WYC Sailing Guide

SailingWASHINGTON YACHT CLUBGuide

WASHINGTON YACHT CLUBSAILINGGUIDEThis book is a guide to members and includes the club’ssailing book. A good understanding of the material issufficient to pass the club’s Novice, Skipper and Sailboardwritten tests. But more importantly, it will providemembers with a fundamental theoretical knowledge ofsailing, which will accelerate learning sailing on the water.

Section 1. Essential Terminology The hull is the body of the boat. The front of any hull is the bow, the back is the stern or transom. The cockpit is the area in which the skipper and crew sit.Parts of a Boat The fins help to control the direction of the hull.ALL SAILBOATS SHARE THE SAMEBASIC ELEMENTS: The spars spread the sails.• Hull• Fins Rigging is divided into two groups. Standing rigging is wire used to help the mast• Spars stand upright. Running rigging is the line used for adjusting the sails.• Rigging• Sail Sails use the wind to propel the boat. 2

Section 1. Essential TerminologyParts of a Boat1. Rudder is attached to the stern and steers the boat 32. Tiller is a stick attached to the rudder to move it3. Hiking Stick is attached to the tiller. It is what you hold on to and move side to side to turn the boat4. Centerboard goes through the hull and swings up and down5. Mast is a vertical spar and holds up the sails6. Boom attaches to the mast at a right angle to hold the bottom of the main sail7. Main Sail is the large sail8. Jib Sail is the smaller sail in front9. Main Haylard is the line used to raise and hold the main sail10. Jib Haylard is the line used to raise and hold the jib sail11. Outhaul is the line that stretches the foot of and holds the main sail along the boom12. Main Sheet is the line that goes from the mast to the middle of the boat, used to move the main sail in and out13. Boom Vang is the line that attaches the mast with the boom and holds the boom down14. Downhaul is the line that keeps the main sail tight along the mast15. Jib Sheet is the line that attach to the jib used to the move the jib sail in and out16. Battens are sticks sewn into the sail to help the sail keep a nice shape17. Hull is the body of the boat18. Forestay is a metal wire that attaches to the front of the boat and helps keep the mast upright19. Shroud is a metal wire that attaches to the side of the boat and helps keep the mast upright20. Head is the top corner of the sail21. Luff is the front edge of the sail22. Tack is the front corner of the sail23. Foot is the bottom side of the sail24. Clew is the back corner of the sail, between the leech and foot25. Leech is the back edge of the sail

Section 1. Essential TerminologyPoints of SailClick on image for video 4

Section 2. How Boats SailTacking and Upwind Sailing 5