WIND
BEAM REACH
CL
OS
E R
EA
CH
C
LO
S
E
H
A
U
LE
D
B
R
O
A
D
R
E
A
C
H
BEAM REACH
CLO
SE
RE
AC
H
C
LO
S
E
H
A
U
LE
D
B
R
O
A
D
R
E
A
C
H
NO
SAILING
ZONE
Points of Sail
Starboard
Port
Other than sailing into the wind (no sailing zone), you can sail in any direction that you want. The
different directions that you can sail in relation to the wind, are called points of sail. As a boat
changes from one point of sail to another, the sails must be adjusted so that they maintain the same
relationship or angle to the wind.
No sailboat can sail directly into the wind, but a catamaran can sail effectively to within 45° of the
wind. The top two boats in this diagram are both sailing close hauled, but one is on port tack and
the other is on starboard tack. Sailing this close to the wind requires that the sails be pulled in
tight.
As you head your boat further off the direction of the true wind, you must let your sails out so that
the wind flows across the sail correctly (keep the leeward telltales flying).
If you sail too close to straight down wind, the sail can not work effectively and the boat slows
down. Tacking down wind from broad reach to broad reach is much faster than going straight
down wind.
RUN
Hobie University, NAHCA
Page 6
30 Mar 02
