Sailing Terms Q&A

What are the different points of sail?

No-sail zone
Close-hauled
Close reach
Beam reach
Broad reach
Run

What is apparent wind?

A combination of the true wind and the wind you create by virtue of your own motion through the air.

What’s the difference between a dinghy and a keelboat?

A dinghy is a small sailboat, usually under 20 feet long. A keelboat starts at about 20 feet, and has no upper length limit.

How are sailboats measured?

LOA – length overall
beam – width at its widest point
LWL – length on waterline
draft – depth of boat below waterline
freeboard – height of hull above waterline

What’s a spar?

Any type of pole used to support a sail, such as a mast or boom.

What are these parts of a sail? head
luff
tack
foot
clew
batten
leech

head – the top of a sail
luff – the forward edge of a sail
tack – the forward lower corner of a sail
foot – the bottom edge of a sail
clew – the aft lower corner of a sail
batten – a slat inserted in the leech to support the sailcloth
leech – the after edge of a sail

What’s standing rigging?

Standing rigging is rigging that remains fixed in place even when no sails are set.

What are stays?

Wire cables that hold the mast in its fore and aft position, such as a backstay or forestay/headstay.

What are shrouds?

Wire cables that provide sideways support for the mast. They run from the mast down to the outer edge of the deck to fittings called chainplates.

What is running rigging?

Lines used to control the trim and shape of the sails.

What is a sheet?

The primary line that controls the trim of a sail by setting the angle of the sail relative to the wind. It’s usually named for the sail it controls (mainsheet, jibsheet, etc.).

What’s a halyard?

 A line used to raise a sail.

How do you rig a mainsail?

1. Remove the mainsail from its bag.
2. Locate the tack, at the forward end of the sail’s foot, and attach it to the gooseneck, at the forward end of the boom.
3. Locate the clew at the other end of the sail’s foot, and attach it.
4. If the sail is attached only at the tack and clew, it’s said to be a loose-footed mainsail. Otherwise, the foot is attached along the length of the boom, either with slugs or a bolt rope (a thick rope sewn once the foot that slides into a groove along the top of the boom).
5. Feed the slug or bolt rope end closest to the clew into the slot at the front of the boom, and pull the clew all the way aft which continuing to feed the foot into the boom. When it’s fully stretched, attach it, usually with a shackle.
6. When the clew is secure, attach the tack at the gooseneck.
7. Secure the battens in their pockets.
8. Identify the system by which the luff will be attached to the mast. This is often similar to how the foot is attached.
9. A sail with a bolt-rope luff can’t really be pre-rigged, but if slugs are employed, you may be able to feed most or all of them into the mast prior to hoisting.

A boat sailing across the wind is said to be…

reaching

Why does a jib have two sheets?

If the wind is blowing on the port side of the boat, you adjust the jib with the port jibsheet. If the wind is blowing on the starboard side, you use the starboard jibsheet.

How do you rig the mainsail?

  1. Attach the tack to or near the gooseneck, at the forward end of the boom.
  2.  Attach the foot of the sail along the length of the boom, either with slugs or a bolt rope.
  3.  Attach the clew to a car that can slide on a short track on the boom. The car’s position is adjusted by an outhaul.
  4.  Insert the battens in the batten pockets.
  5.  Attach the luff to the mast, with a bolt rope or slugs.

How do you attach the main halyard?

  1. Look aloft to see the halyard where it exits the aft side of the mainsail. Trace it down to where it’s shackled.
  2.  Unclip the shackle, and attach it to the mainsail’s headboard.
  3. Never unfasten either end of any halyard and let it go

How do you attach a jib?

  1. Remove the jib from its bag, lay it out on the foredeck, and identify its three corners. The head is the narrowest. Orient the sail so that the tack is nearest the bow and the clew is aft, closest to the mast.
  2.  Secure the tack of the jib to the fitting at the base of the forestay using the shackle or other device provided.
    3. Beginning with the hank nearest the tack, attach the hanks to the forestay.
  3.  If the two jib sheets are not already attached, tie one end of each to the clew ring or grommet, using a bowline.
  4.  Find the jib halyard shackle by looking up the mast for a halyard that exits on the forward side near the forestay’s attachment point. Trace it downward to find where the shackle is secured, then tug on it to locate the other end, which will likely be secured on the mast. Detach the jib halyard shackle from its stowed location and attach it immediately to the head of the jib. Look up to ensure that the halyard is clear and not snagged or wrapped anywhere. Make sure the halyard is still cleated at the other end.
  5.  Unless you are hoisting the jib immediately, flake the rest of the sail to keep it compact and low and secure it to the boat with sail ties.
  6. Lead the jibsheets grow the clew back into the cockpit, one on either side of the mast. Each sheet will usually pass through a block or fairlead to its cleat or winch. When the jib sheet has been led through the correct path, tie a figure-eight stopper knot in its end so it can’t be pulled back through accidentally

How do you load a winch?

1. Spin the winch with your hand to check which way it rotates.
2. Add your wraps in the direction of rotation. Make your first wrap around the bottom of the winch, and work upward.
3. Don’t let your hands get closer than 1 foot to the winch.
4. Only insert the handle when you need it for grinding.
5. When grinding, keep steady tension on the tail to prevent it from slipping. If the line begins to slip, pull harder on it or add another wrap.
6. Single speed winches are grinded by turning clockwise. Two-speed winches have a second set of gears that is engaged by turning counter-clockwise (the winch drum still turns clockwise).
7. Under high load, a winch is most effective with one crew member grinding, while another tails by pulling on the tail of the line as it comes off the winch.
8. As you grind, make sure you, or someone guiding you, can see the sail or whatever is being affected by your grinding.
9. When finished grinding, ensure the tail is well secured on a cleat with a cleat hitch, or in its jammer.
10. Remove the winch handle from the winch after cleating the line.

How do you ease and unload a winch?

1. Make sure the tail is clear, then take hold of it and maintain tension on it.
2. Uncleat the tail, hold it at the level of the winch, and carefully relax it.
3. The line will slip on the winch drum while you control the pace at which it pays out. If you will be releasing the line completely, as the load decreases, you can take wraps off the winch.

What are the danger areas on a boat?

 

  1. In or above the plane of the boom.
  2. On the leeward side of the boat.
  3.  In the way of the jib and jib sheets.
  4.  At the bow and stern.
  • The windward side of the cockpit below the level of the boom is generally safest.

How do you hoist the mainsail?

 

  1.  Orient the boat head to wind; with the bow pointed directly at the oncoming wind.
  2. If the boat is at a dock, you may have to position it so that it points into the wind. If possible, secure the boat with a single dock line running from the bow to the leeward side of the dock, so it will naturally point into the wind.
  3. Remove the sail ties.
  4. If the aft end of the boom is not supported by a topping lift but is tied off by a line from the backstay, free it and lower the boom end to the deck.
  5. Look aloft and ensure the halyard is clear and unfouled.
  6. Haul in on the tail of the halyard to take out excess slack.
  7. Check that anything that holds down the boom (mainsheet, boom vang, Cunningham, downhaul), are uncleated and free to run.
  8. Announce that you are hoisting the main. The crew should get clear of the boom.
  9. Hoist the halyard by hand until it gets difficult. Use the winch handle to complete the hoist, then cleat the halyard.
  10. Ease the boom topping lift enough that it will not become taught when the mainsheet is pulled tight.
  11. Coil the tail of the halyard, wrap it, and stow it properly.
  12.  Adjust the outhaul, Cunningham, and boom vang as needed and cleat them.

How do you sail free of the dock when the wind is blowing off the dock?

 

  1. Double the bow line, so it leads from the boat, around the dock fitting, and back to the boat. This is so you can cast off one end from the boat, and pull it aboard from the other.
  2. Cast off the other dock lines and swing to the bow line.
  3. Cast off the bow line and let the wind blow the boat off the dock. Hold the tiller all the way over to one side so it’s pointing in the direction you want the bow to turn to rotate the boat away from the wind. Keep the mainsheet fully released.
  4. Once you have turned so the wind is on the beam, slowly pull in on the mainsheet so the sail begins to fill. Move the tiller back to center.
  5. As the sail fills and the boat begins to move forward, pull the tiller slightly to windward so the boat will turn farther away from the wind and pick up speed.
  6. When the boat is pointing toward clear water, adjust the tiller to steer the boat in a straight line

Where should you sit when steering with a tiller or wheel?

  1. On the windward side of the cockpit, to get the best view of the sails and the boat’s surroundings.

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