The Parts of Sailing Boats

Knowing the parts of a sailboat will make sailing safer and more enjoyable.

Sailing is an exciting and rewarding way to get outside and feel the forces of nature. Unlike motorized boating, sailing allows you to see and feel the affects of the wind and water currents experienced by people for thousands of years. Knowing what parts make up a sailing boat will help you become familiar with how they work and interact with each other.

Sailboats

Despite their size and shape all sailboats have the same basic parts.

Sailboats come in many shapes and sizes. Although a two-person Sunfish may look very different then a 16th century sailing vessel, they have the same ability to harness the wind to move them through the water. Because of this common means of propulsion, you can describe the parts of any sailboat the same way. Basically, a sailboat is made up of three parts; the sails, the rigging and the hull.

Sails

The mainsail is the power generator of a sailboat.

The fabric of the sails is typically made of canvas and is stretched to catch the wind, giving the sailboat power. There may be one or many sails on a single sailboat. The largest sail, the mainsail, is usually located in the center and it generates the most power. Any other sails will be forward or to the rear of the mainsail and draw more power from the winds or make the sailboat more agile on the water.

Rigging

Rigging is a collection of wires, ropes and pulleys.

Think of the rigging as all the pieces that either support or adjust the sails. At a minimum, a sailboat will have a mast that supports the mainsail vertically and a boom to support the mainsail horizontally. Attached to the mast will be various lines, ropes and pulleys to adjust the mainsail. Other sails, if any, are attached with wire lines either to the mast or secondary mast with rigging of their own.

The Hull

The rudder in the water is turned by the tiller.

The floating hull supports the mast and deck. It may contain a cabin for resting and meal preparation. The keel, underneath, primarily provides lateral stability. Alternatively, small sailboats have a removable centerboard instead of a fixed keel. The front is called the bow, the rear the stern, right is starboard and left is port. Additionally, the hull contains the rudder attached to the stern, which turns the boat by means of the tiller.

References

• US Sailing-Small Boat: Small Boat Course, Definitions
• Sailfree: A Typical Dinghy

Resources

• ABC-Of-Sailing: Sailboat Types