Sailing

How to Tack a Sailboat

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Tacking a sailboat is an essential skill in the sport of sailing. Since sailors are at the mercy of the wind (and wind direction), you need to know how to tack expertly in order to sail an upwind course. While it's not the easiest thing, tacking ... more »

How to Tack in a Sailboat

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Sailboats move fastest when the wind is behind them, pushing them along (this is known as "running"). When a boat sails into the wind, it does so by "tacking" back and forth across the gusts in a zigzag pattern. Follow these steps to understand ... more »

How to Tack in Sailing

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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While sailing, you want to go in a specific direction. But the wind is blowing from over there and you can't sail into the wind. You had better know how to tack if you have a hope of going in that direction. Beating against the wind is the most ... more »

How to Take a Class to Understand Latitude and Longitude

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Sailing is an ancient art, and there are skills and whole trades to master along the way if you are planning to become a sailor. The best way to learn is to take as many classes as possible, like a class on latitude and longitude to help you ... more »

How to Take a Class With a Community Sailing Program

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Sailing is a great sport and great fun as well. For a quick and fun class, check out your local community sailing programs, which might offer cheaper classes than clubs as well as a looser environment. Do not expect to learn everything about ... more »

How to Take Sailing Classes

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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What better way to relax than to glide across glistening water on a beautiful day in a sailboat. At the same time, sailing is great exercise and a fun sport. Take sailing classes to meet others who enjoy the sport while learning important sailing ... more »

How to Teach Sailing

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Sailing is a favorite past time of many people. The open water mixed with a soft breeze is a form of meditation for some and competitive sport for others. However, learning how to sail properly is imperative to the hobby. Teaching someone to sail ... more »

How to Tell if You Will Cross or Duck Another Boat

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Knowing in advance whether you will cross or be forced to duck can give your skipper and tactician a helpful edge. Crewmembers should determine this and communicate it to the cockpit... more »

How to Tie a Cleat Knot

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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A cleat knot, or cleat hitch, allows you to secure a line from one of the strong cleats on your boat to a dock or even another boat. Tying the cleat knot correctly keeps your boat safely in place and allows you enough peace of mind to leave the boat... more »

How to Tie a Slipped-Reef Knot for Sailboat Rigging

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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A slipped reef knot is tied similarly to a regular reef knot except that you leave a byte (a loop) on one end. The loop makes it easy to untie a tight knot... more »

How to Tie Down the Fenders on a Sailboat

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Fenders are vital when mooring your sailboat at a dock. They protect the dock and your boat from damage. In rough water, the sailboat will bang against the dock and pilings as the waves shift and move. Damage can occur to your hull under these ... more »

How to Tie Nautical Knots

By Paul M. J. Suchecki

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On a boat, knots seem to give way at the worst time. The winds are up. The seas are rising, your sloop is close hauled to slip around the breakwater to safety when your sheet parts company with your jib and you start to slip leeward into the ... more »

How to Tie Stop Knots

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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The stop knot is a common sailing knot that prevents a line from slipping through a block or ring that it's fed through. The stop knots and its major variants are fast, strong knots that you need to know to get through almost any kind of sailing. ... more »

How to Time the Starting Line in Sailboat Racing

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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A good start depends on a number of factors. Your location - in relation to other boats, the pin end and the committee boat - is especially important... more »

How to Train for the America's Cup

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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"We got to New Zealand early. This gave us plenty of time to train in the local waters and do significant work in the gym," says America True sailor Tucker Thompson... more »

How to Transport a Sailboat

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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While a sailboat is designed to get from point A to B, sailing the boat yourself is not necessarily the most effective way to transport a boat. Options like towing the boat on a trailer or using a professional service to move the boat are ... more »

How to Trapeze on a Catamaran

By Grant Madden

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A catamaran is designed to sail fast. Sailing into the wind and off the breeze frequently requires the use of a trapeze harness. The trapeze apparatus is designed to move the crew weight outboard of the hulls, in order to gain greater leverage ... more »

How to Trim Sailboat Sails

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Trimming the sails on your sailboat allows you to make the most of the wind that is available. By understanding how to trim your sails, you can have greater control over your boat. Adjust your sails so that you can pick up the wind you need... more »

How to Turn a Sailboat Into a Timeshare

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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If you have a boat that you use infrequently during the sailing season, you may be able to turn it into a source of income with a time-sharing program. Turning your sailboat into a timeshare will allow you to pay for the boat's expenses while ... more »

How to Turn Away from the Wind in Sailing

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Wind is the power behind a sailboat. The strength and direction of the wind is fundamental in how you set the sails for turning and maintain control of your boat. The closer you sail toward the wind, the tighter you'll pull the sails to the boat. ... more »

How to Understand an America's Cup Race

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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"All of the Cup races center on one key factor - jockeying your boat ahead of your competitor before the next mark, then controlling your position by getting on their air and covering them," explains Tucker Thompson, cockpit, America True... more »

How to Understand Apparent Wind When Sailing

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Apparent wind is the wind flow across a sail that's created by the combination of true (or prevailing) wind and the forward movement of a vessel. Many expert sailors pay attention only to apparent wind, saying that it, and not true wind, is what ... more »

How to Understand Basic Nautical Terms

By chippreid

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Sailing has a language all its own and learning some basic words and phrases will not only allow the novice to understand what's happening but could keep the inexperienced sailor out of trouble. There are literally thousands of nautical phrases. ... more »

How to Understand Sound Signals

By chippreid

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Being out on the water can sometimes present a cacophony of confusing sounds that seemingly have no meaning. Yet, every whistle, bell or blast of a horn is one boater’s way of communicating with another. The trick is know what they’re saying and ... more »

How to Understand the America's Cup Competition

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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"Because of the limitations of the venue, the spectating of sailing has become an Internet sport," says Tucker Thompson, cockpit, America True. "The best way to understand the America's Cup is to check out the official site.".. more »

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