CRUISING SPINNAKERS
Cruising Code Zero
A flat, powerful light-air reaching sail — the cross between a genoa and an asymmetric spinnaker that fills the gap between your jib and your spinnaker, and rolls away on a furler when you’re done.
What Is a Cruising Code Zero?
The Code Zero is a cross between a genoa and an asymmetric spinnaker, used for sailing close to the wind in light air. It started life as a way around a rating rule — a large genoa for close reaching that measured in as a very flat, narrow spinnaker — but free of rating rules, cruising sailors have far more freedom in the size and shape of a “code” sail. Compared with a cruising spinnaker, a Code Zero is a much flatter, more triangular sail built for close reaching, where the spinnaker is bigger and rounder for broad reaching.
It fills the gap between where your jib starts to stall and where a spinnaker takes over, so you can set it the moment the boat bears off from a beat. UK Sailmakers builds two different cruising Code sails, depending on whether your boat carries an overlapping or a non-overlapping genoa.
Light-Air Reaching
Power when the jib stalls
A Code Zero fills the gap between your jib and your spinnaker — a flat, powerful reaching sail for sailing close to the wind in light air.
Easy to Fly & Furl
Rolls up on a torsion rope
With a nearly straight luff, a cruising Code Zero rolls up neatly on a furler, so a short-handed crew can set and douse it in seconds.
Sized for Cruising
Narrower than a race sail
We design cruising Code Zeros narrower than the race version, which makes the sail easier to fly, trim, and roll away.
Two Code Zeros — One for Your Boat
Which one you want depends on your headsail. Modern cruising boats often carry a big mainsail and a non-overlapping jib, which a couple can handle easily — that boat wants the flatter, close-reaching Code Zero, usable the moment the boat bears off. A boat with a big overlapping genoa already stays powered up at the closest angles, so its Code Zero is built rounder and deeper to complement a cruising spinnaker.
For Non-Overlapping Genoas
The flat, close-reaching Code Zero
Very flat with a nearly straight luff — closer to a traditional drifter than a spinnaker. It can be used as soon as you bear off, and though it’s smaller than a race-boat Code Zero, it’s more than twice the size of a non-overlapping jib, for far more close-reaching power. The straight luff rolls up beautifully.
- Apparent wind angle: 45–110°
- Apparent wind speed: 1–16 knots
- Mid-girth: 60–65% of the foot
- About 60% of a full-size spinnaker’s area, and roughly twice the size of a non-overlapping genoa
- Flies on a “top-down” furler with a torsion rope sewn into the sail
- Made with Code Zero laminate cloth
For Overlapping Genoas
The deeper, more powerful Code Zero
Built to come into play at deeper angles, since the boat stays powered up as the overlapping genoa eases out. It looks much more like a spinnaker — deeper, more powerful sections, a positive luff curve, and a positive roach — and complements a cruising spinnaker.
- Apparent wind angle: 60–125°
- Apparent wind speed: 1–16 knots
- Mid-girth: 75–85% of the foot
- About 70–75% of a full-size spinnaker’s area
- A reaching sail that complements a cruising spinnaker; deeper than a true Code Zero, since the genoa covers the closest angles
- Flies on a “top-down” furler with a detached torsion line, or a spinnaker dousing sock
- Material: Code 0 laminate or 1.5 oz nylon
Handling Options (Furlers)
There are three ways to control a cruising Code Zero, and the right one depends on boat size. Boats 33 feet and under usually fly the sail small enough that no furler is needed. Mid-sized boats from 33–44 feet do best with a simple direct furler. Over about 42 feet, the sail gets large enough that you’ll want a top-down furler. Plenty of companies make innovative Code Zero furling units — talk to your local UK Sailmakers representative about which suits your boat and budget.
FAQs
What is a Code Zero, and when do I use it?
It’s a cross between a genoa and an asymmetric spinnaker: a flat, powerful reaching sail for sailing close to the wind in light air, in the gap between where your jib starts to stall and where a spinnaker takes over. You can set it as soon as you bear off from a beat.
Which Code Zero do I need — for an overlapping or non-overlapping genoa?
It depends on your headsail. With a non-overlapping jib, you want the flatter, close-reaching version (mid-girth 60–65% of the foot) — it works as soon as you can ease the jib and is more than twice the jib’s size. With an overlapping genoa, that sail already covers the closest angles, so your Code Zero is built rounder and deeper (mid-girth 75–85%) to complement a cruising spinnaker at slightly broader angles.
How do I handle and douse it?
Most cruising Code Zeros fly on a furler with a torsion rope, so you roll them up like a jib. Boats under about 33 ft are usually small enough not to need a furler; 33–44 ft do well with a simple direct furler; over about 42 ft you’ll want a top-down furler. The deeper, overlapping-genoa version can also be doused with a spinnaker sock.
Can I leave it hoisted and furled?
On many cruising boats, yes — with a sewn-on lightweight UV cover on the leech and foot, the rolled-up sail is protected from the sun while it’s left up. Ask your loft about a UV cover if you plan to leave the sail rigged.
What’s it made of?
The flat, close-reaching version is built from Code Zero laminate, which holds the stable shape that lets the sail point. The fuller, overlapping-genoa version can be Code 0 laminate or 1.5 oz nylon, depending on how you’ll use it.
