How to choose the right sail for carrying swells

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An Oceanis 34.1 sailing under gennaker.
If our sailboat is equipped only with a mainsail and jib, one of the first things that will come to mind, or will be suggested by our sailmaker of choice, is to buy a sail for carrying gaits.
There was a time when the choice would have been easy, when only spinnakers and little else existed; today the world of sails has totally changed.
Excluding, given the complications related to use, the spinnaker with a tangon, we then delve into the world of Code Zero type acronyms, Gennakers and Asymmetrics. Each sail has its own range of angle and wind strength for use, so how do you choose the right one for your needs?

Gennaker or Asymmetric, what is the difference?

Lowering the gennaker
On the pen of this asymmetrical one the stocking is noticeable.
We can say that these are two variants of the same concept, that is, sails that, unlike the spinnaker, have the two foils of different lengths: the longer one at the entrance, which ends with the sail tack, and the shorter one that ends with the sheet point. Why then do the two names, gennaker and asymmetric, coexist? The asymmetric is a sail that initially originated, especially in the racing environment, as an “asymmetric spinnaker,” was used with the spinnaker, and although it had tighter angles of use than the spinnaker, it was a type of sail that still allowed good angles at the lee. Today, tangons have all but disappeared, but the wording of “asymmetrical” for aft sails used in racing has remained. The gennaker, on the other hand, is a nomenclature that is used more in the cruise industry. The type of sail is in fact very similar to asymmetrics, but the gennaker is designed with a less specific cut and referred to by sailmakers as “All Purpose,” generally a bit leaner in shape, with less shoulder, a proportionally smaller surface area, and with a not-too-fine-weight fabric. Asymmetrics are classified by sailmakers with codes from A0 to A5, in the case of gennakers on the other hand, having a less specific cut, they are usually classified with G1 and G2. Ultimately the difference between the two sails is rather subtle, also because one may well decide to use a sail defined as Asymmetric when cruising, just be aware of the range of its use to make the right choice. In this case, the asymmetric can be equipped with a sock, will for this reason have a somewhat shorter entry leech (to facilitate sock closure), and thus less shoulder, but will still be somewhat more generous in shape than a gennaker.

Windward sails: the angles of use and codes

Whippers are a valuable aid, but they are mostly used with skinny-cut sails such as A0, Code 0, or in gennakers with particularly skinny shapes that allow furling.
Let us then look at how load-bearing gait sails are generally classified by sailmakers. Considering the average conditions in which a cruiser may choose to hoist sails from load-bearing gaits, the two most interesting sails might be the Code Zero/A0 (the latter with a somewhat rounder shape than the Code) or alternatively the A2/G2. Code Zero/A0

  • Apparent angle to wind: 40-100°
  • Apparent wind intensity range: 3-15 knots
  • Characteristics:sail generally made of laminated material, rigged with a whip, ideal for sailing upwind wide and crosswind in medium-light wind, up to slack in a stiff breeze.

A1/G1

  • Apparent angle to wind: 65-105°
  • Apparent wind intensity range: 3-12 knots
  • Features: vela made of nylon, in cruising versions with a leaner profile it can also be cocked with a whisk. Designed for sailing downwind in light winds.

A2/G2

    • Apparent angle to the wind: 115-160°
    • Apparent wind intensity range: 8-20 knots
    • Features:sail made of nylon, probably the most versatile sail for cruising use, allowing sailing on full slack in a fairly wide range of wind strength.

A3

  • Apparent angle to the wind: 70-120°
  • Apparent wind intensity range: 8-20 knots
  • Characteristics:sail made of nylon generally of medium-robust weight, ideal for sailing cross- and leeward in a wide wind range.

A4

  • Apparent angle to wind: 115-165°
  • Apparent wind intensity range: 10-25 knots
  • Features:sail made of heavy nylon, designed to make the best of taut winds by sailing at deep leeward…

A5

  • Apparent angle to wind: 85-130°
  • Apparent wind intensity range: 15-30 knots
  • Features:sail made of heavy nylon, ideal for sailing across and downwind in strong winds.

Mauro Giuffrè

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