How to Heel a Sailboat

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 properly control the angle of heel.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

How to Heel a Sailboat

1. Take stock of your ballast. Your crew are not just useful to control your sailboat, but also to balance it. The more movable weight you have, the easier it will be to control the angle of heel.

2. Take note of the wind. The windier the day, the more aggressively you are going to have to counter the boat's natural tendency to heel with the wind. Also, on windier days extra crew members will help you to control the heel of the boat.

3. Think about what kind of sail you are going on. If you are out for day a sail with your family, you will probably want to keep the boat fairly flat. If you are racing, experiment. Usually, boats have to heel at least 20 degrees to reach an optimal speed.

4. Begin with everyone on the windward side. Trim the sails and see how far the boat heels.

5. If the boat does not heel at all, or heels backwards (towards the wind), have one of the crew members move over to the leeward side.

6. If the boat heels too far, have your crew hike out. The crew members holding on to the ropes controlling the sails–the main-sheet and jib-sheet–can use those ropes to balance as they lean out over the water. This will level the boat out.

Tips & Warnings

• On excessively windy days, you can counter excessive heel by furling the sales. Furling decreases the sail area, which causes the boat to become more stable.
• If you need to quickly reduce heel to prevent a capsize, release the sails and turn into the wind.

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