Our Headsails – Powerful Genoas and Strong Working Jibs

Are you considering buying a new Headsail?

In a modern sloop or cutter type rig, your headsails make all the difference between pointing high and sailing smooth and swift, or not. There is a wide range of headsails, depending on your individual type of rig. Common to all these sails is that they should always be reliable and dependable.

Types of Headsails


On modern production yachts, the most common type of headsail is a Genoa on a furling system. For leisurely family and coastal sailing, this is indeed a close to ideal setup. The sail can easily be furled and unfurled from the cockpit and can also be “reefed” as the wind pipes up, by partially furling the sail. However, having just one sail for all conditions, from light winds to heavy weather, will inevitably create compromises that you must be willing to accept for the sake of easy handling without the need to change headsails underway on the foredeck. A good choice for an all-round furling headsail would not be a large, light-weather Genoa, but a more moderate sized and heavier headsail made for medium to fresh conditions. The final choice will also depend on your local sailing area – is it maybe an inland lake with predominantly light winds, or maybe a blustery coastal area?

The range of headsails is from extremely far overlapping, very large Genoas made from light cloth for more or less drifting conditions right up to small, tough working jibs for tacking into a stiff blow.

Cutter Rig

The cutter rig is a favourite for many cruisers, especially those that are sailing offshore. It will however be more of a handful when close-tacking in confined waters. And a large Genoa will always be more efficient upwind.

The split headsail configuration of the cutter, on the other hand, offers more flexibility when adapting your sails to changing conditions. The cutter will typically have an inner staysail and a much larger “Yankee”, which is like a very high-cut Genoa, on the forestay. With increasing wind, it is possible on most cutters to simply take down or furl away the large “Yankee” and sail on with the much smaller staysail only.

Key features to consider when ordering your new headsail

• Type of fabric depending on size and intended use
• Type of design, cross cut or triradial
• Hanked-on or furling
• Size of furling headsail
• Alternative headsails

You know you need a new headsail when

• You sail is so baggy it delivers more heel than drive
• Your sail looks awful due to creases and wrinkles
• The leech of your sail is fluttering and this cannot be stopped
• The fabric is so worn out by UV and chafe that it tears

Upgrade your sailing

A sail has only a certain life-span after which it becomes unsafe and ineffective to use. As your mainsail is the main source of power and drive for your boat it should always be in top condition. Investing in a new headsail may feel like a big financial commitment, but compared to the overall value of your boat it is actually not that much. But it will make all the difference to the enjoyment and satisfaction that you can gain from your sailing.

Benefits of upgrading

A new headsail will solve all the problems mentioned above, and more. You have the chance to fine-tune your headsail setup. Do you really need that huge, light-wind Genoa on a furler as your “standard” headsail? Or would you rather opt for a more moderate all-round sail? Or even choose an even smaller working or self-tacking jib for upwind work and maybe a downwind sail like our Code C on a furler for fast reaching?

In any case, you will be proud and happy when your boat slips through the water at optimum speed with minimum heel, driven by a beautiful new sail that also simply looks great!