Sailing

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

Sailing is an exhilarating sport and recreational activity. Feeling the wind in your hair, the smell of water and the rush of flying over the surface of the water are among the joys of sailing....

Typically, a sailboat harbor race lasts no longer than a day, and you may never even lose sight of the shoreline. Yet it is still necessary to prepare for a harbor race. It is always important to...

While sailboat inshore racing typically ranges from one to three days, the event still requires preparation. Although inshore racing is typically much less severe than offshore racing because...

Novice sailors may be surprised to learn that the boom is one of the most common causes of head injury associated with the sport of sailing. Even professional sailors will admit to being whacked...

Many people are surprised to learn that some sailboats have motors. These motors are incredibly important, especially while docking. Knowing how to properly start your sailboat's engine is just as...

There are many different sailboat designs, each with different handling characteristics. The steps in this article is for sailing on a sloop, the most common type of sailboat. A sloop has one mast...

Dinghy sailing is the perfect way to spend a warm, breezy day. Learn how to go dinghy sailing! You'll have plenty of fun and exciting stories to share for years to come.

Heeling a sailboat is a delicate art. Too great a heel, and the boat can get out of control or even capsize. Too slight a heel, and the sailboat will be sluggish and unwieldy. Here's how to...

Sailboat racing is a great sport. It combines strategy, teamwork, and agility into one exhilarating whole. Here is how to do it.

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...

When you are sailing on populated waters, look for the markers that govern the waterways. These markers include buoys and signs on posts or land objects. Some markers are equipped with lights for...

A marine environment can be hard on the gel coat and the hardware of your boat. In foul weather, salt spray from the water will dry on the surfaces and sails. The salt crystals wear and corrode...

Stowing the boat and all your equipment at the end of a day's sailing is as important as being safe under sail. Because larger sailboats and some powerboats are moored in marinas and the owners...

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...

One of the most important tasks for the sailor is raising the main sail. This task can be extremely difficult if strong winds are prevalent. In light air, it is usually no problem at all. The...

Sailboats are steered much the same way that any other boat is steered, through the tiller and rudder assembly. The instinct of most people is to steer a boat the same way that they would steer a...

Sailing is a sport that can offer the participant a lot of enjoyment and fun. Learning to sail at various points of the wind is one of the most important concepts to grasp. The simplest point of...

When running with the wind or sailing with only the jib in strong wind, changing course so that the sail crosses the bow and the stern of the boat moves through the eye of the wind is called...

Regardless of the point of sail that you are on, the key to moving your sailboat is to fill the sails with wind. This is a rather simple thing to do if you are observant and there is in fact some...

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...

No matter how much you love the water and boating, to thoroughly enjoy sailing you really need to learn a little about the sport. Unlike power boating, where all you need to do is turn a key and...

A catboat can bring many days of fun on the water. Not built for long-distance sailing, catboats have a single sail, a rudder that rises through the floor of the boat and usually no cabin. Catboat...

A sheet’s bend or sheet’s shank is one of the surest ways to connect 2 lines of different diameter. For the surest knot, make the loop out of the thicker line.

Celestial navigation is an ancient art, one that may seem anachronistic in this modern era, yet it remains a valuable tool. The North Star appears in the same place, all the time. It always points...

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....

The whole point of owning or even crewing on a boat is to get out on the water. However, even the saltiest mariners would attest to the fact there are simply times when you don’t want to be out...

For more than 100 years, marinas, ports and Coast Guard stations have signal flags to alert mariners to potentially hazardous weather. Although the National Weather Service discontinued the use of...

A spinnaker is the large colorful sail used by sponsors to blaze their corporate logo across, and to make the catamaran go fast down wind. There are two types of spinnakers - symmetrical or...

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...

Coiling rope and line is an important part of keeping an active work area clean and clear of trip and snag hazards. Especially on boats, where ropes and lines are used in almost every aspect of...

The wind in your hair, a boat churning through the water - what better way to spend a day on the water. Except ... where you want to go is over there, and the wind is blowing from behind. How do...

The wind in your hair, a boat churning through the water - what better way to spend a day on the water. Except ... where you want to go is over there. How do you turn the boat where you want to go?

Joining a yacht club is one way to meet other people who enjoy sailing. Whether or not you have experience sailing, you can join a yacht club. To belong to many yacht clubs, you don't even have to...

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...

From the Missouri river to Lake Michigan, the Midwest offers some of the best sailing opportunities in the country. Whether you are just a beginner or a serious aficionado, you can find something...

As air moves from one place to another, it sometimes picks up a fair amount of speed, sometimes even a dangerous amount of speed. When air is moving, it is called wind. Being able to measure the...

There are a number of options for sailing clothes, from preppy to tropically laid back, super-functional to suavely casual. Buying the right sailing clothes is a matter of personal style and...

Whether you are a new or skilled sailor, safety always comes first. Boating accidents can cause serious injuries and property damage. Sailors must always follow proper safety practices on the sea...

If you want to leave sheltered waters and head into the open ocean, you should know all about coastal navigation. Follow these steps to find a class about ocean sailing.

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...