Sailing

Have you been feeling bored and aimless lately? Maybe you need a new challenge in your life. Sailing will open a new world for you, and what you can accomplish will surprise you.

When choosing what to wear on a sailing trip, always be prepared for a sudden change in the weather for the worse.

Signal flags have been used for centuries to communicate messages across long distances when other contact might be impossible. Most commonly used to communicate between ships, or indicate water...

During a boat's normal course of use, it tends to accumulate dings and scratches. Flotsam and detritus in the water can scrape against the hull and weather can damage the boat's surface as well,...

Chelsea Clocks of Boston has made ship clocks since the early 1900s. Chelsea ship's clocks are familiar to most men who've gone to sea. Often, when a ship's captain retires, he's given the clock...

One of the most important parts of a ship is its steering components. As man has evolved, so has the technology that has allowed men to traverse the seas. From the days of the Vikings, with the...

Woven nylon cordage, often called "paracord" or 550 cord, is most often used for the suspension lines in parachutes. With a breaking strength of 550 pounds, it has numerous uses aboard boats where...

Sails are quite an expensive item to replace, but you can save yourself a lot of money if you'd like to try your hand at making one yourself. A unique and easy-to-make sail can be constructed of...

Bilge is generally considered to be a nautical term used to describe the rounded section of a ship's hull or "either of the rounded areas that form the transition between the bottom and the sides...

The wind vane on a sailboat serves the same purpose as a tell-tale: it indicates wind direction. While the tell-tale is little more than a strip of ribbon attached to a stay, the wind vane is a...

Sailing flags, or nautical flags, are a way for ships to communicate with one another on the water without using radios. They are a component of INTERCO, the international code of symbols. ...

If your sails are not stored properly, and sometimes even if they are, rust stains from metal fixtures and fittings can appear on what was once spotless white. When you get your sails out of...

Kinds of sailboats is an authentic learning experience for the beginning or intermediate sailor. Describes different kinds of sailboats, parts, accessories, safety equipment, and safety classes.

Harnessing the wind for maximum propulsion should be every serious sailor's goal. In order to accomplish it, sails should be trimmed properly using the correct technique which minimizes physical...

The Bowline knot is one of the most useful rescuing knots available because it does not slip and only becomes tighter when it is under a load. When I was in Boy Scouts I was taught to tie it with...

It's amazing to me how people neglect to clean their sails, although after doing some research I think I know why? Sails are expensive and a typical cleaning solution like bleach could ruin the...

If you have a marine vehicle, one of the important items you should consider is an MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) number. An MMSI number is a safety precaution that can be beneficial if...

If you've spent a lifetime using steering wheels, mentally adjusting to a tiller sailboat can take a few moments, but it's pretty straight forward once you get the feel for it. You may even come...

If you've just been invited on your fist sailboat ride, follow these steps to not only have a good time, but get invited back

Sails are the large sheets of material attached to sailboats that catch the wind and propel the boat forward. Sails differ in size, position on the boat and material.

Even with diligent care, it's almost unavoidable that terylene sails will at some point end up with mildew or stains that need to be removed. The good news is that it doesn't take a lot of...

A block and tackle is any hoisting system operated through at least two pulleys. The pulley is one of the classical six simple machines, consisting of a device with one or more grooved, flanged...

Learning to sail is best done on small sailboats. You can get the feel for things a lot faster when you have control of everything. The catch is that when you're learning, or just pushing the...

Caulked mallets are used in conjunction with caulking iron to push oakum (a tarred fiber preparation used often in shipbuilding) in between the seams of hull or deck planks in ships. The force...

You've planned all week to take your Hobie Cat out only to arrive and find a dead calm day. What's a water dog to do? Well, you don't have to have wind to have fun on your Hobie!

Have you ever been invited for a day sail on a small boat? For those who don't sail this can be intimidating. Read on to learn how you too can be a good guest.

This article will show how to tie a bowline knot in rope. I learned how to tie a this knot (along with other knots) in the Coast Guard 55 years ago and still use this knot to this day. This knot...

Although there are many types of sailboats, from tiny catboats to the large schooner, they each have similar parts. The sailboat's body is called the hull. The boat's front is called the bow,...

Santa Catalina Island is a marvelous weekend getaway for anybody who lives along the Southern California Coast. It’s 22 miles long, eight miles across at its widest and just 22 miles from the...

Basic hitch knots provide a way to secure a rope to another object. In both scouting programs and sailing schools, you will need to learn how to tie a clove hitch knot. Typically, the clove hitch...

A figure eight or stopper knot is one of the most commonly used knots in the boating world. Boaters (especially sailors) use the stopper knot on the bitter end of any line to prevent it from...

One day it just might happen. You descend into your oil rubbed teak galley and dicover sawdust next to the propane stove, yet you certainly weren’t drilling to install a new winch. Take the dust...

A Pan Pan call, often pronounced "PON PON" is an emergency call set out on channel 16 when the boat faces a difficult situation but there is no imminent danger.

The safety of your boat and every other boat in a marina depends on everyone sailing safely. The dangers of marinas include shallow water, collisions with other boats, collisions with stationary...

Sailing is even more fun when you are the one in control. However, you can't do so until you know the sailboat and have acquired the skills of sailing. Knowing the names for the various parts of...

Depending on the size of your sailboat, this can be a simple or more complex maneuver. With eight to ten foot day sailors, it is usually no more than holding the sailboat against the dock and then...

The sun is just coming up, the wind is at your back and you're ready to hit the open water. The confident skipper of a sailboat is ready for anything, including rough weather. If you enjoy sailing...

Sailing your boat can be more than a relaxing hobby. For some people it becomes a way of life. Maybe you've decided you'd like to try building your own small boat? Though it's a fairly involved...

Learn how to fill the sails in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to tie a cleat knot to secure your boat to the dock in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to find more information on sailing instruction with these resources in this free online video lesson.

Learn about jibbing in sailing in this free online video lesson.

Learn how to turn away from the wind in a sailboat in this free online video lesson on sailing.

A sailing instructor discusses how to deal with other boats while sailing. Learn how to sail with the wind in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to come about or tacking techniques in a sailboat in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to raise the main sail on a sailboat in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to rig the main sail on a sail boat in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to hoist the main sail on a sailboat in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to unroll the jib on a sailboat in this free online video lesson on sailing.

Learn how to control the sails on a sailboat in this free online video lesson on sailing.