Wing and wing
Wing and wing, or wing on wing, is a downwind sailing method for fore-and-aft sailboats. It uses two sails—main and a foresail (jib)—set on opposite sides of the boat, with the wind coming from behind or slightly to the side. The jib is kept out by a whisker pole to catch as much wind as possible while the mainsail is on the other side.
The helmsman must watch for an accidental jibe, when the boom can swing across quickly. A preventer may be used to stop this. The boom’s position matters: if possible, keep the main boom on the port side to reduce the need to yield to other boats.
Goosewinging can be sailed on a broad reach with occasional intentional jibes, which can be easier in rough seas and sometimes faster due to better aerodynamics. Another option for downwind sailing is to use a gennaker or spinnaker to gain more sail area and speed.
When sailing with the wind directly from behind, the sails generate power mainly by drag, like a parachute, and a boat cannot go faster than the true wind. Faster downwind progress comes from sailing at angles to the wind and jibing as needed. If a boat can sail faster than about 1.4 times the wind speed, the angled route can be faster than straight downwind.
Some sailboats use extra sails to increase area on downwind runs, such as studding sails on square-rigged vessels in light winds.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:29 (CET).