What sails are on board an IMOCA for the Vendée Globe?

Among these eight sails, there is first and foremost the mainsail, which should in most normal circumstances stay hoisted throughout the race and the storm jib, a small storm headsail of 25m² maximum in a fluorescent color, which is mandatory (sometimes called J4). 

Beyond these two specified sails the skippers are free to choose the sails they wish to carry. Each sailor works with their own choice of sailmakers to make 100% custom sails.

Sailors and their teams choose where to put the cursor in terms of surface area, shape (more or less full or flat) and the way it is set on their boat (at the top of the mast or on another attachment point, on the deck or on the bowsprit, etc.). They sometimes sail with several headsails in place, which is called "double headed" or "triple headed".

Here is a sample of the sails that can be found on board an IMOCA in the Vendée Globe:

J2

The J2 is a very important sail. It is set on the main forestay (cable holding the mast) which is fixed. It can be rolled up but not lowered and therefore remains "in the air" all the time. This sail is a little over 100m². It is mainly used upwind but also when the wind is on the beam and possibly downwind when the wind is very strong.

J3

The J3 is a strong wind jib, a staysail that is used upwind and reaching (crosswind) when there is quite a lot of wind. It measures a little over 50m2. When the wind is very strong downwind, it is also possible to sail under J3

Spi or A2

The spinnaker is a very large, full downwind sail, more of a "balloon" shaped sail. On IMOCAs, it is an asymmetrical spinnaker that is fixed at the tack to the bowsprit. It is found less and less on new foiling boats, but Paul Meilhat, for example, said he has taken one that he defines as his "secret weapon"! This sail is nearly 400m².

Mast head 0 or MH0 (large gennaker) (masthead zero)

The Masthead 0 (zero), also called MH0, is a large gennaker tacked to the bowsprit going to the top of the mast. This sail is fixed on the "jockey poles" which are a kind of "arms/outriggers" to project the sheet away from the hull of the boat. It measures nearly 300m², the equivalent of 1.5 times a tennis court. It is a fairly hollow sail that is used mainly in light airs.

Quad

The name "quad" is the intermediate sail between the large Mast head 0 (MH0) gennaker and the J0, a large hybrid, flat jib, which is used upwind when there is not much wind, but also on reaching (cross-wind) points of sail, and downwind with strong wind. 

Code 0

The Code 0 is a large gennaker tacked to the bowsprit and that goes to the masthead. It is used downwind sailing, in light airs and medium winds. It is easier to handle than the Masthead 0 because it is not projected to the "jockey pole" these arms/outriggers that spread the sheet from the hull of the boat. This sail measures approximately 200m².

J0

This is a somewhat hybrid sail. It is used reaching but also downwind with strong winds and close-hauled when there is not much wind. It is tacked to the bowsprit and mounted at the top of the mast. It measures approximately 180m².

FR0

The FR0 (read "fro"), for fractional Code 0, is tacked to the bowsprit but does not go to the top of the mast. It is fixed a little lower, at the level of the J2 forestay. This sail is hollow, it measures approximately 150m². It is a small gennaker.

A7

The A7 is a very small gennaker for big conditions, tacked to the bowsprit and at the level of the J2 forestay. It is found on boats with straight daggerboards. The higher the number of the sail, the smaller the sail!

Jib top or mule

This is the equivalent of the A7 but for foilers: a small downwind sail attached to the bowsprit. It allows you to slightly lift the bow of the boat to better pass through waves in rough seas.