Rig & sails
What does Sloop mean?
A sloop is a single-masted sailing rig normally using a mainsail and one headsail at a time as its basic sail plan.
Why it matters when choosing a sailboat
It is common on cruising sailboats, but ease of handling depends on sail size, controls and equipment. Masthead and fractional sloops differ in where the forestay meets the mast. Rig labels do not tell you whether sails can be handled comfortably by your crew.
A practical example
A cruising sloop might sail with a mainsail and a roller-furling genoa, then reduce sail as conditions change.
A question to ask before buying
Can my normal crew hoist, reef and furl the fitted sails safely from the available working positions?
Related sailboat terms
Put the term to work.
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