A genoa or jenny was once reffered to as an 'overlapping jib.' It was named after the city of Genoa. It is a type of large jib or staysail which overlaps the mainsail - sometimes even eliminating it. It's used on single masted sloops and also twin masted boats like ketches or yawls. It's large surface area increases the vessels speed in moderate winds. In high winds a smaller jib is usually a better choice, and in downwind a spinnaker.
The feature that usually set a genoa apart from a jib is that the genoa extends past the mast - overlapping the mainsail when viewed from the side.
A jib is no larger than the foretriangle, which is the triangle formed by the mast, deck or bowsprit and forestay.

So part of being a happy sailor is being fed well. Not well as in extravagant meals, but rather a healthy complete diet.
With 7 kids we go through a lot of bread at our house, and I never buy bread. About every other day I bake a couple of loaves and the kids love it. I've tried many recipes over the years, and here's a basic bread recipe that would be quick and easy - even out at sea. I use this for basic bread as well as bread sticks, pizza crust and dinner rolls. I knead all my breads by hand without use of a mixer.

3 cups warm water
2 Tbls yeast
3 Tbls sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 stick of marg or 1/2 cup applesauce
about 8 cups of flour (wheat/white combination can be used)

Add the yeast, sugar, salt and marg/applesauce to the warm water and mix to dissolve. Mix in the flour till you have a nice elastic non sticky dough. Let rise for half an hour. Divide in half and shape into loaves and place in 2 pans. While the oven is heating to 350, let them rise. Bake for half an hour.
Enjoy the smell and the taste...

The great thing about this recipe is that is does not call for eggs.

Port is the nautical term used for the left side of the boat when facing the pointy end - or the bow. The same term is used in aircrafts and spacecrafts. A much older version of the term is the larboard side. It has been said that larboard was changed to port because when shouting the word larboard into the wind it sounded a little too much like starboard (which would be the right side of a vessel).
Back in the 1800's there was no correct way to determine longitude, unlike latitude which was understood. As long as the North star could be seen, latitude could be determined. When sailing out to sea you'd most likely be headed west because you'd be leaving England and the North star would be on the right of the ship - or the starboard side. Once the ship turned North or South it sailed to the correct latitude of the destination then headed east along that latitude. At this point the navigator would be on the left side of the ship so the sails would not block his view of the North star. The crew knew that if the North star was on the left of the ship, they were headed East, therefore to its destination or port. Hence the term "port" for left side.

Squaretop mainsails, otherwise known as fat head mainsails, have been around for a long time - but in recent years have made a big re-entry on a wide variety of boats.
There are two main reasons for the development of this sail: First, the aerodynamic efficiency, and second is the desire to get adequate sail area on a rig without making the rig too tall. It's been known for some time that an elliptical air foil is by far superior in effeciency than one that comes to a point on the end.
The sail has presented a new challenge for both sailmaker and sailor, the biggest problem being depowering the main as wind increases. Some have attempted to go to a smaller jib, but keeping a full size main and smaller jib creates balance problems. Reducing the main can be accomplished by allowing the top of the main to twist open and by flattening the mainsail. Square top mainsail want to twist. Infact one of the problems is that in light or medium air they tend to want to twist too much. A heftier sheet system is also required.
For the sailor this means that the mainsail would require more trimming than usual as well as some different trimming techniques.
For upwind sailing it's necessary to reef the main sooner than usual.
So, if you're trying to decide if you should replace your regular pointed sail with a fat head...perhaps you should take one for a test drive first - preferably in slightly challenging conditions.

Yesterday while at work, I was on the dive boat with, among other people, a sea captain. He lives in Utah now and plays around there on his 23 ft keel boat, but has spent many hours on open ocean. I asked him what he sailed and what his preferences are, and I think what it comes down to is that there is no right or wrong, just personal preference.
He told me that he learned to sail on a monohaul and that will always be his first love. That many older captains think catamarans are sissy stuff. And then he said that after 30 years of sailing, he and his family decided to charter a cat in the BVI, and in an instant, his whole world changed. As their voyage began he no longer had to brace himself or lean to one side. Meals could be enjoyed without needing to hold onto ones plate. He could sleep in his bed without the pitch and roll of the mononhaul, and the vessel was far more open and livable.
He then said that sissy or not, if he were to ever live on a boat and sail the world, there's no question about it - a catamaran is the way to go.
We spoke of the pro's and con's of both, and decided that the biggest draw backs of a cat is the initial cost, and that if ever it were to turtle, it can't be righted (But can still be lived in upside down), though it is extremely difficult and unlikely to flip a cat.
The draw back of a monohaul is the constant lean, and that if it flips and doesn't right itself, it sinks. Also, that there just isn't much living area on a monohaul.
So, the question is - what your cup of tea? You'll have to find that out for yourself.

I've been thinking a lot about fear. It's a feeling that can be used for good if controlled, or it can drive us to insanity and inhibit our progression.
There is a certain amount of fear involved with open water. The ocean is so large and so deep...
Being a scuba instructor, I help people on a regular basis to overcome their fears of the ocean - or of water in general. I have watched as people have stood with me on the bow of the dive boat, in total awe as they look out across the vast expanse of water. One woman stood dumbfounded and in complete sincerity asked, "so...does all this water go ALL the way around the whole island?" She made me laugh but at the same time I understood.
Beth Leonard has written some fascinating pages in her book, The Voyagers Handbook," concerning fear. Some of the poiints she makes are quite profound regarding ways we can overcome fear to prepare us to sail in blue water:
1. To stretch yourself aboard your own boat...to take your boat out in conditions that challenge you. This will do a couple things, first it will help you gain confidence in your vessel as you see just how hard she can be pushed and how well she fairs. It will also help you increase self confidence as you realize that you are stronger than you thought you were...or that there are some things you need to practice more to improve.
2. To exchange positions aboard. I noticed that when my Sweetheart and I were sailing together, he always mounted the motor and ran it while i set other things up. This wasn't good because I never became comfortable with that skill. Mix it up. Be confident in all skills aboard, because you never know when you'll need to do something in an emergency or run things on your own for a while.
3. Experience disasters from your armchair. Read as many books as you can find on peoples experiences at sea. Books on solo sailing, disasters, circumnavigator, old seafarer tales and survival at sea books.
I recently read "Adrift" by Steve Callahan. It describes his journey drifting at sea, his fears, his accomplishments and triumphs. Pure inspiration!
4. Agree to basic safety rules. Successful crews work well within defined boundaries. You and your crew will need to decide on things like whether safety harnesses will be worn, what the on-watch hours are and what is expected of that crew member, whether reefing will be done with only one person on deck, what safety gear will be carries, what happens in man over board situations. The rules need to be clear and agreed on by all who sail on your vessel - whether temporarily or permanent crew members.
5. Develop basic procedures. In an emergency we as humans react with fight or flight behavior. If a crew member were unrehearsed in basic as well as emergency procedures, and they decide to freeze or panic, there would be chaos. Safety procedures must be agreed on and practiced by all crew to a point that when it happens, everyone will roll their sleeves up and jump into action with confidence.
6. Don't leave with nagging doubts. If while preparing to leave there are doubts or concerns, face them and deal with them. Fix the problem before you leave rather than stew in the back of your mind over the issue over the entire voyage.

My philosophy is to grab life by the horns and run with it. I believe that if you have your heart set on sailing the world, and you set your goals realistically so that you don't disappoint yourself by being unable to reach crazy expectations, face your fears and overcome them, you'll find yourself sailing off into the sunset before you know it.