Points of Sail

The Points of Sail are a convenient way of describing boat angle compared to the direction of the wind.

Learning the Points of Sail will help you trim your sails at different boat angles to the wind and make you a better sailor. When the skipper says, “head up into a Close Haul”, as a crew member this will tell you that you need to tension the sheets (pull in the sails). Alternatively, if the skipper says, “bear away onto a Broad Reach”, you will know to ease the sheets (let out the sails).