Loosening which control increases sail twist?

• A. Loosen halyard
• B. Tighten halyard
• C. Tighten outhaul
• D. Move jib leads aft

Answer: (A)

Twist is how much the sail’s angle of attack changes from bottom to top, and increasing twist means the top of the sail spills wind more readily. The halyard runs up the mast and tensions the luff edge of the mainsail. When you loosen the halyard, the luff becomes less taut, allowing the head of the sail to rotate away from the wind more easily, which increases the amount of twist. Tightening the halyard firms up the luff, flattening the sail along its height and reducing twist. The other controls affect different parts of the sail’s shape: tightening the outhaul mostly changes the foot and lower draft, while moving the jib leads aft alters the jib’s shape rather than the mainsail twist.