Black Jack's Mark Bradford explains Grand Prix Sail Setups

Black Jack heads South on her way to winning Line Honours in the 2021 Sydney Hobart race © Bow Caddy Media

For many on the sailing scene who haven’t raced on a grand prix offshore yacht, the types and configurations of sails set forward of the mast – particularly for downwind sailing – are something of a mystery.

So, shortly before the start of 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, in which Peter Harburg’s Black Jack took Line Honours, we asked skipper Mark Bradford to explain some of the how and why of effective downwind sail combinations.