| When interested in sailing a boat, the direction of the | | | | boom then swing to the opposite side just before the |
| wind will determine the various movements associated | | | | sailboat sails off on the opposite tack. Exercising |
| with this invigorating activity. Before you attempt to | | | | caution is highly recommended when jibing, as the sail |
| take a vessel across the open water, you should first | | | | and boom can cross the middle of the boat with great |
| become familiar with some of the following important | | | | speed where misjudgment can cause a small sailboat |
| sailing techniques: | | | | to tip over. Improper jibing may also hurt passengers |
| Steering and Turning | | | | not paying attention, as well as cause damage to the |
| The techniques you use to change direction and steer | | | | rig of a larger sailboat. All of these circumstances |
| a sailboat will become influenced by the direction of | | | | increase in risk during times of strong winds. |
| the wind. Some of the terms associated with direction | | | | Trim |
| changes or turns are referred to as tacking, heading | | | | An important part of sailing involves keeping the boat in |
| up, heading down, or jibing. | | | | "trim," which deals with steering, balance, and other |
| Heading up (or luffing up) refers to the kind of steering | | | | aspects. First, you will "Course to Steer," where the |
| where the wind is close to coming in direct contact | | | | boat is turned towards your intended destination by |
| with the front (or bow) of the sailboat. When you head | | | | using the wheel or tiller. People may choose a specific |
| closer to the wind, you need to "trim" the sails, which | | | | bearing (such as steering 180 degrees), aim for a |
| means bringing them closer to the center of the boat. | | | | particular landmark, or base their course in regards to |
| When you head up where the wind is almost ahead, | | | | the wind direction. Trim refers to the fore and aft |
| the sails will "luff," which means that they begin to | | | | balance of a sailboat. The goal is to adjust the |
| flutter without any lift. If the boat becomes too hard to | | | | movable ballast in a forward or backward motion in |
| maneuver, then it enters a state called "in irons." | | | | order to accomplish what is called an "even keel." |
| Tacking (or coming about) is one of the most basic of | | | | When traveling an upwind course in a smaller sailboat, |
| turning techniques of sailing, as it requires one to bring | | | | passengers often sit in the front. Positioning of |
| the bow of the boat through the wind so that the wind | | | | passengers means less when the sailboat is larger or |
| comes across the opposing side of the boat. The boat | | | | weighs more. |
| then sails away on the opposite tack. | | | | When balancing, it is the port and starboard that is |
| "Heading down" is known by many different terms, | | | | involved, where the aim is to regulate the weight in |
| including "bearing away," "bearing off," "falling off," and | | | | order to avoid unnecessary heeling. Trimming sails is |
| "freeing off." This technique of sailing involves steering | | | | quite important, as the sail should be pulled in until it |
| in such a way that the wind comes from closer to the | | | | becomes filled with wind. It should not exceed the point |
| aft of the boat. The method includes easing the sails, | | | | where the front edge of the sail (the luff) becomes |
| which means to let them out away from the center of | | | | completely aligned with the wind. |
| the vessel. | | | | While this is just a taste of common sailing techniques, |
| Jibing (also gibing) is a turning motion that causes the | | | | it is also advised to seek information on "running," |
| boat to head down past the point where the wind | | | | "reaching," sailing upward, reducing the sails, reefing, |
| crosses at the stern of the sailboat. The sails and | | | | hulling, and learning the different sail points. |