Spinnakers / Gennakers

Catamarans are generally significantly faster reaching rather than running, so catamaran spinnakers are almost always radially cut asymmetric Nylon sails. Many cruising cats use a bridle system that allows the spinnaker to be tacked to either hull, allowing the boat to sail deeper angles without the hassle of needing a spinnaker pole. To further simplify matters a sock is often used to set and dowse the sail.

The term gennaker is usually used for sails that are intended to be used at slightly higher reaching angles so the shape is somewhat different to a spinnaker – more a cross between a spinnaker and a genoa, hence the name. Depending on the cut of the sail the gennaker may either be flown off the bow, as a spinnaker, or more usually, off a bowsprit on the centreline of the boat.

The above picture illustrates a typical cruising cat spinnaker with a sock, being flown tacked to the starboard hull of the yacht.