Gennaker
1275469
220209708
2008-06-18T19:55:04Z
81.244.193.152
{{Cleanup|date=December 2007}}
[[Image:49er skiff sailing AUS nationals Geelong.jpg|200px|thumb|[[49'er]] with a gennaker (yellow)]]
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A '''gennaker''' is a recently-developed [[sail]] used when [[sailing]] [[downwind]]; it can be described as a cross between a [[genoa (sail)|genoa]] and a [[spinnaker]]. It is asymmetric like a genoa, but the gennaker is not attached to the [[forestay]] over the full length of its [[Parts of a sail#The edges|luff]], being rigged like a spinnaker. The gennaker has a larger camber than a genoa, making it optimal for generating lift at larger [[angles of attack]], but the [[camber]] is significantly less than that of a spinnaker. This is often called an asymmetrical spinnaker.
The gennaker is a specialty sail primarily used on [[racing]] boats, bridging the performance gap between a genoa, which develops maximum driving force when the [[apparent wind]] angle is between 35 and 60 degrees, and a spinnaker, which has maximum power when the apparent wind is between 100 and 140 degrees. Due to its geometry, the sail is less prone to collapsing than a spinnaker and does not require the use of [[spinnaker pole]]. Also, certain boats that incorporate a spinnaker, also have a special rigging systems mounted that automatically slides forward/extends the [[gennaker pole]] when hoisting the gennaker. <ref>http://toppersailboats.com/pdf/test_reports/test_report_topaz.pdf Automatic gennaker pole systems (see note at picture 3)]</ref> The lines between gennaker and asymmetric spinnaker are blurry; they are both high camber downwind sails, rigged similarly to a genoa. The difference is the amount of camber, which dictates the points of sail. A gennaker is optimal for a [[points of sail|beam reach]], while an asymmetric spinnaker is optimal for a [[points of sail|broad reach]] or [[points of sail|run]].
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{{Sail Types}}
[[Category:Sailing vessels and rigging]]
[[da:Gennaker]]
[[de:Gennaker]]
[[fr:Gennaker]]
[[it:Gennaker]]
[[nl:Gennaker]]
[[pl:Genaker]]
[[fi:Genaakkeri]]