Spinnaker

A Spinnaker is a large, bulbous foresail that is used for downwind sailing. Spinnakers are usually made of very light material and resemble a parachute when deployed; sometimes a spinnaker is referred to as a "chute". Spinnakers often have colorful designs on them.

Spinnakers come in two varieties: symmetric and asymmetric.

A Symmetric spinnaker resembles a tall isosceles triangles. Either lower corner can be either a tack or a clew. It must be deployed with a spinnaker pole. The spinnaker pole is attached to the mast at one end, it uses a topping lift to support its weight and often has a foreguy to help keep it parallel to the water. The spinnaker pole is deployed to the windward side of the boat (opposite from the mainsail). A sheet runs to the leward corner of the sail, and an afterguy runs to the pole to keep it in place.

Asymmetric spinnakers are more like very large genoas. One corner is the tack, which is attached at the bow of the boat. The other corner is the clew which is attached to a sheet.