RYA Sailing Terms

Question 1

What does it mean to Bear Away in sailing?

Answer 1

Steer the boat more in a downwind direction

This maneuver is used to increase speed when sailing downwind.

Question 2

What is a Boom in sailing?

Answer 2

The thing that hits you on the head

Aptly named for its position on the sailboat.

Question 3

Define Clew in the context of sailing.

Answer 3

The bottom aft eyelet in the sail

It is crucial for attaching the sail to the boat.

Question 4

What does it mean to Come Up while sailing?

Answer 4

Steer the boat more in an upwind direction

This action is often taken to optimize sailing angles.

Question 5

What is a Cunningham used for?

Answer 5

A final device to downhaul on the main sail after it has been hoisted

It adjusts the leading edge tension of the sail.

Question 6

What is a Fairlead in sailing?

Answer 6

A block between the clew and the winch that the jib sheet passes through

It controls leech tension in the jib sail.

Question 7

What is referred to as the Foot of a sail?

Answer 7

The bottom edge of the sail

It is important for sail shape and performance.

Question 8

What does the Forestay connect to?

Answer 8

The front stay connected at the bow to the top of the mast

It provides support to the mast.

Question 9

Define a Genoa sail.

Answer 9

A head sail where the foot of the sail is longer than the distance from the mast to the bottom forestay connection

It is used for improved downwind performance.

Question 10

What is a Halyard?

Answer 10

The vertical line attached to the top of the sail to hoist it up

It creates vertical leading edge tension.

Question 11

What does the Head of a sail refer to?

Answer 11

The top eyelet in the sail

It is where the halyard attaches to the sail.

Question 12

What is a Jib Sail?

Answer 12

A head sail where the foot of the sail is shorter than the distance from where the mast sits on the deck to the bottom forestay connection

It is typically used for upwind sailing.

Question 13

What are Jib sheets?

Answer 13

Lines that lead from the bottom aft (clew) of the head sail back to the cockpit

They allow for adjusting the jib sail or genoa.

Question 14

What is The Leech of a sail?

Answer 14

The trailing edge of the sail

It plays a role in the aerodynamics of the sail.

Question 15

What does Leeward mean?

Answer 15

A direction downwind from your current position

It is the side of the boat away from the wind.

Question 16

What is The Luff of a sail?

Answer 16

The leading edge of the sail

It is crucial for airflow and sail efficiency.

Question 17

What is a Mainsheet?

Answer 17

The line that leads from the boom to the traveler

It controls the angle of the mainsail.

Question 18

What is the Mast in sailing?

Answer 18

The big stick up the middle

It supports the sails and rigging.

Question 19

What is an Outhaul?

Answer 19

The line attached to the clew (bottom aft) of the sail running to the aft end of the boom

It adjusts the foot tension of the sail.

Question 20

What does the term Sheet refer to in sailing?

Answer 20

A line that lets the sail out or brings the sail in

It is essential for sail control.

Question 21

What does it mean to Sheet in?

Answer 21

Tightening up on the sheets

This action reduces the angle of the sail to the wind.

Question 22

What does it mean to Sheet Out?

Answer 22

Letting out the sheets

This action increases the angle of the sail to the wind.

Question 23

What is a Stay in sailing?

Answer 23

A cable running from the boat deck to the top of the mast

It provides structural support to the mast.

Question 24

What is the Tack of a sail?

Answer 24

The bottom forward eyelet in the sail

It is where the sail attaches to the boat.

Question 25

What is a **Traveler** in sailing?

Answer 25

A block sliding on a rail running across the boat ## Footnote It connects the mainsheet from the traveler to the boom.

Question 26

What does **Trim** mean in sailing?

Answer 26

Tightening up on the sheets ## Footnote This action optimizes sail shape and performance.

Question 27

What does **Heading Upwind** mean?

Answer 27

Heading at any angle from 30 degrees to 89 degrees off the wind ## Footnote Often means heading on a close haul.

Question 28

What is **Wind Backing**?

Answer 28

The wind direction moves counterclockwise ## Footnote For example, if it was coming out of the north, now it is coming out of the northwest.

Question 29

What does **Wind Veering** refer to?

Answer 29

The wind direction moves clockwise ## Footnote For example, if it was coming out of the north, now it is coming out of the northeast.

Question 30

What does **Windward** mean?

Answer 30

A direction upwind from your current position ## Footnote It is the side of the boat facing the wind.

Question 31

When tacking , what does "On-port" mean?

Answer 31

It means the wind is coming from the port side of the boat

Question 32

When tacking, what does "On-starboard" mean?

Answer 32

On-starboard means the wind is coming from the starboard side of the boat

Question 33

Explain True Wind vs. Apparent Wind

Answer 33

As the sailboat speeds up, the wind increases in velocity and the direction of origin feels like it moves forward. That's apparent wind - it's what the sails feel. If you stop the boat, the apparent wind goes back to be the same as the true wind. The true wind stays the same regardless of your speed.

Question 34

When does turbulent flow occur?

Answer 34

Turbulent flow occurs on the leeward side of the sail when the sail angle presented to the wind is such that the wind can't be expected to turn enough to wash over the back side of the sail fully. The wind "detaches". At that point, the lift disappears.

Question 35

What happens when the angle of the wind across the lifting side of the sail becomes too great?

Answer 35

Anytime the angle of the wind across the lifting side of the sail becomes too great, the sail stalls. Wind molecules detach from the lifting side of the sail and turbulent flow is produced thus reducing the lift.

Question 36

What is the Best Angle to the Wind

Answer 36

The best angle of the wind that most sailboats can achieve is 30 degrees.

Question 37

What is Luffing?

Answer 37

Luffing is when the sail is flapping in the wind. It occurs when the sail has been set too far out and needs to be trimmed in.

Question 38

When does back-winding happen?

Answer 38

Back winding happens usually right before luffing occurs. It occurs right at the point where the wind is coming slightly too far forward for the current sail set

Question 39

What is a veering wind?

Answer 39

A veering wind means it is changing to a new direction that is clockwise from its current direction. For example, if the wind was out of the North-East and changed now to come out of the East, then by definition the wind would have "veered".

Question 40

What is Backing?

Answer 40

Backing is the opposite of veering. For example, if the wind was out of the North-East and changed now to come out of the North, then by definition the wind would have "backed".

Question 41

Sailing angle: 30 degrees off the wind.

Answer 41

30 degrees off the wind. The boat is deemed to be on a close haul. The force moving the boat forward is all from the lifting power of the airfoil shape. The mainsail is pulled toward the centerline of the boat the maximum amount. You're ensuring that the wind is flowing smoothly around the front of each sail. Tell tales on the outside of the sail must be flowing smoothly. Tell tales on the inside of the sail should also be flowing smoothly. The leading edge of the sail is not folding in on itself

Question 42

Sailing angle: 60 degrees off the wind

Answer 42

60 degrees off the wind The boat is deemed to be on a close reach. The force moving the boat forward is all from the lifting power of the airfoil shape. The sails are let out from the centerline of the boat. You're ensuring that the wind is flowing smoothly around the front of the sail. Tell tales on the outside of the sail must be flowing smoothly. Tell tales on the inside of the sail should also be flowing smoothly. The leading edge of the sail is not folding in on itself

Question 43

Sailing Angle: 90 degrees off the wind

Answer 43

90 degrees off the wind The boat is deemed to be on a beam reach. The force moving the boat forward is beginning to be shared between the lifting power of the airfoil shape and the pushing power of the wind. The sails are let out most of the way towards the beam (side) of the boat. You're ensuring that the wind is flowing smoothly around the front of the sail. Tell tales on the outside of the sail must be flowing smoothly. Tell tales on the inside of the sail should also be flowing smoothly. The leading edge of the sail is not folding in on itself

Question 44

Sailng Angle: 120 degrees off the wind

Answer 44

120 degrees off the wind The boat is deemed to be on a broad reach. The force moving the boat forward is partially from the lifting power of the airfoil shape but mostly from the pushing power of the wind. The sails are let out abeam of the boat. You're ensuring that the wind is flowing smoothly around the front of the sail. Tell tales on the outside of the sail must be flowing smoothly. Tell tales on the inside of the sail will begin to become uncontrollable (that's ok). The leading edge of the sail is not folding in on itself

Question 45

After 120 degrees off the wind.

Answer 45

After 120 degrees off the wind. At this point of sail, you can no longer expect the wind to wrap itself nicely around the curvature of the sail to create any lift and you'll see the outer telltales stalling. This is expected and is OK because the boat is being driven by all pushing force. The boat is deemed to be on a run. The force moving the boat forward is from the pushing power of the wind. The sails are let out abeam of the boat and lightly resting on the side stay rigging You're not worrying about the telltales The main sail will be shielding the wind onto the head sail and the head sail will begin "Wallowing" (flapping side to side). You'll probably be looking to move the head sail or mainsail to the other side of the boat so that both sails are being pushed by the wind. What this means is that from 30 degrees off the wind to 120 degrees off the wind, you're trying to make the telltales fly on both sides of the sail.