Table Of ContentSailing H
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“Maximum Sail Power is the best book on sails and sail trim to come along in a generation. Brian Hancock
n MMAAXXIIMMUUMM(cid:13)(cid:13)
knows his subject and has the sailmaking experience and sea miles to know what really works and what does
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not out there on the open sea. If you are in the market for sails or want to become a better sailor, Maximum Sail o
Powerwill steer you straight and true.” c
—George Day, Publisher & Editor, Blue Water Sailing k SAIL(cid:13)
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“Brian Hancock is the rarest of seagoing creatures, a consummate sailor with countless miles in all conditions under
his keel, and a gifted writer who can both spin a yarn and transpose complex technical material into clear, under-
standable prose. His Maximum Sail Power, a definitive treatise on the art and science of harnessing the breeze, joins
a select handful of classic sailing books that deserve a space on the shelf of any well-found sailing vessel.”
—Herb McCormick, author, New York Timeswriter, editor of Cruising World Magazine
“Brian’s book covers it all including how to trim and handle sails, and more importantly how to understand the
subtleties of the wind and how it relates to sails.” MMMM PPOOWWEERR
—Bernard Stamm, winner 2002/03 Around Alone (Class 1)
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“While Brian was writing this book he was also working closely with our team on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom
Americato develop the sail program and make a suit of sails that would not only win the race for us, but make XXXX
it around the world in one piece. It’s clear that he knows his stuff. The sails performed perfectly . . . All that
IIII
knowledge and experience is contained in this book and I urge you to read it.”
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—Brad Van Liew, winner 2002/03 Around Alone (Class 2) The Complete Guide to Sails,
UUUU Sail Technology and Performance
“Brian was . . . a key team member in the sail development for the mega-cat Team Adventure and through his boun-
tiful knowledge and global experience we were able to circumnavigate the world without any sail problems. It’s clear
MMMM
that he knows his stuff, not only for big catamarans, but for more conventional race boats and cruising boats, as well.”
—Cam Lewis, Olympic medallist, skipper of Team Adventure
SSSS
“Brian Hancock does a beautiful job blending the art and science of sail technology. Maximum Sail Powermakes
the process of using sails and understanding their theory easy.” AAAA
—Gary Jobson, America’s Cup winner, ESPN commentator
IIII
“The mystery of how to obtain the best performance from your sails has been exposed. This book will be of ines- LLLL
timable value to the learner and experienced sailor alike.”
—Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, first sailor to solo circumnavigate the globe non-stop
PPPP
“Brian’s book covers what you need to know . . . He has written a concise book in language we can all understand— OOOO
you can tell Brian has a passion for the sport and masses of experience to share in both sailing and sailmaking.”
—Ellen MacArthur OBE, 2nd place 2000–01 Vendée Globe, UK Yachtsman of the Year WWWW
“Brian’s involvement with the sails on all my sailing projects from the early Whitbread races to my latest expedi- EEEE
tion sailing vessel Pelagic Australishas been integral to the success of each project. This is a storehouse of infor-
RRRR
mation that will be useful to the novice boat owner or the experienced cruiser/racer alike . . .”
—Skip Novak, four-time Whitbread veteran, co-skipper of Innovation Explorer in The Race
“Maximum Sail Power is a well-written book by a well-known sailor. ISBN 0-9722026-0-9
It is a comprehensive guide to how sails are made and work for all lev-
els of sailors. This book is a must-read for all sailors.”
—Tom Whidden, President, North Sails
Brian Hancock
$44.95
$67.95 CAN
MAXIMUM
SAIL
POWER
The Complete Guide to Sails,
Sail Technology and Performance
Brian Hancock
Nomad Press
A division of Nomad Communications
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Copyright © 2003 Nomad Press
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from
the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
The trademark “Nomad Press” and the Nomad Press logo are trademarks of
Nomad Communications, Inc.
Printed in the United States.
ISBN: 0-9722026-0-9
Questions regarding the ordering of this book should be addressed to
The Independent Publishers Group
814 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60610
Nomad Press, PO Box 875, Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-1995
www.nomadpress.net
All photographs, unless otherwise credited, by Brian Hancock.
Cover photo by ©Rick Tomlinson.
Brian Hancock is an expert in sails, sailmaking, and offshore ocean racing, having made a career as
a professional sailor for almost three decades. He apprenticed at Elvstrom Sails in South Africa before
leaving the country to sail around the world. In 1981/82 he sailed as a watch captain aboard the
American yacht, Alaska Eagle in the 27,000 Whitbread Round the World race. Four years later he
returned for a second Whitbread, this time aboard the British yacht, Drum. In 1989 he sailed as
Sailing Master aboard the Soviet Union’s first, and by happenstance last, Whitbread entry, Fazisi.
With more than 200,000 miles of offshore sailing to his credit Brian is uniquely qualified to write
about sails and the business of making sails.
Brian also owned his own boat, Great Circle, an Open 50 carbon-fiber, water-ballasted sailboat
designed and built for single-handed sailing and Brian did a number of solo offshore passages. Some
of his experiences are recounted in his book, The Risk in Being Alive, published by Nomad Press.
These days he works on special sailing projects and writes for magazines around the world while rais-
ing a family in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Dedication
For my father who taught me to sail, and for all my crewmates who have shared a watch with me
Acknowledgments
This book has been a fairly reasonable undertaking and it would not have been possible without the
help and encouragement of the editors at Nomad Press. Many thanks to Alex Kahan for agreeing
that this was a worthwhile project and encouraging me to go ahead with it. Thanks to Susan Hale
and Lauri Berkenkamp at Nomad who patiently prodded me to make sure that the book got
completed when more amusing exploits like sailing and skydiving had me distracted.
And Jeff McAllister who did a terrific job laying out the book in an immensely readable fashion.
Also thanks to the “nagger,” Adam Cort, whose diligence as an editor made this a far better
book than I could ever have hoped to write on my own.
Mostly, however, I would like to thank my crewmates who sailed with me over the years
and whose knowledge and expertise are contained in these pages, especially those who thought
enough of what I had written to give the book their resounding endorsement.
It’s gratifying to be acknowledged by your peers.
Brian Hancock
Marblehead, Massachusetts, 22 August 2003
Maximum Sail Power Endorsements
George Day “Maximum Sail Power is the best book on sails and sail trim to come along in a
Publisher & Editor, generation. Brian Hancock knows his subject and has the sailmaking experience
Blue Water Sailing and sea miles to know what really works and what does not out there on the open
sea. If you are in the market for sails or want to become a better sailor, Maximum
Sail Powerwill steer you straight and true.”
Herb McCormick “Brian Hancock is the rarest of seagoing creatures, a consummate sailor with
Author, NY Times sailing writer, countless miles in all conditions under his keel, and a gifted writer who can both
editor of Cruising World Magazine spin a yarn and transpose complex technical material into clear, understandable
prose. His Maximum Sail Power, a definitive treatise on the art and science of har-
nessing the breeze, joins a select handful of classic sailing books that deserve a
space on the shelf of any well-found sailing vessel.”
Bernard Stamm “Sails are not only the engine of the boat, but they are very important to the over-
Winner 2002/03 Around Alone all performance of the boat. Therefore it’s critical that you understand how they
(Class 1) are made, and how to get the best performance from them. Brian’s book covers it
all including how to trim and handle sails, and more importantly how to under-
stand the subtleties of the wind and how it relates to sails. I know you will learn a
lot from reading this great book.”
Brad Van Liew “While Brian was writing this book he was also working closely with our team on
Winner 2002/03 Around Alone Tommy Hilfiger Freedom Americato develop the sail program and make a suit of
(Class 2) sails that would not only win the race for us, but make it around the world in one
piece. It’s clear that he knows his stuff. The sails performed perfectly and I never
once had to worry about the design and engineering. All that knowledge and expe-
rience is contained in this book and I urge you to read it.”
Cam Lewis “Brian was integral and a key team member in the sail development for the mega-
Olympic medalist, skipper of cat Team Adventure and through his bountiful knowledge and global experience
Team Adventure we were able to circumnavigate the world without any sail problems. Now his
exciting new book contains that knowledge and experience from his decades of
sailing and sailmaking — all you have to do is pick up a copy and read it. It’s clear
that he knows his stuff not only for big catamarans but for more conventional race
boats and cruising boats as well.”
vi
Endorsements Maximum Sail Power
“Brian Hancock does a beautiful job blending the art and science of sail technolo- Gary Jobson
gy. For most sailors, the theory of sails is a mystery. Brian makes it understandable America’s Cup winner, ESPN
for the club sailor, cruiser, and the racing expert. Maximum Sail Powermakes the commentator
process of using sails and understanding their theory easy.”
“The mystery of how to obtain the best performance from your sails has been Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
exposed. This book will be of inestimable value to the learner and experienced First sailor ever to solo
sailor alike. Sail trimming has always been considered an art. Brian Hancock has circumnavigate the globe non-stop
shown how it is a science.”
“Sails are the engine of any boat and understanding the principles of sail set-up and Ellen MacArthur OBE
maintenance is crucial to good sailing. Brian’s book covers what you need to know 2nd place, 2000/01 Vendée Globe,
about the subject. He has written a concise book in language we can all understand UK Yachtsman of the Year
— you can tell Brian has a passion for the sport and masses of experience to share
in both sailing and sailmaking.”
“Brian’s involvement with the sails on all my sailing projects from the early Skip Novak
Whitbread races to my latest expedition sailing vessel Pelagic Australis has been Four-time Whitbread Round the
integral to the success of each project. This is a storehouse of information that will World Race veteran, co-skipper of
be useful to the novice boat owner or the experienced cruiser/racer alike in order Innovation Explorer in The Race
to demystify the “art” of sails, sail making and repair.”
“Maximum Sail Poweris a well-written book by a well-known sailor. It is a com- Tom Whidden
prehensive guide to how sails are made and work for all levels of sailors. Brian’s President, North Sails
experience shines through in all aspects of his writing. This book is a must-read for
all sailors.”
vii
Maximum Sail Power Table of Contents
Table of Contents
How to Get the Most From This Book....................................................................x
Introduction......................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1—A TRIP TO THE SAILMAKER............................................................5
A hypothetical look at buying sails
Chapter 2—IT STARTS WITH A YARN................................................................13
A look at all the fibers used to make sails
Chapter 3—FROM THREAD TO FINISHED FABRIC..................................25
How sailcloth is made
Chapter 4—A PRIMER OF PANEL LAYOUTS..................................................51
Different layouts for different fabrics
Chapter 5—MOLDED SAILS ..................................................................................65
The latest sailmaking technologies
Chapter 6—WHERE ART AND SCIENCE MEET............................................79
A look at the sailmaking process
Chapter 7—THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS ..................................................97
A close-up look at the individual parts of a sail
Chapter 8—ALL ABOUT SPINNAKERS..........................................................125
Downwind sails explained
Chapter 9—STORM SAILS......................................................................................139
Techniques, tips, and some lessons learned
Chapter 10—SAIL INVENTORIES ......................................................................147
A look at what sails you need for your sailing purposes
Chapter 11—THE FINE ART OF SAIL TRIM..................................................157
How to get the most from your sails
Chapter 12—SAIL HANDLING ..........................................................................191
Techniques for managing the unmanageable
viii
Table of Contents Maximum Sail Power
Chapter 13—A STITCH IN TIME..........................................................................217
Sail care and repair
Chapter 14—MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS..................................229
A conversation with your sailmaker
Chapter 15—THE WIND IS STILL FREE..........................................................241
The theory behind how boats sail
Appendix ......................................................................................................................263
Glossary ........................................................................................................................271
Detailed Table of Contents ....................................................................................280
Basic Boat Diagram ..................................................................................................287
Index ..............................................................................................................................288
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Bobst Group Armor luxsailed by Bernard Stamm breaks through a wave shortly after crossing the finish line in Tauranga, New
Zealand. Stamm went on to win Class 1 of the 2002/03 Around Alone race.
ix
