Sailing involves knowledge and experience. There are many basic sailing techniques the first is steering and turning. A sailing yacht depends on wind to propel in the desired direction. ‘Heading up’ means steering so the wind is coming directly in front. Tacking is a basic boating technique for turning by bringing the bow of the boat through the wind so that the wind then comes from the opposite side of the boat. ‘Heading down’ means steering the boat so the wind comes from behind. Jibing is a turning maneuver in which the sails and boom swing to the opposite side. This seems very similar to tacking and the difference is if the front of the boat crosses the wind then it is tacking, if the back of the boat crosses then it is jibing.

 

Five essentials to a sailor are the course to steer, the Trim, Balance, Sail and centerboard. These are the central aspects of sailing. When a boat is sailing with approximately a 30 degree angle to either side it is called a ‘run’. Although it is the most comfortable point of sailing it is also the most dangerous due to the risk of overturning. There are many other yachting techniques such as reaching, sailing upwind, reducing sail, sail trimming, hull trimming, points of sail and heeling that are all essential components of being able to successfully maneuver a sail yacht.

 

Another essential yachting aspect is the knowledge of boating regulations. There are three rules. The first is that a yacht on port tack gives way to a yacht on starboard tack. The second is that a power vessel must give way to a sailing vessel, unless there is a vast difference in size that makes the power vessel more difficult to maneuver quickly. The third is that if a collision is about to happen both vessels must take immediate action.