A spreader patch is a fabric reinforcement at a point on a sail where it is likely to rub with the
spreader on a mast.
Use and construction
Spreader patches may be placed on a
jib
A jib is a triangular sail that sets ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bows, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast. Jibs and spinnakers are the two main types of headsail ...
, when it overlaps with the mast, or on the
mainsail
A mainsail is a sail rigged on the main mast of a sailing vessel.
* On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast.
* On a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, it is the sail rigged aft of the main mast. The sail's foot i ...
, where it may interfere when
furled, or when the sail is backwinded against the
mast. Patches may be made of tape, sticky-backed
Dacron
Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foo ...
, or other material that is compatible with the type of sailcloth being reinforced. When applying such patches, it's important to affix it starting from the inner part of the sail, towards the edge of the sail (leech).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parts Of A Sail
Sailing rigs and rigging