Contents Method 1: Learn the basic knowledge of sailing boats 1. Understand the structure of sailing boats. 2. Understand the types of sailboats. 3. Understand the common terms used in sailing. 4. Understand navigation buoys. Method 2: Prepare the vessel 1. Check carefully. 2. Confirm the wind direction. 3. Point the bow of the boat towards the wind direction. Method 3: Raise the sail 1. Install the sail. 2. Adjust the direction of the bow to enter the wind from a certain inclination angle. 3. Adjust the foresail. 4. Trim the mainsail. Let ou4. Trim the mainsail. Method 4: Driving a sailboat 1. Observe the leading edges of the mainsail and foresail. 2. Observe the wind direction indicator. 3. Driving on the front side. 4. Driving close to the wind. 5. Enter the port and berth. 6. Take advantage of the good weather to practice. 7. Safe navigation. Method 5: Stowing the sail 1. Lower the sail and furl the sail. 2. Clean up all debris. The ocean has fascinated sailors and explorers for centuries. In the poem "Fever for the Sea," John Masefield says that he needs "a great ship and a star to guide her" to feel the fullness of life. Entering the world of sailing can undoubtedly be challenging, but this article will take you through the ebbs and flows. Although this article will get you started, you must spend some time seeking advice from experienced sailors and getting to know your boat well before setting sail on your own.
Method 1: Learn the basic knowledge of sailing boats
1. Understand the structure of sailing boats. Whether it's for safety or efficient sailing, it's important to understand the structure of a sailboat. If you don't know what to do when someone suddenly yells "Raise jib" or "Mind the yard", you're in trouble. Pulley: This is the nautical term for a pulley.
Sail yard: Located at the bottom of the mast, it is used to fix and support the lower edge of the main sail in the horizontal direction. Be very careful with it when you change course, getting hit on the head by it is no joke.
Bow: the front part of a sailboat.
Centerboard: A board (usually made of fiberglass) located at the bottom of the keel on some sailboats, used to maintain course stability when sailing into the wind.
Clamp: A fixed plate when tightening the rope.
Hyyard: A rope used to raise or lower the sail (along with the halyard, also called a live rope).
Hull: This is the main body of the sailboat, including all parts below the deck.
Jib: A triangular sail mounted on the bow of a ship to help propel the sailboat forward.
Geneva: A headsail slightly larger than the jib.
Keel: Used to prevent the sailboat from sliding sideways in any wind condition and to keep the sailboat stable.
Ropes: Ropes are ropes, and they are everywhere on ships. But there is only one rope called a "rope" on a sailboat, and that is the sail rope along the bottom of the mainsail.
Main sail: As we can know from its name, the main sail is the most important sail of a ship, raised behind the mast.
Mast: A large, vertical pole that supports all sails. Some sailboats have multiple masts.
Cable: tied to the front end of a boat, used to tie the boat to a dock at a dock or other boat.
Rudder: A device used to control the direction of navigation. It's movable so that when you turn the steering wheel or tiller, it steers the boat in the direction you want it to sail.
Sail control rope: the rope that controls the sail, also known as the movable rope.
Spinnaker: A brightly colored sail used when sailing with or across the wind.
Left and right stays: The ropes that ensure the mainsail remains upright even in strong winds. Also known as fixed rope.
Stern: refers to the stern of the ship.
Tiller: A wooden stick attached to the rudder and used to control the rudder.
Beam: We call the end of a sailboat the beam. It is perpendicular to the center line.
Steering wheel: drives the rudder to steer the sailboat.
Winch: used to collect ropes. When the rope is wound around the winch, the sailor can operate a handle on the winch, making collecting the rope easier.
2. Understand the types of sailboats. Generally speaking, if you are a beginner, you will not have the opportunity to sail a multi-masted sailboat right away. You should be able to sail from a catboat, dhow or sloop. Catboat: A single-sailed sailing vessel with the mainsail at the front of the ship. They are small (relative to other sailboats) and easily maneuverable by 1 to 2 people.
Dhow: A dhow has a mast with two sails hung in front of the mast and a mainsail hung in the back; suitable for a small group of people to drive and easy to maneuver.
Sloop: The sloop is the most common sailing ship (it is usually the picture that comes to your mind when you think of a sailing ship). This type of boat has a mast with a jib hanging in front of the mast and a mainsail hanging behind it. They vary in size and are suitable for sailing upwind.
Ketch: A ketch has two masts, the second of which is called the mizzenmast. The mizzenmast is shorter than the mainmast and is located forward of the rudder.
A schooner: A schooner is similar to a ketch, but the mizzen mast is behind the rudder. This arrangement is because the mizzen mast is used for balance, not propulsion.
Multi-masted sailing ship: A multi-masted sailing ship is a large sailing ship with two or more masts. The mast at the rear of the hull is slightly or about the same height as the mast at the front.
Multimasted sailing ships are commonly used for commercial fishing, cargo transportation, and warships.
3. Understand the common terms used in sailing. In addition to the above hull structure terms, there are other terms that sailors often use when at sea (or when setting out). Port: Facing the bow, your left side is the port side, red.
Starboard: Facing the bow, your right side is the starboard side, green.
Windward: The direction from which the wind blows.
Headwind: The opposite direction of the wind.
Tack: Refers to turning the bow of a boat through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the sail to the other. This is when you need to pay the most attention to the yard, as it will swing from one side of the boat to the other as you turn (you don't want to be in the middle when it does this).
Tail: As opposed to tacking, turning the stern of a boat through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the sail to the other. This is much more dangerous than tacking when the wind is strong because you need to steer the boat away from the wind. Also, be careful with the yard during this process as it can easily cause injury when it sweeps over your seat.
Head wind: refers to adjusting the ship more to the wind, causing the sail to shake and slowing down the ship.
4. Understand navigation buoys. It is important to look for and respect navigation buoys as they will tell you where it is safe. In North America, when you leave the dock, red buoys will most likely appear on the left side of the port side, while green buoys will appear on the right side of the starboard side. In most other parts of the world, the opposite is true.
Method 2: Prepare the boat
1. Check carefully. Check all fastening lines - the cables and ropes that support the mast, including the turnbuckles and cotter pins that secure these lines to the hull. There are many sailboats whose masts have been broken because they were missing a 15-cent cotter pin! Check the ropes that raise and control the sail (collectively called live ropes, the former is called the halyard, and the latter is called the control rope). Make sure they are not tangled or caught on something, and have a figure eight or other secure knot on the free end so they don't get through the sail and pulley.
Pull all ropes out of the winch or lanyard buckle. Ropes should not become tangled with anything; all ropes should be free to move and free of any debris attached to them.
If you have a masthead halyard - the small rope that holds the boom furled when the sail is not in use, let it go until the boom swings freely down, then retie it. The yard is swinging freely at this time, so be careful!
Finally, confirm that the tiller and rudder are connected properly and that the rudder can be controlled. Now your sailboat is ready to set sail!
2. Confirm the wind direction. If you don't have an indicator on the top of your mast to determine the direction of the wind, tie some old tape, video tape, or oil line to the shroud—the rope that holds the mast up—and they will tell you which way the wind is blowing. where. Some sailors find the tape too wind-sensitive to be suitable. If you find the same problem, try video tape or oil line. Tie them to the sides, about 4 feet above the side of the boat.
In order to sail efficiently, you'd better be able to judge the general wind direction yourself.
3. Point the bow of the boat towards the wind. This is to minimize friction when hoisting the sail, allowing the sail to rise straight back. In this orientation the sail will not get caught in the shrouds or any of the hull members. This is not a simple matter. Since it has not yet entered the sea, the hull will not rotate flexibly. Do your best, but be prepared for a protracted battle! If your boat is equipped with a motor, run the motor to keep the bow pointed while hoisting the sail.
Here’s another practical tip: If the water at the dock is not deep enough, or there is no side dock, push the boat away from the dock and secure it to the beach, and it will point to the wind on its own!
Method 3: Raise the sail
1. Install the sail. Fix the front bottom of the mainsail to the joint between the yard and the bow. There will be a small line (rig) connecting the trailing edge of the mainsail to the boom and cleats. Fasten it tightly to the cleats, which will tighten the sail corners.
Raise the halyard until it stops and the mainsail is raised. At this point, it will shake like crazy, but this is normal for a short period of time. (Excessive shaking will reduce the life and durability of the sail).
The leading edge of the sail must be tight enough to fully stretch the sail, but not so tight that it forms vertical wrinkles.
There is a wedge near where the halyard connects to the top of the mast. Clean this wedge. Use the headsail halyard to raise the foresail (the jib and Geneva sail are collectively called the headsail) and secure the halyard. Both the foresail and mainsail are now free to swing. When raising the sail, be sure to raise the mainsail first and then the foresail, because raising the mainsail makes it easier to adjust the bow of the boat to face the wind.
2. Adjust the direction of the bow to enter the wind from a certain angle. A sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind. As shown in the figure below, the red area represents the "unnavigable zone" with the sail raised. In order to sail downwind, the sailboat must be at an angle of 45-50 degrees to the direction of the wind and change direction by heeling downwind. Turn the boat to the left or right so that it is approximately 90 degrees to the wind. This is called heading crosswind.
Pull the mainstay until the mainsail is at about a 45-degree angle at the stern. This is the safe position for the mainsail when controlling the headsail.
You will start to roll sideways. A roll of more than 20 degrees usually means you're being pinned down by the wind. Relaxing the main rigging intermittently will reduce heel and return it to a more comfortable 10-15 degree range.
3. Adjust the foresail. Although when raising the sail, the mainsail is raised first, and when trimming the sail, the foresail is adjusted first. There is a headsail control rigging on each side of the boat. Tighten the halyard on the leeward side (away from the wind). This and the halyard are called the active halyard, and the other one is called the inert halyard. The headsail will create a curve or pocket. Lower the headsail until its leading edge no longer trembles. Keep holding on to the tiller during this process and don’t deviate from the course!
4. Trim the mainsail. Let ou4. Trim the mainsail. Loosen the halyard until the leading edge of the mainsail just starts to tremble, then tighten the halyard until the mainsail stops trembling. The best time to adjust the sail is when you and the wind haven't changed direction. If any circumstances change, you need to adjust accordingly.
If you are a beginner, you must learn to do many things at once or suffer the consequences.
Method 4: Driving a sailboat
1. Observe the leading edges of the mainsail and foresail. If the leading edge starts to shake, you have two options: tighten the rigging until they stop shaking, or sail out of the wind. Sail buffeting means that your angle to the wind is too small for the prevailing sailing conditions. If you sail slightly out of the wind, the sail will stop shaking.
2. Observe the wind direction indicator. When sailing, if the wind blows from a direction closer to the rear, you will waste a lot of energy. Relax the halyard until the sail is perpendicular to the wind. You need to watch the sail, wind indicator and adjust the sail from time to time because the wind direction can change quickly. When the wind is behind you (within 45 degrees to the left and right of the stern), it is called aft crosswind. This is the most efficient way to sail because both the foresail and the mainsail are full, propelling the boat forward.
When the wind is behind you, it is called driving with the wind. This is not as efficient as running into a crosswind because the headsail is blocked by the mainsail and is not fully extended.
When traveling downwind, you can pull the foresail to the other side of the boat so it can open. This is called "sail to sail". You need to hold the tiller firmly to maintain this superposition. Some boats have bag sail stays, which are fixed to the front of the mast and the foresail to help control and keep the sail full. Be careful of obstacles ahead, because when both sails are in front, a good portion of your view is blocked.
Be careful! When the boat is sailing downwind, the sail will go to the side of the hull, and since the wind is blowing basically from directly behind, the yard is likely to swerve and sweep your seat with great force.
If you have a wind indicator mounted on the top of the mast, do not line up the boat so the indicator points toward the mainsail. If the hull is really in a straight line, the yard will be on the windward side, which can easily cause the yard to turn suddenly. Being hit by it is likely to knock you unconscious or even knock you directly into the sea.
In order to prevent the yard from being suddenly attacked, it is a good way to limit the movement of the yard by fitting a protective device (a rope connecting the yard to the railing or anywhere else it can be fixed).
3. Driving on the front side. Move the course slightly closer to the wind direction so that the course is at an angle of 60-75 degrees to the wind direction. You need to pull the rigging tighter so that the sail is closer to the hull. This is called front-side driving. At this point, the sail acts like an airplane wing: the wind pulls rather than pushes the sailboat forward.
4. Driving close to the wind. Continue to reduce the angle between the heading and the wind direction, and at the same time tighten the sail line until you can't pull it any further (the foresail should not touch the cross brace on the mast under any circumstances). This is called windward sailing, and is the way you sail closest to the wind direction (45-60 degrees). In windy conditions, this way of sailing will bring you endless fun!
5. Enter the port and berth. Run as close to the wind as you can, which is about 45 degrees for most sailboats. When you have sailed this way for long enough, tack into the wind; as the bow passes through the wind, pull the headsail halyard out of the halyard or winch.
The mainsail and yard will cross the hull. The mainsail will automatically stop on the other side, but you need to quickly tighten the opposite side of the jib line and secure it in the halyard or winch, and you need to adjust the heading until the mainsail starts to move again.
If you do this correctly, the boat won't slow down too much and will head upwind. Don’t panic if you don’t retighten the jib halyard quickly enough, causing you to veer too far off course. Once accelerated, the boat will return to its original position.
Another phenomenon is that you fail to turn the boat around quickly, causing the boat to come to a complete stop. It's called a dead turn, and it's embarrassing, but every sailor has experienced it whether they admit it or not. Stuttering is easy to fix: when the boat starts to back off, you'll regain power.
Point the tiller in the direction you want and tighten the headsail halyard to turn the sail upwind. The wind will push the bow of the boat across the wind direction. Once you've done this, ease the windward rigging line and pull it to the northerly side so you're back on course.
Because it is easy to slow down when turning into the wind, you need to do this as smoothly and quickly as possible. Keep turning back and forth until you reach your destination.
6. Take advantage of the good weather to practice. Calm weather is the best time to practice skills such as reefing. When the wind is strong, reefing the sail is very necessary. Reefing the sail usually has to be done before you feel you need to do it!
It’s also a good idea to practice caps in nice weather. Knowing how to balance a boat is also a necessary skill.
7. Safe navigation. Remember your anchor is an important safety tool. It can be used to stop a ship from running aground, or even to get a ship back underway once it has run aground.
Method 5: Stowing the sail
1. Lower and furl the sail. Once you are safely on shore, lower the sail by loosening any lines holding the sail up. When the sail is not in use, you should fold the mainsail and foresail neatly and stow them in the sail bag. Remove all gussets from the sail bag. Once you have folded the mainsail, place it in the sail bag and secure it to the boom with a rope. Don't fold the sail the same way every time, or it will form deep wrinkles that won't be removed even if the wind blows. You should wait for the sails to dry and remove most of the salt before putting them away, otherwise they may develop mold.
2. Clean up all debris. Secure the rope in the lanyard buckle. Neatly wrap and tie any excessive lengths of rope so that they do not get in the way of anyone passing by the dock. Clean salt from docks, especially teak docks, as salt can leave stains on the wood.
Tip: Learn to use your ears to determine the direction of the wind. Let the wind hit your back and slowly turn your head from side to side until you feel "even" between your left and right ears. Once you find that point, you know which way the wind is blowing. With this method, you don't need your eyes to catch the wind direction.
If you have a motor available on your boat, make sure you know how to use it. This is important because it solves most dilemmas.
If something unfortunate happens - the wind is too strong, you fall overboard, etc., remember that you can just pull all the sail lines out of the halyard buckle or winch to stop everything, most of the time. In this case the boat will stop.
Learn as much as possible about all the navigational equipment you will use, even the equipment you may never use. This way you can learn more about sailing.
If there is a yacht club near you, you can volunteer for their races. You learn things in a race that you wouldn't learn in years of sailing alone.
Most sails have indicators - colored objects fixed to the leading edge of the sail. When they are all flapping near the stern, the sail is trimmed.
Before you start sailing, have an experienced sailor show you where fixed and live lines are and what they do. This is very important.
Know how to predict the weather by looking at clouds. Recommended website: /nauticalknowhow/weather1.htm
Be sure to learn all the tidal conditions in your area, because in some areas, tides and winds will determine your course.
Read a book that details the driving principles of your boat type.
It is best to start your first sea voyage on a small island or calm port. Choose a sunny day.
Learn at least two types of knots. A figure eight knot is tied at the end of a rope to prevent the rope from passing through a lanyard, pulley or winch. The single tack knot (the king of knots) is used to secure objects to fixed rings. A good single knot is not loose and easy to untie, even after being tightened.
Warning: It is recommended that you have at least a general understanding of sailing terminology and some in-depth reading before trying it yourself. Some recommended materials: "A Complete Guide to Sailing Sailing" by Captain Ernie Barta, "Sailing Guide" and "Sail Like an Annapolis Man".
Know how to use VHF radio communications equipment. In an emergency, this is the fastest way to call for help. Using a cell phone will work, but VHF will make it quicker to contact nearby ships when you need help or can provide it.
Keep in mind the old saying: "It is better to regret not going to the sea on the shore than to regret not going to the sea in the sea." Don't let passion go to your head and make you lose the ability to judge whether you should go to sea. . The surface wind and waves when the boat is docked can be very different than when it is actually out on the water. Many beginners (and some experienced ones) get into trouble by heading out in unfavorable weather conditions.
Falling overboard is no joke, especially when you're alone. Cold water, fast currents, and other passing ships threaten your safety, and when the sails are up, the ship will travel much faster than you think. Also, the decks of many ships are much higher than sea level, making it extremely difficult to get back on board without help. When sailing at night, be sure to carry a flashlight and emergency signal transmitter with you. They make it easier for rescuers to find you.
In sailing, your life may depend on whether you can do things before they need to be done. If you wait until the moment you need to do it, it may be too late or too difficult. Trust your instincts and do it as soon as you think of something to do.
Required Items Each person boarding the boat must wear a life jacket (preferably with a whistle attached) at all times during the voyage.
If there are passengers with children, please help them put on life jackets on the shore.
Every boat, no matter how big or small, needs to have certain safety devices on board. This includes anchors with safety hinges, flares, and other government-mandated equipment. These regulations are for your safety, so you should strictly abide by them.