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Sailing can be almost like flying. As your boat moves along with the wind, the sound of the water and the breeze on your face will give you a sense of freedom. Your boat almost comes to life as it is bobbing along, acting in direct response to the wind and the sea.
A sailboat is different from other kinds of boats because the wind is used to move it through the water. Sails are large pieces of clothe that are used to transform the power of the wind into power for the boat. Today you will find that most sails are made of nylon or Dacron. These materials will keep their shape better, will not mildew, and are resistant to sun and salt water. Before now, most sails were made from canvas and sailcloth.
The principal sail is called the mainsail. It is attached to a long pole called a mainmast. Along with the mainsail, most boats have other sails. They are found in front of the main mast and are known as headsails. The jib is usually the only headsail that is used on a smaller boat. The spinnaker, which has a great bulging shape, is used for sailing before the wind. (Sailing with the wind coming from behind.) This sail is made of a lightweight material and is usually a bright color.
Whether they are made of wood or aluminum, most sailboat masts will be hollow, and are basically pretty strong. However, they will still require support. These supports are called standing riggings. They are made up of the stays, which support the mast from the bow (front) and stern (rear) and the shrouds, which support it from the sides of the boat. Ropes or lines, which are used to manipulate the sails are called running rigging. These lines are the halyards for hoisting (raising) the sails and the sheets, for trimming the sails. Most of the lines are also made of Dacron or nylon.
There are three points of sailing. They are beating, reaching, and running. It is impossible to sail directly into the wind. Because of this you must compromise by beating. This means you must zigzag your boat windward by making a series of tacks. On each tack you steep the boat into the wind as much as possible without flapping the sails. At this point the sails must be trimmed in as much as possible. When you are at this point of sailing, you are close-hauled. Changing tack is called coming about. You may find yourself doing this many times before you work you way windward as far as you want to go. Sailing before the wind is called running. In running, the sails will be let out as far as possible. The fastest and the most fun point in sailing is reaching, or sailing across the wind.
If you are at the helm, you will alert the crew by calling "Ready about" before tacking. When you are ready to tack, you will shout yet another warning, "Hard alee". You then push the tiller (steering device) leeward (away from the wind.) This will cause the bow to go in the opposite direction-into the wind. You keep your boat turning until the wind is on the other side. The sail will then swing across the boat, and the wind will fill the sail again. When the wind is blowing over you starboard (right) side you are on the starboard tack. When the breeze is blowing over your port (left) side, you are on the port tack.
Once you know how to handle your boat on the water, racing will add to the fun of sailing. There are hundreds of different classes of races that are held for local champions. The most successful boats can go on to national and international competitions. In this type of racing, hulls and sails are identical and sailors will compete on a boat for boat basis.
In ocean races, larger yachts and cruising boats will compete over longer courses. Because cruising boats are different from each other in size and design, some will be much faster that others. To give all the yachts an equal chance at winning these types of races, officials handicap the faster boats. The slower boats are given a time allowance, which is deducted from the time it took them to sail the course.
All sailboats are governed by rules. The rules will help determine which vessel has the right of way under different sailing conditions. The regulations are designed to prevent collisions when the boats are sailing in close quarters. There are many fundamental rules that is on the starboard tack will have the right of way over boats on the port tack. When the boats are on the same course, the leeward boat will have the right of way, over the windward boat. Most often a boat that is overtaking another boat must keep clear of the boat that it is overtaking. When it is tacking or jibbing, a boat must keep clear of other boats.
There is so much more to sailing than just steering the boat. Sailors are responsible for the safety of the boats and their crew. It is important to know the United States Coast Guard regulations concerning what equipment is required by law. You will want to learn to read charts so that you will know all the shoals and channels in the waters you will be sailing. It will be important for you to know where you can safely take your boat. Talking to people who sail the waters and are familiar with them will be your best source of information.
The more that you learn about sailing and the more that you know, the more fun and the safer the sport will be. Sign up for sailing classes and by all means read. It is important to remember that you can learn all the definitions and rules in the comfort of your living room, but the only way to actually learn how to sail is by getting out and doing it.
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