Abstract: A system for dousing and flaking a sail is disclosed as including a plurality of sail-flaking devices and a douser line. The flaking devices are disposed at points spaced along the luff and the leech of the sail; and the douser line is affixed to one lower corner of the sail, passed through a block mounted to the head of the sail and returned to the other lower corner of the sail, the douser line passing slidably through passageways in the flaking devices disposed along the leech. The flaking devices spaced along the luff are self-actuating when the sail is being lowered; and the flaking devices spaced along the leech are controlled by the douser line. Adjacent flaking devices respectively rotate in one direction and then the other to flake the sail alternately from side to side as it descends and becomes flaccid.

Abstract: A self-flaking sail system is disclosed, including generally U-shaped shackles, each of which has a pair of legs joined by a bight portion, and having on their opposite ends, transversely aligned retainer receiving apertures, with a retainer pin extending through and locked therein for securing the shackles to the marginal luff edge of a sail. The aperture is situated in a plane which intersects the bight portion at an angle, and such angle causes the sail to flake either one way or the other, depending upon whether a right or left handed shackle is provided.