Sailing a vessel as in getting propulsion by using the wind.

If you are new to sailing keep some restrictions: Do not sail at winds above 5 Beaufort, do not sail near a fairway, do not sail when there are significant waves or currents and do not sail after sunset. Maybe you should be able to swim, and whether required by law or not make sure you have some buoyant objects at hand.

For those who do not have any idea of wind forces. It is force zero only if smoke rises up straight into the air. This is a rare situation. Most often you feel the wind in your face, as long as you can not feel directly where the wind comes from it will be below force three. From force three up you will see things like leaves and flags move. From force six and up you will see brances swing and anything that moves on the wind gives the same indication of the direction. We are getting into serious wind as you manage to just lean into the wind, perhaps using your coat as a sail, then we reach force eight. By the time everyone agrees there is a storm you have trouble not leaning against the wind and we are at force ten. Lucky for most of us forces above ten are rare, there will be warnings about off blown roof tiles and falling trees. You will barely manage to stay on your feet, you feel debris on land or spray if you are on the water striking your face. Many people consider this unpleasant weather some mainly feel the urge to go sailing.

About Being Blown Away

The most simple mind model is you capture the air with a sail and this captured air pushes the sail away with the wind. This model only works in downwind courses, the sail acting like a bucket, capturig the wind and be dragged along width the airflow.

This does work, however like with a flag, beeing blown by the wind makes it wave and unstable. The actual force on a sail in downwind course, the running reaches, as in the model is not stable. Not unlike a kite¹ if you manage to get it exactly downwind, whatever you do, it will not stay there.

Mr Bernoulli found out that faster flowing air has lower pressure. If you manage to get faster flowing air behind the sail, the sail will be pulled toward it. So instead of like the bucket, you give the sail some more leeway, it will actually pull harder and becomes less undecisive. Here we recognise the luff and leech side of the sail. By manipulating the airflow on both sides of a sail such that the air on one side flows faster the air creates a force on the sail in the direction of the faster flowing air.

Balance

Sailing is more then on any other vessel balancing with vectors. The thrust applied by the wind on the sails is a vector, the point where this force acts upon the sails is the sail point. Your vessel has a lateral point, the art of sailing is to get the sail point and the lateral point in line. While the bow points in the direction you want to go. This way you will not really need the rudder, however even a crew member changing place will change the lateral point.

For ease of explanation we now get the wind at beam. The point of sail is in line with the lateral point and they are both just abaft the mast. The drag on the lateral point can be split in two components one abaft and one at the beam. Due to the hull shape as well as keel, centerboard or daggerboard, skeg and rudder, you wil have a large vector at the beam and a relative small to the stern. The point of sail vector can be split like wise a relative large force at beam and a smaller force to the bow. The forces at beam will nearly cancel eachother out, a small resultant, the leeway is left and the force from the sails toward the bow will be much larger then the small drag toward the stern. Result is a force toward the bow. This force gives the vessel speed, and with increasing speed the lateral drag will also increase. When these forces balance you have reached top speed for this wind and course.

Points of sail

A sail works best if the airflow on both sides is laminair, that is, the air does not whirl or create vortices. Keeping the luff of the sails to the luff seems simple but it does have some point. Actually they call it points of sail You can not sail directly into the wind, this is called to lay in irons. You will not have much control of your motion at all².

Changing direction toward the wind is to luff or to luff up then you heave to the wind. The other way is to bear off, to head off or to fall off as in going more with the wind. To go in upwind direction either over one board or by changing board is to beat the wind or to tack in that direction. To go downwind any reach is running with the wind.

There should be a 'kidney shaped' speed indication in the centre. In irons your speed will be negative. Close hauled you may run one and a half times the wind speed. Close reach you may go twice the speed of the wind. At beam reach you may go one and a half times the wind speed. At broad reach you will go just over the speed of the wind but with much power. In the running courses you go just a little less then the speed of the wind but with enough power to tow another vessel of your own size. In the age of sail the power reaches were very important as cargo also requires power. However as the oceans are quite big, this should not be a real issue, even with little power you will get at your maximum possible speed over time.

Points of Sail is a Circular Table³

Setting Sail

This is about sailing a moderate size vessel, using at least two sails.

It is not polite to sail in the harbour, however if your only alternative is to paddle it is often tolerated on the quiet open stretches. You start off by checking all required ingredients are onboard and secured. Then you start the engines, or take the paddle to be able to leave the box. Loosen the stern lines, springs, bow lines and push off into the open water. Find a place to hoist your sails where the bow is pointing to the wind. Either keep the engine running keep someone paddling the bow in the wind or use a pole to keep in irons. First hoist the mainsail, then the stay sail and if present the mizzen. Do not forget to put in a dagger, lower the centreboard or leeboard and kill the engine.

As we have set sail in irons the first reach will be close hauled. That is, if the sails take wind, perhaps give some swings on the tiller to let the vessel take aim. A heavy vessel may require some more persuasion by taking the jib to the luff side, this is called to head the jib, and keep it there until the vessel starts turning. If the sails catch wind you can seat yourself on the luff ward board next to the tiller and holding the main sheet. Holding the sheet is you feel the tension and prevent it from slipping away. Try to stay on course and as the tiller will try to move away keep it to your side. This tendency of the tiller is the weather helm, your vessel will go in irons if you stop controlling it. What you do with the rudder is you change the lateral point a very little to keep the sum of the directions balanced at the desired course. Watch the luff side of the sail, right behind the mast, this should stay tensed, when it comes toward you it is luffing and you are more in irons then close hauled. Pull the tiller to get close hauled again, this course change is called to head off. If the vessel starts heeling ever more, you are probably heading off close reach, push the tiller gently, this direction change is called to head up.

Gaining Speed

Considered you are coursing close hauled, giving some sheet on the main sail should change your course windward to close reach, the rudder may be of some help. Also release the mizzen sail a bit. The speed of the vessel will increase and you may notice the wind takes on. This is however not the wind as we knew it, this is the real wind and your speed added creating the apparent wind. This apparent wind is however what you have to use, you can haul the sheet a little adjusting your sail to it. Feel the waves breaking at the bow, hear the wake rumble softly behind the stern.

Tacking

Considering you have a jib, genoa or another stay sail ahead the mast and another crew member controls those sheets, they should be aware of your manouvres. This is why we have some commands say 'Ready about!', do not whisper they are upwind and deafened by the waves hitting the bow. They should now pay some attention and on your mark 'Lee-ho', you push the tiller leeward and they release the leesheet of the jib. As soon as the bow turns through the wind you⁴ change board, wait for the jib to take wind then haul the main sheet until appropriate course. The push on the rudder was not unlike a stroke of an oar, it forces the vessel to turn as well you kicked the stern into the direction of momentum. You do not have to adjust the mizzen during a tack.

We have now done the easy reaches, all reaches toward the wind are smooth and relative safe. Lets head off to some action.

Beam Reach

Watch and feel where the wind comes from and try to get it at beam. Also watch the small riplles on top of the waves the are a shorthand for the real wind. Take the tiller and pull it a little for a short time, in the mean time release the mainsheet slowly, keep the boom at some forty five degrees. Set the mizzen sail accordingly. If the force on the tiller increases and the vessel starts to heel you are too far, let the tiller go for a few moments, this should bring you back to beam reach. While watching the small ripples on the waves also have a short look at your wake. You may notice any course change you made also notice the wake seems to come from luff. The sideway motion your wake seems to make is the leeway your vessel makes. As you may have noticed on the ripples your actual direction is a little down to beam reach. On a wide stretch of water you may notice the slow passing of the waves, the vessel will be rolling in this reach. Also notice on your wake the waves need to be compensated with a little rudder.

Broad Reach

If you head down a little further, still keeping the mainsail more then twenty degrees off beam, you get broad reach. Attend the mizzen sail to get at lease as much sheet as the mainsail. With some luck you may manage to ride the waves, really feeling one with the wind and water. Perhaps you notice the wind has dropped, that is the apparent wind will reduce. Your wake will show some leeway on the luff of waves but none while riding on the lee of them. You can reduce some daggerboard, centreboard or leeboard. When you make the crew sit in the luff rear of the cockpit, making them hiking to the rear your vessel may even start planing when riding from the waves.

Running

Heading down to running, wind in the back. The boom nearly touching the shroud. Going with the wind, well you will soon notice this is not really what the waves tell you. The slow yawning the vessel has done in beam and broad reach now has become a severe task for the helmsman compensating course on every wave. Removing daggerboard, lifting centreboard or leeboard does increase rolling but the yawning will be reduced. Try to get a feel for the rhythm of the waves and the relation with the apparent wind, you will need it in the next paragraph.

The Gybe

We are on a running course, we feel the wind and waves, now wait for the ride down, before reaching the highest speed in the through you give the alarm call 'Ready to Gybe'. You take in the main sheet before the vessel slows down and thus giving it another push. Pull the rudder to behind you and check and or help the boom swinging over, immediately giving it reluctantly some sheet. Keep feeding sheet until the boom is near the shroud. Try to gybe the mizzen in the next wave through. Keep an eye on the mizzen as you are sailing it by the lee and could gybe any moment.

Sailing Something Different

Sailing on a surfboard, kiteboard or proa feels a little different. You are not onboard, you are right above the water. For sure this does not mean you will get wet, though chances are you will at one stage or another.

Windsurfing⁵

Considering we have an old style high buoyance surfboard. One of the advantages of this long board is you can also wind surf at moderate winds. For safety it is wise not to go learn surfing on your own, preferably with someone who does know how to windsurf and has a board or vessel of their own. Whatever course you sail, whatever direction you go, you always have the wind in your back. Keep that back stretched, bend your knees instead.

You hold the hauling cord and the sail dangles downwind. Now use yourfeet to let the board make a right angle with the sail. There is no need to go to the luff side as you are there already to balance your sail. Place the fore foot right behind the Universal Joint place your aft foot next to the rear of the centreboard. Take the boom with your forehand, the mast hand, at a short distance behind the mast. You may let go of the haul cord. Place your aft hand, the sail hand, at body width from the fore hand on the boom. Slowly lean back while pulling the sail to keep balance.

To start it simple we keep our feet at nearly the same spots. Depending on the windforce you may hike to the edge of the board but one stays fore the lateral point and one aft. When you tilt the boom a little back, you will change the point of sail aft and the vessel will immediately take luff, that is you go into close reach. Try to find the close hauled reach by tilting the boom until you see the sail coming toward you. Hold the sail over the stern by the haul cord and walk to the other side of the board. This should be four shifts of your feet. Now redirect the board to beam reach again. As we have made some wind in the previous tack we will now have to go broad reach to our starting point.

start with your feet, one behind the mast and one next to the aft of the centreboard as we did before, take the sail and make some speed in beam reach before tilting the leech side of the boom very little up. You may feel you need to use your weight some more to keep the sail under control. While suspended by the boom you will also place your feet more aft to keep in contact with the board. Keep your feet covering the lateral point, one on each side.

If for any reason you do not manage to windsurf back. You can always release the sail with the outhaul, unlock the boom, drop them in the length over the board, lay yourself on top of the packet and paddle back using your hands.

If you did manage and want to try more you can start experimenting with the lateral point. Not only the centreboard appears to have influence on this point also the entire board does. On beam reach step toward the stern and while you try to keep the sail in more or less the same position you will notice the board is heading up. If you put your weight more foreward you will notice to head off and will go more with the wind.

If you get familiar with the board you will only have to tilt your sail back, jump around the mast and sail on over the other tack. Running or as the board changes course swiftly enough in broad reach, you may perform a gybe. The easy way is letting your sail go and take over on the other side of the boom. What was your sail hand will be on the other tack your mast hand. The sail will be 'in irons' for mere seconds. More complex is ducking under your sail while quickly handing along the boom to the leech side of the sail and back up. It is possible, though as many 'tricks' on a windsurfboard the first few times you will probably get wet. If you manage to fail in this manoeuvre you may manage to get catapulted. The wind launches you, hanging on the boom over the sail, with some luck several bounces on the water later to sink.

The disadvantage considered by the long boards as not getting into planing easy has the advantage of beeing able to sail close hauled, where the short boards only go as far as close reach. For short sinking boards you can try any of the above actions, be it in less then the time it takes to sink. Boarding is the most different. Bring your sail to luff of the board. Lay on your back, one foot on the board and the other against the side. Lift your sail high enough to catch wind with your hands on the boom, let your body get dragged onto the board and sail off.

Proa Sailing

The sheet should be handled as with the basic sailing instructions above. For shunting see alsocrabclaw or gibbons rig. For ease of explanation we assume you are using a gibbons rig.

You set sail by launching from the beach of a tropical island paddling your way to beyond the reef. Hoist your sail in beam reach position that is the ama is the luff side of your vessel. Now take position fore and aft central on the aka and pull the sheet. Your vessel immediately takes up speed so keep a hand on the structure. If you hike aft you will make head and if you hike fore you will head down.

Strange things happen when you have to change wind, a proa does not tack, it has to shunt, that is what was the bow becomes the stern and vice versa. The vessel has to be at or near beam reach, you release the main sheet and after slowing down a bit release the tack sheet. Now we pull the other tack sheet and fix it tight on a cleat. The Sail has pivotet on the halyard to the other side and by pulling the other main sheet we gain speed again.

One thing you should not do is fall overboard, as the vessel does not have a weather helm, it will just disappear derelict at the horizon.

Kitesurfing

To 'keep dry' one could launch from a pontoon, or a shore alongside the wind. Actually trying to keep dry is a bad idea, you should not bother about getting wet in the first place. A flotating jacket and a drysuit or wetsuit may be not an option but a requirement. Not unlike as with windsurfing, if you are new to it make sure someone familiar with the art is there to instruct and help you. Do not go kitesurfing between swimmers or other 'obstacles'. Make sure you are not on the tiny local pond in the park when starting with kitesurfing, you will need at least several square kilometers of water and perhaps even an obstacle free shore.

Start on a quiet stretch of beach by practising the sideways tilted figure-8 movements. You will feel the pulling force varying during the figure-8. During the upward and windward motion the force increases and during the downward shoulder ward motion you feel the force decline. On the water we will use the upward movement to gain speed and give some leeway. While on the downward motion we try to gain on the wind and may even manage a close hauled course. Use your momentum gained on the broad reach to manage maintaining the course on the close hauled reach. Effectively we are making a sine shaped wake on the water, this is therefore called the sine-ing motion. If we manage on average a close reach it will be great.

Making more tilted figure-8 figures results in beam reach courses. With enough downwind speed the power zone can be handled also. Still take care not to get blown away too far, your downwind speed will be considerable where gaining wind is a slow process. Sailing long stretches downwind may result in a long walk back upwind.

Gybing is when you go through the downwind direction and back up again.

Knotwork

Unlike perhaps presumed, able to make knots is not a requirement. However knowing some prevents the embarresment of your vessel floating away as soon as you disambark. Not to mention sheets dangling overboard as they escaped the blocks creating a so called deadman.

Course, Reach and Direction

A course is not a direction, the reach is the direction in respect to the wind, the course is the reach you think and experience while sailing, while your direction is where you eventually want to go. Your course can be downwind, you are on broad reach while your direction is North East.