A jib is used to improve handling and to increase sail area on a sailboat. This helps to increase speed. The jib gives control over the bow (front) of the ship, making it easier to maneuver the …

Sep 17, 2023 · Quick recap from part 1: the reason most boats are fore-and-aft rigged today is the increased maneuverability of this configuration. A square-rigged ship is only good for …

The sail plan. The last factor is the number of masts and the sail plan. The sail plan, simply put, is the number of sails, the type of sails, and how the sails are mounted to the masts (also called …

The mainsail is the main, largest sail of the boat, attached to the mast on the side and the boom at the bottom. It has a triangular shape and serves as the most important sail, the first one you …

Lower the sail slowly, using the halyard while keeping some tension on it. As the sail comes down, gather and fold the sail material in an accordion-like pattern on top of the boom or deck. …

Sail corners: Clew - The clew is the lower aft (back) corner of the mainsail, where the leech is connected to the foot. The clew is attached to the boom. Tack - The tack is the lower front …

You can be a ship's mate for a day, a week, or an entire season. 4. Optional: get your license. If you need any licenses, be sure to get them now. In most states, you just need to take a basic …

If you're fast, take shortcuts, and get lucky, it can be done in about 2 weeks. If you're out of luck and are without wind for a week or more, or use a slow ship, it can easily take up to one …

In sailing, everything has it's own peculiar name, and the sail names are no exception. To clear things up, I'll explain the most common sail names in this article. Sailing is exciting. Getting …

For a typical boat, this is about forty-five degrees, though careful observation of the boats you sail on will show some variety in this number. To sail upwind, sheet sails mostly in and bring the …