Sailing Terms - sail terminology

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Terms applying to Main and Jib (Genoa) sails

Head: Top corner (Where halyard connects to sail).
Tack: Bottom forward corner.
Clew: Bottom back corner.
Luff: Forward edge.
Foot: Bottom edge.
Leech: Back edge.
Cringle: Metal reinforcement ring.


Terms That Usually Apply to Main Sails

Battens: Wood or plastic strips that act as stiffeners for the sail.  They help keep the leech from fluttering.
Batten Pockets: Pockets sewn into the trailing edge of the sail to hold the battens.
Roach: The unmeasured Sail area along the back edge of the Sail.
Cunningham: The cringle (grommet) on the luff of the sail used to achieve luff tension for draft control (sail shaping).
Reef Points: The row of points where the reef ties (gaskets) are attached to the sail.