Ghoster vs Cruising Chute?

[LittleSister]

What's the difference between a 'ghoster' and a cruising chute? (And what the hell is a 'leg o'mutton' sail?)

 

[vyv_cox]

My ghoster has a rope luff which is intended for hauling tight for upwind sailing. In fact it is far from close-winded and I use it more for reaching than beating. When I had a cruising chute it had an un-reinforced luff.

A leg o'mutton is a Bermudan mainsail, I believe.

 

[rickym]

I had a 'ghoster' on a previous yacht, it was a loose luffed oversize genoa and unlike the cruising chute would work with the wind forward of the beam. Got a lot of use reaching in light airs.

 

[prv]

what the hell is a 'leg o'mutton' sail?

A triangular sail set behind a mast, as in nearly every modern mainsail. The term comes from when four-cornered gaff sails were more usual. To me it also implies no roach or battens, so doesn't quite apply to modern yacht sails, but I don't know if that definition is universal.

Pete

 

[BlackPig]

And what the hell is a 'leg o'mutton' sail?

I thought it was a storm trisail, flown above the boom short side close to the mast