Headsails

Scott T-Bird · Apr 19, 2012

On larger boats there are numerous reasons for having two stays, which I will let others explain. But yes, larger boats are often sailed with two head sails for a variety of reasons all related to the sail plan.

On your friend's boat, I have no idea why he wouldn't just hoist a smaller sail, rather than add a stay.

Are you trying to relate this to a Hunter 22?. There wouldn't be any reason to try, I think.

cephius (Dave) · Apr 19, 2012

Sloop rigs with two head sails are called cutters. Cutter rigs make great blue water boats.

victorhoisington · Apr 19, 2012

The math involved is beyond my simple mind but, each sail has a center of effort (I believe that's the term), which is balanced out by the keel and hull with a similar center of effort. Balancing the Center of Efforts between the sails, hull and keel is a key aspect of the boat designs we see today. Adding or changing sails along with the various aspects of sail trim, affects these centers and moves them forward or aft, up or down, causing our boats to move (fast or slow) and heel and even to capsize if we don't pay enough attention.

Boats are often designed with various amounts of sails of differnt sizes, Sloops - 2 sails, Cutters - 3 sails, Ketchs & Yawls - 3 sails but what look like 2 mains instead of 2 headsails. Understanding some of the basics of sailboat design will help us understand the affects we are having when we trim in a line or tighten a halyard since these simple actions will cause the centers to move in relation both to the sail as well as the other centers on the boat. When they are balanced the boat can sail itself when they are in conflict the boat can feel like its in mud and we often get excessive heeling instead of forward motion.

A well design boat balances the above water centers with the below water centers in a way that is part art and part science. Herrshoff, Alden and the otehr great designers all knew this and thus created some of the most impressive sailing machines years before their time.

Sorry for the long winded response, I've always loved the design aspects of our boats almost as much as sailing them. I'm still learning both, hopefully you find this information useful when looking at other sail plans on other boats. To me it is really fascinating how someone figured it all ouot such that we can move about the world in tiny boats and actually get somewhere when we want to.

Cpt Vic
H28 "French Temper"

higgs · Apr 19, 2012

Perhaps you are seeing cutter rigged boats which have two headsails. This is a cruising design that allows one more options when sailng off the wind. Upwind, the staysail, that would be the jib set to the jumper fore stay, is only going to slow the boat down. Off the wind, this configuration can give good results.

Manureva · Apr 20, 2012

this was pretty quick on my boat, a san juan 23, i had the main sail, a 170 Genoa and the spinnaker all at once, the problem is that i had about 5 degree to steer in to keep the whole thing inflated!

higgs · Apr 20, 2012

Te second aquestion about adding an innerstay: The mast has to properly supported. My rig has additional rigging somewhat like running backstays, but the chainplates are located just aft of the aft lower shroud.

Gunni · Apr 20, 2012

1. Solent Rig

2. Babystay. A great way to beef up your rig and a great place to fly a storm trysail.

Stu Jackson · Apr 20, 2012

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail_plan

Good descriptions of different arrangements

Kermit · Apr 20, 2012

mesange said:
this was pretty quick on my boat, a san juan 23, i had the main sail, a 170 Genoa and the spinnaker all at once, the problem is that i had about 5 degree to steer in to keep the whole thing inflated!

It looks like that was a challenge, but dang I bet it was fun!