What are the main differences between a gennaker and a spinnaker?

Question

I've always wondered how thye are different, other than the fact that Gennakers are better for sailing on a beam reach.

Thanks!

Answer 1

A gennaker is a combination of a spinnaker and a genoa.  It has a defined tack that mounts at the front of the boat and the clew swings from side to side the same as a genoa.  It's made out of the same material as a spinnaker.  It's head, tack, clew, luff leach and foot are all always in the same locations.  What differs it from a genoa is that it's luff is only attached to the headstay at the tack and and at the head via the halyard.

A spinnaker mounts with the tack attached to a spinnaker pole and the clew and tack as well as the luff and leach switch  when the pole is gybed.  When packing a spinnaker the three corners are called the head and two clews since the pole isn't attached and  the sails sides are referred to as the two luffs and a foot.  A spinnaker is always a faster sail than a gennaker with the wind aft of the beam.  

Your comment about a gennaker being better on a beam reach only applies if the wind moves forward of the beam where a spinnaker would collapse, at that time a regular genoa will probably out perform the gennaker.  A gennaker is a cruising sail.  The spinnaker and genoas are the sails to use when looking for speed racing.