Headsail

The galeas Albanus with four staysails as headsails, or jibs: (left to right) flying jib, outer and inner jib and "the" staysail

A headsail of a sailing vessel is any sail set forward of the foremost mast. The most common headsails are staysails, a term that includes jibs and the larger genoa. Other headsails, such as the spinnaker, are set independently of any forestays.

Some headsails can be flown only on specific points of sail, such as the spinnaker, which is flown only when sailing downwind, the Asymmetrical spinnaker and the gennaker, used when sailing a course between downwind and close hauled.

See also

• Sail plan

References