A mainsail is hoisted along a vessel's mainmast, the aft mast on a two-masted schooner, the forward mast on a ketch, or on the single mast of a sloop or cutter.
There are triangular mainsails for Marconi rigs, as well as gaff mains for traditional rigs. Either can be designed for cruising or racing.
Mainsails are defined by material and cut, which determines the shape.
Cross-cut sails consist of several horizontal panels sewn together. In radial and tri-radial sails the panels are arranged in a star pattern originating at the corners, allowing the different parts of the sail to assume efficient shapes as a function of airflow. Molded sails are made from exotic fabrics laminated in a 3D mold, providing great stiffness and excellent performance at the cost of limited durability.
Numerous different fibers are used by modern sailmakers, including Dacron®, polyester, Spectra®, Kevlar®, carbon and Cuben®. The fabric can be woven or laminated, single- or multi-fiber, light or heavy. Other options include reinforcing, short battens or full-length compression battens and reef points. Some mainsails are designed for use with mast or boom roller furling.
Choice runs the gamut from a simple, triangular, cross-cut Dacron® sail for occasional short cruises to the most sophisticated molded carbon fiber gaff mainsail for racing. Sailmakers will indicate the best type for the intended use. Racing mains must comply with rating rules for the vessel class.
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Racing sail : mainsail (in laminate) PREMIER Neilpryde Sails
These sails represent the very latest in materials, construction, materials and design theory as they apply to our Grand Prix Racing sails. We apply our design experience and the traditional values...
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Cruising sail : mainsail (3D molded) FUSION M Quantum Sails
* The ultimate in durability, performance, and ease of use built using Quantum’s proprietary Fusion M membrane technology * Constructed with a blend of high modulus carbon and technora or vectran fibers * Engineered as a one-piece membranes with custom fiber mapping designed to sail’s purpose and expected...
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Cruising sail : mainsail (furling) VB-M Hood
The Hood Vertical Batten Mainsail (VB-M) and patented Vektron™ sailcloth puts high-performance back into the furling mainsail. The Vertical Batten Mainsail offers additional sail area for in mast furling and Vektron™ offers the very best of woven sail cloth stability through the use...
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Racing-cruising sail : mainsail HANDICAP RACING Ullman Sails
Ullman Sails is committed to helping each customer get their boat sailing faster. Whether competing in handicap or one design keelboat racing, we understand that you want win. And we provide the tools to do just that....
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Racing sail : mainsail (one-design) J/109 North Sails Sailmaking
14700 DPI Since you only get to use one mainsail it has to be versatile enough to cover the full wind range. Our standard class sail is easy to trim and will hold...
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Sailing dinghy sail : mainsail (Laser) Forward Sailing
After 3 years of work and design focusing on developing new wider head modern cut sails for sport multihulls , we are now ready to work on dinghies and we are starting by one of the best seller in the world: the laser standard!! This dinghy with sails old more than 30 years deserved some attention and new refresh sail design! Our new Wide head...
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Cruising sail : mainsail Lee Sails
The Mainsail is your yacht's driving sail. For cruising boats in particular, the mainsail is an important sail, being one of the hardest working of...
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Racing sail : mainsail ALMACHI Vismara
Small dimensions, but the first great satisfying results for Alessandro Vismara. As well as regatta results, there is also the record of introducing, with this project, a new generation of boats...
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Racing sail : mainsail (full-batten) POWER MAIN Kemp Sails
The popularity of Fully-Battened mainsails is well known and this subject has been extensively covered by the Yachting Press. However, these glowing reports tend to be biased towards more modern yachts with new mast designs, with no reference being made to the vast majority of sailors who own older style yachts. As one of the market leaders in fully-battened mainsails, we at KEMP have a wealth of...
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Racing keelboat sail : mainsail (one-design) SONARS Shore Sails
Sonars in the News Competitors choosing Shore Sonar sails dominated the 1999 Sonar North American Championship hosted by Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA. Karl Ziegler with his father, William Ziegler III and SSCT’s Tom Kinney as part of the crew, crushed the 45-boat fleet using good upwind speed and outstanding downwind...
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Racing sail : mainsail (tri-radial) ROLLY TASKER SAILS
Rolly Tasker Sails has an extensive experience in producing radial panelled racing sails because of their market leadership up to the 90er years when string sails were introduced. Racing SailRadial panel constructed sails still provide...
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Sport multihull sail : mainsail (HOBIE CAT 14) Hobie 14 Mainsail Shanghai SeaerBoat Inc.
Hobie 14 Mainsail - Colour Black/Blue/Green/Orange/Red/White - Class insignia, window, battens and tell tales - Sail area: 85.3*ft2...
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Cruising sail : mainsail Yager Sails
First, take your main either laid out over a flat area, or raising the sail on the mast. Use a long tape measure and measure the (1) luff of the sail. This is the length of the front of the sail. Be sure you have the sail stretched out well to keep the measurement accurate. If you are using the mast, send the measuring tape up with the shackle of the halyard. Next,...
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Cruising sail : mainsail (furling) FURLING DL SAILS
Specifications * DESIGN WITH PROSAIL * PRODUCTION SYSTEM: A.R.C. (ADVANCED REGULATION CODE) * QUALITY: GRUISING * CUTTING: CROSS CUT * CLOTH: DIMENSION POLYANT...
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Cruising sail : mainsail (in Dacron®) CLASSIC SAILONET
Sailonet proposes 2 types of mainsails for which the difference is mainly the layout of the battens: It is possible to fit either sail whether your...
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Cruising sail : mainsail (full-batten) SHORT Jeckells
The mainsail is the hardest working sail in any yachts wardrobe. It has to adapt to suit all weather conditions from zephyr to gale force and still provide the best performance....
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Racing sail : mainsail (one-design) J24 Olimpic Sails
Olimpic Sails started producing sails for the J24 class already many years ago and, strong of its own matured experience in several one...
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Racing sail : mainsail (one-design) 606 WB-Sails
606 is a nice, Scandinavian little keelboat, raced with a crew of two or three. Most of the boats are built in Åland. The Finnish Nationals were won again in...
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Racing-cruising sail : mainsail VOYAGER RACE Hydesails
The Voyager race range is designed for those who go cruising but also participate in club and offshore races. The race mainsail is a tri-radial design in either high quality woven dacron,...
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Racing keelboat sail : mainsail (one-design) CAPRI 25 Haarstick
The Capri 25 is a great club racer, with its modest cost, easy sail handling and lively performance (PHRF rating 168 to 177). The boat features a light displacement (2785 lbs.), high...
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Racing sail : mainsail (in laminate) POWERHEAD GOLD UK-Halsey International
The Tape-Drive® construction system makes the most durable laminate sails you can buy. Tape-Drive® is a two-part construction process in which the structural strength of the sail and the skin that defines its shape are separate elements. The actual tapes used in making Tape-Drive® sails are reinforced by high strength load-bearing yarns that run...
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Cruising sail : mainsail (furling) IN-BOOM Lidgard Sailmakers
Lidgard Sails In-Boom Furling Mainsails are custom designed and measured offering the customer the perfect fit and sail shape without sacrificing performance....
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Racing sail : mainsail (kevlar®) Scott Sails
Tri Radial racing mains are designed from our many years...
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Racing sail : mainsail Le Bihan
our cruising mainsails are made in "Dacron" with a cross-cut cutting, - Classical reinforcements...
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Sailing dinghy sail : mainsail (LIDO 14) LIDO 14 W. D. Schock Corp.
The "cruising" features of the Lido are outstanding. Contoured bench seats run the full length of the...
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Sailing dinghy sail : mainsail (420) EX3036 Optiparts - Windesign
International 420 main and jib of 4.18 Challenge...
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The lens foot is an optional extra and is a very practical alternative...
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Cruising sail : mainsail (radial) Sails-online
All mainsails and mizzens are custom made to suit your boat. Please note any extra...
