Sail types and measuring sails
World Sailing · 2025–2028The equipment rules define sails by their construction, attachment and measured geometry, not just their commercial names. Headsails include familiar jib and genoa designs, while spinnakers can be symmetric or asymmetric. Luff, leech, foot and corner measurement points provide a consistent basis for class limits and equipment certification.
The rule
The equipment rules define sails by their construction, attachment and measured geometry, not just their commercial names. Headsails include familiar jib and genoa designs, while spinnakers can be symmetric or asymmetric. Luff, leech, foot and corner measurement points provide a consistent basis for class limits and equipment certification.
In practice
For measurement, sails are dry and detached from spars and rigging, with battens removed unless class rules say otherwise. Apply only enough tension to remove wrinkles along the measurement line and take one measurement at a time. Special procedures address hollows and rounded or cut-out corners. Stretching a sail harder to change the reading is not the prescribed method.
Sources & approach ↗