Editing Sail components (section)

==Fittings==
{{See also|Mast (sailing)|Boom (sailing)|Spar (sailing)|Yard (sailing)}}
Sails usually have fittings attached to them that transmit force through a small area. These include grommets, which reinforce fabric at an attachment points and connections to lines; hoops and slides, which attach sails to spars; and reefing features, which may include reefing lines attached to the sail or grommets that have reefing lines running through them. Additional features include [[Tell-tale (sailing)|tell-tales]], windows—used on dinghy sails<ref name = Sleight>
{{cite book
 | last = Sleight
 | first = Steve
 | title = The Complete Sailing Manual
 | publisher = Penguin
 | edition = 3
 | date = 2011
 | pages = 448
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=s5uNcHo1PkQC&pg=PA156
 | isbn = 9780756697600 }}</ref>—and lettering and other graphics that include sail numbers and manufacturers logos, etc.

===Hardware===
Where sails are attached to a mast, spar, or stay there is some kind of connection—often it's the bolt rope running through a groove in the mast, boom, or head foil—otherwise, there is a piece of hardware involved, e.g.:
*''Gaff sails'' usually have hoops that slide up and down the mast.<ref name = Cunliffe/>
*''Bermuda mainsails'' may have slides attached to the luff that match tracks on the mast and boom. These may be attached to the luff through grommets with webbing or a nylon shackle or with webbing sewn directly on the sail.<ref name = Rice/>
*''Jibs'' that are not roller-furling usually have ''hanks'', clips that attach to the stay. This applies to other ''staysails'', as well.<ref name = Hancock/>
Other hardware includes ''cam cleats'', used to tension luff and foot lines.<ref name = Nicolson/>

===Reefing points===
[[File:Gaff-rigged-sail-nr.svg|thumb|Gaff sail, showing reefing points (20) and other features.<br>
1. Luff 2. Foot 3. Leech 4. Head <br>5. Throat 6. Tack 7. Clew 8. Peak <br>9. Throat cringle 10. Reefing cringle <br>11. Tack cringle 12. Clew cringle <br>13. Reefing cringle 14. Peak cringle <br>15. Reinforcing tape 16. Bolt rope <br>17. Batten pocket 18. Panels <br>19. Reef line 20. Reefing point <br>21. Reefing line]]
{{See also|Reefing}}
Different categories of sails are [[Reefing|reefed]] (reduced in size) in different manners and therefore have different fixtures that achieve shortening of sail. Traditional canvas square and gaff-rigged sails have one or more rows of ''reefing lines'' that pass through the sail, which reach around the sail that has been gathered in to reduce its size and secure the remaining unreefed sail to the spar (square rig) or boom (gaff rig).<ref name = Hahne/> Gaff-rigged sails require an extra set of lines to secure the part of the leech that becomes the new clew. These are called ''reef pendents'' that drop through a ''comb'' on the boom, where they are secured, as needed.<ref name = Cunliffe >
{{cite book
 | last = Cunliffe
 | first = Tom
 | title = Hand, Reef and Steer
 | publisher = Sheridan House, Inc.
 | date = 2004
 | pages = 178
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=05F1Vm--4i4C&pg=PA91
 | isbn = 9781574092035 }}</ref>

Mainsails on Bermuda rigs typically have paired grommets that secure the luff and leech to the boom, as the sail is lowered to reduce its area. These become the new tack and clew. A reefing line typically runs through the reef point on the luff to quickly secure the new clew. The grommet that becomes the new tack is typically hooked onto the boom. There may be grommets along the line between the new tack and clew that allow ties to pass through around the boom.<ref name = Hahne>
{{cite book
 | last = Hahne
 | first = Peter
 | title = Sail Trim: Theory and Practice
 | publisher = Sheridan House, Inc.
 | date = 2005
 | pages = 120
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3RglfrqPI5MC&pg=PA94
 | isbn = 9781574091984 }}</ref>

===Tell-tales===
{{See also|Tell-tale (sailing)}}
Tell-tales are pieces of yarn, thread or tape that are affixed to sails to help visualize airflow over their surfaces. Typically, they are mounted near the luff of sails, but they are also found on the leach on some sails. To windward, a sagging tell-tale indicates still air, either from stalling (indicated on the leeward side, when the sail is sheeted in too far, compared to the apparent wind) or pinching (indicated on the windward side, when the sail isn't sheeted in far enough, compared to the apparent wind).<ref name = Textor/>