Help identifying a sail

[Packman]

This might be my first post, can't remember, but I am a longterm reader here an I appreciate all that I have learned here. I have a couple very large light sails that came along with my Pacific Seacraft 37 from the 80's and one sail is a spinnaker but the other I don't understand. The one I don't understand is a large and very light sail like a spinnaker but it has two heads with a 14' split between. The tack and clew are 38'. The foot is 25'. Clearly the dimensions and material (and fabulous colors) suggest that I should use it as a spinnaker, but is this unusual to have two heads on a spinnaker? And would the two heads attach to two halyards or one? Logically they would attach to two, but this seems odd, and not beneficial.

[MicHughV]

Im going to go out on a limb here, as I really don't know.

But the two heads suggest it can be hoisted from either, depending on which side of the boat you want the the larger area to be on.

Probably a real light weather sail.

[stormalong]

Sounds like a sail that goes between two masts on a schooner. Are you sure it is for your boat?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Packman

The one I don't understand is a large and very light sail like a spinnaker but it has two heads with a 14' split between. The tack and clew are 38'. The foot is 25'.

A couple of points.
1. What do you mean by a "split"? A rough drawing would help.
Do you mean it is an Isosceles trapezoid (four sides) or is the "split" a V shape?


2.The tack and clew are corners, not sides.

[Packman]

STORMALONG, I do have two masts, as my sailboat is a Pacific Seacraft 37 yawl, but I doubt the sail would fly from the two.

I'll get it out again on a light wind day for a picture or a drawing but it is symmetrical with thinish 14 foot "necks" up two a separate red and green heads. The sides are including the split are 38 feet. The foot is 25 feet.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Packman

STORMALONG, I do have two masts, as my sailboat is a Pacific Seacraft 37 yawl, but I doubt the sail would fly from the two.

I'll get it out again on a light wind day for a picture or a drawing but it is symmetrical with thinish 14 foot "necks" up two a separate red and green heads. The sides are including the split are 38 feet. The foot is 25 feet.

Are you sure it's a sail and not a colourful sunshade?

[HeywoodJ]

Originally Posted by Packman

.. thinish 14 foot "necks" up two a separate red and green heads...

can't say I've seen one, but the red and green say to me that it is intended to be hoisted with a halyard on each side of the mast, thus making gybing easier - don't have to worry about chafe up top if you switch tacks. And, with 14' 'necks' sounds like a 'storm' spinnaker, actual sail area much less than your main spinnaker. If you gybe you take up tension on the downwind halyard and ease the upwind so it is not chafing up at the masthead.

Only guessing, but that's what the 'red and green' detail say to me.

[Edit] from the photos posted below, clearly this idea doesn't fly

[Packman]

Here are some pictures. I showed one with it folded in half to show it is symmetrical.

[stormalong]

I was on a schooner once and they flew a sail they called a gollywobbler in very light air. That is the source of my remarks. It was not symmetrical like the OP's.

https://www.google.com/search?q=goll...t=gws-wiz-serp

[MicHughV]

Well, I've got this to say....I've never...in 35 years of sailing ever seen a sail like that.....I tend to go with the theory it is a boat shade of some design, but could be wrong about that too.

Hope someone on this thread can figure it out, but I'm leaning to the latter...as it does not appear to a spinnaker to my eye..

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Well, I've got this to say....I've never...in 35 years of sailing ever seen a sail like that.....I tend to go with the theory it is a boat shade of some design, but could be wrong about that too.

Hope someone on this thread can figure it out, but I'm leaning to the latter...as it does not appear to a spinnaker to my eye..

Sun shade absolutely. The split is to go around the main mast. Red and green help to orient it right side up.

[MicHughV]

I think you are right.

Looking at the top photo again, the notch between the legs is rounded, suggesting it goes around a mast. If it were a sail, that notch would likely have been a sharp V.
Judging by the wrinkles in the main " foot" of the fabric, it would appear that the two triangular pieces are meant to be joined together, say at the end of the main mast, with the wide part over the foredeck, where it must be lashed against the lifelines or perhaps some type of spreader rod to keep it wide open.

In my first boat...a ketch, I had awnings from bow to stern, which I fabricated myself and had to use some inventive ways to keep them spread open...I used pvc pipe.

Lastly, looking at the "clew"...second photo.....with the green edge....were this to be a "real" clew on a spinnaker, you'd see several layers of cloth expanding out from the corner, but none are to be seen, suggesting this is not a sail, but an awning.

[Jamme]

I would be truly surprised if one could hoist this thing as a sail. I vote for sunshade too.