What kind of sail am I?

[Eric]

I was going through the complement of sails that came with our Hunter 30 (since I plan on selling most of them) and came across the strangest sail. It has grommets and snaps along the outside edges (with a variety of lines leading off). A sewn-in 8 foot aluminum pole on each of the short ends (made of two 4-footers snapped together) and is labelled Hild Sails. I would have thought this was a tarp or caopy but it is made by a sailmaker.The overall size must be 8 feet by 15 or so feet. What kind of sail is this? Having never seen this before I was guessing it might be a genneker? We have a block 2/3 of the way up the mast if this is where it might be hoisted.Anyway ... this is the quiz of the day.Thanks!Eric

 

[Alan]

CANOPY

Sounds to me like you have a pretty nifty cockpit canopy. I'll bet there is a lanyard of some type in the center from which you can raise the middle toward that block. I had one split with Velcor added to go around the topping lift and attached it to the backstay. Yours may have been used for winter layup.That's my guess~~~_/)~~~

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Perhaps a staysail...

...for heavy weather, in which it's attached over the furled forestay.