Headsails are getting smaller on the latest generation of boats as designers, builders and sailors embrace the ease of handling and simplicity provided by large mainsails and smaller foretriangles.

Many of the newer cruising sailboats in the 40-ft-and-up sizes are built with double headstays in the bow with one roller furling located behind another. The forward roller-furling stay carries a big ...

For many years, the standard technique for handling cruising spinnakers has been the ubiquitous and often awkward “sock,” which is a way to deploy and strike a spinnaker in a controlled manner, ...