Points of sail

Points of sail is the term used to describe a sailing boat's course in relation to the wind direction.

First, there is a distinction between the port tack and the starboard tack. If the wind is coming from anywhere on the port side, the boat is on port tack. Likewise if the wind is coming from the starboard side, the boat is on starboard tack. With the exception of Head To Wind, a boat will be on either port or starboard tack while on any point of sail. For purposes of the racing rules and "rules of the road," the wind is assumed to be coming from the side opposite that which the boom is carried.

The points of sail are as follows:

Head To Wind

At this point of sail the boat is headed directly into the wind. A boat turns through this point of sail as it performs a tack. The boat is on neither port nor starboard tack. Since a boat cannot sail directly into the wind, if a boat comes head to wind, and loses steerage it is said to be "in irons," and may begin to travel slowly backwards. To recover, the jib (headsail) is backed to one side, and the tiller is moved to the same side. In a single sailed boat the "push, push, pull, pull" technique (i.e. "push" the boom towards the wind, "push" the tiller away, and then "pull" the boom and tiller back to their normal positions) can be used which sails the boat backwards and steers the stern towards the wind. This results in the bow being pushed away from the wind and out of the no-go zone. Sailboats are usually put head to wind when raising or lowering sails. In this case, auxiliary (motorized) sailboats will typically be under power (engine running).

No Go Zone

The boat is pointed too close to the wind for the sails to generate any power (unless they are backed, see above). The sails will be luffing ("flapping") in the breeze and making noise, like a flag.

The size of the no-go zone will differ based on the performance characteristics of the particular sailboat. For example, racing sailboats can usually sail much closer to the wind (i.e., fewer degrees off the wind direction) than cruising yachts. This is known as "pointing higher." Pointing ability is very important for racing sailboats as the real goal in a race is almost always velocity made good (VMG). VMG is the speed at which the boat is approaching the destination (usually a buoy or mark) as opposed to the speed at which the boat is moving through the water (boat speed). These two speeds almost always vary because, during a race, a boat usually cannot sail directly to the next mark. VMG may also refer to the upwind vector of boat speed (this is often the VMG expressed on sailing instruments).

Close Hauled

A boat is sailing close hauled when its sails are trimmed in tightly and it is sailing as close to the wind that it can without entering the No Go Zone. This point of sail lets the boat travel diagonally upwind. This is a precise point of sail. However, the exact angle relative to the wind direction varies from boat to boat. A boat is considered to be "pinching" if the helmsman tries to sail above an efficient close hauled course and the sails begin to luff slightly.

Close Reach

This is any upwind angle between Close Hauled and a Beam Reach.

Beam Reach

This is a course steered at right angles to the wind. This is a precise point of sail and is the fastest.

Broad Reach

The wind is coming from behind the boat at an angle. This represents a range of wind angles between Beam Reach and Running Downwind. The sails are eased out away from the boat as much as possible, but not as much as on a run or dead run (downwind run). This is the fastest point of sail for most modern boats.

Running Downwind

On this point of sail, the wind is coming from directly behind the boat. Because running is the most difficult point of sail for modern yachts, it is often called the "no go zone". Modern yacht design, which is heavily driven by the trends in racing, favors sailing rigs that can point very high to windward, which means a high aspect ratio sail. Downwind performance suffers, but that is overcome by the use of a low aspect ratio spinnaker for running.

When running, the mainsail is eased out as far as it will go. The jib will collapse because the mainsail blocks its wind, and must either be lowered and replaced by a spinnaker or set instead on the windward side of the boat. Running with the jib to windward is known as "gull wing," "goose wing" or "wing and wing." A genoa gull-wings well, especially if stabilized by a whisker pole, which is similar to, but lighter than a spinnaker pole. In "non-extras" or "no flying sails" class races where spinnakers are not permitted, poled-out genoas are often used when running downwind.

Cruising yachtsmen, when running downwind, will often set either a poled-out genoa or a pole-less cruising 'chute (or gennaker). When running downwind for protracted periods, for example when ocean-crossing in steady trade winds, cruisers sometimes set twin poled-out jibs without a mainsail. All of these options are more stable and require less trimming effort than a spinnaker.

Steering is difficult when running because there is often little or no pressure on the tiller to provide feedback to the helmsman, so the boat may easily go off course. This tendency to turn off course when running can be dangerous, as the boat is least stable and can jibe accidentally if the lee side of the sail catches the wind. A preventer can be used on yachts to avoid this. Another problem with running in modern high aspect rigs is the fact that having the sail set at right angles to the wind guarantees a stall, and the stalled out wing sheds "bubbles" of turbulence. Combined with the sea- and steering-induced rolling of the boat, this can build up a resonance and lead to a broach or a Death roll.

Square rigged ships, since the sails develop lift off the top edges of the sails, not a single side, are far better at running, since the conditions that lead to broaching are not present. They still, however, are difficult to keep on course, and require constant attention at the helm; when sailing on a reaching course, the boat is in a stable state, and it is possible to tie off the wheel and still maintain a steady course.

Sailing manoeuvres