Definition
On a dead run the headsail is set opposite the mainsail so it is not blanketed, usually held out with a whisker or spinnaker pole to stop it collapsing as the boat rolls. The rig becomes laterally balanced and drive improves, but the configuration is sensitive to steering: a small wander to leeward invites sailing by the lee and an accidental gybe, so a preventer on the boom is standard.
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