Preparing The Boat 2

1. 2
   Adjust for the wind. Sailboats cannot sail directly into the wind. As shown below, the red zone in the diagram indicates a "no go" zone when under sail. To sail to windward, a sailing vessel must sail about 45-50 degrees off the wind and change direction by tacking (or zig-zag).
   
   • Turn the boat to the left (port) or right (starboard) so it's about 90 degrees off the wind. This is known as a beam reach.
   • Pull on the main sheet (trimming) until the sail is around 45 degrees away from straight back (aft). This is a safe place for the main while you trim the jib.
   • You will start moving and tilting (heeling) away from the wind. A heel of more than 20 degrees usually indicates that you're being overpowered. Releasing the mainsheet momentarily (breaking the main) will lessen the amount of heel, and you will return to a more comfortable sailing angle of 10 to 15 degrees of heel.
2. 3
   Trim the jib sheets. Although the mainsail is hoisted first, it is the jib that is trimmed first. There are two jib sheets, one for each side of the boat. Pull on the jib sheet on the the side away from where the wind is coming from (leeward side). This is the active sheet while the other is called the lazy sheet.
   • The jib will form a pocket; trim the sail until the front edge just stops luffing. Keep your hand on the tiller (or helm) and stay on course!
3. 4
   Trim the mainsail. Let out the main sheet until the front edge just starts to luff, then pull it back just until it stops.
   • If you or the wind hasn't changed direction, this is the most efficient place to set the sails. If anything changes, you have to adjust them in response.
   • You have just entered the world of the sailor, and you will have to learn to do many things at once, or suffer the consequences.
4. 5
   Watch the front of the sail edge on the main and jib. If it starts to luff, you have two choices: tighten the sail sheet until it stops luffing, or steer away from the wind (bear off). When the sail luffs, it means that you are heading too much into the wind for your current sail setting. If you bear off slightly, (away from the wind) your sails will stop luffing.
5. 6
   Watch your wind indicators (telltales). If you see it change so that the wind is coming from a direction that is more behind you, you will be wasting energy. Let out the sail till it luffs, and tighten again till it stops. You will be doing this constantly; watching the sails, the telltales, and trimming sails if for no other reason than to see where you're at.
   • When the wind is at your back and side (aft quarter), it's called a broad reach. This is the most efficient point of sail as both sails are full of wind and pushing the boat at full force.
   • When the wind is at your back, you are running with the wind. This is not as efficient as reaching, because the jib is covered by the mainsail and not filling with air.
   • When running with the wind, you can sometimes you can pull the jib over to the other side of the boat where it will fill. This is called wing-on-wing, and you have to maintain a steady hand on the tiller to keep this sail configuration. Be sure to be vigilant of obstacles and other vessels, as having both sails in front of you blocks a significant portion of your view.
   • Be careful—when the boat is running, the sails will be way off to the side, and because the wind is basically behind you the boom can change sides suddenly (jibeor gybe), coming across the cockpit with quite a bit of force.
   • If you have a wind direction indicator at the top of your mast, do not align the boat so that the wind indicator points at the mainsail. If it does, you are sailing with the boom on the windward side (sailing by the lee) and are at high risk of an accidental jibe. When this happens the boom can hit you with enough force to knock you unconscious and out of the boat (overboard).
   • It's a good practice for beginners to pull the sail in a bit when running so it doesn't have far to go if it jibes.
6. 7
   Close reach. Turn the boat slightly into the wind, maybe 60-75 degrees off the wind. You will have to pull the sheets tighter so the sails are more closely in line with the boat. This is called a close reach. Your sails are acting like the airfoil of an airplane: the wind is pulling the boat instead of pushing it.
7. 8
   Close haul. Continue to turn into the wind (head up) and tighten the sheets until you can go no farther (the jib should never touch the spreaders on the mast). This is called close-hauled, and is as close as you can sail into the wind (about 45-60 degrees off the wind). On a gusty day, you will have all kinds of fun with this point of sail!
8. 9
   Sail into the wind to a destination. Sail a heading that is as close to the wind as you can, close-hauled. On most sailboats this will be about 45 degrees to the wind.
   • When you've gone as far as you think prudent, suddenly turn the boat through the wind (or changing direction by tacking), pulling the jib sheet out of its cleat or straight up off the winch drum as the front of the boat (bow) turns through the wind.
   • The main and boom will come across the boat. The mainsail will self-set on the other side, but you will have to quickly pull in the jib sheet on the opposite side on its cleat or winch, while steering the boat just to the point where the mainsail begins to draw again.
   • If you do this correctly, the boat won't slow down much and you will be sailing to windward in the other direction. If you're too slow tightening the jibsheet again and the boat bears off the wind too much, don't panic. The boat will be pushed sideways a little until it gains speed.
   • Another scenario would be to fail to put the bow of your boat through the wind quickly enough and the boat comes to a complete stop. This is known as being in irons, which is embarrassing, but every sailor has experienced it. Being in irons is easily remedied: when the boat begins moving backwards you will regain steerage.
   • Point the tiller in the direction you wish to go and tighten the jib sheet to windward, (backwinding the sail). The wind will push the bow through the wind. Once you've completed your tack, release the sheet from the winch on the windward side and pull in the sheet to leeward and you'll be on your way again.
   • Because speed is so easily lost when tacking, you'll want to perform this maneuver as smoothly and quickly as possible. Keep tacking into the wind until you get to your destination.
9. 10
   Go easy when learning. Understand that it's best to practice on calm days, and so, for example, learn to reef your boat (make the sails smaller). You will need to do this when the wind is too strong and you're being overpowered.
   • Reefing almost always needs to be done before you think you need to!
   • It's also a good idea to practice capsize procedures on a calm day too. Knowing how to right your boat is a necessary skill.
10. 11
    Sail safely. Remember that your anchor and its cable (rode) are important pieces of safety gear and can be used to stop your boat from going aground or can even be used to get the vessel floating again should a grounding occur.