Sailing and Camping

Sailing terms

As we all know when setting out to learn how to sail the prospect of the task can be daunting enough but sailing terms can be downright baffling.

However, in order to sail they are a must and it is imperative that you learn them. The most important of terms would have to be hull, beam, port and starboard. These are fundamental terms used in sailing.

Understanding these terms will help you to communicate effectively when learning to sail.

Here is a brief overview so as to give you an idea of the basics.

The points of sails

The points of sails, are also referred to as sailing positions, are important as they will determine in which direction the boat will travel. The three basic courses are beating, reaching and running. The intermediate courses are broad and close reach.

Changing direction

In order to change the direction of the boat you can do a maneuver come about, which causes the boat to turn to leeward side and turns into the wind.

Another maneuver to change direction is called a jibe. This is a faster maneuver than the come about as the boat is turned across the wind, rather than into the wind.

Rules

In order to accomplish any of the above sailing rules need to be obeyed at all times for safety reasons. The most important rule is the right of way rule or ROW, to avoid collisions with any other boat. The key to your success in sailing is to be safe.