How to Do a Figure Eight Maneuver on a Sailboat

The figure eight is one of the most useful maneuvers in sailing. As a mainstay of the man overboard drill, an excellent way to approach a dock under sail power and a generally good means of practicing turning through the wind, the figure eight is a benefit to the skills of all sailors. Follow these steps to do a figure eight maneuver on a sailboat.

Instructions

1. Get on a good point of sail. The easiest point of sail to practice the figure eight on is a beam reach (the wind coming across the beam, or side, of the boat). Beginning on a beam reach will keep the tacks even and will prevent you from having to make drastic course changes to avoid a downwind or upwind point of sail after the first tack.

2. Mark and perform your first tack. Look for a good place in the water that is free of obstacles and approaching traffic. Inform your crew of the planned tack. As you near the mark, prepare the boat. Call out "Tacking!" or "Helm to lee!" to inform the crew that you are turning. Turn the boat through the wind, adjust your sails and get on to your new tack.

3. Prepare for the next tack. To perform a strict figure eight, you need to cross your previous course. This means that if you were headed slightly upwind before the first tack then you need to head slightly downwind to cross that previous course. Get to a course that will bring you across your previous course. Then set your mark for the second tack.

4. Tack again. Tack in the same way that you did the first time, preparing for the tack, alerting the crew and performing a confident and controlled turn through the wind. As you come out onto the opposite tack, change your sailset and try to get to the same course that you were on before the first tack. If you are a bit off your first course, don't worry about it since you will have achieved the basic figure eight maneuver with the two tacks.