The Doyle Anomaly Headboard solves a major handling issue with modern square top mainsails with a very robust and elegant solution.

Using the Doyle Anomaly Headboard, square-top mainsails can now be hoisted without the need to manually attach the headboard to the carriage or re-install the gaff batten each time the sail is hoisted.

Hoisting the halyard pulls the headboard onto the carriage where a toggle locks the headboard into the carriage. When the sail is lowered the headboard slides off the carriage with slack in the halyard allowing the sail to be flaked on the boom

ADVANTAGES

Square top mainsail can now be raised and lowered without the crew climing the mast
Gaff battens no longer need to be installed and uninstalled before raising and lowering the main
Doyle Anomaly Headboard and Carriage adapts to most existing slider systems on the market
System works with both single part and 2:1 halyard systems
The Anomaly Headboard can work with nearly all of the existing luff slider systems on the market today. No modifications of the luff cars or existing system are required. The Anomaly Headboard comes with the headboard which is attached to the sail and a new carriage that replaces the existing carriage. The carriage is designed to mate with the specific luff car system in use on the boat. The Anomaly Headboard has even been used with the Harken 26mm switch track. The system is currently suitable for boats from 11 to 24m. Additionally, the Anomaly Headboard has options for both single part and 2:1 halyards.

The true beauty of the Anomaly Headboard lies in its simplicity. It does not depend on a locking mechanism with its inherent reliability issues to hold the headboard to the carriage. The force of the halyard holds the headboard into the carriage. Compared to a standard headboard the Anomaly Headboard adds just a single moving piece ensuring reliability requiring no additional maintenance compared to any existing slider system. It is made from high strength aluminum alloy and stainless steel. All aluminum parts are anodized to prevent corrosion