Screacher

Screechers and drifters are essentially the same type of sails: a free-hoisted genoa.
In light airs the Screecher is useful upwind. As the wind increases it becomes a reaching sail and eventually a heavy air downwind sail.

For the cruiser this may well be the first and only additional sail to working sails. It is very easy to handle with a roller furler, and although lacking in area it can be used more often than a spinnaker. For the racer with a boat in the higher performance ranges the Screecher may well be the only additional sail as well, because a fast multihull can be sailed with the apparent wind ahead of the beam even when gybing downwind. This trend can be seen in European multihull racing where Screechers are the only downwind sail on Formula 28s, lake racers and open 60 trimarans.

Screechers are sometimes used to compensate for inadequate sail area. This is possible upwind in the lightest conditions but remember that a free-hoisted sail puts much more strain on the rig than a genoa or a mainsail. The loads on the bowsprit are considerable as well. If your problem is that you are underpowered you should look at what you can do with the jib and mainsail first.

If you are a racer: go for a stable material such as the Polyester, Penfibre and Kevlar Mylar's. Halyard tension and the pure size of the sail generally limits the usage upwind to 12 knots apparent which means that Mylar/Polyester is a good budget alternative even for 40-footers. For ultimate performance go for Kevlar.

For the cruiser we can make a sail in 1,5 oz Nylon that will be inexpensive, easy to handle and useful upwind when it is needed the most: in true drifting conditions.

Material

For the cruiser we recommend a sail made out of Nylon. It is less expensive and easier to handle. Although loosing shape faster than a sail made out of a stable material, such as Mylar/Spectra, it will have a longer life. It will also behave better when collapsing by absorbing some of the chock loads by stretching.

1,5 oz Nylon is more than twice as strong as 3/4 oz and it is less expensive making it a good choice as an all-round sail. If you have a small multi, or if you are concerned mainly about light air performance, you might want to consider a lighter material.

A racing sail that is intended to be used with the apparent wind at a narrow angle (beam reaching and/or high performance boats) should be made out of a stable material such as Mylar/Spectra.

For a wide mid-girth sail Nylon is a good choice. If the sail is used mainly to go deep downwind the performance benefits are negligible for all but the highest performing multihulls.

Screachers can be left up permanently with uv protection strips fitted, can be used as light air drifters.