FinDelta Riding Sail by Banner Bay
href="http://www.bannerbaymarine.com" target="_blank" title="Banner Bay Marine">www.bannerbaymarine.com
A better mousetrap, the FinDelta riding sail by Banner Bay Marine is the way to stay put in a tight anchorage.
I knew a sailor who said half of his 25,000 sea miles were logged at anchor because his boat sailed around so much when on the hook. Keeping the bow pointed into the wind goes a long way to calming down restless boats at anchor and making a small anchorage much more comfortable. Traditionally, riding sails or reefed mizzen sails have been used for this purpose but there’s a better solution that takes the concept to a new level.
The FinDelta from Banner Bay Marine has an airfoil fin at the leading edge with a wing following on either side. As soon as the boat swings even a few degrees, the fin cuts off the air flow on one side and forces it to the other. The two wings work to center the boat at all times, reducing the chance that the swinging will be initiated in the first place. At only a 10 degree angle of attack, the sail channels air to the outstretched wing on one side. Analysis sponsored by NASA has verified that this new patent pending design is up to 26 percent more effective at realigning the boat than Banner Bay’s traditional, flat riding sail.
The FinDelta is made of tough but supple 6 oz. and 7 oz. sailcloth so it is less stiff than Banner Bay’s flat riding sail and therefore much quieter in a breeze. The sail offers advanced UV, mildew and water resistance and the reinforced corners are outlined with reflective tape, making the boat stand out at night in the anchorage.
The key is to get the sail as far aft as possible. You’ll need a halyard to hold it up and then tie it directly to the boom, or just above it. Essentially, you pull it up to lift it, down to the boom, forward to the mast, and then the wings aft to a railing or pushpit, effectively making it a taught tent structure. It comes with a RopeTie which is an inline jam cleat that is attached to the line going forward between the point of the fin and the mast. As the lines stretch over time, a quick tug on the line through the cleat gets things snug again.
Because the wings are tied back, possibly to the rail at the stern, and since the sail is big (around 10’ on two sides for the largest #3 version), a large ketch may have difficulty finding the room aft to accommodate it if the sail is hoisted off the mizzen halyard. No backstay is needed.
It takes only about 5 minutes to set the FinDelta and it stores easily in an included bag that is only about 18” x 12” x 6”. The FinDelta comes in three sizes and can accommodate boats up to 60’. Pricing starts at $325 and ranges up to $435. For more information or to purchase, visit www.bannerbaymarine.com.
