If you are one of those people who will soon live a unique and unforgettable boat adventure. We offer you a unique trip, start sailing with our boat rental in Marbella. But before sailing you should know a little about this world and know, among other concepts, the types of boat sails that exist, since, depending on different factors, it will be more convenient to choose one type of sail or another.
Throughout this blog, we explain the types of boat sails that exist and which are the most common.
In addition, we comment on other basic nautical concepts that you will find interesting to know to make any type of boat and feel like a real fish in the water.
What is a boat sail
The boat sail is that surface that drives a boat by means of the wind on it. This sail is usually made of materials such as canvas or other fabrics that are resistant to wind pressure.
Depending on the strength of the wind, we will be able to use its entire surface or just a part, since there are sails that are more resistant to the wind than others.
The set of sails of a boat is called Velamen.
Types of nautical sails
In this section you will know the types of nautical sails that exist, and which are the most used when making a boat. There are two types of boat sails: the mainsail and the headsails.
Within the headsails we find different types of boat sails that we will comment on below.
Nautical mainsails
In the first place, we find the mainsail, this type of sail has a greater range compared to the rest. The mainsail is attached to the mast and supported by the boom. It is the most used type of sail when making a boat.
Thanks to the perfect equipment of this type of sail, it is able to adapt to the strength of the wind and moderate its speed.
Ship bow sails
Second, we find the headsails. There are different types of headsails, each with its own characteristics.
- Genoa sail. This type of sail is characterized by its large surface.
- Candle The Solent. Triangular and narrow sail that is characterized by its great height.
- The Tormentin. This sail is characterized by withstanding strong gusts of wind and rough seas. It is one of the most resistant types of boat sails that exists.
- The spinnaker. Very agile wing that inflates from the front in balloon mode. It is designed to sail downwind.
- The gennaker. Headsail type, which has characteristics of both the Genoa sail and the spinnaker. It is usually the ideal type of sail when you have a small number of crew.
The types of boat sails that we normally see anchoring our coasts are the mainsail, the spinnaker and the Genoa. These are the most common, but the others are also used depending on how the sea is and if there is a lot of wind or not.
How to Hoist the Sails of a Sailboat
Hoisting the sails of a sailboat consists of raising the sails so that with the help of the force of the wind the sailboat can sail. To hoist the sails we must pull the rope. The opposite technique to raising the sails, that is, to lower them, is called lowering.
At Navigate Boat Rent, we want to teach you all these basic aspects of navigation that are interesting to avoid or anticipate any unexpected situation that we may encounter during the boat.
If you want to know more about the types of boat sails, or any other question, do not hesitate to contact us.