Scene on the Sound: Spinnakers glowed as the sailboats returned in the late afternoon

Photo by Jan Hansen

From Wikipedia: spinnaker is a sail designed specifically for sailing off the wind on courses between a reach (wind at 90° to the course) to downwind (course in the same direction as the wind). 

Spinnakers are constructed of lightweight fabric, usually nylon, and are often brightly colored. 

Photo by Jan Hansen

They may be designed to perform best as either a reaching or a running spinnaker, by the shaping of the panels and seams. 

They are attached at only three points and said to be flownpedia.

-Contributed by Jan Hansen