Apparent wind is important to sailors in order to set sail angle with respect to the wind and to anticipate how much power the wind will generate on a point of sail. This must be corrected for when converting apparent wind angle to true wind direction. The same effect is found when the craft is altering course.

These readings show the speed and direction of the apparent wind relative to the boat. The term “relative to” is used because the apparent wind is applicable only to the particular boat we are looking at and is not the same for other boats sailing in the same area.

True wind speed, sometimes known as ground wind, is the actual speed of the wind as it passes over land or the surface of the sea, assuming no tidal flow. Apparent wind speed is the wind you ‘feel’ on you as you sail.

Sailing Upwind As you steer more toward the wind direction, you trim the sails in tighter to keep them full, and keep generating lift. But sail too close to the wind and the sail will “luff”— the forward edge will start to flutter in and out and the boat will slow down.

British. : to do something that is dangerous or that may be illegal or dishonest The company was sailing close to the wind, but it’s not clear if they were actually breaking the law.

Dangers. A jibe can be dangerous in a fore-and-aft rigged boat because the sails are always completely filled by wind during the maneuver. A jibe can also result in a sudden change in the direction of heel, and can cause unexpected course changes due to the mainsail force changing from one side of the boat to the other …

They didn’t sail, they were moved by oars, or were becalmed until a wind arose. In battle the sails were always furled and the ship was powered by oars. A broadside hit against an enemy ship at speed was devastating.

Without having the winds in your sails, the boat will not move forward. Instead, you’ll only drift along and get stuck in the neutral. Worst still, you can easily capsize. As such, it’s of great importance to have a good grasp of how the wind works in propelling a sailboat and what you can do without it.

The short version, they use that sail and they turn at a certain angle. When the wind blows past it, it’s scooped into those sails and combines it with pressure against the main beam, and that turns it into a little bit of forward push.

You can get stuck in “neutral,” with no wind in your sails—or you can even capsize—so it’s important to have a basic understanding of how a sailboat works. It’s easy to see how a boat can sail when it’s going in the same direction as the wind; the sails catch the wind and push the boat forward.

The most comfortable sailing is in winds from 5 to 12 knots. Below 5 knots the wind is too light and maneuvering and powering the boat with the sails may become difficult. Sailors normally prevent keel boats from heeling more than 20 degrees, with an optimum heel of 15 degrees.

I’ve actually checked the facts (and many opinions) and came up with these wind speeds for different sailing styles: The ideal wind speeds for sailing are: most comfortable sailing: 5 – 12 knots. absolute beginners: under 10 knots – anything under 10 knots prevents capsizing.

Any sailboat can be sailed with the mainsail alone. Using only the mainsail will reduce your speed, but it can make your boat easier to handle, especially by yourself.

jib, n. a triangular sail borne in front of the foremast in a ship, so called from its shifting of itself.

around 18 knots

Colloquially the term is sometimes used interchangeably with jib. A working jib is no larger than the 100% foretriangle. A genoa is larger, with the leech going past the mast and overlapping the mainsail. Working jibs are also defined by the same measure, typically 100% or less of the foretriangle.

Edges. The top of all sails is called the head, the leading edge is called the luff, the trailing edge is the leech, and the bottom edge is the foot. Head – The head is the upper edge of the sail, and is attached at the throat and peak to a gaff, yard, or sprit.

An overlapping jib is called a genoa jib or simply a genoa (see illustration). These are efficiently used when reaching more broadly than a close reach. Alternatively, a boat may carry smaller jibs, to compensate aerodynamics when the main sail is reefed; these more rugged sails are called storm jibs or spitfires.

Reefing is the means of reducing the area of a sail, usually by folding or rolling one edge of the canvas in on itself. The converse operation, removing the reef, is called “shaking it out.” Reefing allows the carrying of partial sail in strong winds, and is the primary safety precaution in rough weather.

In sailing, a halyard or halliard is a line (rope) that is used to hoist a ladder, sail, flag or yard. The term halyard comes from the phrase, ‘to haul yards’. Halyards, like most other parts of the running rigging, were classically made of natural fibre like manila or hemp.

: to reduce the spread of (a sail) by taking in two reefs.

reef v. to use (excessive) force, especially when hitting, pulling, or twisting (on something).

1. The ship ran aground on a submerged reef.
2. Waves mountain – high broke over the reef.
3. Lagoon Reef is one of the best resort hotels.
4. An unspoilt coral reef encloses the bay.
5. Our boat foundered on a reef.
6. We went snorkelling along the Great Barrier Reef.
7. We went diving on the coral reef.

to reduce the length of (a topmast, a bowsprit, etc.), as by lowering, sliding inboard, or the like. to pull (old oakum) out of seams, as with a rave hook (often followed by out).

Benefits of coral reef ecosystems Coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and offer opportunities for recreation. They are also are a source of food and new medicines. Over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection.