sails on sailboats take advantage of which type of energy

Yachting Monthly

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Renewable energy afloat: the latest tech

• Sam Fortescue
• May 5, 2021

Sam Fortescue examines how renewable energy afloat is benefitting from technical developments in other sectors

Oceanvolt's electric drives feature a clean display that can tell you exactly how much electricity the system is consuming under power or generating under sail. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

As the rest of the world grapples with decarbonisation, the sailing community is benefitting from the various technical developments made in other sectors, and now has more options to use renewable energy afloat.

It is now simpler to harvest and store power on board than ever before – no bad thing when you consider how many power-hungry gadgets fill a modern cruising yacht.

From Nespresso machines to electric winches, sailing consumers are reaping the rewards of the efficient electricity generation.

The core of renewable energy generation for boats remains wind, solar and hydrogeneration, but the last two of these are developing rapidly.

Meanwhile hydrogen is continuing to make inroads into the sailing market.

Jimmy Cornell’s Outremer 4.Zero has covered 1,500 miles from Tenerife to La Grande Motte using renewable energy, but the multihull’s hydro and solar capacity needs to increase before he can take it around the world. Credit: Gilles Foucras

It all comes down to how much power you need: a kilowatt-hour over the day to run the fridge and electronics (83Ah), or 50 times that for induction cooking, air-con and even electric propulsion.

Wind remains an important part of the mix, capable of adding up to 500Wh on a blustery day, but here the technology is more mature.

There may be small incremental improvements – quieter blades or more efficient power transfer.

‘There is not going to be a silver bullet in respect of renewable generation on yachts because the physics tell us that the existing technology is already very efficient,’ says Peter Anderson, MD of Eclectic Energy.

The D400 converts an industry-leading 36% of the kinetic energy in a 12-knot wind stream into electricity

Sam Fortescue is a freelance marine journalist and former magazine editor who sails a Sadler 34, which has taken his family from the Caribbean to the Baltic

‘For example, our D400 wind generator converts 36% of the kinetic energy in a 12-knot wind stream into electricity. The theoretical maximum (Betz Limit) is 59%, and the latest multi-megawatt commercial turbines achieve around 40% efficiency due to their scale.’

Nonetheless, he believes that a yacht can cruise entirely independently of fossil fuel, and he’s far from alone.

Jimmy Cornell’s Elcano Challenge aims to prove just that , aboard an electrically-powered Outremer catamaran.

True, he has just put the round-the-world voyage on hold, because the regenerating prop could not keep up with demand.

But he thinks the answer is to beef up hydro and solar capacity while trimming power use on board.

‘I am determined to continue my zero-emissions project once certain changes have been made,’ he says.

Solar panels have been with us for decades, and as the technology has matured, so they can produce more power from the same footprint.

Even a small panel putting out a few watts is enough to keep a lead-acid battery bank trickle charging when the boat’s on a swinging mooring. But some have already gone much further than that.

Renewable energy: solar developments

Catamaran builders, in particular, have been trying to capitalise on the extensive deck area of their boats by fitting solar panels.

Silent Yachts is ahead of the curve on this, with a 55ft cat whose 49m2 coachroof and hardtop are carpeted with 10kW of panels.

On a sunny Mediterranean day, that provides enough electricity to run all the boat’s systems and leave plenty for a few hours of electric propulsion.

Luxury cat brand Sunreef has developed cells that can be built into the actual fabric of the boat.

Solar cells, built into the structure of luxury Sunreef multihulls, vastly increase the solar power potential

‘They can be easily mounted anywhere on the yacht’s surfaces, including the hulls, mast, superstructure, bimini roof or bow terrace, vastly increasing the amount of solar power,’ says the brand’s Sara Smuczynska.

‘Sunreef Yachts is also the first company to develop a system to recover heat from the panels to heat up the yacht’s boiler.’

With panels in the topsides, decks and coachroof, up to 13kW can be installed on a Sunreef 50.

Monohulls are a different story. Gantries, guard wires and coachroofs can support panels of a few hundred watts – enough for basic systems.

But if you want to generate serious solar power for more ambitious green goals, then you need to think laterally.

That’s what Frenchman Alain Janet did when he launched SolarCloth – a business that sticks solar cells to your sails.

SolarCloth cells on the mainsail of the Spirit 44E produce 560W on a sunny day. Credit: Sam Fortescue

The advantage to this is obvious: the sails offer the largest surface area and their near-vertical alignment can suit the angle at which sunlight falls on them.

The cells are based on proven copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) technology, capable of around 17% efficiency and very flexible.

Simply glued to the sailcloth in positions that won’t chafe on the spreaders under any reefing conditions, they are robust enough to withstand flogging, folding and all manner of abuse, as demonstrated during the 2016-17 Vendée Globe race by skipper Conrad Colman.

More recently, Spirit Yachts integrated the technology into its beautiful 44E performance cruiser , launched last autumn.

The Spirit 44E under sail. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

On the Spirit, the cells were arranged in panels 30cm high and about 2m wide on either side of the mainsail, producing 560W on a sunny day.

Dr Vincent Argiro, who commissioned that boat, wanted a fast, energy-efficient design.

‘The stretch goal for the 44E was near total energy self-sufficiency,’ he says.

‘I envision plugging into shore power to be a rare event.’

Janet acknowledges the junction boxes and wires needed to connect the sail to the deck are clunky, but he is developing a sleeker solution.

Meanwhile, a new partnership with One Sails to produce the so-called PowerSails will give the idea fresh impetus and broader distribution.

Continues below…

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Janet says a PowerSail costs 50-60% more than a standard sail, while the same technology has also been used to add photovoltaics to biminis and awnings on cruising boats.

All this is based on silicon technology, where the record efficiency for an expensive six-junction cell is 39.2% in natural light.

But further down the line, emerging Perovskite technology could make photovoltaics lighter, cheaper and applicable to any surface by painting or printing.

Researchers at Imperial College, Cambridge University and China’s Soochow University calculate that it has the potential to eclipse silicon with up to 60% efficiency, once the issue of durability has been cracked.

Luca Bondi, technical director of Italian solar panel producer Solbian, says the future lies in the combination of silicon and Perovskite in the same cell.

‘Tandem cells made by crystalline silicon and Perovskite raised close to 30% efficiency,’ he says.

‘The increase in efficiency is important but not disruptive, thus I think we cannot say that we have a big step imminent, but an improvement of the already good existing solar cells.’

For those who dislike the look of solar panels, there is another option.

A printable film has been developed which is stuck on top of the solar panel to disguise it.

Finishes range from monotones that match your paint to a teak-effect that would allow you to add solar panels to decks.

Solbian supplies its monocrystalline panels with this so-called iSP mask, and Bondi says that it does very little to reduce their 24% efficiency.

www.onesails.com/uk www.solbian.eu

Hydro power on board

Sails are the most abundant generators of renewable energy on board, propelling tonnes of yacht at a brisk pace.

Converting just a fraction of the boat’s kinetic energy into electricity can yield plenty of power for the loss of less than one quarter of a knot.

Broadly speaking, there are two approaches.

The first is the well-established principle of hydrogeneration, where you lower a dedicated propeller into the sea that is turned by the passing water and used to drive an alternator.

Products in this space are typically mounted on the transom and deployed using a lanyard to generate power.

Custom deck mount for a Sail-Gen hydrogenerator

They include the Watt & Sea, which comes in 300W and 600W units, Eclectic Energy’s SailGen and Italy’s 600W Swi-Tec.

More recently, regeneration has emerged as an alternative. It harnesses the same principle but uses your auxiliary propeller to generate the power, so no need for a bulky transom unit or the braking effect of a second prop in the water.

There are retrofit options available from the likes of Holland’s Bell Marine, but it is relatively expensive to install, so the more common option at the moment is to fit a new hybrid propulsion system – either diesel-electric or battery-electric.

If your engine needs replacing it’s worth considering.

However you configure it, hydro can be a very efficient way to generate power, especially at scale.

A dedicated propeller of a hydrogenerator is optimised in pitch and diameter for maximum torque

The 350ft Dynarig yacht Black Pearl is able to sail across the Atlantic without burning any fossil fuel – its twin props regenerate hundreds of kW of power.

Cruising yachts, on the other hand, will struggle to generate even a kW, and typical output at five knots doesn’t exceed 100W.

This is because the power out is a cubic function of boat speed, linked to water past the prop, so even a small speed increase hugely increases yield.

Nudge up just a little to seven or eight knots and you can get a more manly 300W from regeneration.

Dedicated hydrogenerators are more efficient because their props are pitched and sized according to your boat’s cruising speed.

With regeneration, your main prop will be optimised just for propulsion. Only a variable pitch prop can excel at both tasks.

Under sail in regeneration mode, the three-masted Black Pearl is capable of crossing the Atlantic without burning any fossil fuel. Credit: Tom Van Oosanen

That is what Finland’s Oceanvolt has achieved with the Servoprop – whose pitch adjusts electronically in real time to extract the greatest possible power from regeneration.

The team behind it claims that it can boost electricity output nearly threefold compared to a fixed prop.

Indeed, at seven to eight knots it produced 1kW of power.

There again, at five knots, output falls to around 200W.

It all depends on how much power you need.

For house loads, 200-300W should be more than enough, but for electric propulsion you’ll need far more.

Servoprop comes as a complete saildrive system with the option of either a 15kW or a 10kW motor.

But electric propulsion rival Torqeedo is sceptical about variable pitch systems on small motors.

‘It’s not possible to get much more than 300-400W because the physics makes it tough to adapt the pitch of the prop and to take care of the waves,’ says sales director Phillip Goethe.

‘When your speed through the water is changing often – from stalled to surfing, it is very hard to have the optimum pitch.’

Instead, Torqeedo’s notion is to spec a fixed-pitch propeller that strikes a compromise between propulsion and regeneration.

‘Perhaps you lose 2% [in propulsion], but gain two digits in hydrogeneration efficiency,’ says Goethe.

‘But for cruising applications, it doesn’t need to be optimised for propulsion above seven knots.’

Oceanvolt 15SP: from €46,660 ex-VAT www.oceanvolt.com Torqeedo: www.torqeedo.com Hybrid Marine: from £14,980 ex-VAT for a 30hp engine and 10kW motor. www.hybrid-marine.co.uk

The cost of hydrogenerators

Watt & Sea: £3,504.10 (300W) www.wattandsea.com SailGen: £2,464.69 www.eclectic-energy.co.uk Swi-Tec: £3,080 www.swi-tec.com

Hybrid options for renewable energy onboard

Isle of Wight-based Hybrid Marine specialises in diesel-electric parallel hybrid systems built around new Beta and Yanmar engines.

They can take advantage of regeneration and allow limited manoeuvring using the electric motor, with the diesel for longer passages.

Hybrid Marine specialises in diesel-electric parallel hybrid systems

‘Retrofits are tricky. It takes a lot of work to reliably convert an engine and means it has to be removed to make the conversion. Accumulated costs work out close to a new system,’ says MD Graeme Hawksley.

Hydrogen propulsion

Hydrogen fuel cells can be used either to provide small amounts of electricity to charge a battery, or at larger scale to power an electric drivetrain.

Either way, they can be emissions-free if they use hydrogen produced using renewable energy.

Hydrogen is attractive because it is three times as energy dense as diesel, but being a gas in ambient conditions, it must be stored under tremendous pressure – up to 350 bar on boats, requiring voluminous storage cylinders.

Efoy leads the market for marinised low-power fuel cells, with a 40W and 75W unit available.

Phil Sharp with the Genevos hydrogen power module

It burns methanol supplied in 5lt and 10lt ‘cartridges’ that are available from distributors across Europe.

You can simply clip the output wires to a suitable charging point on your battery system, but for optimum efficiency, Efoy also supplies its own Lithium batteries in 70 and 105aH capacities.

Though Efoy doesn’t quantify the benefit, it describes this combination of fuel cell and battery as ‘particularly efficient’ by avoiding unnecessary charging cycles.

A 10lt canister yields just over 11.1kWh of usable power – enough for four weeks of typical use, according to Efoy.

Beyond that there is a bit of a void in the market until you reach a power output of 15kW, where the purpose is to supply an electric motor for propulsion, as well as covering the boat’s domestic load.

French company Genevos has already started selling a 15kW fuel cell tested by singlehanded racer Phil Sharp during a Solitaire du Figaro campaign.

‘We’re going to see quite a lot of private projects as retrofits in coming years, and by 2025, there’ll be production boats with hydrogen energy systems,’ he says.

That’s despite typical costs of around €100,000 to supply and install a system.

French firm EOD is developing plans for futuristic looking floating hydrogen fuel stations that actually generate H2 from seawater

Rival Energy Observer Developments (EOD) is designing fuel cells in the 60kW to 1MW range for larger vessels.

It stems from a project that demonstrated how solar and wind power could be harnessed to make hydrogen from seawater on a round-the-world prototype.

Other than the sheer cost, the current stumbling block is that hydrogen gas is not yet widely available in ports or marinas.

‘However, we’re going to see much wider access to hydrogen in five years’ time,’ promises Sharp.

EOD is developing futuristic-looking hydrogen fuelling stations that float in a corner of the marina and generate hydrogen from seawater using green mains electricity.

And British firm Fuel Cell Systems says its first marina hydrogen pumps should be installed in the south of France this summer.

‘Although the UK will be very slow to pick it up in my experience,’ cautions CEO Tom Sperrey.

Efoy Fuel Cell 80: £2,195 Efoy 5lt methanol £37.80 Efoy 10lt methanol £53.40

www.fuelcellsystems.co.uk

Battery tech

Lithium is still the performance choice for storing renewable energy on board.

Advances in chemistry and design driven by the automotive sector are making it possible to store more energy in the same footprint.

So the capacity of the BMW i3 battery that Torqeedo offers has risen from 30kWh to 40kWh over five years.

Oceanvolt lithium batteries on a Feeling 32

Promising technologies have been demonstrated in the lab. California’s QuantumScope has developed a stable battery that uses solid lithium as the anode, and offers four times the energy density of current lithium batteries plus lightning-fast recharge speeds.

Other approaches use graphene, salt, aluminium and even ceramic, as well as solid electrolytes.

‘The technological development of batteries is really fast,’ says Oceanvolt’s head of R&D Marko Mäki.

‘We believe that in the future, the combination of battery price, capacity and safety will only improve.’

Expect performance gains of 5-10% per year.

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The Most Popular Types Of Sails On A Sailboat

A sloop-rigged sailboat typically features a mainsail, a headsail, and an additional light-wind sail, such as a spinnaker or Gennaker. The mainsail is rigged aft of the mast, while the headsail is attached to the forestay. The two most commonly used headsails are the Genoa and Jib.

The sails are vital parts of a sailboat since you obviously couldn’t sail without them! There are many different sails depending on the type of sailboat and its rig configuration, and we’ll walk through them together in this article.

The different types of sails on a sailboat

We can divide the selection of sails on a sailboat into three categories:

• Standard sails

Light-wind sails

• Storm sails

Each category serves different purposes depending on the vessel’s rig configuration and the sail’s functionality. 

The standard sails

The standard sails usually form a sailboat’s basic sail plan and include :

• The Mainsail
• The Staysail
• The Mizzen sail

These sails are the ones that are used most frequently on sloop, ketch, and cutter-rigged sailboats and are usually set up to be ready to use quickly.

Headsails are often rolled up on a furler, while the main and mizzen sail are stored on the boom or furled into the mast. 

The halyards and sheets are kept within easy reach, making these sails the primary choice in most situations. Let’s dive further into each of them.

The mainsail is a triangular sail that flies behind the mast on top of the boom . Although it may not always be the largest sail on the vessel, we commonly refer to it as “the main.”

It is a vital sail, and keeping the sail shape trimmed properly on every point of sail is crucial for the stability and performance of the boat.

A Jib sail is a headsail that does not overlap the mainsail. It is typically between 100% and 115% of the foretriangle but can also be smaller. The foretriangle is the triangular area formed by the mast, deck, and forestay. The Jib is often used with a self-tacking system involving a sheet traveler in front of the mast.

This sail is often seen on newer boats with fractional rigs, which typically have a larger mainsail area than the headsail area. However, the Jib is versatile and also used in other configurations.

People often mix the terms Genoa and Jib. Many refer to any headsail as a Jib, which is incorrect. I personally prefer to use the correct terms to avoid confusion .

A Genoa sail resembles a large Jib but extends past the mast and overlaps the mainsail. Genoas are usually larger than 115% of the foretriangle , with sizes ranging from 120% to 150%. They are often used on vessels with masthead rigs and smaller mainsails but are also common on fractional rigs.

The Staysail is typically found on cutter rigs and is set on the inner forestay or cutter stay. It can be combined with other sails, such as a Jib, Genoa, or Yankee, or on its own in stronger winds.

The Staysail is also useful when sailing downwind, as it can be paired with a headsail and extended to opposite sides of the boat using a pole.

The Yankee sail resembles a Genoa and Jib but has a high-cut clew. This shape allows for improved airflow when used with another headsail. The Yankee is often used on cutter-rigged boats in combination with a staysail and is known for its versatility in different wind conditions. 

Mizzen Sail

A mizzen sail is similar to the mainsail, only smaller . It is set on the aft mast of a boat with multiple masts, such as a ketch rig. The mizzen sail is usually used to provide balance and stability to the vessel and provides additional power when sailing downwind.

Another handy usage is to fly the mizzen at anchor to keep the bow up against waves and swell.

The light-wind sails are large, made of thin nylon, and typically shaped like a half-balloon. They are a type of headsails that are great when the winds are too light to fill the standard headsail and are often used when sailing downwind.

The four most commonly used light-wind sails are:

• The Spinnaker
• The Gennaker
• The Code Zero
• The Parasailor

They all provide excellent forward propulsion on a sailboat but usually require some extra rigging to be set. 

Experienced cruisers love to use light-wind sails in nice weather, but they have a critical weakness to be aware of. These sails easily get overpowered when the wind increases, and I strongly advise being careful and observant of the wind conditions when flying them.

(Yes, I have managed to rip mine on one occasion due to getting overpowered, but that’s a different story…)

Let’s continue and take a closer look at each of the light wind sails.

A Spinnaker sail is a large, lightweight downwind sail used at deep angles between 120 and 180 degrees. It is symmetrical in shape with two clews and is often brightly colored. 

The Spinnaker is set by using a pole to extend the sail’s clew to the vessel’s side. Then, a sheet is attached to the other clew and led back to the stern of the boat. 

A Gennaker sail combines the characteristics of the Genoa and Spinnaker. It is made of nylon like the Spinnaker but is asymmetrical like a Genoa and rigged slightly differently. The tack is attached to the bow, and the clew has a sheet led aft to the cockpit. The Gennaker can be equipped with a snuffer to make it even easier to set up and take down.

It is popular among cruisers because it is simpler to use than a spinnaker and it doesn’t require a pole. The sail is effective at angles between 90 degrees and almost all the way down to 180 degrees, making it versatile for various light-wind conditions.

A Parasailor is similar to the Spinnaker in many aspects but has some distinct differences. It has a double-layer wing that inflates as the sail is filled with air, creating a batten-like effect pushing the leech out while providing lift to the bow. 

The wing also helps to prevent the rolling movements you get with a Spinnaker and the collapsing of the leech that can occur with a Gennaker at deep angles.

This makes the parasailor effective at sailing angles between 70 and 180 degrees dead downwind. Parasailors can be set like a Gennaker when reaching or with a pole like the Spinnaker for running downwind.

A Code Zero sail combines some elements of the Genoa and Gennaker. Unlike the Gennaker, the Code Zero has a different shape, allowing it to be used while sailing upwind.

Another benefit is that it can be used with a furler which makes it easy to roll in and out. However, it can’t replace the Gennaker or Spinnaker entirely, as it is not effective at sailing angles deeper than 120 degrees.

If you see a big yacht with three forestay’s, the forward one probably holds a code zero sail. A bow spirit allows the ability to fly additional light wind sails as well!

Storm Sails

The storm sails consist of a small Mainsail and Jib in heavy-duty materials designed for rough conditions. These sails enable us to maintain speed and stability in the boat in severe weather too strong for the standard sails.

Storm sails are often brightly colored , such as red, orange, or yellow, to make them more visible at sea.

Storm Mainsail

A storm mainsail is used when the reefing setup doesn’t allow the standard mainsail area to be reduced enough to prevent overpowering. The sail can handle rough conditions and is excellent for maintaining stability.

A storm Jib is used when the headsail has been furled to the point where it is no longer effective. It is especially useful for sailboats rigged with a Genoa, as the Genoa gets inefficient when heavily reefed. As the storm Jib is smaller than the standard headsail, it also lowers the center of gravity, making the vessel heel less and become more stable.

Explaining the terms for the parts of a sail

Let us talk some more about sails. The goal is to go sailing, right?

Identifying the different parts of the sails is crucial to understanding which lines go where.

Let’s zoom in on a sail and break down the terms :

The head is the top corner of the sail . Most mainsails have a headboard or plate where the halyard is connected, while headsails use a metal ring. A halyard is a line we use to raise and lower sails with.

The leech is the aft part of a sail , located between the clew and head. We use a combination of the outhaul, main sheet, and traveler to trim and adjust the leech on the mainsail.

The headsail’s leech is trimmed by adjusting sheet tension and angle according to the wind speed and direction. A traveler is a track with a movable car or pulley system for adjusting the position and angle of a sheet, and most sailboats have one main traveler for the mainsail and car tracks along the side decks for the headsail. 

The luff of a sail is the front part of the sail between the tack and head. On a mainsail, the luff runs vertically along the mast and along or close to the forestay on a headsail. Headsails are often equipped with luff foam to help maintain their shape when partially reefed on a furler.

Battens are slats or tubes inserted into pockets on the mainsail to help the sail maintain its shape and increase its lifespan . A traditional sail hoisted and lowered on the boom typically has horizontal battens. Vessels with in-mast furling can use vertical battens instead of horizontal ones. 

• A fully battened Mainsail has the battens run through the entire sail length from the luff to the leech.
• A standard battened main sail has the battens along the sail’s leech.

Telltales are small ropes, bands, or flags attached to a sail to give an indication of the airflow around the sail. They help us understand how the wind affects the sail and allow us to fine-tune the trim for optimal performance. Telltales are usually found on the mainsail’s leech and in the front of the headsail’s leech.

The clew of a sail is the lower aft corner and where the outhaul is connected on a mainsail. Headsails have sheets attached to their clew for controlling and trimming the shape and tension.

The tack is the lower, forward corner of a sail.  On a traditional Mainsail, the tack is attached to the Gooseneck, a hinge in front of the boom attached to the mast.

With in-mast furling, the tack is connected to the furling mechanism. This mechanism is used to roll the sail into the mast.

The headsails tack is connected to a furler drum on the forestay on most sailboats. Vessels using traditional hank-on headsails connect the tack to a fixed point on the bow.

The foot of the mainsail is the bottom portion of the sail between the clew and the tack. It is trimmed using the outhaul, a line attached to the clew, and used to adjust the tension on the foot of the sail. Some mainsail are configured loose-footed, and others are attach-footed.

The foot of the headsail is trimmed by adjusting the tension and angle of the sheets, which are the lines used to control the headsail’s clew. We use cars, or pulleys, to adjust the angle of the sheets and thus the trim of the headsail.

Traditional and less commonly seen sails

We’ve now looked at the most commonly used sails and walked through the different parts of them. But what about the less common ones? The art of sailing has a rich history, with some unique sail designs that we rarely see today.

Read on if you want to peek into some traditional sails, or skip straight to popular sail and mast configurations here.

Square sails

Square sails are rectangular and usually set across a ship’s mast, mostly seen on traditional square-rigged sailing ships and Viking ships. These sails are efficient for downwind sailing and are hung from horizontal spars called yards. Though not as agile as modern fore-and-aft sails when sailing upwind, they were central to naval exploration for centuries. Today, they’re mainly seen on traditional vessels and tall ships, symbolizing maritime heritage.

If you’ve been to Martinique in the summer, you may also have noticed the round skiff sailboats the local fishermen traditionally used for fishing in the Atlantic Ocean with their distinctive big squared sails. Tour de Martinique des Yoles Rondes is a popular yearly event where the locals race and show off these beautiful old boats with colorful sails!

A gaff sail is a traditional four-sided sail held up by a horizontal spar called the “gaff.” They are used on classic gaff-rigged sailboats and allow for a larger sail area with a shorter mast. Gaff-rigged boats were traditionally popular and usually carried 25% more sail area than the equivalent Bermudan rig, making them fast on a downwind run. The Gaff rig could also carry a topsail between the gaff and the mast.

However, they don’t sail well to windward, and modern designs have shifted towards triangular sails for better upwind performance.

Jib-headed topsail

The Jib-headed topsail is a small triangular sail used on gaff rigs and is set between the gaff and the top of the mast.

A lug sail is an angled, four-sided sail that attaches at a point on its top side, making it hang tilted. The sail is simple to use and often found on smaller or older boats. There are different types, like standing, dipping, and balance lugs, each hanging differently around the mast.

The lug sail evolved from the square sail to improve how close the vessels could sail into the wind. Because of their upwind performance, fishermen used them widely in Europe from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries.

Sprit sails

The spritsail, with its unique four-sided design, stands out thanks to a diagonal support called the “sprit.” It was traditionally popular in Thames sailing barges due to its ability to accommodate high-deck cargo. These days, it’s primarily found in smaller boats like the Optimist dinghy in a variant called “leg of mutton spritsail.”

The spritsail was also used in traditional wooden boats like the fearing version of the Oselvar wooden boat traditionally used in western Norway.

It is also commonly used by the indigenous Guna Yala tribes in Panama in their dugout Ulu’s up to this day. We saw plenty of them when we cruised along the coast, and some of them approached us to sell us their delicious catch of the day!

Lateen sails

A lateen sail is a triangular sail set on a long spar angled on the mast. It was originally popular in the Mediterranean and on Arab shows, and its design enhanced maneuverability and played a crucial role in historic sea exploration.

The lateen sail was used on lateen rigs, the predecessor to the Bermuda rig – one of today’s most commonly used rigs!

Which brings us to the following topic:

Popular sail and mast configurations 

There are many different rigs and sail configurations between sailing vessels. From the old-school square rigs to schooners, gaff rigs, and more. However, this article will focus on the three most popular rigs seen on modern sailboats:

• The Bermuda Sloop Rig
• The Cutter Rig
• The Ketch Rig

The three rigs have similarities and differences between their sail and mast configurations. We’ll walk through each of them to understand how they utilize their different types of sail.

If you want to learn more about other rigs, take a look here .

Bermuda Sloop Rig

The Bermuda sloop rig is the most common rig on modern vessels. It is characterized by a single mast, a triangular mainsail, and a headsail. This rig is named after the Bermuda Islands, where it was developed in the 17th century. 

Some of the key features of the Bermuda sloop rig:

• The mast is typically tall and raked, which allows for a large sail area and excellent stabilit y.
• The mainsail is attached to the mast and boom. It is usually combined with a single headsail at the front of the boat, making it powerful and easy to sail.
• The Sloop is usually equipped with a masthead or fractional rig and flies a Jib or Genoa as its primary headsail.

The Bermuda Sloop rig is known for its simplicity, is often used for racing and cruising, and is popular among sailors worldwide.

The cutter rig is very similar to the sloop rig. The significant difference is that it has a single mast and two headsails – a Staysail and a Yankee. The cutter rig is known for its versatility due to the multiple options in sail plans and the double headsail setup.

Some key aspects that separate the Cutter from the Sloop:

• The rig is often more robust than its Sloop sister because of the additional cutter stay and running backstays.
• The mast is located closer to the center of the boat.
• The Cutter has a staysail on the inner forestay and a Yankee sail on the outer. The sails can be used in combination with each other or independently.
• Tacking the headsail between the forestay and cutter stay is more involved than on a sloop.
• The Cutter rig has two similar variations: the Slutter rig and the Solent rig.

Like the Sloop, the Cutter rig is relatively easy to operate. Still, the additional headsail and rigging make it costlier to maintain. It is also less suitable for racing than the Sloop, but the added versatility helps in different weather conditions and makes it an excellent choice for cruisers.

The ketch rig is also similar to the Sloop but has an additional mizzen mast placed further aft of the main mast. Another mast gives it the advantage of even higher versatility in sail plans. The ketch typically uses three sails. The mizzen sail, a mainsail, and a headsail. The mizzen mast also allows it to fly a second light-wind sail. 

Here are a few more distinctions of the ketch rig:

• The ketch typically carries a smaller mainsail than a similarly sized sloop and a smaller mizzen sail.
• A small mizzen and a medium mainsail are easier to handle than one large mainsail.
• The additional mizzen sail makes the vessel easy to balance and gives extra stability downwind.
• The ketch usually doesn’t point as close to the wind as the Sloop and Cutter.

The headsail setup on a ketch is generally the same as for the Sloop. But the ketch can also be rigged as a cutter ketch, which gives it the benefits of the cutter rig! The tradeoff with a cutter-rigged ketch is the higher complexity and additional rigging, hardware, and sails required.

Final words

Well done, you now have a good grasp of the most common sails and their strengths. We have discussed a few rigs and how they utilize different kinds of sails in various sail plans. Remember that more sail types, other rigs, and even more variations are available. It is a complex topic, but this guide covers the basics and gives you a great starting point.

If you still have questions, look below at the FAQ, or leave me a comment. I’m more than happy to help you out!

A sailboat is only as good as its sails, and sails need wind to work. The next logical step is learning how the wind works when we sail and practicing some wind awareness! Head to the following guide to continue your research: Learn The Difference Between True And Apparent Wind Speed.

FAQ: The Different Types of Sails On A Sailboat

What is the foretriangle on a sailboat.

The foretriangle on a sailboat refers to the triangular area formed between the mast, forestay, and deck. If you want to order a new headsail, for example, you’ll have to measure and supply the sailmaker with these details.

What is the difference between a loose-footed and attached-footed mainsail?

A loose-footed mainsail is attached to the boom only at its corners, leaving the rest of the sail’s bottom edge free. An attached-footed mainsail, on the other hand, is secured to the boom along its entire length. The main difference lies in how the bottom of the sail connects to the boom, with the loose-footed design offering more adjustability in the sail shape.

What is a high-cut clew on a sail?

A high-cut clew refers to the design of a foresail, such as a jib or genoa, where the back lower corner (the clew) is raised or “cut” higher above the deck compared to standard designs. This design allows for better visibility beneath the sail and makes it easier to sail over waves without the sail touching the water, which is especially beneficial for offshore or blue-water cruising. Very high-cut clews are commonly seen on yankee sails on cutter-rigged sailboats.

What is luff foam on a sail?

Luff foam is a padded strip sewn into the forward edge of roller furling sails. It ensures the sail is appropriately shaped when partially rolled up, especially in strong winds. This foam not only helps with sail performance but also protects the sail when it’s furled.

What are the most common sails?

The sloop rig sailboat is the most common and usually features a mainsail, a headsail, and an additional light-wind sail, such as a spinnaker or Gennaker.

What are the different types of sails?

There are several different types of sails, and we can divide the most common into three categories:

The standard sails:

• Mizzen sail

The light-wind sails

The storm sails:

• Storm mainsail
• Storm jib 

What is a spinnaker sail?

A Spinnaker sail is a large, lightweight downwind sail used at deep angles between 120 and 180 degrees.

What is a Jib sail?

A Jib sail is a headsail that does not overlap the mainsail and is set on the forestay. The Jib can also be set up with a self-tacking system, making it very effective when sailing into the wind.

Is Genoa sail the same as a jib?

People often mix the terms Genoa and Jib. The Genoa is different from a Jib sail as it is larger and overlaps the mainsail, whereas the Jib is smaller and does not overlap the mainsail.

What is a Genoa sail?

A Genoa is a headsail larger than the Jib extending past the mast and overlapping the mainsail. The advantage over the Jib is the larger sail area, making it more effective when sailing off the wind.

How many types of sail plans are there?

Sail plans refer to the configuration and arrangement of sails on a boat or ship. While there are countless customizations and variations, the three most common sail plans are:

Sloop: Characterized by a single mast, a triangular mainsail, and a headsail.

Cutter:  Similar to a sloop but has a single mast and carries two or more headsails.

Ketch: Features two masts, with the aft mast (called the mizzen) shorter than the main mast.

What is a Mainsail?

The mainsail is a triangular sail that flies behind the mast on top of the boom.

What is a Gennaker?

A gennaker is basically an asymmetrical spinnaker. A hybrid sail that combines the characteristics of a Genoa and a Spinnaker, designed for sailing off the wind and often used in light to moderate wind conditions.

What is a Storm Jib?

A storm jib is a small, heavy-duty sail used in strong winds or stormy conditions. It is commonly used when the headsail has been furled to the point where it is no longer effective.

What factors determine the type of sail to be used?

The type of sail to be used depends on various factors such as wind conditions, points of sail, sailboat size , and sailing experience. It’s smart to choose the appropriate sail for optimal performance. A Jib, for example, will be more effective than a Genoa while sailing to windward, and vice versa.

How do sails affect the performance of a sailboat?

Sails are the engine of a sailboat. Their design, size, and trim influence the boat’s speed, direction, and stability. Properly adjusted sails capture wind efficiently, allowing the boat to move faster and in the desired direction.

The balance and condition of the sails also impact comfort and safety, with well-maintained sails ensuring optimal performance. The sails are essential in determining how a sailboat performs in various wind conditions.

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Skipper, Electrician and ROV Pilot

Robin is the founder and owner of Sailing Ellidah and has been living on his sailboat since 2019. He is currently on a journey to sail around the world and is passionate about writing his story and helpful content to inspire others who share his interest in sailing.

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Parts of a Sailboat – The Sails

By: Zeke Quezada, ASA Learn To Sail , Sailboats

It’s safe to say a sailboat is only as good as its sails when you consider that capturing the wind’s energy is the premise behind what sailors do to propel their boats in a forward direction. A good captain will trim those said sails to be as efficient as possible and the proper heading will help with overall performance, but the sail is the driving force of the boat.

Naturally, we should know the difference between the various sails and how they work.

These are the sails that you would find on a generic keelboat rigged as a sloop. It is, in fact, the common of sail plans and thus serves us well for this explanation of sails and their duties on a sailboat.

The Mainsail : It has its forward edge attached to the mast

The Headsail : This is a generic term that refers to any sail that sits forward of the mast. The most common is the Jib. When a jib is so large that it overlaps the mast it is called a genoa.

Parts of a Sail

• Luff -A sail’s forward edge. The luff of the mainsail is usually hoisted up and attached to the mast. The luff of the jib is attached to the forestay.
• Leech – The sail’s back edge.
• Foot – The bottom edge of the sail
• Tack – Between the luff and the foot is the tack. The tack is attached to the boat or a spar.
• Head – The corner at the top of the sail between the luff and the leech.
• Clew – The third triangle of a sail between the leech and the foot.
• Batten – Solid slats or rods to help maintain the desired airfoil shape.

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How to Sell Your Boat

Cal 2-46: A Venerable Lapworth Design Brought Up to Date

Rhumb Lines: Show Highlights from Annapolis

Open Transom Pros and Cons

Leaping Into Lithium

The Importance of Sea State in Weather Planning

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Rethinking MOB Prevention

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The Everlasting Multihull Trampoline

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DIY survey of boat solar and wind turbine systems

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The Day Sailor’s First-Aid Kit

Choosing and Securing Seat Cushions

Cockpit Drains on Race Boats

Rhumb Lines: Livin’ the Wharf Rat Life

Re-sealing the Seams on Waterproof Fabrics

Safer Sailing: Add Leg Loops to Your Harness

Waxing and Polishing Your Boat

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• Systems & Propulsion

Electric and Hybrid Propulsion for Sailboats

Practical sailor looks at the players in the developing field of electric auxiliary engines.

How soon will electric auxiliary propulsion be available to everyman? That depends on whom you ask. Opinions differ widely not just on what type of drive system might surge to the forefront, but even on whether the concept itself is viable. While a handful of companies forge ahead, notably Glacier Bay and Electric Marine Propulsion on this side of the Atlantic, some expected participants are waiting on the sidelines.

Photos courtesy of Manufacturers

One of the big issues that divides promoters and detractors alike is whether the appropriate way to go in a sailboat is with a pure diesel-electric drive train, with a hybrid electric drive with a diesel generator as back-up, or as a pure electric drive with regeneration capability. We’ll take a look at these and other options later in this article. For now, the short answer is that no single approach suits every sailor all the time.

Simply put, in the diesel-electric system, the electric motor runs only when the diesel-driven generator is running. Such arrangements have long been employed in railway locomotives, submarines, and commercial vessels of many types. In the hybrid system, a large bank of batteries provides the energy for the electric motor and the diesel generator recharges the batteries. On the face of it, the hybrid system offers a certain degree of redundancy in that, assuming the batteries are kept well charged, the boat has a measure of emergency power should the generator fail at an inopportune moment. The hybrid also is capable of recharging its batteries when sailing: Driven by the turning propeller, the motor becomes a generator.

Each of these approaches has its strengths and weaknesses, and while we’ll leave it to their developers to work out the technical issues, we would like to urge anyone contemplating installing an electric drive, or purchasing a boat that has one, to first look very closely at how they expect to use the boat. There’s more entrained in the choice than in picking a flavor at Baskin-Robbins. More on this later.

Among the electric drives currently available in one form or another, or as components, the big variable is operating voltage. Motors are available that run on 24, 36, 48, 72, and 144 volts, and, in the case of Glacier Bay’s diesel-electric system with Ossa Powerlite technology, 240-volt DC. Each supplier will discourse at length on the merits of their voltage choice, but an inconvenient fact haunts the entire field: High-voltage DC is deadly, potentially more so in some circumstances than AC.

While neither form of high-voltage is “safe,” we have a lot more experience with AC aboard recreational vessels than with high-voltage DC. An extensive body of knowledge exists on which to base AC installations so as to make them safe as well as reliable. High-voltage DC is used in a variety of marine and non-marine commercial applications, but these installations are well protected from access by untrained operators.

What voltage constitutes high voltage? That, again, depends on whom you talk to. The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), which sets voluntary standards for the marine industry, defines it as 50 volts and above. Prompted by rapid adoption of high-voltage services in small commercial craft and bigger yachts, though not specifically in propulsion systems, the ABYC is in the process of drawing up guidelines for voltages higher than the 48 volts covered by existing standards.

An absence of standards might not deter individuals from installing an electric drive, but it might impede widespread adoption of the technology. If a surveyor can’t state in an insurance survey that a boat is built according to ABYC standards, that could affect its insurability.

Jim Nolan, who manages the underwriting department for BoatUS, said the company has no clear cut guidance regarding insuring boats with electric propulsion. Each boat is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. A new boat with a factory-installed system would be a good deal easier to underwrite than a one-off or do-it-yourself project, especially in the absence of a standard practice. Lagoon Catamarans’ 72-volt-DC hybrid system, for instance, has qualified for the European standard (CE) certification on the strength of following industrial standards that apply to such applications as fork-lift trucks. Anyone contemplating an electric drive would be well advised to discuss it ahead of time with an insurer and even get a surveyor involved from the outset.

Because of the safety issues surrounding the voltages involved in electric propulsion, Fischer Panda has decided to limit its DC product line to boats weighing 10 tons or less. A company representative we spoke to said that while Fischer Panda currently sells DC generators up to 48 volts in the USA for marine use, it “won’t touch” high-voltage DC because it’s lethal.

A proposed collaboration with Catalina Yachts to fit a diesel-electric system in a Catalina-Morgan 440 never came to fruition due to budget constraints, according to Fischer Panda. But in Europe, Fischer Panda teamed up with Whisperprop to equip a Bavaria 49. (Beyond the fact that one of its boats was used, Bavaria Yachts was not involved in the project.) According to Fischer Panda, after evaluating the Bavaria project, the company decided that the diesel-electric AC system is a niche product that wouldn’t interest their prime market: original equipment builders.

“Although the AC system has some advantages in the improved response of the electric motors … and the quietness of the system, the desired fuel efficiency and weight savings were not evident,” Fischer Panda reported.

Fischer Panda considers the DC system to be more suitable for its North American customers. Although it’s limited in output due to its limited battery voltage of 48 volts, it is still able to power multihulls up to 10 tons.

Currently, much of the movement toward electric drives is taking place in the catamaran world. This makes sense when you consider that a single diesel generator can, in theory, provide all the boat’s electrical needs and also take the place of two diesel-propulsion engines. Taking the lead in the field, Lagoon Catamarans introduced in 2006 the Lagoon 420. Originally offered only as a hybrid, it now is also available in two diesel versions. Corsair Marine is building the Corsair 50 catamaran around the Glacier Bay diesel-electric drive, but the boat’s launch date—formerly set for this summer—has been postponed.

Dick Vermeulen, president of Maine Cat, tried the Glacier Bay system in a prototype power cat, but it failed to meet performance expectations, so production models will have conventional diesels. A number of other cat builders have announced hybrid or diesel-electric projects, but feedback on how they perform is scan’t.

So much for the mainstream—but backwater sailors will go their own way, as they always have. As more vendors and components enter the market, the options for do-it-yourselfers or custom-boat customers become broader and more attractive. However, before going ahead with an installation, make sure it’s appropriate to how you plan to use your boat, and even then be prepared to adapt the way you sail to take best advantage of the system’s characteristics. Here’s a rundown of the various types.

Electric Drive Only

Duffy Electric Boats has for years been building electric launches and lake boats that have the simple capability of puttering around in sheltered waters for a period of time determined by battery capacity and speed maintained. A battery charger powered by shore power charges the batteries overnight. Transferring that approach to a sailboat up to about 25 feet used for daysailing and kept near an electrical outlet shouldn’t be too difficult. It won’t offer the assurance of diesel when trying to get home against current or wind, but a proven 36- or 48-volt system will keep you out of uncharted standards territory.

For a bigger boat, more power, a greater range, or a combination of these requirements, it will be necessary to install a large battery bank and almost certainly will entail going to a higher voltage to keep the amps and the cabling needed to carry them manageable. The boat’s range under power will be limited by the weight of batteries, and while lighter lithium-based technology is on the horizon, for now the standard is lead/acid. The fast charging, but expensive pure lead thin plate (PLTP) Odyssey batteries have attracted particular interest among propulsion enthusiasts.

Electric Drive with Regeneration

The next level up in complexity is a “reversible” system. When the boat is sailing, the propeller turns the motor, which then becomes a generator. The electricity it makes is used to recharge the batteries. The capability to regenerate extends the boat’s potential range, but the drag on the propeller slows the boat measurably. One hour of regen will not restore the power consumed by one hour of motoring, but if sailing time sufficiently exceeds motoring time, this arrangement offers considerable range.

A regenerating system does have the potential to overcharge the batteries once they become fully charged and the boat continues to sail fast. The solution is, ironically, to give the motor some “throttle,” which reduces the drag on the propeller and consequently the power output. This phenomenon gives rise to a new technique, that of “electro-sailing” in which sails and an electric motor complement each other. At present, the “throttle” must be adjusted by hand, but developers are working on automatic controls. Field trials of existing regen motors such as the Solomon systems suggest that a small regen motor’s ability to match the output of a much higher-rated diesel have been overstated.

Hybrid Electric Drive

A hybrid system adds to the mix an onboard generator, which is used primarily to maintain charge in the batteries, both those for the propulsion motor and for the house services. This arrangement extends the boat’s capability to lie for long periods at anchor, independent of shore power for electricity and without the need to go sailing for the sole purpose of charging the batteries. A hybrid can motor constantly, as long as there is fuel, but it cannot sustain full speed for long periods. This is because the generator is usually rated at a far lower horsepower than that required to drive the boat at full speed.

Diesel-Electric Drive

In a pure diesel-electric, the electric propulsion motor runs only when the generator is running. Storage batteries are not needed for propulsion purposes, and the generator is the source for all onboard electrical power needs. The rationale behind diesel electric lies in the relationship between a diesel engine’s rate of fuel consumption and the load it’s working under. It burns fuel more efficiently when heavily loaded than when lightly loaded. When the diesel engine is disconnected from the propeller, it can be controlled so that it is working in the upper range of its efficiency regardless of how fast the propeller is turning. Nigel Calder’s series of articles in Professional Boatbuilder magazine (www.boatbuilder.com) beginning with the June/July issue delves deeply into the efficiency discussion surrounding these engines. Systems on large vessels are built around multiple generators that switch on or off according to the power demands of the moment. Translating those efficiencies into a smaller boat scenario has proven to be challenging.

Hype vs. Experience

Maine Cat’s Vermeulen, on the company’s website, describes the sea trials he performed in the Maine Cat 45, a power catamaran. He began with a Glacier Bay diesel-electric system with two 25-kW generators, each weighing about 550 pounds.

“With both generators putting out their full power of 25 kW each … our top speed was a disappointing 8.4 knots, and the assumption that electric horsepower was somehow more powerful than conventionally produced horsepower was in serious doubt.”

He replaced the propellers with a pair with less pitch, which allowed the electric motors to reach their full rating of 1,100 rpm, but that only increased the speed to 9.1 knots.

“These are about the same speeds and fuel burns we get on our Maine Cat 41 sailing cat … powered by twin 29-horsepower 3YM30 Yanmar diesels with saildrives and two-bladed, folding propellers.” At the time he installed them, the 25-kW generators were the highest power available from Glacier Bay.

Vermeulen replaced the diesel-electric system with twin 160-horsepower Volvo diesels. At 9.1 knots, they together burned 2.2 gallons per hour, considerably less than the 3 gallons per hour that the Glacier Bay system burned at the same speed. With the twin Volvos maxed out at 3,900 rpm, the boat made 24.5 knots.

Also among the unconvinced is Chris White, well-known designer of ocean-going catamarans. “To date, I’ve not seen any system that makes sense for a cruising boat,” he says, but he might change his mind, “if someone can show me by building one that delivers an advantage in performance, weight, or cost.”

White sees the current bubble of interest in diesel-electric drives as a fad. In the end, he says, you’re getting the horsepower the diesel creates at the crankshaft, which is basically the same whether it’s delivered to the prop via a conventional reduction gearbox or via a generator and an electric motor. Besides, he says, diesel engines and diesel fuel are understood and available anywhere in the world you might take a sailboat. Complex, electronically controlled electric motors are not.

White’s reservations notwithstanding, it’s in the world of catamarans that we’re seeing most of the applications. At first sight, it does seem logical that replacing three diesel engines—two propulsion and one generator—on a fully equipped cruising cat would result in fuel savings. Still, if the generator is big enough to drive the boat at cruising speed (which in a cat is expected to be in the vicinity of 10 knots) and run the air conditioning at the same time, it will be overkill for the times it’s only needed to operate the boat’s services. For this reason, commercial and military diesel-electric systems employ multiple generators that can be switched on and off according to the power demand of the moment.

Corsair Marine hopes that by installing a diesel-electric system in its 50-foot catamaran, it will be able to descend the weight spiral. Where a conventional installation would involve two 75-horsepower saildrives plus a 6-kW genset, it’s fitting a pair of 28-horsepower electric motors, one 25-kW generator, and a 40-amp, 230-volt battery bank. It expects to save about 700 pounds in equipment weight, some of it through the use of high-voltage, low-current systems, which will in turn reduce the rig requirement, thus the structural weight, and so on toward an estimated overall weight savings in the thousands of pounds.

Corsair’s David Renouf estimates that the boat will cruise at 8 knots and be capable of short bursts at 10. He admits that, until the first boat is launched, his information is “based on extrapolation, not proven numbers.” He says that some clients will add a second 25-kW genset to assure longer periods at 10 knots. Currently, the project is running behind schedule, with a launch scheduled before the end of the year.

Cost and Other Benefits

At the present time, there appears to be no reason to install any proprietary electric drive of any description in the expectation of bettering the economics of a standard diesel drive. The motors and their electronic controllers are sophisticated and expensive. A battery bank sufficient to provide a useful motoring range is a big investment in weight, space, and money. When you add a generator and its peripherals, the cost and weight take another upward leap.

Only the simplest system will begin to pay itself off in terms of fuel not burnt, and then only if the boat sees a great deal of use. A diesel-electric system designed to closely dovetail with the way you use the boat may prove to be more efficient over time than a conventional diesel installation, but until enough systems have been installed and used and data from that use compiled and compared, we can’t know that.

So why even consider going electric? Cleanliness and silence of operation are two qualities that make electric propulsion an attractive proposition for a sailboat, but in order to enjoy them, we have to accept the limitations they impose.

A hybrid or a diesel-electric system enables us to have a single fossil-fuel power source for both propulsion and onboard appliances, but whatever fuel we might save as a consequence of motoring more efficiently for a couple of hours will be inconsequential if we run the generator all night to power the air conditioning.

Conclusions

As we go to press, pickings are slim for sailors looking for an electric solution to the diesel problem. Suppliers of components are few, prices are high, and the feedback on long-term reliability is nonexistent. On top of all this is the elephant in the room: the unexplored safety ramifications that accompany high-voltage DC.

However, none of this should deter the dedicated tinkerer who has funds to match his curiosity and who can live within the parameters imposed by electric propulsion.

Practical Sailor encourages our readers to explore the technology, because ultimately, it is the experimenters who bring us the equipment we eventually come to take for granted.

• Pricing Electric Power for a 30-foot Sailboat
• Special Report
• Electric Engines
• Success in the Real World is a Matter of Perspective

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

I have gotten excited about repowering my Freedom 30 with an electric motor. A fellow Freedom 30 owner completed his refit about 8 months ago and is very happy with the result, although he wishes he had gone with larger Lipo batteries. He chose a motor from electricyacht.com which sells a 10KW package (quietTorque 10) including motor, performance display, throttle and shaft coupler for $6K. Batteries and charger are extra. The motor does does feature a regen capability. Figure a $10K investment. Big bucks for sure but equivalent to a yard installed diesel repower. I would do the install myself.

I am not a cruiser but have done some lengthy passages from San Francisco to Hawaii. Ideal conditions for regen. I expec between regen and a hundred watts of solar, I could have kept the bank topped up the whole way down despite AP loads, etc. The way back? Not so much. Realistically you would need a small generator and a good stock of gas if you wanted to do much motoring, Having said that, one of the boats that sailed down there with me came home with an outboard as his aux power. I think he had ten gallons of gas.

But I am not planning ocean passages in future, I will be sailing the SF Bay and coastal cruising. When I think about eliminating the engine noise, engine maintenance, fuel tank and tank maintenance, diesel hoses, diesel smell, diesel soot, diesel leaks, r=two boxes of hoses and spares. oil changes, coolant changes, transport and disposal of all the waste to the local recycling facility, lugging fuel jugs down to the boat, storing fuel, filling fuel, buying fuel, worrying about spilling fuel. I mean it just goes on and on.

Frankly, I can’t wait. In terms of range, well, I plan to get a hefty battery bank but I also intend to become a better sailor. I’ll slow down and do more sailing. Gee wiz, what a concept. I’ll be more mindful of time and tide, I’ll take advantage of favorable currents and I’ll be ready to anchor and chill when they are not favorable.

Meanwhile, Elon and his competitors are improving battery technology rapidly. Couple of years from now maybe I double range. But, by then, I won’t be worrying about it because I will be a real sailor.

I look forward to reading an update on the state of electric sailboat propulsion 13 years later…

Most of the time we leave the dock, motor for under half a nautical mile to get out of tiny Wilmette harbor and get the sails up, turn off our much abused Yanmar 3GMF, sail around, turn on the engine, lower the sails, and travel another half a nautical mile back to the dock. Almost all at a very low RPM. But, on occasion we motor or motor sail long distances for hours on end, so a battery only system would not work. But how nice it would be if we had electric propulsion for getting in and out of the harbor.

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Sail Types: A Comprehensive Guide to 8 Types of Sails

Sailboats come in all shapes and sizes. And that means there are many types of sails on the market! For those who might not know, sails are made of canvas and use wind power to propel sailboats through the water.

Understandably, different sails are required for different types of sailboats . And sailboats are categorized by the number of hulls they have. Monohulls have a single-hull design, catamarans have two hulls, and trimarans have three. Generally, sailors use catamarans for upwind sailing (but they can be used to sail downwind in certain conditions). 

The type of sail you'll need for your sailboat depends on the kind of sailboat you have. Additionally, sails are highly dependent on the wind and weather conditions. Therefore, it's always a good idea to have different types of sails on board to navigate the ever-changing weather conditions. 

8 Types of Sails for Sailboats

As mentioned, you should carry multiple sails when sailing to prepare for various weather conditions. Here's a brief overview of the types of sails for sailboats: 

1. Mainsails

The mainsail is the largest and most important sail. Therefore, it's probably the first sail to come to mind when you think of camping. Typically, it's situated directly behind the mast — connected to the boom — and uses wind energy to move the vessel. The mainsail plays a significant role in tacking and gybing, making it essential for any voyage. 

Since the mainsail is a larger sail, it doesn't require wind to propel it forward. And the fact that it can be moved by moving the boom makes it uber-easy to operate. 

Learn More About Sailing

2. Headsail

The headsail often accompanies the mainsail, though it is smaller in size. Regardless of your sailboat type, the headsail is positioned at the front of the mast – over the sailboat's bow. 

Because headsails are small, they are helpful when navigating through windy conditions. Smaller sails catch less wind, preventing them from propelling your boat as strongly as larger sails. Additionally, headsails help lift, balance, and protect the vessel from inclement weather conditions.

While the term 'headsail' refers to any sail in front of the mast, the jib is the most common type of headsail. (And when a jib is so large that it overlaps the mast, it's called a genoa.)

Learn More About Sailboats

3. Genoa 

The genoa is a large sail that attaches to the front of the forestay. (In this instance, it's similar to a headsail.) However, the genoa is larger than the headsail and overlaps the mainsail partially or completely to help the boat go faster. 

Genoa sails are useful when sailing through light or medium wind. You can also use it when the wind comes directly from the rear. If you use a Genoa sail during high winds, you'll probably start sailing too quickly and put yourself and your boat at risk. 

4. Spinnaker

The spinnaker is a large and whimsical (often colorful) sail. Spinnaker sails are usually symmetrical, allowing them to reach different points of sail. Generally, these are lighter sails and don't cover the mast like the genoa. 

Because spinnaker sails are on the larger side, you have to be incredibly careful with them. Don't use them in rough conditions. Instead, save them for sailing in low winds and calm seas.

5. Gennaker

As the name suggests, the Gennaker sail combines a spinnaker and a Genoa sail. They are as large as the spinnaker, although they're not symmetrical.

They come in handy whenever the wind changes from a pure dead run to a reaching point of sail, as sailors can navigate various wind types with the same sail. It's still only meant for lighter and milder winds, but it's more versatile than the spinnaker and genoa. 

6. Light Air Sails

Light air sails are useful in calmer conditions when the headsail and mainsail alone aren't cutting it. They include:

• Code Zero : A code zero sail is a gennaker sail ideal for sailing in light to mild winds. It's designed to create lift and boost boat speed whenever regular sails don't generate enough power. For that reason, many racers and cruisers use code zero sails to improve performance and gain control in various situations.   
• Windseeker : This small, special sail is reserved for no wind or light wind. Essentially, it helps boats remain maneuverable in extremely calm conditions. And for that reason, it's valuable to long-distance sailors. 

7. Storm Jib

Storm jibs can be used as a headsail whenever the weather is particularly rough and windy. Because it functions as a safety seal, it prevents boats from capsizing by reducing the sail area exposed to the wind. Therefore, it's a necessary sail for every sailor. 

Read Next: Boating in Inclement Weather

During strong winds and storms, sailors can raise a trysail — a small, triangular sail near the boat's stern — for better control and stability. Generally, sailors do this whenever the mainsail becomes too large and challenging to maneuver.  

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How a Sail Works: Basic Aerodynamics

The more you learn about how a sail works, the more you start to really appreciate the fundamental structure and design used for all sailboats.

It can be truly fascinating that many years ago, adventurers sailed the oceans and seas with what we consider now to be basic aerodynamic and hydrodynamic theory.

When I first heard the words “aerodynamic and hydrodynamic theory” when being introduced to how a sail works in its most fundamental form, I was a bit intimidated.

“Do I need to take a physics 101 course?” However, it turns out it can be explained in very intuitive ways that anyone with a touch of curiosity can learn.

Wherever possible, I’ll include not only intuitive descriptions of the basic aerodynamics of how a sail works, but I’ll also include images to illustrate these points.

There are a lot of fascinating facts to learn, so let’s get to it!

Basic Aerodynamic Theory and Sailing

Combining the world of aerodynamics and sailing is a natural move thanks to the combination of wind and sail.

We all know that sailboats get their forward motion from wind energy, so it’s no wonder a little bit of understanding of aerodynamics is in order. Aerodynamics is a field of study focused on the motion of air when it interacts with a solid object.

The most common image that comes to mind is wind on an airplane or a car in a wind tunnel. As a matter of fact, the sail on a sailboat acts a bit like a wing under specific points of sail as does the keel underneath a sailboat.

People have been using the fundamentals of aerodynamics to sail around the globe for thousands of years.

The ancient Greeks are known to have had at least an intuitive understanding of it an extremely long time ago. However, it wasn’t truly laid out as science until Sir Isaac Newton came along in 1726 with his theory of air resistance.

Fundamental Forces

One of the most important facets to understand when learning about how a sail works under the magnifying glass of aerodynamics is understanding the forces at play.

There are four fundamental forces involved in the combination of aerodynamics and a sailboat and those include the lift, drag, thrust, and weight.

From the image above, you can see these forces at play on an airfoil, which is just like a wing on an airplane or similar to the many types of sails on a sailboat. They all have an important role to play in how a sail works when out on the water with a bit of wind about, but the two main aerodynamic forces are lift and drag.

Before we jump into how lift and drag work, let’s take a quick look at thrust and weight since understanding these will give us a better view of the aerodynamics of a sailboat.

As you can imagine, weight is a pretty straight forward force since it’s simply how heavy an object is.

The weight of a sailboat makes a huge difference in how it’s able to accelerate when a more powerful wind kicks in as well as when changing directions while tacking or jibing.

It’s also the opposing force to lift, which is where the keel comes in mighty handy. More on that later.

The thrust force is a reactionary force as it’s the main result of the combination of all the other forces. This is the force that helps propel a sailboat forward while in the water, which is essentially the acceleration of a sailboat cutting through the water.

Combine this forward acceleration with the weight of sailboat and you get Newton’s famous second law of motion F=ma.

Drag and Lift

Now for the more interesting aerodynamic forces at play when looking at how a sail works. As I mentioned before, lift and drag are the two main aerodynamic forces involved in this scientific dance between wind and sail.

Just like the image shows, they are perpendicular forces that play crucial roles in getting a sailboat moving along.

If you were to combine the lift and drag force together, you would end up with a force that’s directly trying to tip your sailboat.

What the sail is essentially doing is breaking up the force of the wind into two components that serve different purposes. This decomposition of forces is what makes a sailboat a sailboat.

The drag force is the force parallel to the sail, which is essentially the force that’s altering the direction of the wind and pushing the sailboat sideways.

The reason drag is occurring in the first place is based on the positioning of the sail to the wind. Since we want our sail to catch the wind, it’s only natural this force will be produced.

The lift force is the force perpendicular to the sail and provides the energy that’s pointed fore the sailboat. Since the lift force is pointing forward, we want to ensure our sailboat is able to use as much of that force to produce forward propulsion.

This is exactly the energy our sailboat needs to get moving, so figuring out how to eliminate any other force that impedes it is essential.

Combining the lift and drag forces produces a very strong force that’s exactly perpendicular to the hull of a sailboat.

As you might have already experienced while out on a sailing adventure, the sailboat heels (tips) when the wind starts moving, which is exactly this strong perpendicular force produced by the lift and drag.

Now, you may be wondering “Why doesn’t the sailboat get pushed in this new direction due to this new force?” Well, if we only had the hull and sail to work with while out on the water, we’d definitely be out of luck.

There’s no question we’d just be pushed to the side and never move forward. However, sailboats have a special trick up their sleeves that help transform that energy to a force pointing forward.

Hydrodynamics: The Role of the Keel

An essential part of any monohull sailboat is a keel, which is the long, heavy object that protrudes from the hull and down to the seabed. Keels can come in many types , but they all serve the same purpose regardless of their shape and size.

Hydrodynamics, or fluid dynamics, is similar to aerodynamics in the sense that it describes the flow of fluids and is often used as a way to model how liquids in motion interact with solid objects.

As a matter of fact, one of the most famous math problems that have yet to be solved is exactly addressing this interaction, which is called the Navier-Stokes equations. If you can solve this math problem, the Clay Mathematics Institute will award you with $1 million!

There are a couple of reasons why a sailboat has a keel . A keel converts sideways force on the sailboat by the wind into forward motion and it provides ballast (i.e., keeps the sailboat from tipping).

By canceling out the perpendicular force on the sailboat originally caused by the wind hitting the sail, the only significant leftover force produces forward motion.

We talked about how the sideways force makes the sailboat tip to the side. Well, the keep is made out to be a wing-like object that can not only effectively cut through the water below, but also provide enough surface area to resist being moved.

For example, if you stick your hand in water and keep it stiff while moving it back and forth in the direction of your palm, your hand is producing a lot of resistance to the water.

This resisting force by the keel contributes to eliminating that perpendicular force that’s trying to tip the sailboat as hard as it can.

The wind hitting the sail and thus producing that sideways force is being pushed back by this big, heavy object in the water. Since that big, heavy object isn’t easy to push around, a lot of that energy gets canceled out.

When the energy perpendicular to the sailboat is effectively canceled out, the only remaining force is the remnants of the lift force. And since the lift force was pointing parallel to the sailboat as well as the hull, there’s only one way to go: forward!

Once the forward motion starts to occur, the keel starts to act like a wing and helps to stabilize the sailboat as the speed increases.

This is when the keel is able to resist the perpendicular force even more, resulting in the sailboat evening out.

This is exactly why once you pick up a bit of speed after experiencing a gust, your sailboat will tend to flatten instead of stay tipped over so heavily.

Heeling Over

When you’re on a sailboat and you experience the feeling of the sailboat tipping to either the port or starboard side, that’s called heeling .

As your sailboat catches the wind in its sail and works with the keel to produce forward motion, that heeling over will be reduced due to the wing-like nature of the keel.

The combination of the perpendicular force of the wind on the sail and the opposing force by the keel results in these forces canceling out.

However, the keel isn’t able to overpower the force by the wind absolutely which results in the sailboat traveling forward with a little tilt, or heel, to it.

Ideally, you want your sailboat to heel as little as possible because this allows your sailboat to cut through the water easier and to transfer more energy forward.

This is why you see sailboat racing crews leaning on the side of their sailboat that’s heeled over the most. They’re trying to help the keel by adding even more force against the perpendicular wind force.

By leveling out the sailboat, you’ll be able to move through the water far more efficiently. This means that any work in correcting the heeling of your sailboat beyond the work of the keel needs to be done by you and your crew.

Apart from the racing crews that lean intensely on one side of the sailboat, there are other ways to do this as well.

One way to prevent your sailboat from heeling over is to simply move your crew from one side of the sailboat to the other. Just like racing sailors, you’re helping out the keel resist the perpendicular force without having to do any intense harness gymnastics.

A great way to properly keep your sailboat from heeling over is to adjust the sails on your sailboat. Sure, it’s fun to sail around with a little heel because it adds a bit of action to the day, but if you need to contain that action a bit all you need to do is ease out the sails.

By easing out the sails, you’re reducing the surface area of the sail acting on the wind and thus reducing the perpendicular wind force. Be sure to ease it out carefully though so as to avoid luffing.

Another great way to reduce heeling on your sailboat is to reef your sails. By reefing your sails, you’re again reducing the surface area of the sails acting on the wind.

However, in this case the reduction of surface area doesn’t require altering your current point of sail and instead simply remove surface area altogether.

When the winds are high and mighty, and they don’t appear to be letting up, reefing your sails is always a smart move.

How an Airplane Wing Works

We talked a lot about how a sail is a wing-like object, but I always find it important to be able to understand one concept in a number of different ways.

Probably the most common example’s of how aerodynamics works is with wings on an airplane. If you can understand how a sail works as well as a wing on an airplane, you’ll be in a small minority of people who truly understand the basic aerodynamic theory.

As I mentioned before, sails on a sailboat are similar to wings on an airplane. When wind streams across a wing, some air travels above the wing and some below.

The air that travels above the wing travels a longer distance, which means it has to travel at a higher velocity than the air below resulting in a lower pressure environment.

On the other hand, the air that passes below the wing doesn’t have to travel as far as the air on top of the wing, so the air can travel at a lower velocity than the air above resulting in a higher pressure environment.

Now, it’s a fact that high-pressure systems always move toward low-pressure systems since this is a transfer of energy from a higher potential to a lower potential.

Think of what happens when you open the bathroom door after taking a hot shower. All that hot air escapes into a cooler environment as fast as possible.

Due to the shape of a wing on an airplane, a pressure differential is created and results in the high pressure wanting to move to the lower pressure.

This resulting pressure dynamic forces the wing to move upward causing whatever else is attached to it to rise up as well. This is how airplanes are able to produce lift and raise themselves off the ground.

Now if you look at this in the eyes of a sailboat, the sail is acting in a similar way. Wind is streaming across the sail head on resulting in some air going on the port side and the starboard side of the sail.

Whichever side of the sail is puffed out will require the air to travel a bit farther than the interior part of the sail.

This is actually where there’s a slight difference between a wing and a sail since both sides of the sail are equal in length.

However, all of the air on the interior doesn’t have to travel the same distance as all of the air on the exterior, which results in the pressure differential we see with wings.

Final Thoughts

We got pretty technical here today, but I hope it was helpful in deepening your understanding of how a sail works as well as how a keel works when it comes to basic aerodynamic and hydrodynamic theory.

Having this knowledge is helpful when adjusting your sails and being conscious of the power of the wind on your sailboat.

With a better fundamental background in how a sailboat operates and how their interconnected parts work together in terms of basic aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, you’re definitely better fit for cruising out on the water.

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The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

What's that sail for? Generally, I don't know. So I've come up with a system. I'll explain you everything there is to know about sails and rigs in this article.

What are the different types of sails? Most sailboats have one mainsail and one headsail. Typically, the mainsail is a fore-and-aft bermuda rig (triangular shaped). A jib or genoa is used for the headsail. Most sailors use additional sails for different conditions: the spinnaker (a common downwind sail), gennaker, code zero (for upwind use), and stormsail.

Each sail has its own use. Want to go downwind fast? Use a spinnaker. But you can't just raise any sail and go for it. It's important to understand when (and how) to use each sail. Your rigging also impacts what sails you can use.

On this page:

Different sail types, the sail plan of a bermuda sloop, mainsail designs, headsail options, specialty sails, complete overview of sail uses, mast configurations and rig types.

This article is part 1 of my series on sails and rig types. Part 2 is all about the different types of rigging. If you want to learn to identify every boat you see quickly, make sure to read it. It really explains the different sail plans and types of rigging clearly.

Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types (with Pictures)

First I'll give you a quick and dirty overview of sails in this list below. Then, I'll walk you through the details of each sail type, and the sail plan, which is the godfather of sail type selection so to speak.

Click here if you just want to scroll through a bunch of pictures .

Here's a list of different models of sails: (Don't worry if you don't yet understand some of the words, I'll explain all of them in a bit)

• Jib - triangular staysail
• Genoa - large jib that overlaps the mainsail
• Spinnaker - large balloon-shaped downwind sail for light airs
• Gennaker - crossover between a Genoa and Spinnaker
• Code Zero or Screecher - upwind spinnaker
• Drifter or reacher - a large, powerful, hanked on genoa, but made from lightweight fabric
• Windseeker - tall, narrow, high-clewed, and lightweight jib
• Trysail - smaller front-and-aft mainsail for heavy weather
• Storm jib - small jib for heavy weather

I have a big table below that explains the sail types and uses in detail .

I know, I know ... this list is kind of messy, so to understand each sail, let's place them in a system.

The first important distinction between sail types is the placement . The mainsail is placed aft of the mast, which simply means behind. The headsail is in front of the mast.

Generally, we have three sorts of sails on our boat:

• Mainsail: The large sail behind the mast which is attached to the mast and boom
• Headsail: The small sail in front of the mast, attached to the mast and forestay (ie. jib or genoa)
• Specialty sails: Any special utility sails, like spinnakers - large, balloon-shaped sails for downwind use

The second important distinction we need to make is the functionality . Specialty sails (just a name I came up with) each have different functionalities and are used for very specific conditions. So they're not always up, but most sailors carry one or more of these sails.

They are mostly attached in front of the headsail, or used as a headsail replacement.

The specialty sails can be divided into three different categories:

• downwind sails - like a spinnaker
• light air or reacher sails - like a code zero
• storm sails

The parts of any sail

Whether large or small, each sail consists roughly of the same elements. For clarity's sake I've took an image of a sail from the world wide webs and added the different part names to it:

• Head: Top of the sail
• Tack: Lower front corner of the sail
• Foot: Bottom of the sail
• Luff: Forward edge of the sail
• Leech: Back edge of the sail
• Clew: Bottom back corner of the sail

So now we speak the same language, let's dive into the real nitty gritty.

Basic sail shapes

Roughly speaking, there are actually just two sail shapes, so that's easy enough. You get to choose from:

• square rigged sails
• fore-and-aft rigged sails

I would definitely recommend fore-and-aft rigged sails. Square shaped sails are pretty outdated. The fore-and-aft rig offers unbeatable maneuverability, so that's what most sailing yachts use nowadays.

Square sails were used on Viking longships and are good at sailing downwind. They run from side to side. However, they're pretty useless upwind.

A fore-and-aft sail runs from the front of the mast to the stern. Fore-and-aft literally means 'in front and behind'. Boats with fore-and-aft rigged sails are better at sailing upwind and maneuvering in general. This type of sail was first used on Arabic boats.

As a beginner sailor I confuse the type of sail with rigging all the time. But I should cut myself some slack, because the rigging and sails on a boat are very closely related. They are all part of the sail plan .

A sail plan is made up of:

• Mast configuration - refers to the number of masts and where they are placed
• Sail type - refers to the sail shape and functionality
• Rig type - refers to the way these sails are set up on your boat

There are dozens of sails and hundreds of possible configurations (or sail plans).

For example, depending on your mast configuration, you can have extra headsails (which then are called staysails).

The shape of the sails depends on the rigging, so they overlap a bit. To keep it simple I'll first go over the different sail types based on the most common rig. I'll go over the other rig types later in the article.

Bermuda Sloop: the most common rig

Most modern small and mid-sized sailboats have a Bermuda sloop configuration . The sloop is one-masted and has two sails, which are front-and-aft rigged. This type of rig is also called a Marconi Rig. The Bermuda rig uses a triangular sail, with just one side of the sail attached to the mast.

The mainsail is in use most of the time. It can be reefed down, making it smaller depending on the wind conditions. It can be reefed down completely, which is more common in heavy weather. (If you didn't know already: reefing is skipper terms for rolling or folding down a sail.)

In very strong winds (above 30 knots), most sailors only use the headsail or switch to a trysail.

The headsail powers your bow, the mainsail powers your stern (rear). By having two sails, you can steer by using only your sails (in theory - it requires experience). In any case, two sails gives you better handling than one, but is still easy to operate.

Let's get to the actual sails. The mainsail is attached behind the mast and to the boom, running to the stern. There are multiple designs, but they actually don't differ that much. So the following list is a bit boring. Feel free to skip it or quickly glance over it.

• Square Top racing mainsail - has a high performance profile thanks to the square top, optional reef points
• Racing mainsail - made for speed, optional reef points
• Cruising mainsail - low-maintenance, easy to use, made to last. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
• Full-Batten Cruising mainsail - cruising mainsail with better shape control. Eliminates flogging. Full-length battens means the sail is reinforced over the entire length. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
• High Roach mainsail - crossover between square top racing and cruising mainsail, used mostly on cats and multihulls. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
• Mast Furling mainsail - sails specially made to roll up inside the mast - very convenient but less control; of sail shape. Have no reef points
• Boom Furling mainsail - sails specially made to roll up inside the boom. Have no reef points.

The headsail is the front sail in a front-and-aft rig. The sail is fixed on a stay (rope, wire or rod) which runs forward to the deck or bowsprit. It's almost always triangular (Dutch fishermen are known to use rectangular headsail). A triangular headsail is also called a jib .

Headsails can be attached in two ways:

• using roller furlings - the sail rolls around the headstay
• hank on - fixed attachment

Types of jibs:

Typically a sloop carries a regular jib as its headsail. It can also use a genoa.

• A jib is a triangular staysail set in front of the mast. It's the same size as the fore-triangle.
• A genoa is a large jib that overlaps the mainsail.

What's the purpose of a jib sail? A jib is used to improve handling and to increase sail area on a sailboat. This helps to increase speed. The jib gives control over the bow (front) of the ship, making it easier to maneuver the ship. The mainsail gives control over the stern of the ship. The jib is the headsail (frontsail) on a front-and-aft rig.

The size of the jib is generally indicated by a number - J1, 2, 3, and so on. The number tells us the attachment point. The order of attachment points may differ per sailmaker, so sometimes J1 is the largest jib (on the longest stay) and sometimes it's the smallest (on the shortest stay). Typically the J1 jib is the largest - and the J3 jib the smallest.

Most jibs are roller furling jibs: this means they are attached to a stay and can be reefed down single-handedly. If you have a roller furling you can reef down the jib to all three positions and don't need to carry different sizes.

Originally called the 'overlapping jib', the leech of the genoa extends aft of the mast. This increases speed in light and moderate winds. A genoa is larger than the total size of the fore-triangle. How large exactly is indicated by a percentage.

• A number 1 genoa is typically 155% (it used to be 180%)
• A number 2 genoa is typically 125-140%

Genoas are typically made from 1.5US/oz polyester spinnaker cloth, or very light laminate.

This is where it gets pretty interesting. You can use all kinds of sails to increase speed, handling, and performance for different weather conditions.

Some rules of thumb:

• Large sails are typically good for downwind use, small sails are good for upwind use.
• Large sails are good for weak winds (light air), small sails are good for strong winds (storms).

Downwind sails

Thanks to the front-and-aft rig sailboats are easier to maneuver, but they catch less wind as well. Downwind sails are used to offset this by using a large sail surface, pulling a sailboat downwind. They can be hanked on when needed and are typically balloon shaped.

Here are the most common downwind sails:

• Big gennaker
• Small gennaker

A free-flying sail that fills up with air, giving it a balloon shape. Spinnakers are generally colorful, which is why they look like kites. This downwind sail has the largest sail area, and it's capable of moving a boat with very light wind. They are amazing to use on trade wind routes, where they can help you make quick progress.

Spinnakers require special rigging. You need a special pole and track on your mast. You attach the sail at three points: in the mast head using a halyard, on a pole, and on a sheet.

The spinnaker is symmetrical, meaning the luff is as long as its leech. It's designed for broad reaching.

Gennaker or cruising spinnaker

The Gennaker is a cross between the genoa and the spinnaker. It has less downwind performance than the spinnaker. It is a bit smaller, making it slower, but also easier to handle - while it remains very capable. The cruising spinnaker is designed for broad reaching.

The gennaker is a smaller, asymmetric spinnaker that's doesn't require a pole or track on the mast. Like the spinnaker, and unlike the genoa, the gennaker is set flying. Asymmetric means its luff is longer than its leech.

You can get big and small gennakers (roughly 75% and 50% the size of a true spinnaker).

Also called ...

• the cruising spinnaker
• cruising chute
• pole-less spinnaker
• SpinDrifter

... it's all the same sail.

Light air sails

There's a bit of overlap between the downwind sails and light air sails. Downwind sails can be used as light air sails, but not all light air sails can be used downwind.

Here are the most common light air sails:

• Spinnaker and gennaker

Drifter reacher

Code zero reacher.

A drifter (also called a reacher) is a lightweight, larger genoa for use in light winds. It's roughly 150-170% the size of a genoa. It's made from very lightweight laminated spinnaker fabric (1.5US/oz).

Thanks to the extra sail area the sail offers better downwind performance than a genoa. It's generally made from lightweight nylon. Thanks to it's genoa characteristics the sail is easier to use than a cruising spinnaker.

The code zero reacher is officially a type of spinnaker, but it looks a lot like a large genoa. And that's exactly what it is: a hybrid cross between the genoa and the asymmetrical spinnaker (gennaker). The code zero however is designed for close reaching, making it much flatter than the spinnaker. It's about twice the size of a non-overlapping jib.

A windseeker is a small, free-flying staysail for super light air. It's tall and thin. It's freestanding, so it's not attached to the headstay. The tack attaches to a deck pad-eye. Use your spinnakers' halyard to raise it and tension the luff.

It's made from nylon or polyester spinnaker cloth (0.75 to 1.5US/oz).

It's designed to guide light air onto the lee side of the main sail, ensuring a more even, smooth flow of air.

Stormsails are stronger than regular sails, and are designed to handle winds of over 45 knots. You carry them to spare the mainsail. Sails

A storm jib is a small triangular staysail for use in heavy weather. If you participate in offshore racing you need a mandatory orange storm jib. It's part of ISAF's requirements.

A trysail is a storm replacement for the mainsail. It's small, triangular, and it uses a permanently attached pennant. This allows it to be set above the gooseneck. It's recommended to have a separate track on your mast for it - you don't want to fiddle around when you actually really need it to be raised ... now.

Why Use Different Sails At All?

You could just get the largest furling genoa and use it on all positions. So why would you actually use different types of sails?

The main answer to that is efficiency . Some situations require other characteristics.

Having a deeply reefed genoa isn't as efficient as having a small J3. The reef creates too much draft in the sail, which increases heeling. A reefed down mainsail in strong winds also increases heeling. So having dedicated (storm) sails is probably a good thing, especially if you're planning more demanding passages or crossings.

But it's not just strong winds, but also light winds that can cause problems. Heavy sails will just flap around like laundry in very light air. So you need more lightweight fabrics to get you moving.

What Are Sails Made Of?

The most used materials for sails nowadays are:

• Dacron - woven polyester
• woven nylon
• laminated fabrics - increasingly popular

Sails used to be made of linen. As you can imagine, this is terrible material on open seas. Sails were rotting due to UV and saltwater. In the 19th century linen was replaced by cotton.

It was only in the 20th century that sails were made from synthetic fibers, which were much stronger and durable. Up until the 1980s most sails were made from Dacron. Nowadays, laminates using yellow aramids, Black Technora, carbon fiber and Spectra yarns are more and more used.

Laminates are as strong as Dacron, but a lot lighter - which matters with sails weighing up to 100 kg (220 pounds).

By the way: we think that Viking sails were made from wool and leather, which is quite impressive if you ask me.

In this section of the article I give you a quick and dirty summary of different sail plans or rig types which will help you to identify boats quickly. But if you want to really understand it clearly, I really recommend you read part 2 of this series, which is all about different rig types.

You can't simply count the number of masts to identify rig type But you can identify any rig type if you know what to look for. We've created an entire system for recognizing rig types. Let us walk you through it. Read all about sail rig types

As I've said earlier, there are two major rig types: square rigged and fore-and-aft. We can divide the fore-and-aft rigs into three groups:

• Bermuda rig (we have talked about this one the whole time) - has a three-sided mainsail
• Gaff rig - has a four-sided mainsail, the head of the mainsail is guided by a gaff
• Lateen rig - has a three-sided mainsail on a long yard

There are roughly four types of boats:

• one masted boats - sloop, cutter
• two masted boats - ketch, schooner, brig
• three masted - barque
• fully rigged or ship rigged - tall ship

Everything with four masts is called a (tall) ship. I think it's outside the scope of this article, but I have written a comprehensive guide to rigging. I'll leave the three and four-masted rigs for now. If you want to know more, I encourage you to read part 2 of this series.

One-masted rigs

Boats with one mast can have either one sail, two sails, or three or more sails.

The 3 most common one-masted rigs are:

• Cat - one mast, one sail
• Sloop - one mast, two sails
• Cutter - one mast, three or more sails

1. Gaff Cat

2. Gaff Sloop

Two-masted rigs

Two-masted boats can have an extra mast in front or behind the main mast. Behind (aft of) the main mast is called a mizzen mast . In front of the main mast is called a foremast .

The 5 most common two-masted rigs are:

• Lugger - two masts (mizzen), with lugsail (cross between gaff rig and lateen rig) on both masts
• Yawl - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast much taller than mizzen. Mizzen without mainsail.
• Ketch - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller mizzen. Mizzen has mainsail.
• Schooner - two masts (foremast), generally gaff rig on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller foremast. Sometimes build with three masts, up to seven in the age of sail.
• Brig - two masts (foremast), partially square-rigged. Main mast carries small lateen rigged sail.

4. Schooner

5. Brigantine

This article is part 1 of a series about sails and rig types If you want to read on and learn to identify any sail plans and rig type, we've found a series of questions that will help you do that quickly. Read all about recognizing rig types

Related Questions

What is the difference between a gennaker & spinnaker? Typically, a gennaker is smaller than a spinnaker. Unlike a spinnaker, a gennaker isn't symmetric. It's asymmetric like a genoa. It is however rigged like a spinnaker; it's not attached to the forestay (like a jib or a genoa). It's a downwind sail, and a cross between the genoa and the spinnaker (hence the name).

What is a Yankee sail? A Yankee sail is a jib with a high-cut clew of about 3' above the boom. A higher-clewed jib is good for reaching and is better in high waves, preventing the waves crash into the jibs foot. Yankee jibs are mostly used on traditional sailboats.

How much does a sail weigh? Sails weigh anywhere between 4.5-155 lbs (2-70 kg). The reason is that weight goes up exponentially with size. Small boats carry smaller sails (100 sq. ft.) made from thinner cloth (3.5 oz). Large racing yachts can carry sails of up to 400 sq. ft., made from heavy fabric (14 oz), totaling at 155 lbs (70 kg).

What's the difference between a headsail and a staysail? The headsail is the most forward of the staysails. A boat can only have one headsail, but it can have multiple staysails. Every staysail is attached to a forward running stay. However, not every staysail is located at the bow. A stay can run from the mizzen mast to the main mast as well.

What is a mizzenmast? A mizzenmast is the mast aft of the main mast (behind; at the stern) in a two or three-masted sailing rig. The mizzenmast is shorter than the main mast. It may carry a mainsail, for example with a ketch or lugger. It sometimes doesn't carry a mainsail, for example with a yawl, allowing it to be much shorter.

Special thanks to the following people for letting me use their quality photos: Bill Abbott - True Spinnaker with pole - CC BY-SA 2.0 lotsemann - Volvo Ocean Race Alvimedica and the Code Zero versus SCA and the J1 - CC BY-SA 2.0 Lisa Bat - US Naval Academy Trysail and Storm Jib dry fit - CC BY-SA 2.0 Mike Powell - White gaff cat - CC BY-SA 2.0 Anne Burgess - Lugger The Reaper at Scottish Traditional Boat Festival

Hi, I stumbled upon your page and couldn’t help but notice some mistakes in your description of spinnakers and gennakers. First of all, in the main photo on top of this page the small yacht is sailing a spinnaker, not a gennaker. If you look closely you can see the spinnaker pole standing on the mast, visible between the main and headsail. Further down, the discription of the picture with the two German dinghies is incorrect. They are sailing spinnakers, on a spinnaker pole. In the farthest boat, you can see a small piece of the pole. If needed I can give you the details on the difference between gennakers and spinnakers correctly?

Hi Shawn, I am living in Utrecht I have an old gulf 32 and I am sailing in merkmeer I find your articles very helpful Thanks

Thank you for helping me under stand all the sails there names and what there functions were and how to use them. I am planning to build a trimaran 30’ what would be the best sails to have I plan to be coastal sailing with it. Thank you

Hey Comrade!

Well done with your master piece blogging. Just a small feedback. “The jib gives control over the bow of the ship, making it easier to maneuver the ship. The mainsail gives control over the stern of the ship.” Can you please first tell the different part of a sail boat earlier and then talk about bow and stern later in the paragraph. A reader has no clue on the newly introduced terms. It helps to keep laser focused and not forget main concepts.

Shawn, I am currently reading How to sail around the World” by Hal Roth. Yes, I want to sail around the world. His book is truly grounded in real world experience but like a lot of very knowledgable people discussing their area of expertise, Hal uses a lot of terms that I probably should have known but didn’t, until now. I am now off to read your second article. Thank You for this very enlightening article on Sail types and their uses.

Shawn Buckles

HI CVB, that’s a cool plan. Thanks, I really love to hear that. I’m happy that it was helpful to you and I hope you are of to a great start for your new adventure!

Hi GOWTHAM, thanks for the tip, I sometimes forget I haven’t specified the new term. I’ve added it to the article.

Nice article and video; however, you’re mixing up the spinnaker and the gennaker.

A started out with a question. What distinguishes a brig from a schooner? Which in turn led to follow-up questions: I know there are Bermuda rigs and Latin rig, are there more? Which in turn led to further questions, and further, and further… This site answers them all. Wonderful work. Thank you.

Great post and video! One thing was I was surprised how little you mentioned the Ketch here and not at all in the video or chart, and your sample image is a large ship with many sails. Some may think Ketch’s are uncommon, old fashioned or only for large boats. Actually Ketch’s are quite common for cruisers and live-aboards, especially since they often result in a center cockpit layout which makes for a very nice aft stateroom inside. These are almost exclusively the boats we are looking at, so I was surprised you glossed over them.

Love the article and am finding it quite informative.

While I know it may seem obvious to 99% of your readers, I wish you had defined the terms “upwind” and “downwind.” I’m in the 1% that isn’t sure which one means “with the wind” (or in the direction the wind is blowing) and which one means “against the wind” (or opposite to the way the wind is blowing.)

paul adriaan kleimeer

like in all fields of syntax and terminology the terms are colouual meaning local and then spead as the technology spread so an history lesson gives a floral bouque its colour and in the case of notical terms span culture and history adds an detail that bring reverence to the study simply more memorable.

Hi, I have a small yacht sail which was left in my lock-up over 30 years ago I basically know nothing about sails and wondered if you could spread any light as to the make and use of said sail. Someone said it was probably originally from a Wayfayer wooden yacht but wasn’t sure. Any info would be must appreciated and indeed if would be of any use to your followers? I can provide pics but don’t see how to include them at present

kind regards

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The different types of sails and their uses

Discover the different types of sails and their uses to optimize your sailing performance and enjoy the freedom and fulfillment of exploring the open sea.

The Different Types of Sails and Their Uses

Sailing is an incredible way to explore the world, spend quality time with family, and embrace the freedom of the open sea. As you embark on your sailing adventure, it’s essential to understand the different types of sails and their uses. This comprehensive guide will provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate your journey confidently.

Table of Contents

Introduction to sails, symmetrical spinnakers, asymmetrical spinnakers, sail materials and construction.

Sails are the driving force behind any sailing vessel, harnessing the power of the wind to propel the boat forward. They come in various shapes, sizes, and materials, each designed for specific sailing conditions and purposes. Understanding the different types of sails and their uses will help you make informed decisions when selecting sails for your boat and optimizing your sailing performance.

The mainsail is the primary sail on a sailing vessel and is typically hoisted on the aft side of the mast. It is a triangular sail with its leading edge (or luff) attached to the mast and its foot running along the boom. Mainsails are essential for providing the boat with forward propulsion and play a significant role in steering and balancing the vessel.

There are two primary types of mainsails: full-batten and partial-batten. Full-batten mainsails have horizontal battens that run the entire width of the sail, providing additional support and shape. Partial-batten mainsails have shorter battens that only extend partway across the sail. Full-batten mainsails tend to hold their shape better and last longer, while partial-batten mainsails are lighter and easier to handle.

Headsails are sails that are set forward of the mast and are used in conjunction with the mainsail to provide additional propulsion and balance. There are several types of headsails, each with its unique characteristics and uses.

A jib is a triangular sail that is set forward of the mast and is attached to the forestay, a wire that runs from the masthead to the bow of the boat. Jibs come in various sizes, with smaller jibs being more suitable for strong winds and larger jibs providing more power in light wind conditions. Jibs are essential for upwind sailing, as they help to direct the airflow around the mainsail, increasing its efficiency.

A genoa is a type of jib that is larger than a standard jib, extending past the mast and overlapping the mainsail. Genoas are designed to provide maximum sail area and power in light to moderate wind conditions. They are particularly useful for upwind sailing, as their large size helps to generate more lift and drive the boat forward. However, genoas can be more challenging to handle than smaller jibs, especially in strong winds or when tacking.

Spinnakers are large, lightweight sails designed for downwind sailing. They are typically set forward of the jib and are not attached to the forestay. Instead, they are held out by a pole called a spinnaker pole, which is attached to the mast and the sail’s clew (the lower aft corner of the sail). Spinnakers are used to catch the wind from behind, providing significant power and speed when sailing downwind.

A gennaker, also known as a cruising spinnaker or code zero, is a hybrid sail that combines the characteristics of a genoa and a spinnaker. Gennakers are designed for reaching and downwind sailing and are typically set on a furling system, making them easier to handle than traditional spinnakers. They provide more power than a genoa in light wind conditions and are more stable and easier to control than a spinnaker.

Downwind Sails

Downwind sails are designed specifically for sailing with the wind coming from behind the boat. These sails are typically larger and lighter than upwind sails, allowing them to catch more wind and generate more power. There are two main types of downwind sails: symmetrical spinnakers and asymmetrical spinnakers.

Symmetrical spinnakers are large, balloon-shaped sails that are designed for sailing directly downwind. They are symmetrical in shape, with the sail’s centerline running vertically down the middle of the sail. Symmetrical spinnakers are held out by a spinnaker pole, which is attached to the mast and the sail’s clew. This allows the sail to catch the wind from behind, providing maximum power and speed when sailing downwind.

Asymmetrical spinnakers, also known as gennakers or A-sails, are designed for reaching and downwind sailing at angles that are not directly downwind. They are asymmetrical in shape, with a longer luff (leading edge) and a shorter leech (trailing edge). Asymmetrical spinnakers are typically set on a furling system and do not require a spinnaker pole, making them easier to handle than symmetrical spinnakers. They provide more power and stability than a genoa in light wind conditions and are more versatile than a symmetrical spinnaker.

Storm Sails

Storm sails are small, heavy-duty sails designed for use in extreme weather conditions. They are used to replace the standard sails when the wind is too strong, providing better control and reducing the risk of damage to the boat and its rigging. There are two main types of storm sails: storm jibs and trysails.

A storm jib is a small, heavy-duty jib that is used in place of the standard jib in strong winds. It is typically set on the inner forestay, closer to the mast, providing better balance and control. Storm jibs are designed to withstand high wind loads and are made from durable materials, such as heavy-duty Dacron or laminate fabrics.

A trysail, also known as a storm trysail or storm mainsail, is a small, heavy-duty sail that is used in place of the standard mainsail in extreme weather conditions. It is typically set on a separate track on the mast, allowing it to be hoisted independently of the mainsail. Trysails are designed to provide better control and balance in strong winds and are made from durable materials, such as heavy-duty Dacron or laminate fabrics.

Sails are made from various materials, each with its unique characteristics and performance attributes. The most common sail materials include Dacron, laminate fabrics, and high-performance fibers, such as carbon and aramid.

Dacron is a durable, low-stretch polyester fabric that is widely used for cruising sails. It is relatively inexpensive and provides good performance in a wide range of conditions. Laminate fabrics are made by sandwiching layers of polyester or high-performance fibers between layers of Mylar film. These sails are lighter and more resistant to stretch than Dacron sails, providing better performance and shape retention. High-performance fibers, such as carbon and aramid, are used in racing sails and offer the highest levels of strength, durability, and performance.

Sail construction techniques also play a significant role in the performance and durability of a sail. Cross-cut sails are made from panels of fabric that are sewn together horizontally, following the natural lines of the fabric’s weave. This construction method is relatively simple and inexpensive but can result in a sail that is more prone to stretch and distortion. Radial-cut sails are made from panels of fabric that radiate out from the corners of the sail, distributing the loads more evenly and providing better shape retention and performance.

Understanding the different types of sails and their uses is essential for any sailor looking to optimize their sailing performance and enjoyment. By selecting the appropriate sails for your boat and the conditions you’ll be sailing in, you’ll be better prepared to navigate the open sea and embrace the freedom and fulfillment that comes from choosing an unconventional path.

16 Ways to Generate Electricity on a Sailboat: The Complete Guide

How do you manage to generate electricity when you’re out on the water in a sailboat? If you aren’t a sailor, you may have never even considered this. For the person who just bought a boat, however, this is the guide for you.

How do you generate electricity on a sailboat? One can generate electricity e ither with generators, batteries, or adaptions made to your boat to capture energy from the water, sun, or wind.

While generators and batteries must be recharged or refueled somehow, there are a few unique modifications you can make on your boat to make it self-sustaining, at least in terms of electricity. If you don’t want to put in the work for making changes to your boat, a generator or battery is an easy fix.

Stored Energy Options to Generate Electricity on a Sailboat

These are all the options you can use to generate electricity while on the sailboat. Unlike the options listed in the following section, these are all portable stores of energy you can bring onto the sailboat with you. They store energy, whereas the second group produces it.

There are many different ways you can bring energy onboard with you for your usage while on your boat. Two different common ones you’ll find are:

And one you won’t find so often is:

There are some similarities between the three, especially when you’re looking into electrical generators versus batteries. We’ll start with generators before moving to inverters and finishing with batteries.

1. Hybrid Generators for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

There are many ways to generate electricity on your sailboat, but the one we’d most suggest to you is hybrid generators. These are generators that can run a variety of ways. You don’t have to dock every time your generator runs out of fuel, but on a cloudy day, your generator won’t be dead on the water.

Many electric generators, which we’ll cover in the following section, have other options aside from plugging it in and charging it of an outlet. For instance, they’ll also have a tank for gasoline or diesel. In other cases, you can purchase a solar panel to work with your generator.

When it comes to choosing something for your sailboat, you want something with multiple methods of fueling or charging it. At least once, you’ll probably forget to fill up the tank with fuel before you cast off, or forget to charge your electric generator.

You’re also better prepared in emergencies with a hybrid generator. If something happens, your generator may run out of diesel before you can contact anyone. With a solar or electric option, you’ll have backup in any emergency.

2. Electric Generators for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

Electric generators are one of the newest things, and one of the best options on the market for this purpose. Many have available kits you can add to change how you charge it, from swapping out the plug to fit a different outlet to adding a solar panel for green energy.

Electric generators come in a variety of sizes, from small ones intended to be used on camping trips to charge your phone or DVD player to large ones you can run your house off of in emergencies. They’re essentially a large battery pack, similar to the one you may have for your smartphone.

The best part about an electric generator is the cost of charging it versus the cost of filling up a generator running on fossil fuel. While it may take a serious amount of energy to fully charge an electric generator, it’ll only be a small increase in your electric usage compared to the cost of filling up daily.

You’re also maintaining a cleaner airspace for yourself and everyone around you, including the marine life you’re sailing above. If using green energy is important to you, read down about solar generators, or look for an electric model with a solar panel option.

3. Diesel Generators for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

This is probably the most commonly used source of electricity when people are on their boats. Diesel generators are easy to find at any local home improvement store for a variety of prices and uses. Diesel generators also tend to outlive their gas counterparts.

Typically, diesel generators are loud, smelly, and bulky. However, they’re easy to purchase in store, as is diesel. Newer models are becoming smaller and quieter, with better regulations on the exhaust system. Older generators have exhaust systems that allow more diesel out into the air, leading to the smell.

Diesel engines also will last you a long time. These are frequently considered the workhouses of engines, putting out an impressive amount of power as well as outliving their competitors. You’ll also go through a good amount of oil, as diesel engines are famed for burning through it.

However, things like electric generators and battery packs are taking over the market for sailboat electricity. These are less expensive and smaller, without the diesel smell of the generator. They’ll also save you on expenses by not requiring diesel or any other fuel.

4. Bio Diesel Generator for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

These are almost a subset of diesel generators. However, they run on a different fuel which requires slightly different parts, so they deserve their own recognition.

Diesel engines are surprisingly easy to convert to bio diesel. If you have a diesel generator but want to convert it to bio diesel, you’ll only need to find a shop near you offering the service. Most diesel car shops won’t work on your generator, though, so you’ll need to find someone specializing in it.

Bio diesel is a great option if you’re trying to minimize your carbon footprint. Instead of being made completely of diesel, which is a limited resource and a damaging one to burn, bio diesel is mixed with a biological resource. Typically, this is used frying oil mixed with a ratio of 80/20, diesel to oil.

Neither diesel nor bio diesel will last long in storage. Gas, diesel, and bio diesel all have a shelf life of about a year, after which you shouldn’t use it. After a year, the fuel becomes thick and gloppy while the oil separates out of it. It won’t burn properly in this state and will damage your generator.

5. Gas Generators for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

These are the second-most popular generators for using on your sailboat. Again, we prefer to avoid these because of the noise and the smell, which can be a real buzzkill. However, you can find many quieter options on the market compared to what used to be there.

As a rule of thumb, gas generators are going to be less expensive or smelly than diesel. During the winter months, gas is cheaper than diesel as well, which lowers the overall cost of the generator even more. Why do so many people prefer diesel over gas generators then?

Diesel generators typically outlive other engines. This isn’t always true, of course, but think of the many old diesel semi-trucks that are still running on the road every day. Diesel generators can also sit with fuel inside them for longer, while gas generator’s engines will gunk up quickly if you allow fuel to sit in them.

Gas generators will be easier on your bank account, both initially and down the road, compared to diesel generators. If you remember nothing else about choosing a fossil fuel generator, remember that diesel lasts forever, but gas is less expensive initially and on the long run.

6. Propane Generators for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

Propane generators aren’t nearly as popular as gas and diesel generators, but they do have their advantages. While diesel and gas can’t sit around for very long, propane doesn’t have that issue. You can safely hold propane for over a year, and it will still burn just the same.

On the flip side, propane is more expensive. We’ve established that gas generators are the least expensive; propane generators are the most expensive to keep fueled. Propane is harder to come by and used significantly less than gas or diesel, which can also be a problem if you’re relying on your generator.

In a power outage affecting stores, you won’t be able to get gasoline or diesel. This is because the pumps won’t be working. With a propane generator, however, you don’t have to worry about pumping anything. While everyone else is driving two towns over for diesel, you can be on your boat.

7. Solar Generators for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

We’ve already gone over the electric generators that can be adapted to use solar energy, but there are also generators that use solar power as their primary source of energy. These typically come with larger solar panels than just the electric generator adaption kits do.

When it comes to generators, “panels” may not mean what you’re thinking of. Instead of ones you’ll see on people’s houses, these are often foldable for travel. If you have the option between the two, go for one that folds in order to save space on the boat.

If you’re interested in living off the grid on your sailboat, solar generators are one of the best ways to do so. You won’t have to come in for fuel ever again, and you’ll be using only green energy. With some panels, you can even hang them from your mast when you aren’t moving.

If you look into travel generators, you’ll find a lot of solar options that don’t require extra panels at all. Travel generators are typically solar or electrically powered and are smaller. If you’re only looking for something small, look into these, as the solar panels are the entire outer case of the generator instead of a separate panel.

8. Inverters for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

What is an inverter, and how is it different from generators or batteries? An inverter is simply a device that converts DC energy from a battery or a serious of batteries into AC power for whatever your power needs are. AC power is what most devices use.

A lot of inverters are switching to using lithium-ion batteries, which are rechargeable and last the longest. In the sections below, we cover batteries separately, as you can purchase them without an inverter. There are also pros and cons to each type when it comes to using them.

The best part about inverters is that when the battery goes bad inside it, you don’t have to buy a whole new inverter. Instead, you’ll only have to replace the battery. When you’re replacing the battery, however, remember that you must replace it with the same kind of battery you removed.

The only reason you’ll need to replace your inverter is if it’s damaged, you want to switch to a different type of battery, or the battery goes bad inside the inverter and damages it. If you notice any damages to your inverter, be careful, as damage in the wrong place could lead to a shock.

9. Lithium Batteries for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

Lithium batteries are one of the most common types of batteries out there today. Whether it’s in your electronic cigarette or in your phone or your gaming device, you probably have more in your home right now than you realize. Not all of them are this small, though.

You can purchase lithium batteries large enough to run whatever you may need on your sailboat. These are rechargeable, which you can do a variety of ways depending on the battery, and last a long time. They’re also quiet, something generators very much are not.

You can also use several lithium batteries at once to power different things. The only thing you’ll need to remember when buying a lithium battery is that it isn’t set up for you already. You’ll still need an inverter to work with it to convert the DC power to AC power before it can be used.

For more information on using lithium batteries or battery banks, which we cover in the next section, look into TrioTravels’s post on using lithium batteries to bring electric to his sailboat. He goes into deeper details on lithium batteries, battery banks, and how to set it up with your boat.

10. Battery Banks for Using on a Sailboat for Electricity

Today, many people habitually carry a portable battery that they can charge their phone off of when they need to. If you don’t, you may keep one in your car or tucked in your luggage for while you’re traveling. The point is, we nearly all have portable batteries now. How much can they power?

It turns out, a lot. Many of these battery banks use lithium batteries, which we just covered. Whereas you’ll have to make adjustments and adaptions by just buying a lithium battery, battery banks have all that work done for you. It’s as simple as plug and play.

You’ll need to match your battery pack size to what you’re powering or bring multiples. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to plug everyone’s phone, tablet, and laptop into one battery pack. Unlike plain lithium batteries, battery packs typically have a set number of plugs.

The cheaper and smaller your battery pack is, the shorter the amount of time you’ll be able to use it is. If you want to invest in or more battery packs, spend the extra money to get one from a reputable electronics seller, versus the one you can pick up at the dollar store.

11. Open Lead Acid Batteries for Generating Energy on a Sailboat

These are the oldest technology for generating electricity on your boat, but they aren’t the best, as we already covered. The biggest draw of these is their low price point and all the information you can discover about using them with your sailboat, versus anything else.

Open lead acid batteries are made up of an electrolyte fluid inside. As the battery is used, you have to regularly check the fluid level. If it gets too low, you’ll damage the battery casing and risk the fluid leaking out. You also have to be careful when checking the fluid not to spill it.

You can recharge these batteries in a variety of ways, including the most popular today, off lithium-ion batteries. It’s highly suggested you charge them after each use, as they become dangerous when the charge is under 50%.

These are still the cheapest and most widely used rechargeable batteries, despite being the original battery plan from the 19 th century. Being the grandfather of all batteries isn’t even enough to make this one retire.

12. AGM and Gel Batteries for Generating Energy on a Sailboat

These are very similar to open lead batteries, but with the exception of using a gel instead of a liquid. This way, there is no liquid to evaporate or spill out. However, a gel is significantly heavier than a liquid, making it less portable.

Just like with other batteries, this one requires an inverter to change the energy from DC to AC. There are many inverters that come with AGM batteries instead of open lead batteries, the company preferring the more dependable gel.

The gel also improves on performance and lifetime when compared to the liquid. However, as well as being heavier, the gel is more expensive. You won’t be spending nearly as much as a lithium battery, but these aren’t the cheapest either.

13. Sealed Lead Batteries for Generating Energy on a Sailboat

With these, there’s no liquid or gel. Instead, there’s a chemical reaction inside them producing and then storing energy until the manufacturer’s date. After the date, however, you’ll simply have to toss the battery and buy a new one.

This can lead to serious waste if you’re regularly using these. This is why unless you only go out occasionally and use your battery, stick with something rechargeable. You’ll leave a smaller carbon footprint and won’t have to buy new batteries constantly.

If you aren’t using it often, this is a safer option than the open lead batteries because you don’t have any liquid to worry about. On the flip side, it isn’t rechargeable, unlike gel batteries, but it is cheaper than them.

14. A Fuel Cell for Generating Energy on a Sailboat?

Fuel cells are one of the hottest topics right now. If manufacturers could produce a low-cost fuel cell, it would be one of the most ideal solutions for generating energy while out on the water. In fact, fuel cells would be an ideal solution to produce a lot of energy for different needs.

Fuel cells use a chemical reaction inside them to produce energy. This energy can then be harness and used while the reaction is continually taking place in the fuel cell.

Right now, fuel cells are too expensive for the average person to buy. However, in the future, you may find yourself looking into fuel cells. They’re cleaner energy than generators that run off fossil fuels, and they’ll last longer than your typical battery, even a lithium battery.

Unlike other green energy options, fuel cells don’t rely on any externals for power. No matter how cloudy of a day it is, you’ll still be able to have power with a fuel cell compared to solar panels.

Internal Ways to Generate Electricity on a Sailboat

Now that we’ve covered the ways you can bring power onto the sailboat with you, we’ll go into different ways you can create energy while on your sailboat. You’ll only have to use what’s around you and make a few adaptions on your boat.

The best part about these is that you can live off the grid. With battery packs and generators, you’ll have to come back to land to restock, whether it’s fuel or just to plug in and charge. With these options, you won’t have to go back on land to refill your electricity again.

15. Hydrogenerators for Generating Electricity on a Sailboat

Hydrogenerators literally means “water generator.” Just like with wind generators in the following section, these also spin around to produce energy. They’re simply underwater versus up high, using the current of the water instead of the wind.

As you sail, the hydrogenerator uses the water flow to create energy. You’ll need an alternator to work with this one or the next, much like how you need an inverter to use a battery. Alternators simply work to convert the energy of the water flow into usable, AC power.

The only issue with hydrogenerators is the drag they sometimes cause. Because it’s down in the water below you, but hanging off your boat, it’ll slow you down. There are some made to lessen the effects of this.

Also, you won’t be able to gather energy while docked, obviously. The hydrogenerator will only produce energy while it’s moving, so you’ll need to make sure everything is charged at the end of your trip, as you won’t be able to create any energy till you’re far off at sea.

16. Wind Generators for Generating Electricity on a Sailboat

We all know that wind can produce energy for us to harness and use, but did you know you can do that on the open sea? The high-speed winds you may encounter out on the water are ideal for racking up the energy. You’ll also need an alternator to convert the energy.

To set up a wind generator, you’ll have to attach a windmill to the top of your mast. You can affix it to other places as well, but the highest spot is the most likely to have the best winds. You’ll then have your alternator convert the energy into AC power, and the electricity will move forward or into storage, depending on your setup.

Just like with solar energy, this is an ideal option for those looking to move off the grid or only use green energy. However, you may want to keep a backup option. Only during a strong wind that you can feel will the wheel turn and produce energy. Otherwise, it will sit lifeless.

The wind is also felt more strongly when you have one of these installed. The pinwheel atop the master is constantly spinning with the wind, which you can typically feel from inside the boat. This can lead to tipping and an uneven, bumpy ride. However, you use these while docked.

Final Thoughts on Ways to Generate Electricity on a Sailboat

There are many ways to generate or store energy on your sailboat for whatever you may need. The things to keep in mind are what you’ll be using it for, how often, and how important green energy is to you.

With this plethora of options, you should have no problems finding the perfect solution for you. You can also use any combination of these. Try using batteries and inverter and then a generator, or go straight to wind generators and hydrogenerators!  

I am the owner of sailoradvice. I live in Birmingham, UK and love to sail with my wife and three boys throughout the year.

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Type Of Sails: A Complete Guide

Table of Contents

If you are approaching sailing and sailboats from a very beginner’s perspective , then the concept of different kinds of sails can be a strange one. We often believe we see one kind of sailboat with one kind of sail, and our simple minds lead us to believe you are only meant to move them around, and you will get to where you need to go.

However, you would not have landed on this article if you did not suspect that there was more to sails and sailboats. So here, you can have a kind of in-depth, kind of summarized review of the different kinds of sails and the most popular sail and mast configurations out there.

It is also important to understand why there are so many different kinds of sails. When you are out on the water, different weather conditions can occur. Your sail acts as a motor of some sort, moving your sailboat forwards, but your sail is also highly dependent on the wind conditions around it. This is why having different kinds of sails can help you navigate your weather conditions and turn them to your own advantage while sailing.

Different sails also come with different danger levels in case of strong wind, so knowing what kinds you might need to watch out for is also extremely important. So, without further ado, let us get into it.

You may have heard of this one before or seen it portrayed in movies and TV shows. As the name suggests, the mainsail is the most popular kind of sail on any sailboat, and they are found behind the mast. They are also attached to the boom. Because they take up so much space on your sailboat, they are also one of the most important sails to take care of and keep an eye on.

Since the mainsail is such a large sail, it does not require too strong a wind to propel it forward , as its large surface area will easily catch a breeze. At the same time, the fact that it can be moved around by moving the boom makes it, so it is easy to steer. This makes it so that the mainsail is the most important sail on your sailboat.

Headsail/Jib

The headsail, or the jib, is likely the second most popular kind of sail found on sailboats. This is because it often accompanies the mainsail, the most popular kind. On all sailboats , the headsail is put at the front of the mast over the sailboat’s bow . It is always a smaller sail than the mainsail.

The fact that the headsail is smaller can be especially useful if you are caught in strong winds. In this situation, you likely do not want to use your mainsail (or trim it as much as possible) to move slower and not be thrown around by the winds. Smaller sails catch less wind, meaning they do not propel your boat as strongly as larger sails.

Having a good headsail can be an incredible safety measure, especially if the seas you are trying to sail are known to be wild and unpredictable.

You may have seen a genoa sail before if you have been around boats or have ever lived in a coastal town. This kind of sail is a large sail that you can attach to the front of the forestay (similarly to the headsail). This is a larger sail than the headsail and can even cover the mainsail either partially or completely. For this reason, the genoa also used to be called an “overlapping jib.”

You should use a genoa if you are sailing through either light or medium winds and if your sailboat is at a dead run point of sail (this means that the wind is coming directly from the rear. If you attempt to use a genoa sail in stronger winds , you might start going too fast and put yourself and your boat at risk since it is such a large sail. So, it is  important to be careful .

The spinnaker is the most whimsical kind of sail since it is a large and colorful kind. They are also often symmetrical, which means they are more appropriate for reaching different points of sail, such as the running point of sail. They are lighter sails, and they do not cover the mast as the genoa sail does. You do not attach a spinnaker to the forestay and instead let it stretch out past the boat’s bow.

The large surface area of the spinnaker means that you have to be even more careful than with others on the kind of conditions you choose to use this sail in. If the winds are too strong, you could be putting yourself and your passengers at serious risk using this sail, so you should choose to use it only at times when the wind is low or in seas that are known for their low winds and tranquility.

As the name suggests, the gennaker sail mixes the genoa sail and the spinnaker sail. These kinds of sails are more recent inventions. They are as large as the spinnaker sail, but they are not symmetrical. Unlike the genoa or the headsail, they are also not meant to be attached to the forestay, like the spinnaker sail.

The usefulness of this sail is that if the winds change from a pure dead run to a reaching point of sail, then sailors do not have to resort to using a spinnaker from a genoa, instead of being able to  take advantage of different winds  while still using the same sail as they were before. This kind of sail is still only meant for lighter and milder winds , but there is more flexibility with the gennaker than the genoa and the spinnaker sails.

Popular Sail and Mast Configurations

There are many different ways to place the sails we have learned about in the above section. We have compiled a list of some of the most popular ones so you can understand how these sails can be used to make a sailboat move through the oceans.

A sloop is by far the most popular configuration. It features a single mast, double sail (the mainsail and the headsail), and mast configuration. The headsail is located from the forestay on the mast to the top of it. The type of headsail used can also vary from a genoa, a spinnaker, or a gennaker sail.

Fractional Rig Sloop

A fractional rig sloop also features a single mast with a double sail setup similar to a sloop. However, what makes the fractional rig sloop different is that the forestay does not reach the top of the mast. This means the headsail is constricted to a smaller amount of surface than on a regular sloop, making it so that your sailboat  captures less wind and moves slower .

Cutters are interesting because they’re like a sloop but with a second forestay. This can be useful because it allows them to carry two headsails (a mainsail and one of the jibs). Cutters are good for cruising because they offer a range of wind options, giving you more time to get from place to place.

This is a less common mast configuration than previous others on this list. This is because a ketch features two masts. There is a larger mast fit for the mainsail and the headsail and a smaller mast between the mainmast and the stern (the rear) of the boat. This kind of mast configuration is more commonly found among Northern European freighters or fishing boats. This mast configuration is also called the mizzen mast.

A schooner mast configuration features two or more masts. This is similar to the previous configuration, the ketch. It also features multiple sails. While a ketch’s aft mast (also known as the rear mast) is higher than the forward mast, a schooner’s aft mast is shorter than the forward mast. A schooner can also have up to six masts (although two are the most common). These are the main differences between the two.

This one is quite similar to a ketch mast configuration (mentioned above). The only real difference between them is that the mizzen mast is put directly behind the sailboat’s rudder post in a yawl.

A cat sail will have one mast and one sail. The mast is put at the bow of the sailboat. This kind of mast configuration is often found on smaller boats, more specifically on dingy boats. Boats with the cat mast configuration are also often called catboats.

Final Verdict

Having the appropriate kind of sail on your sailboat is incredibly important. At the same time, being aware of the kinds of sails that there are and the kind of sail and mast configuration can make you into a more well-rounded and informed sailor. With that in mind, we hope that you leave this article feeling more confident in your skills when you are out at sea.

Boatsetter empowers people to explore with confidence by showing them a world of possibility on the water. Rent  a boat,  list  your boat, or become a  Boatsetter captain  today.

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Wind ships ahead: Technology pulling more power from sails

Wind has never been entirely dead. But now that we have realized the ecological consequences of burning fossil fuels, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has imposed binding global emission restrictions, wind-assisted shipping is attracting attention again. Two French companies have shown how to use aerospace technology to double the propulsion power of wind.

The physical principle is the same one humans have used on sailing boats since eons ago: The wind hits the leading edge of the sail and splits into two flows that are redirected and travel at different speeds toward the trailing edge, causing a pressure difference that simultaneously pulls and pushes the sail and the craft forward. What has changed is the efficiency. Advanced science has doubled the amount of propulsion power per square meter of sail surface, said Marc Van Peteghem, naval architect and co-founder of VPLP Design. Together with the French engineering firm CNIM, VPLP has developed a new wing-sail concept they call OceanWings, based on an existing VPLP idea.

From plane to ship  In recent years, a number of attempts have been made to combine the propulsion principle of traditional sailing boats with the aerodynamic efficiency of an airplane wing with the trailing edge flap extended for taking off or landing. “There is a slot between the two elements of the wing, and the air going through the slot accelerates the flow and pushes the turbulence toward the trailing edge,” Van Peteghem said.

In the case of an airplane, the thrust created by the engine moves the craft against the air, causing the airflow to divide at the wings and generate the uplift force. The principle is reversed in the case of a sailing boat: The wind hits the sail rather than the sail being pushed against the wind. The physics is the same, however. Transferring the two-part concept of the plane wing and flap to a sailing boat results in a wing sail, which consists of two vertical, more or less symmetric, parallel “blades” or “wings” with a narrow gap between them. The gap splits and redirects the airflow again, reinforcing the aerodynamic effect and producing additional thrust.

The concept has been the subject of various experimental designs for some time, including inflatable as well as rigid or segmented hard-shell prototypes. While significant efficiency improvements have been achieved, controlling and reefing the sail has been complicated, requiring exceptional skill and experience. 

Automated handling  The OceanWings design takes a slightly different approach. Each of the two straight blades has a mast of its own and consists of several horizontal segments, the “body” of each segment formed by a flexible fabric. Raising or lowering these segments along the mast allows the surface of the sail to be increased or reduced, or “reefed,” and lowering all segments to the lowermost position “furls” the sail entirely. The angle between the two parts of the sail can be adjusted as desired; each blade can rotate 360 degrees around its mast.

The second key element of the OceanWings concept is that the complications associated with finding the proper position for the given wind condition and desired direction of travel are eliminated, as the entire wing sail is fully computer controlled. All the operator needs to do is choose the heading, and the computer will position the two parts of the sail to achieve optimum thrust, adjusting the camber and twist as required. The sail has been tested successfully on VPLP yachts — including the hydrogen fuel-cell catamaran Energy Observer launched in 2017 — and is commercially available. According to Van Peteghem, OceanWings sails can reduce fuel consumption by 18 to 42 percent, depending on ship type, route and sail arrangement.

But VPLP has far more ambitious goals than yachting. “It is time to transfer the technology we have developed in the yachting industry to the shipping industry,” Van Peteghem said. “A wing sail could be installed on any ship where it is freely exposed to the wind.”

His company advertises its OceanWings wind propulsion technology as an auxiliary source of propulsion power for merchant ships to help achieve the desired EEDI. Looking further into the future, hybrid vessels combining an eco-friendly engine fuel with wing sails and solar panels on board could one day be an option for GHG-neutral, sustainable shipping. Of course, not every sea route has the right wind conditions for such a solution, but on those routes that do, taking advantage of the wind as an inexhaustible energy source certainly makes ecological and economic sense.

Certification services  Once a new wind propulsion concept enters the commercial stage, it is the responsibility of class to ensure the system is safe and reliable, Van Peteghem said. Projects like the recent successful rotor sail installations by the MariGreen consortium and Norsepower, both with DNV GL certification, as well as OceanWings and other sail types have delivered encouraging results. To support these efforts, DNV GL published its new class notation “Wind-assisted propulsion systems” in 2019. What the industry needs now is substantial capital investments in these proven wind technologies so they can enter the mainstream and unfold their carbon abatement and fuel-saving potential.

Hasso Hoffmeister is senior principal engineer at DNV GL.

By Professional Mariner Staff

What Supplies Energy To Move A Sailboat? (Multiple Things)

Sailing is a lot of fun and there is nothing like it. When you are gliding across the water with the wind in your face, you get a feeling of surrealness. I love it more every time I am out there.

The force of wind and water on your boat’s sails and keel will supply energy to move your boat forward. The keel keeps your boat from drifting to the side and the sails give your boat forward motion. Different sails will work better in certain wind conditions for more energy.

Although wind and water give your sailboat power, let’s dive deeper into how they do this and how you can get more energy. First, let’s talk about wind types.

Wind Types And How They Affect Boat Movement

Sailing is one of the best experiences out there. The wind will become your best friend when you start sailing. When the wind is non-existent, you will be very upset at times, but just remember, the wind always comes back. There is a lot to the wind besides just wind. There are multiple types and certain amounts that are better than others. This section will talk about wind and what it is.

There are multiple types of wind when it comes to sailing. You have true wind (the speed of the wind when not moving). This is what the weatherman tells you on channel 5. If you go stand outside right now and don’t move, do you feel any breeze? If you do, then that is the true wind you are feeling.

Then there is apparent wind (the wind experienced while in motion). Imagine you are running into 10 mph of wind straight on, the wind feels so strong when you do this. If you stop running, the wind doesn’t feel as strong does it? When you are running and the wind feels way more powerful than 10 miles an hour, that is the apparent wind. Think of it as two strong forces going against each other.

This is what really affects your boat when sailing upwind. The apparent wind hitting your sails and boat will create a force that moves your boat forward. This will create more speed when sailing upwind. I love sailing upwind because it feels more intense. The wind is in your face, the boat is heeling over, and it just feels fast.

If you ever turn downwind after sailing upwind for a while, it is kind of disappointing. The big breeze in your face goes away, the heel of your boat will decrease, and it just won’t feel fast. The truth is your speed may still be good, but it’s harder to tell when traveling with the wind.

It’s clear that wind is a huge part of moving a sailboat. There are other parts that help move this boat forward though. Let’s look at keels next, and how they are helping with energy.

What Is The Purpose of a Keel? The Different Forces

The main purpose of the keel is to keep your boat balanced while sailing. If your boat is well-balanced, it will have more speed through the water. It will also help prevent your boat from drifting to the side when the wind is blowing.

Keels carry the ballast, which is a large weight. They can weigh anywhere from 100 pounds to 5000 pounds and sometimes even more. They are an essential part of your boat and sailing without one would be nearly impossible.

Take a look at the diagram below. It shows the wind pushing on the sails and how the force of the keel keeps the boat steady and on course.

As you can see from the images above, the sails are being pushed out causing the keel to be forced in the opposite direction. This is where the heeling would start to happen. The wind is pushing the sails to the starboard side and gives them lift, while the keel pushes in the opposite direction against the water. These two opposite direction forces, drive the boat forward because of its design.

The diagram below is of the same boat but with an aft view. This way you can see how the keel is pushed in the opposite direction causing the boat to heel. The keel pushes against the water or current to create its balancing force. The force of the keel against the water and the wind force against the sail sends your boat forward.

A side note to mention when talking about the keel and the water is current. The current can have an effect of energy on the boat’s motion. A current against the boat will definitely affect its energy. The more the current the harder it will be to sail into it. Sailing with the current is less drag making it easier to maintain the boat’s momentum.

As I mentioned before, all of these different forces are what drive the boat forward. The amount of force from the wind and water is what will allow you to have different speeds across the water. I won’t go into a discussion of a bunch of different sailing directions but I will mention one with a lot of speed. The beam reach is going to have a lot of force giving you good heel and speed.

Beam Reach Sailing

We talked about how sailing upwind is going to be better speed than downwind, but what about a beam reach?

Beam reach sailing is probably going to be your fastest point of sail. The boat is receiving the most force from the wind and water at this point, forcing your boat forward at optimal speeds.

When you are in a beam reach you can expect a good heel of the boat. The wind is lifting and filling your sails while the water is pushing against your keel and rudder.

These two forces working against/ together will create the best speed for the boat. See the Beam Reach area in the image below:

If you were going straight downwind, your sails would be full but it would be more of a pulling motion from your sails. You will not have that lift and help from the water against the keel and rudder. Think of it like this;

When you are in a beam reach the sails will fill up with wind and slightly lift the boat creating less drag. Now when you go downwind the sails fill up and just pull your boat along with more drag, not lifting the boat.

There is one more thing that supplies energy to move your boat and that is the boat’s motor. Let’s talk about that briefly since we all know how a motor works.

Motors And How They Move Sailboats

It’s pretty obvious how a motor moves a sailboat. It moves it like it moves all other boats, by propulsion. I won’t go into too much detail here since we all know how a boat motor works. There are a few things I want to mention though.

There are outboard and inboard motors. The outboard is mounted on the back of the transom and the inboard is inside the hull somewhere. They both have props that will propel the boat forward when in use. The speed of your boat will depend on the size of the motor and the size of the boat. If you are motor sailing you don’t need to go that fast. Motors are mostly for getting in and out of port, or moments when there is no wind. With sailing, you should never be in a hurry to go anywhere. Unless of course, it’s a race.

Just about every cabin-sized sailboat has a motor. Trying to back out of a slip with a 30ft sailboat with no motor would be almost impossible. They are a great help for navigating docks and ports. The only downside is they do require some type of fuel or electricity. It’s not a huge downside since you won’t be using it much, but the natural energy from wind and water is much better.

If you want to find out more about motors and how to attach them to your sailboat, check this article out!

In Conclusion

The wind, water, and keel supply energy and forces to move the sailboat forward. The engine is an exception in some cases, but the wind, water, and keel are your main components. The wind pushes against the sail and the sail harnesses the wind. While the sail works, the keel is below the water’s surface pushing against the water/current creating an opposite force. These forces compound together shooting your boat forward in motion. The more these two forces push the faster the boat will go.

Boatlifehq owner and author/editor of this article.

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Energy on your Boat

Details and tips for understanding energy on your boat.

Managing Energy on your boat is like managing water on your boat – there is a limited supply and you have to constantly top it up as you use it.

With the maturity of Lithium-Ion batteries and high capacity storage, people look for smarter and faster ways to generate more energy on your boat. While solar will always be a cheap and easily available source of energy, for today’s modern boat with all the desired creature comforts – such as the array of electronics, refrigeration, electric ovens, water heaters, water makers, air conditioning, and more – solar cannot keep up.

Power vs Energy on your Boat

The concept of energy is likened to water for the easiest understanding. A bucket of water holds a specific amount of water that is measured in a number of gallons or liters. It is finite: when it is all drained out, it is gone. To gain more, it must be replaced from a water source.

In the same manner, energy is measured in a quantity like gallons or liters are to water. Energy quantity is measured in joules .  The battery itself is likened to the bucket. The battery holds a certain amount of joules of energy and when it is all gone, it is gone. To gain more usable electricity on your boat, you must add more joules back into your battery.

The concept of power is likened to a quantity of water flowing out of the bucket over time. While draining the bucket of water, the water is flowing out at a certain rate. If a 10-liter bucket drains out in 1 minute, the flow rate out is 10 liters per minute or 600 liters per hour.

Power is the flow rate or usage of energy over time measured in joules of energy per second of time. One joule of energy used every second is one watt of power . Thus, electrical devices are rated in watts – the amount of energy per second the device uses while it is ‘on’. The longer you leave the device on, the greater amount of energy is consumed and drained from your limited resource energy-holding batteries.

To summarize the above: Energy is a quantity, and power is the rate of usage of that energy over time.

When you are on a sailboat on a sailing vacation or cruising, you are the energy manager. As such, you’re going to need to understand the mathematics of it all and constantly do energy audits. When sailing at home, this is rarely an issue because typically at the end of the day you go back home and plug into the shore power to recharge your batteries. When sailing abroad or on extended trips, plugging into shore power rarely happens every night.

To put this all in perspective, a fridge/freezer unit on a sailboat is typically rated at 60 watts. This means that every second it is on and cooling it uses 60 joules of energy. But like a fridge at home, the fridge is not always running. It cools down to the right temperature then the thermostat switches the fridge off. When heat enters in through the walls of the fridge and raises the temperature a few degrees, the fridge turns back on and starts consuming 60 watts of power or 60 joules of energy every second to cool the fridge back down to its thermostat setting – then is switches itself off again.

Let’s say you load the fridge up with warm beer. After 1 hour of full running the fridge would have used:

60 j/sec * 3600 sec/hr  * 1 hr = 216,000 joules.

But that number, 216,000 joules really doesn’t mean much. So engineers simplified the concept using watt-hours , which is also a measure of energy (1 watt-hr =  1 joule/sec * 3600 sec/hr = 3600 joules). Since power (the flow rate of energy) is measured in watts, it is more practically meaningful to list energy in watt-hrs instead of joules. i.e. if you use 1 joule per second for 3,600 seconds you would have used 3,600 joules. Since one joule per second is one watt and 3,600 seconds is one hour this is 1 watt.hour (watt.hr). This is not watts per hour – there is no such thing – rather watt.hrs is the flow rate of energy (watts) multiplied by time (hours) and is thus watt.hours – a specific amount of energy used. In water terms, this is like liters/hour (akin to watts) multiplied by time (hours) – which is the amount of liters used.

Tip: Engineers use watt-hrs as the meaningful unit of energy

In this case, the 60-watt fridge/freezer ran for 1 hour and used 60 watt.hrs of energy from the house battery bank. If the fridge/freezer ran on full cooling for 24 hours then it would use:

60 watts x 24 hours = 1440 watt-hours of energy (or 1.44. kilowatt-hrs)

In reality, the fridge does not run 100% of the time (unless loaded with warm stuff). The % of time it runs is called the duty cycle. Assuming the duty cycle is 50% then a full day of running the fridge and keeping the beer (and food) cold consumes 720 watt-hrs or 0.72 kilowatt-hrs of energy.

Battery Capacity Ratings

Unfortunately, someone decided to measure lead-acid battery energy capacity in Amp-hrs . In reality, there is no unit of measurement as an Amp.hr and it drives engineers crazy. Amps need to be multiplied by the voltage to put it into real terms. For example, a 200 Amp.hr battery at 12 volts contains half the amount of energy as a 200 Amp.hr battery at 24 volts. So, Amp.hrs is really a nonsensical measurement of energy.

A more practical energy capacity rating of batteries is in watt.hrs. This allows anyone to easily calculate how long a battery will last at a certain wattage drain rate as the example above with the refrigerator. With the advent of Lithium-Ion batteries, fortunately, the ratings have now been universally listed in watt.hrs – whew. This makes the calculation of amount of available energy easy for the mariner.

How much energy?

We added up all the energy draws on a typical 40-foot boat with modern amenities. The conclusion was, on average, the boat will use about 5000 watt.hrs of energy per day – this is excluding air conditioning. This makes the math really easy – the 3,500 watt.hr Lithium-Ion battery above fully charged would provide 3500/5000 = 70% of the daily requirement.

When you add in air conditioning, the numbers go crazy. NauticEd performed an experiment on a Beneteau 41 monohull in Caribbean type conditions – 80 o F water temperature and 78 o air temp at night. The air conditioning thermostat was set at 75 o F. It was found that with 4 people sleeping onboard, the amount of energy consumed was 1,400 watt.hrs per hour. For a 10 hour evening using air conditioning, this means that 14,000 watt.hrs of energy would be consumed just for air conditioning. That is a lot: 4 of the lithium-ion batteries above!

Sources of Energy

Solar: Solar panels are conveniently and properly rated in watts – Joules of energy converted from sun energy per second to electrical energy. And actually, they are really rated in watts per square meter. The best solar panels today can produce about 300 watts per square meter. A big catamaran might have space for an array of about 6 square meters of panels (2m x 3m). This array can produce 300 watts/m 2 x 6 m 2 = 1800 watts. As a general rule of thumb, on a sunny day, you can multiply this by about 5 hours per day to gain the amount of energy produced. Thus a large array on a catamaran could produce up to about 9000 watt.hrs of energy. A monohull has significantly less available area for mounting solar panels and so 2 square meters is more realistic. This means 300 watt/m 2 x 2 m 2 x 5 hrs = 3000 watt.hrs per day can be produced from solar.

Thus while solar is capable of taking a big dent out of the energy used per day, if you add in air conditioning, solar can not keep up. You have to get more energy from other sources.

Alternator: An alternator does not produce very much energy despite it being connected to the engine. This is mostly because of the limited “dumb” electronics in the alternator such as the diode. An alternator will produce about 800 watts of energy. For every hour of engine run time, you only generate 800 watt.hrs which is not enough even if running the engine for 3 hours (2400 watt.hrs).

Generator : A generator onboard your boat can be a major source of energy. A typical marine generator that will fit on a 45-foot monohull provides up to 8,000 watts. This can keep up with the peak load of all air conditioners running at full speed as well as all your electronics. Generators are heavy and expensive to buy and operational maintenance is also expensive. Essentially, a generator is just another diesel engine that has an electrical generating device attached to it. It has soundproofing around it to lessen the noise, but if you’re running air conditioning from your generator, you’re going to be listening to the thrumb all night (as well as your neighbors).

High Output Alternators: Some alternators have been designed to output a large amount of energy as much as 3000 watts. However, these alternators have developed a reputation for being unreliable and often the diodes blow from surges of energy when throttling the propulsion engine up and down as you maneuver in a marina.

Intelligent Alternators (Integrel): Several attempts at smart alternators have been done which draw power off the front pulley via a large belt with a very stiff tensioner. One such is the Integrel device which NauticEd originally endorsed due to its innovation. However, Integrel has proven to be not reliable over time because of belt wear and breakage, high loads on the alternator bracket leading it to bend, as well as fatigue loads on the bracket bolts. Additionally, constant issues with the complex software lead to many installation problems costing many thousands of dollars to the installer and further ongoing operational problems to the user. The issue with Integrel really comes down to trying to pull too much energy off the front pulley. Consequently, the engine manufacturers have denied warranty coverage. Integrel is made by Triskel Marine in the UK – a small start-up company that did have a great idea but failed to implement it properly. Our advice is to stay away from the Integrel – there are other more innovative devices coming like hybrid engine/generators. See this article on why Integrel did not work .

Hybrid Engine/Generators: These are going to be seen more and more on sailboats and powerboats and seemingly are the ultimate solution.

The parallel hybrid system makes use of the high power available from the drive shaft driven by the diesel propulsion engine. Between the engine and the propeller, a smart clutch/gearbox is inserted. The clutch can send mechanical power to the propeller as well as to an electric generator. The electric generator creates electricity and stores it in a 48-volt bank of batteries for later usage. What is clever about this system is that the electric generator can double as an electric motor, so now if the 48-volt bank of batteries are full and the mariner decides to run their boat propulsion on electricity, they can switch off the diesel engine and allow the electric motor to drive the propeller through the clutch/gearbox.

The design below is supplied by Hybrid Marine

For further understanding on this particular product from Hybrid Marine , although there are other manufacturers out there. NauticEd has no relationship with Hybrid Marine and can not speak regarding their exact technology but does recognize that two major boat manufacturers, Antares Catamarans and HH Catamarans, are using their technology.

The 48-volt bank of batteries charged from the motor/generator also doubles as a large storage of energy for use onboard for air conditioners, refrigerators, and boat electronics, etc.

The smart mariner then just makes decisions about his stored electrical energy and runs the diesel or electric motor as appropriate. When at anchor, if there is not enough energy in the 48-volt bank, electricity can easily be made from the main engine through the electric generator.

This hybrid system completely eliminates the traditional generator which is just another diesel engine onboard with associated weight and cost. 

Using the hybrid system will allow the mariner to generate a huge amount of electrical energy very quickly and store it in Lithium-ion batteries. For example, if a catamaran uses 20 kW.hrs of energy for its air conditioning on a night, this amount of energy could be generated in 2 hours of dual engine run time as opposed to running a generator all night long. Add solar and you can cut that in half. Electrical energy can also be generated while using the spare available energy from the propulsion engines even while maneuvering in gear.

Wind Turbines: Manufacturers rate their turbines for 28 knots of wind speed. But power output from wind turbines decreases by the 3rd mathematical power with wind speed. So if you half 28 knots to 14 knots, an impressive-sounding 400 watt rated wind turbine can only produce 50 watts.

Water flow generators: As water flows over the propeller while the boat is sailing which turns the propeller. This can be harnessed into electrical energy. Many hybrid systems as above have this capability built into their system. While this adds to your incoming energy, it relies on you sailing (a lot).

Inverters and Converters

An inverter is not really a source of energy on your boat. It changes electric stored energy in batteries into 110 vAC or 220 vAC (alternating current) energy. AC is what your larger appliances run on such as a microwave and is the same as you have in your house. Thus to run AC appliances from your batteries, you need an inverter. Inverters are rated in watts (the amount of watts should be greater than the appliances you want to connect).

You can get a large inverter that is permanently mounted into your boat for running such devices as microwaves or a smaller portable inverter that will create a small amount of 110v/220v current for charging laptops and the like.

Similarly but opposite, a converter converts AC electricity into DC electricity. An example is the battery charger which takes electricity from the shore power or from the generator and uses it to charge the batteries. Additionally, a converter can change one DC voltage to another DC voltage – e.g. 48vDC down to 12vDC.

And just for completeness, a transformer changes from one AC voltage to another – e.g. 220vAC down to 110vAC or 110vAC up to 220vAC. You find these on boats that are world cruisers moving between continents and countries.

Running out of energy on your boat sucks. It will mean warm drinks, food going off in the warm refrigerator, navigation equipment going down, and worse. The prudent captain will monitor and manage energy usage just like drinking water on the boat. Training your crew to be energy conservative is a good idea. Air conditioning is the biggest energy drain so try to use natural cooling like wind scoops.

Lithium-Ion batteries are a technology gift to the marina but efficient ways of topping up those batteries need to be considered such as solar and hybrid engine/generator systems.

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Types of Sails: Explained

While all sailboats rely on wind, the types of sails used can vary greatly based on weather and craft type!

The reason for all the different types of sails is important to understand. Depending on the time of day and location of the water body, you might experience varying weather conditions. The sail acts like a motor, propelling your sailboat forward. The performance depends heavily on wind conditions. Different sails work to navigate weather conditions to maximize your performance.

In this article, we’re going to look at the most common types of sails found on sailboats.

• A mainsail is the most commonly-used sail.
• The gennaker is a cross between the genoas and spinnakers.
• A popular sail used in sailboats is the headsail/jib.

It’s important to know that various sails pose different dangers when it comes to strong winds, which is why knowing which to avoid or use is extremely helpful. Here we discuss the different types of sails and when to use them.

Types of Sails

Let’s look at the most common types of sails here.

1. Mainsail

Most sailboats have a mainsail . It’s the most commonly seen sail on boats and the first thing you think of when you think of sails. The mainsail is attached to the mast behind the boom, so it’s easy to keep an eye on since it occupies a lot of space.

Regarding incoming winds, mainsails have a large surface area, mainly due to how they are mounted on the boom.

Due to their large surface area, they do not require powerful winds to propel a sailboat forward. As the mainsail position is easily adjustable using the boom, you can reach all points of sail. 

2. Spinnaker

Due to the large dimensions and vivid colors of spinnakers, they are considered one of the most whimsical sails you can use. The sails are also often balanced, making them more suitable for reaching various points, including the sail’s running point.

Sails of this type are lighter, unlike genoa sails attached to the mast (see below). The spinnaker is not attached to the forestay , but stretches past the boat’s bow.

A spinnaker’s broad surface makes choosing the right conditions for use even more critical. When the wind is too strong, you and your passengers can be seriously injured by deploying this sail. This is why you should only deploy a spinnaker in calm conditions such as low winds.

A genoa is a sailboat with a genoa sail attached. The genoa sail is similar to a headsail, with large jibs mounted on the forestay. Compared to a normal headsail, a larger genoa sail partly or completely covers the main sail behind the mast. 

A genoa sail is used when there is light to moderate wind or when your sailboat is mostly in dead run sailing (with the wind blowing directly behind).

A genoa sail with such a large surface area is best in low-wind conditions. If you don’t, you’ll be moving very fast, which can lead to a potentially dangerous situation if you’re not careful.

4. Gennaker

Since 1990, gennaker sails have been a more recent sail type on sailboats. Gennakers are sails that resemble both genoas and spinnakers. They are larger than genoas but have a different shape from a spinnaker, unlike genoas and headsails, which are attached to the forestay.

To take advantage of lighter winds, sailors invented the gennaker without resorting to a spinnaker if the wind was strong. Overall, regarding a sail’s performance, a gennaker sail bridges the gap between genoas and spinnakers by taking advantage of relatively softer winds while allowing a greater range of motion.

5. Headsail/Jib

Headsails, or the jib, are second in popularity among sailboat sails. In most cases, it goes with the mainsail, the most common type. 

Generally, the headsail hangs over the boat’s bow on a sailboat. The sizing is often smaller than the mainsail.

You can especially benefit from a smaller headsail when a strong wind blows. As a result, you won’t want to use the main sail (or trim it heavily) to move more slowly and avoid being thrown around. The smaller the sail, the less wind it catches, so it doesn’t propel your boat as effectively as a larger one.

It is extremely important to have a good headsail, regardless of how wild or unpredictable the seas are.

6. Drifter Reacher

A drifter is a sail designed for light wind conditions, and they are larger genoas that can only be used in light weather conditions. Compared to a genoa, it has a larger sail area that increases performance downwind. It is primarily made up of nylon, which is a synthetic fiber.

7. Code Zero

Racing fans love these sails. Code zero sails have large genoas that overlap the mast heavily. The gennaker is roughly 200% larger than a regular jib and resembles a spinnaker and a gennaker combined. This sail is flatter than most. The design does not resemble a balloon, so it allows for better close-reaching, which makes it faster and easier to maneuver.

Common Types of Sailboats

A sloop is a classic sailing vessel with a single mast and two sails. A headsail may be a variety of jibs attached to the mast forestay and extends to the mast cap.

A sailing boat with multiple masts with several sails. Schooners have tall aft masts and can have as many as six masts.

The boat is easy to cruise with due to the cutters and two forestays capable of storing two headsails and varied sail points for varying wind conditions.

Fractional Rig Sloop

Fractional riggers sail sloops differently because their forestays don’t reach the mast top. The sailboat’s headsail occupies a fraction of the sail area, so less wind is captured, so the sailboat moves slower.

A ketch has a mast similar to a sloop, so its mainsail and headsail can reach up to the forestay. There is also a smaller mast positioned right between the stern of the boat and the mainmast. 

Cats have one mast and one sail, similar to dinghies. You can find the sailboat mast at the bow.

Sails are essential to the performance of your sailboat. Using the correct one for the water and weather conditions is important for success out on the water! You can become a more competent and knowledgeable sailor by understanding the common types of sails and mast configurations. 

After reading this article, we hope you will feel more comfortable in your sea skills. The danger levels associated with different sails also vary according to the strength of the wind, making it essential that you know what to look out for.

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A guide to powering your sailing boat in 2021.

Energy for navigation, refrigeration, lights or other electrical items requires a reliable power source on any sailing boat or yacht. Depending on the desired luxury and convenience on the boat, energy consumption may vary greatly. If you have an engine, it’s possible to charge the batteries. But a boat’s engine will use almost as much fuel to charge batteries as it does when motoring. Idling your engine still produces emissions and pollutants that negatively affect our environment and our health. Running your engine purely for charging batteries can also harm your engine, as it is not designed to run below its rated level.

Before choosing which energy system is best for your needs, you first need to establish:

• What are you trying to accomplish (power navigation, run refrigeration, etc.)?
• How much electricity do you require?
• Do you need to modify your boat’s electrical system to meet those requirements?
• Do you have the appropriate weather conditions (wind, sun, etc.) to “fuel” the generator?

Let’s review the different sources for energy generation and storage on boats and yachts!

STORAGE OF ENERGY

Batteries are required to store the electrical energy received from the generator or other sources in order to dispatch it depending on electrical devices demand. The batteries provide a real-time and on-demand reply to your boat electrical requirements.

Marine batteries are designed specifically for use on a boat, with heavier plates and robust construction designed to withstand the vibration and pounding that can occur onboard. For this reason, marine batteries are usually more expensive than automobile batteries, which can tempt some boat owners to purchase an auto battery instead of a marine battery. Don’t make that poor decision. A marine battery will last longer and be more reliable than an auto battery in a boat.

There are several types of batteries available. The main ones are:

• Open lead-acid batteries , the most common and oldest technology for cruising sailboat. The electrolyte fluid level has to be checked on a regular basis.
• Sealed lead (or lead-calcium; valve-regulated lead-acid VRLA) batteries require less maintenance due to the fact that no liquid level check is needed. The chemical reaction ensures battery operation for the lifetime indicated by the manufacturer.
• AGM and gel batteries . The liquid electrolyte is replaced by a gelled solution, there is no risk of leakage or liquid level issue, the performances are higher and the lifetime is better. But this type of batteries are heavier and more expensive.
• Lithium-ion batteries . Lithium batteries have a high specific energy density, which allows them to store more energy in batteries of smaller size and mass. They are also distinguished by high current output and have a number of advantages. But even their charge lasts for a very limited time. The major constraint to their development is a high selling price.

You should choose your marine battery based on the purpose of the battery:

• Marine starting batteries provide quick but powerful spurts of energy over short periods of time and are designed to start the engine and be rapidly recharged by the engine alternator. A starting battery should not be used for trolling motors or powering appliances.
• Marine deep cycle batteries are designed to discharge slowly over a long period of time and to withstand several hundred charging and discharging cycles. A deep cycle battery is the right choice for powering an electric trolling motor and other battery-powered accessories such as audio systems, a windlass, depth finders, fish locators, and appliances. Deep cycle batteries should not be substituted for starting batteries.
• Marine dual-purpose batteries combine the performance of starting and deep cycle battery and are a good choice on smaller when there’s no room for two batteries. While they’re able to perform the tasks of a starting battery and deep cycle battery, they’re not as efficient as separate batteries.

GENERATION OF ENERGY ON THE SEA | CHARGING

During sailing, the batteries need to be charged. It is a good idea to have at least two independent energy sources. In general, all methods of autonomous charging can be divided into two groups:

• Renewable energy sources (solar panels, wind, hydro generators, hydrogen fuel cell generators)
• Fossil-fuel powered sources (diesel generators, petrol generators, etc)

A renewable source of generation is a good option and a good safety backup for boats. There are several types of systems you can use including wind generators, solar panels, water generators, or a combination. Some systems can keep your battery fully charged while your boat sits on the trailer, on a mooring or at the dock, or can be used during long journeys while you are underway.

Let’s go through the renewable sources one-by-one.

•    SOLAR PANELS

Solar panels can be used on small and large boats effectively, they weigh relatively little, and can be flexible. But there are also many risks, especially for a small yacht. Primarily the risk of damage to the panel itself, controller, cable or contacts. The second is the lack of sun. It may happen that for several days the sun does not shine, or you go in such courses that you cannot effectively direct the panels to the sun – they stay in the shade of the sails. On a positive note, they require minimal maintenance, don’t make noise, last up to 25 years or more, and are safe. In general, solar panels are a good complement with some other solution to produce electricity.

Solar sails (solar cloth sails) are being made around the world, where photovoltaic film is attached to each side of the sail.

•    HYDROGENERATOR

Water-powered generators are relatively inexpensive but require a flow rate to give charge. There are two main types: towed spinner generators and shaft generators. With both, however, a minimum speed of 4 knots is recommended, as below this speed, the energy generated is negligible. At low speed of the boat, there is no charge, but there is resistance. There is also a risk of damage – collision with floating objects and breakdown of the propeller. Plus, the risk of damaging of cables, charger and contacts.

•    WIND POWER

Wind generators use the apparent wind to produce renewable electricity through an alternator. They can be fixed on a mast or gantry. Wind generators have the potential to produce power 24 hours a day whether sailing or at anchor. If there is a strong wind, or you are underway, they can usually put out more current than solar panels. Wind generators, however, can be noisy, require regular maintenance and have the potential danger of rotating blades. Because of the huge sails of a sailing boat and long booms it is easy to mechanically damage such a generator.

•    METHANOL FUEL CELLS

Methanol fuel cells have good advantages – they work quietly and rather economically. They can be located inside the yacht and continue to work with any wind conditions and sea state. They don’t require too much special care while operating, but they do fail sometimes. Although we listed methanol fuel cells as renewable energy source, they do emit some carbon dioxide.

•    HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS

One of the most promising technologies for boats and yachts – hydrogen fuel cell generators. They are a relatively new, progressive energy source that run on renewable fuel. In principle, in the future, hydrogen could be generated even on board the yacht itself, increasing the autonomy. Of course, there are some big limitations that must be overcome, as the electrolysis process is relatively inefficient. Among the advantages – hydrogen fuel cells are lightweight and compact systems that provide a high charge current (the   UP400 model gives 32 A). It works in extreme conditions, is quiet and provides clean energy without emissions.

NON-RENEWABLE SOURCES

There are non-renewable sources available and quite often they tend to be more friendly for your wallet. Of the advantages, fossil-fuel generators can charge rather quickly. But more often than not, this is where the pros are over. This energy source is the least environmentally friendly of all. It runs on fossil fuels, has a very unpleasant exhaust, from which the head constantly hurts. It does not work while boat is heeling or bumping. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of diesel generators  here .

Whether you are long-range cruising folk or enjoy the weekend getaway on a boat, energy is a sensitive topic for all boats. You get what you pay for, so consider your options carefully and it’s always best to consult an expert.

Photo source.

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