How to Tack a Sail Boat

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?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A sailing vessel
• A flotation device

1. Calypso 4.4 close hauled Quite often the wind is blowing from the direction in which you want to head. Sailing is in part, the ability to negotiate the prevailing wind to change directions. This action is called "tacking" or "coming about". Using the rudder, bring the boat to an angle about twenty degrees off the wind to build up speed. This position is called close hauled.
2. Push the rudder away from you, in order to turn the boat into the wind. The boat will begin to point towards where the wind is blowing from.
3. Gently release the mainsheet a fraction to ease off tension.
4. As the boat passes beyond the direction from where the wind is blowing, the sails will no longer be driving the boat, continuing on it's own inertia through the water. As the boat begins to point away from the direction in which the wind is blowing, straighten the rudders. This will halt the boat from continuing it's turn, and allow the wind to blow upon the opposite side of the sail.
5. Take in the slack given to the sail earlier as the boat begins to increase speed.
6. Cleat the mainsheet and begin steering on the new tack.

Tips & Warnings

• It often happens that a boat will stop, or "stall" midway through the tack. The sails will flap and with no forward propulsion will begin to drift backwards. In order to recapture the wind, reverse the steerage on the rudders, and the boat will reverse back onto the new course. Once forward propulsion is obtained, straighten the rudders.
• Tacking in a small craft can lead to capsizes. Always be aware that a small dingy may capsize quickly. Always wear a flotation device.