SAILING GLOSSARY

Spinnaker

A spinnaker, or “spi,” is a large, lightweight sail used mainly when the wind is coming from behind or from the side. Very large once deployed, it allows a sailboat to significantly increase its power on downwind points of sail. There are different types of spinnakers, including symmetrical and asymmetrical spinnakers. It’s a sail that can turn a sailboat into a real kite… with a lot more lines to manage.