Introduction
If you walk the docks of any major boat show today, you will notice a distinct trend among modern cruising catamarans: the overwhelming popularity of the self-tacking jib. As multihulls have grown larger and more luxurious, builders have prioritized ease of handling for short-handed, often older, cruising couples.
But is a self-tacking jib the ultimate solution for bluewater cruising, or does it sacrifice too much performance in the name of convenience? At Kraken Sails, we design both self-tacking jibs and traditional overlapping genoas. In this post, we will explore the pros and cons of each system to help you decide which headsail configuration is right for your offshore adventures.
The Rise of the Self-Tacking Jib
A self-tacking jib is a relatively small, non-overlapping headsail. Its clew (the back corner) does not extend past the mast. Instead of using two separate sheets routed to winches on either side of the cockpit, a self-tacking jib uses a single sheet that runs through a block on a curved athwartships track mounted just forward of the mast.
The Pros
- Effortless Tacking: The primary appeal is undeniable. When you turn the wheel to tack, the sail simply slides across the track to the new leeward side. There is no grinding of winches, no flogging sheets, and no coordination required between the helmsman and the crew. It makes short-handed sailing in confined spaces an absolute breeze.
- Tighter Sheeting Angles: Because the sail is sheeted inside the shrouds, it can be trimmed to a much narrower angle than a large genoa that must be sheeted outside the wide catamaran shrouds. This allows the boat to point higher into the wind.
- Better Visibility: A high-clewed self-tacking jib provides excellent forward visibility from the helm station, enhancing safety in crowded anchorages or when dodging debris offshore.
The Cons
- Lack of Power: The biggest drawback is a significant loss of sail area. In light winds (under 10-12 knots), a heavy cruising catamaran with a self-tacking jib will often feel underpowered and sluggish, forcing you to turn on the engines much sooner than a boat with a large genoa.
- Poor Downwind Performance: When you ease the sheet to sail off the wind, the self-tacking jib quickly loses its shape. Because the track limits how far outboard the clew can travel, the top of the sail twists open excessively, spilling power. You absolutely must have a dedicated downwind sail (like a Code Zero or asymmetrical spinnaker) to complement a self-tacking jib.
The Traditional Powerhouse: The Overlapping Genoa
An overlapping genoa extends past the mast, often overlapping it by 110% to 130%. It is controlled by two separate sheets running to primary winches on the cockpit coamings.
The Pros
- Massive Power: A large genoa provides the horsepower needed to drive a heavy catamaran through light air and choppy seas. It significantly extends your sailing range before you have to resort to motoring.
- Versatility: An overlapping genoa is much more effective on a reach than a self-tacking jib. While it still requires a pole or a barber hauler to wing it out effectively on deep downwind angles, it holds its shape far better when the sheet is eased.
The Cons
- Labor-Intensive Tacking: Tacking a large genoa requires releasing the loaded sheet, pulling the massive sail across the foredeck (often dragging it across the mast and shrouds), and grinding it in hard on the new winch. For a short-handed couple, this can be exhausting work, especially in a stiff breeze.
- Wider Sheeting Angles: Because it must be sheeted outside the shrouds, a genoa cannot be trimmed as tightly to the centerline as a self-tacking jib, slightly reducing the boat’s ultimate pointing angle upwind.
Roller Furling: The Great Equalizer
Regardless of whether you choose a self-tacking jib or a genoa, it will almost certainly be mounted on a roller furling system. For bluewater cruising, a heavy-duty, reliable furler is non-negotiable.
At Kraken Sails, we strongly recommend outfitting your furling headsail with a high-quality UV cover. For large genoas that drag across the rigging, we prefer highly abrasion-resistant materials like WeatherMax. Furthermore, we sew the leech and foot with Tenara thread—a PTFE thread that is completely immune to UV degradation, ensuring your sail won’t fall apart at the seams after a year in the tropics.
Which is Right for You?
If your priority is ultimate ease of use, you frequently sail short-handed, and you are happy to deploy a Code Zero or turn on the engines in light air, a self-tacking jib is a fantastic, stress-free option.
If you are a performance-oriented sailor who hates motoring, doesn’t mind the physical effort of grinding winches, and wants the power to punch through light, sloppy conditions, a traditional overlapping genoa remains the king of the bluewater headsails.
Kraken Sails – Engineered for the Ocean.