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A mainsail is the most important sail raised from the main (or only) mast
Mast (sailing)

The mast of a sailing ship is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship....
 of a sailing vessel.

On a square rig
Square rig

Square rig is a generic type of Sail-plan in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or , to the keel of the vessel and to the masts....
ged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast.

On a fore-and-aft rig
Fore-and-aft rig

A fore-and-aft rig is a sailing Rigging consisting mainly of sails that are set along the line of the keel rather than perpendicular to it. Such sails are described as fore-and-aft rigged....
ged vessel, it is the lowest and largest and often the only sail rigged aft of the main mast, and is controlled along its foot by a spar
Spar

In sailing, a spar is a round pole of timber or metal used on a sailing ship. In modern usage it often refers to the Mast , but historically the term was used more broadly to refer to the various Boom s, gaffs, yardarm, etc., of heavily "sparred" wooden ships....
 known as the boom
Boom (sailing)

In sailing, a boom is a spar , along the Parts of a sail#The edges of a fore and aft rigged sail, that greatly improves control of the angle and shape of the sail....
. A sail rigged in this position without a boom is generally called a trysail
Trysail

A trysail is small fore-and-aft sail used in very high winds or in storms to maintain control, to avoid ship damage, and to keep the bow to the wind....
, and is used in extremely heavy weather.

The modern Bermuda rig
Bermuda rig

The term Bermuda rig refers to a configuration of Mast and rigging for a type of sailboat and is also known as a Marconi rig; this is the typical configuration for most modern sailboats....
 uses a triangular mainsail as the only sail aft of the mast, closely coordinated with a jib
Jib

A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremost mast of a sailing boat. Its Tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow , or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast....
 for sailing upwind.






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A mainsail is the most important sail raised from the main (or only) mast
Mast (sailing)

The mast of a sailing ship is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship....
 of a sailing vessel.

On a square rig
Square rig

Square rig is a generic type of Sail-plan in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or , to the keel of the vessel and to the masts....
ged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast.

On a fore-and-aft rig
Fore-and-aft rig

A fore-and-aft rig is a sailing Rigging consisting mainly of sails that are set along the line of the keel rather than perpendicular to it. Such sails are described as fore-and-aft rigged....
ged vessel, it is the lowest and largest and often the only sail rigged aft of the main mast, and is controlled along its foot by a spar
Spar

In sailing, a spar is a round pole of timber or metal used on a sailing ship. In modern usage it often refers to the Mast , but historically the term was used more broadly to refer to the various Boom s, gaffs, yardarm, etc., of heavily "sparred" wooden ships....
 known as the boom
Boom (sailing)

In sailing, a boom is a spar , along the Parts of a sail#The edges of a fore and aft rigged sail, that greatly improves control of the angle and shape of the sail....
. A sail rigged in this position without a boom is generally called a trysail
Trysail

A trysail is small fore-and-aft sail used in very high winds or in storms to maintain control, to avoid ship damage, and to keep the bow to the wind....
, and is used in extremely heavy weather.

The modern Bermuda rig
Bermuda rig

The term Bermuda rig refers to a configuration of Mast and rigging for a type of sailboat and is also known as a Marconi rig; this is the typical configuration for most modern sailboats....
 uses a triangular mainsail as the only sail aft of the mast, closely coordinated with a jib
Jib

A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremost mast of a sailing boat. Its Tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow , or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast....
 for sailing upwind. A large overlapping jib or genoa
Genoa (sail)

The genoa or jenny was originally referred to as the 'overlapping jib' or the Genoa jib, being named after the city of Genoa as explained below....
 is often larger than the mainsail. In downwind conditions (with the wind behind the boat) a spinnaker
Spinnaker

A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a Points of sail#Reaching to a downwind, i.e....
 replaces the jib.

Traditional fore-and-aft rigs used a four-sided gaff rig
Gaff rig

Gaff rig is a sailing rig in which the sail is four-cornered, fore-and-aft rigged, controlled at its Parts of a sail#Non-triangular fore and aft sails and, usually, its entire Parts of a sail#Non-triangular fore and aft sails by a spar called the gaff....
ged mainsail, sometimes setting a gaff topsail
Topsail

A topsail is a sail set above another sail; on square-rigged vessels further sails may be set above topsails....
 above it.

A roll mainsail is furled by being rolled
Roller furling

Roller furling is a method of furl or reefing wherein a sail is rolled around a Stays or rotating spar. Roller furling is most commonly encountered on foresails, such as jibs, with mainsails a distant second....
 within (or around) the mast or boom.