6. Boom secured, we can rig the trysail. Starting from the bottom, the sliders can be inserted into the mast track.

A main halyard attached to a trysail on a boat

7. The main halyard is attached, and some tension is taken on it to stop the halyard from winding round the spreaders : a problem that can be surprisingly difficult to rectify in 40 knots of wind!

8. The downhaul line is fed through an eye and tied off so that the tack will be level with the exit for the spinnaker pole uphaul. This ensures that the clew is at the correct height.

A line going through a block on a yacht, part of the rigging

9. The sheets are now rigged through special blocks, which are located as far aft as possible. You’ll need two separate sheets – many people use their mooring lines. On many boats, the spinnaker sheet blocks are ideal for this, being well positioned.

10. With the sliders inserted, the trysail can now be hoisted and sheeted home. It’s best if you can keep some tension in the sheets from the start to avoid the clew flogging in the cockpit.

11. With the trysail hoisted, you can adjust the luff tension with the main halyard as you would a normal mainsail to improve the shape as required.

Sailing with a trysail

Sailing upwind.

Because there is no boom, the trysail sheets must be taken to the quarters – but this means that pointing is sacrificed.

While in most storm situations you’re unlikely to need to make ground to weather, instead riding it out, there are occasions where you may need to go upwind.

Sheets are taken to the quarters..

With the leeward sheet tight, you can pull on the windward sheet to act as a traveller and pull the clew to windward, if height is required.

This lowered our speed somewhat, but the pointing angle was much improved.

…but by tensioning the windward sheet you can bring the clew to windward

Some recommend using a reefing pennant taken from the end of the boom to use as a sheet, whereupon you can use the trysail much like a heavily-reefed mainsail.

This will improve your pointing ability as you can use the traveller and mainsheet as usual but isn’t as safe if you’re simply riding out some rough stuff.

Sailing downwind

Sailing downwind in waves is where the trysail really comes into its own as it does away with the boom.

However, to stop the sail’s clew flogging around as you approach dead downwind, it’s helpful to add another sheet, this time with a more vertical pull.

A trysail being used to sail a boat downwind

Sailing downwind in big waves, the trysail is a useful way to keep the boom safely lashed down

We’ve used a snatch block attached to the rail to pull the clew downwards and keep the sail under control.

The danger of gybing is also lessened – the sail can begin to try and gybe, but the new sheet stops it from happening.

A third sheet, taken to the toerail, stabilises the sail

A rig consisting of a trysail, clew pulled down, and a jib poled out is a very safe way of sailing downwind in lots of wind and big waves.

Sailing on a reach

Sailing on a reach, the trysail has few differences from a reefed-down mainsail.

Sailing on a reach, the trysail is not much less efficient than a deep-reefed mainsail

Unaffected by the issues which stop you pointing upwind, and by the rolling issues downwind, it provides ample power with some protection against large waves washing over at deck level.

As with a trysail, many people never look at their storm jibs , and most cruising sailors are unlikely to need theirs.

Different types of storm jib

Boats with roller-furling headsails often have a problem when it comes to wanting to hoist a storm jib – that of having to lower their furling sail first, which is no mean feat on a wet, pitching deck.

But why not simply furl the normal jib?

This Crusader Sails jib folds around the furler and the two clews are secured together

There are a few problems with this.

Firstly, the shape won’t be as good, and a partially-rolled sail will have more windage.

This design by Kemp is a sleeve which fits over a furled sail. A normal storm jib then hanks on

If you’re going to make any ground to windward in a storm, you’ll need the best chance, which means a separate storm jib.

A rolled jib will be baggy and full, which will simply result in more heeling and more leeway, less windward movement and more discomfort for the crew.

A yacht with a blue hull and white sails

As the name suggests, the Storm Bag launches from a bag. The sail doubles around the forestay

A proper storm jib will also be made from much heavier cloth, making it far more suitable for a windy day.

Some options are available that allow you to hoist a storm jib on a rolled-up forestay.

This storm jib, made by Ullman Sails, also launches from a bag which folds around the forestay

But perhaps the best route is to install an inner forestay.

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The Gale Sail uses a light sleeve over the rolled headsail. This is pre-attached to a storm jib

Best of all, it moves the centre of effort back to match that of the mainsail, which will have moved forward when reefing – or when changing to a trysail.

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The 7 Best Perch Rigs (Rigging & Fishing Guide)

UPDATED 03 NOVEMBER 2023

by Robert Ceran

While small perch are usually easy to catch (and abundant in most lakes), bigger perch over 1 to 2 pounds are much harder to target, and require more skill from the angler.

But no matter if you want to catch your limit of panfish-sized perch, or if you want to hook a trophy perch or two, it’s essential to know what rigs to use for perch fishing, in order to improve your chances of success.

Table of Contents

Here I’ll cover the best perch rigs that you need to know. I’ll also discuss how to tie each of them, how to use them, and what purpose each of them is ideally suited for.

Best fishing rigs for perch (setup & fishing guide)

How do you rig for perch fishing?

The best perch fishing rigs are:

Slip bobber rig

Drop shot rig

Carolina rig

Perch pounder rig.

Each of these perch rigs comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and we’ll walk you through each of them below.

We’ll also give you a recommendation on what these perch fishing setups are best suited for, so you can decide which rig is best for you.

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This is by far the easiest perch rig to tie, and is usually worth trying out first, since it allows you to get a sense of what the fish are keyed into before you try more complex perch fishing setups.

How to tie it : If you’re using fluorocarbon or monofilament as your main line, you don’t need to tie a leader, and can just tie your main line directly to a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig head (either plain metal, or a colored jig head is fine).

But if you’re using braid as your main line, you’ll need to tie a 2 foot long 6 to 8 lb test fluorocarbon leader.

Berkley Power Minnow

My favorite soft plastic bait for perch, pre-rigged onto a jig head (2″ size is ideal for perch).

After tying the jig head to your line, thread on a soft plastic lure, such as a grub tail or paddle tail swimbait. Personally, I like to use Berkley power minnows with this rig, since they have the perfect action.

Another great thing about this perch fishing setup is that you can easily switch out the soft plastic lure to test different shapes, sizes, and colors.

How to use it : As with all yellow perch rigs, you should aim to keep them very close to the bottom during retrieval.

So after casting your jig with a jigging rod , wait for it to reach the bottom before you start retrieving it, and regularly pause during retrieval to let it sink back to the bottom.

Experiment with different retrieval speeds and cadences, until you find something that triggers bites.

When to use it : The jig rig is a great search bait, which you can use to cover a lot of water in search of feeding perch.

It’s also a great option if you’re not getting any bites on a live bait rig, or if you’re not sure if there are any fish around.

Keep on moving around until your find a school of fish, and then experiment with different baits and presentation techniques.

This is one of the best perch rigs for live bait , and also one of the best setups to use from shore. I like to set up a deadstick with a slip bobber rig, while casting a lure with my active rod.

How to tie it : It’s best to start by threading a bobber stopper onto your line, followed by a plastic bead (which prevents the bobber stop from getting stuck inside the bobber), and then the slip bobber.

Since perch don’t respond well to a lot of resistance when they take a bait, it’s best to use a relatively thin finesse bobber when fishing for perch.

Underneath the bobber, pinch on some split shot weights to stop the bobber from sliding down all the way, and then tie the line to a swivel.

Finally, tie a 6 to 8 lb test fluorocarbon leader to the swivel, and a size 2 to 4 bait hook (or micro jig head) to the other end of the leader.

How to use it : When using the slip bobber rig, it’s important to adjust your depth setting to about 6 inches above the bottom, since this is the primary strike zone for perch.

Once you’ve determined the right depth, bait the hook with a minnow or a worm, cast out your perch live bait rig, and wait for bites.

When to use it : This perch float rig is a great option to use from shore, since you can cast it out and wait for fish to pass by and take your bait.

You can also use this perch bait rig from a boat, but keep in mind that if you’re drifting, the depth of the bottom will tend to change all the time, which makes it harder to keep your bait presentation close to the bottom.

Drop shot rig for perch

The drop shot rig was originally developed as a finesse rig for bass, but has now become one of the most popular perch rigs, since it provides anglers with an amazingly sensitive and lightweight presentation that targets exactly the right depth of the water column.

How to tie it : Start by tying a size 2 to 6 drop shot hook to your line ( here’s a great video tutorial on how to do that). Next, clip on a 1/4 to 1/8 oz drop shot weight to the line underneath the hook, and then add a soft plastic bait to the hook, as shown in the image above.

One of the advantages of this perch rig setup is that you can adjust the position of the weight on the line, which allows you to easily change the depth of your bait presentation.

How to use it : Cast out your rig, and wait for the weight to sink to the bottom. Then use subtle movements of your rod tip to twitch the lure without actually lifting the weight off the bottom.

Do this for a couple of minutes in each spot before reeling in a few feet of line and repeating the process.

When to use it : The drop shot rig is great when you’ve found a location with lots of fish, since it allows you to fish in one spot until you get a bite, without having to continuously retrieve the lure.

It’s also great because you can key in on a very specific depth where perch are active.

While the ned rig superficially resembles the jig rig, it has a different and very characteristic action in the water, which makes it highly effective for catching perch.

How to tie it : Tie this perch rig the same way that you would tie a jig rig, but using a mushroom jig head instead of a regular round jig head.

Also, when choosing a soft plastic bait to use with the ned rig, it’s essential to choose one that is specifically designed for ned rigging, and that floats in the water.

How to use it : Cast out the ned rig, and retrieve it slowly, pausing for a few seconds every time the ned rig reaches the bottom.

The distinguishing feature of the this yellow perch fishing rig is that the combination of using a mushroom jig head with a floating plastic bait results in its tail standing up straight every time you let the ned rig sink to the bottom.

Perch seem to find this action irresistible, and you’ll often experience getting bites when your jig is sitting on the bottom.

When to use it : You can use this perch rig as a search bait setup, or you can use it on finicky fish that don’t respond to other presentations. It’s especially effective when the perch are pressured, and if they’re not used to seeing a ned rig.

The Carolina rig is one of the most versatile bottom fishing rigs in the world, and works well for a variety of species, including perch.

How to tie it : Thread a bullet sinker onto your main line, followed by a plastic bead, and then tie your line to a swivel. The plastic bead prevents the weight from getting stuck on the swivel, or damaging the knot.

Next, tie on a 1 to 2 foot fluoro leader, and they tie that to a size 2 to 4 worm hook , which is designed for weedless rigging of a soft plastic bait. You can choose from a wide variety of soft plastics, including minnow, shad or worm imitations.

How to use it : Cast this perch rig setup out and wait for the weight to reach the bottom. Then give it another 10 to 20 seconds before reeling in a couple of feet, and pausing again.

Every time you pause this perch rig, the plastic bait (which doesn’t have any weight except the hook) sinks slowly down towards the bottom, and this is usually what triggers bites.

Perch bites on the Carolina rig can be quite subtle, so you really need to pay attention to soft taps or tugs. If you do feel a bite, reel in until you feel resistance, and then set the hook.

Braided line is the best choice as your main line for this perch rig, since it provides the most sensitivity in terms of being able to feel what’s going on with your hook and sinker.

When to use it : the Carolina rig is a great option for fishing from shore or from boat, and I like to use it when yellow perch aren’t responding to other presentations, since this rig can trigger bites from finicky pressured perch.

The perch pounder rig is ideal for vertical fishing from a boat, and works best in relatively deep water.

How to tie it : Use one piece of leader line to tie the entire rig. Since you don’t want the side arms of this perch rig to constantly get tangled up with the main line, it’s best to use a relatively heavy fluorocarbon line of about 15 to 20 lb test, which is quite stiff.

Tie a loop in the leader line by folding a loop back on itself and then tying several overhand knots.

After pulling this tight, cut one of the arms of the loop, which results in a straight piece of line sticking out from the leader.

Thread one or two beads onto this line, and then tie on a size 4 to 8 bait hook.

Next, repeat this process by tying a second loop about 8 inches below the first loop, and also add beads and a bait hook to this one.

Then cut off the leader line about 12 inches below the second hook, and tie it to a heavy 1 oz sinker.

In the last step, cut off the leader above the top hook, and tie it to a swivel, which you can use to tie it to your main line.

How to use it : The best way to use this perch rig is for vertical fishing from a boat in deep water of 50 feet or more, and it is one of the best rigs to target big perch in this kind of setting.

Bait the two hooks with live minnows (which is why this perch rig is also known as the ‘double minnow rig’), and lower the rig down to the bottom from your boat.

When you find a big school of yellow perch, it’s not uncommon to get double hook ups with this perch rig.

When to use it : The perch pounder rig was originally developed for catching perch in deep water in the great lakes, where conventional setups don’t work so well.

However, it works just as well in any lakes that have deep water where big schools of perch like to hold, and since it’s designed for vertical fishing, it makes a great ice fishing rig for perch as well.

What is the best perch rig?

The best perch rig is the drop shot rig, since it is an ideal all-around setup for targeting perch with a lightweight lure or bait presentation close to the bottom.

Unlike bass, perch tend to require more finesse (especially in pressured lakes), which explains why the drop shot rig is so effective for catching them.

Another advantage of using a drop shot setup is that you can use this rig for both vertical fishing from a boat, or for casting from shore.

With that being said, each of the perch rigs discussed above can be the best option to use in some circumstances. Also, keep in mind that the simplest rigs are the jig rig and the Ned rig, which are therefore great options to use as search baits to find schools of fish.

Once you find a good spot with a school of perch, you should then go on to experiment with the other perch rig setups, in order to find what rig works best for you.

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The difference between standing rigging and running rigging. Sometimes things can get confusing as some of our nautical terms are used for multiple items depending on the context. Let me clarify just briefly: The rig or rigging on a sailboat is a common term for two parts:. The standing rigging consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the ...
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Knowing the running rigging is an essential part of sailing, whether you are sailing a cruising boat or crewing on a large yacht. Different types of sailing vessels have different amounts of running rigging. For example, a sloop rig has fewer lines than a ketch, which has multiple masts and requires a separate halyard, outhaul, and sheet for ...
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June 17, 2024. Sailboats are powered by sails using the force of the wind. They are also referred to as sailing dinghies, boats, and yachts, depending on their size. Sailboats range in size, from lightweight dinghies like the Optimist dinghy (7'9") all the way up to mega yachts over 200 feet long. The length is often abbreviated as LOA (length ...
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The perch pounder rig is ideal for vertical fishing from a boat, and works best in relatively deep water. How to tie it : Use one piece of leader line to tie the entire rig. Since you don't want the side arms of this perch rig to constantly get tangled up with the main line, it's best to use a relatively heavy fluorocarbon line of about 15 ...
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