BOWSPRIT POWER FOR DOWNWIND SAILING

Walk down any marina or boat show pontoon and you could be forgiven for thinking there was some sort of nautical jousting competition afoot. Older yachts too can get in on the act with retrofitted deck-mounted retractable bowsprits, but do you really need one and do they improve performance?

There’s nothing new about bowsprits – sailing ships have been using them for centuries as a means of creating more real estate from which to fly canvas as well as to balance a vessel’s rig – but they are more popular on cruising yachts than ever before. With advancements in sail-handling technology, a furling spinnaker can now be set up in port by one person and stay rolled up until it’s ready to be used. At that point, it’s a case of unfurling it, sheeting in, and you have a spinnaker!