Sails

The mainsail works behind the mast; a jib or genoa is the triangular headsail forward. A genoa overlaps the mast; a working jib is smaller. A staysail sets on an inner stay. A Code Zero is a furling light-air reaching sail, while an asymmetric spinnaker is a deeper downwind sail. Woven polyester, commonly called Dacron, is the normal durable cruising cloth. Laminates hold shape better but may have shorter useful cruising life once film or adhesive deteriorates.

On a slab-reefed main, reinforced reef points allow discrete reductions in sail area. An in-mast or in-boom main rolls away and has different shape, battens and UV-protection requirements. A roller-furling headsail uses a luff tape in the foil and needs a sacrificial UV strip on its leech and foot. Sail dimensions—not the boat model alone—determine fit.

Sails are the primary propulsion system. Blown seams, rotten UV covers or delaminated cloth can leave the boat motoring with limited fuel. Bagged-out sails increase heel, weather helm and autopilot load. Safe short-handed passagemaking requires controllable heavy-weather area: sound reefs or furling system, a suitably small headsail and credible storm-sail plan.

Service includes wash/dry, inspection, restitching, batten and slide replacement, leech-line repair and small chafe patches. A new UV strip can save an otherwise sound furling headsail. A recut moves draft and can extend life when cloth still has strength; it cannot reverse brittle cloth or laminate failure. Substantial panel replacement is worthwhile only when surrounding material has life.

Replacement specifications should state cloth and weight, construction, reef arrangement, luff hardware, battens, draft stripes, chafe patches, UV cover, foam luff and sail bag. For in-mast furling, fit and furling reliability trump maximum roach. A storm jib or trysail is a separate safety decision, not proof the primary sails need replacement.

• Covered by a standard survey — an inventory, approximate age if documented, obvious tears/mildew/UV damage and sometimes hoisting during sea trial. Many surveyors explicitly do not remove sails, examine every seam or judge aerodynamic shape.
• Not covered — bench inspection by a sailmaker, cloth-strength testing, detailed seam review and recut viability. A local loft inspection, typically $150–$400 per sail plus removal/transport, is worth doing before the offer becomes final when sail replacement materially changes the deal. At minimum, sail every primary sail during sea trial and send photos to a loft.

• The broker or owner — “Please send each sail invoice with build date, sailmaker, cloth, weight, dimensions, reef/furling configuration and service history.” “Where was each sail stored?” “When was each UV cover last replaced or restitched?” “Please identify which storm and light-air sails are actually aboard, not merely listed in an old inventory.”
• The surveyor — “Inventory sails by physical presence, not listing text; hoist and operate the main and working headsail; photograph them loaded on both tacks; and flag issues needing a sailmaker rather than assigning replacement from age.”

Unroll every furling sail completely. Look for dark/brittle bands just inside the UV cover, loose zigzag stitching, pinholes held to light, tears at spreader height, cracked laminate and corner rings distorting their patches. Scrape stitching gently with a fingernail; thread that powders or breaks needs work. Under sail, look for draft too far aft, a hooked leech, deep permanent bag and excessive weather helm. Furl the main and headsail yourself. A sail that looks clean in its bag but cannot furl reliably is not offshore-ready.