To create more power in your mainsail (pronounced “MAYN-sul”) during a team sailing competition, you need to increase its depth. In other words, the sail’s shape should be more curved. Light to moderate winds, you should increase the depth. When trying to negotiate upwind, a flatter sail shape is more desirable. Much like the edges of a sheet of paper being pushed together or pulled apart, the mainsail will become fuller if the leech (back edge of the sail) and the luff (front edge of the sail) move closer together, and flatter if they move apart.

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