Sailing and Boat Handling & ASA 106 Flashcards
Name 6 parts of a sail

- Head
- Tack
- Clew
- Leech
- Luff
- Foot
Standing Rigging
Is the fixed parts of the rigging that hold the mast in place. They include the following:
- Forestay
- Backstay
- Sidestays

Running Rigging
Refers to the lines and sheets that adjust the angle of the sails to the wind
- Most modern sailing yachts use what is called a “Bermudan Rig” or “Sloop Rig” where the sails are triangular in shape.

What are the 3 corners of a Sail?
- The top corner of the sail is the head
- The bottom corner of the leading edge or forward edge of the sail is the tack
- The rear corner is the clew

What are the 3 sides of the sail?
- The leading edge is the luff
- The back edge is the leech
- The bottom of the sail is the foot
When does a “jib” become a “genoa”
As soon as the clew of the sail passes the mast
Name the 4 points of sail
- Head to Wind
- Close Hauled
- Close Reaching
- Beam Reaching
- Broad Reaching
- Running

What is a 120% genoa?
- A 120% genoa means that 20% of the sail is past the mast
What is the “No Go Zone”
- The closest to the wind a boat can efficient sail is about 40 degrees either side of the winds direction, effectively this area is a “no go zone”

Tacking
To tack or “go about” the vessel changes from one tack to the other by steering the bow through the wind
Gybing
To go further away from the wind, the wind must pass across the stern of the boat. This called a “gybe”; that is to let the sails change sides by putting the stern through the wind.
Close hauled
- Sailing as close to the wind as possible
- The sails themselves will be sheeted in tight (pulled in). The sails are brought in as close to the centerline of the boat as possible.
- Usually a relative bearing of 1 o’clock or 11 o’clock

How does the helmsman establish the closets point to the wind?
- As the helmsman turns the boat upwind, watches the front edge, or luff, of the headsail until is starts to flutter. This is called “luffing”; once he sees this happening he should ease gently away from the wind.
- If he turns further upwind then the whole sail will start to flog back and forth and eventually the yatch will stall and come to a stop.

Close reach
- As the boat moves away from the wind, or bears away, the sails will be let out a little and the point of sail becomes “close reach”
- The wind is coming from ahead of the boat with a relative bearing of 2 o’clock or 10 o’clock
- The basic idea is to let the sails out until they luff (flap) then bring them in just to the point on no longer luffing

Beam reach
- Closer to the true wind than a beam reach but but below a close hauled.
- The wind is coming across the boat at a right angle to the centerline.
- The relative bearing would be 3 o’clock or 9’o’clock.
- The sails will be about half way out at this stage.
- This is the most comfortable and controllable point of sail.
“Dead Run”
“Running”
- The wind is blowing directly from astern
- This puts the boat directly downwind and the sails will be at right angles to the centreline of the boat.
- The wind is at a relative bearing of 6 o’clock
- You want to expose as much sail area as possible however the standing rigging on most boats will not allow the mainsail our far enough.
- The mainsail should be let out to the point just before the sail touchs any rigging (so as to prevent chafe) then tension the voom vang to bring the boom down
Broad reach
- Further away from the wind than a beam reach but above a run
- The wind is over one of our back shoulders
- At a relative bearing of 4 o’clock and 8o’clock
- The sails should be about 2/3rds out

Starboard Tack
- Is when the wind comes over the starboard side of the boat
- The sailboat on a starboard tack is the stand-on vessel

Port Tack
- Is when the wind comes over the port side
- The sailboat that is on a port tack is the “Give-way” vessel
- When a boat gives way in general it should turn starboard

Shackles
- Are a “U” shaped device for attaching a halyard to a sail.
- They come in 3 basic forms. the most common is the screw-in pin. Some have a captive pin which is pushed and turned or a snap shackle which is operated by pulling a pin

Blocks
- Wheels that are groved to take rope.
- Rigging a line through a series of blocks gives a mechanical advantage allowing line under load to be more easily handled.
- For example blocks are usually used on a sailing vessel fro the main sheet.

Cam cleats
- Used for securing a line under load but that can be quickly and easily released

Rope clutche
- Used for securing a line under load but that can be quickly and easily released

Jam Cleat
- Used for securing a line under load but that can be quickly and easily released



















