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When interested in sailing a boat, the direction of the wind will determine the various movements associated with this invigorating activity. Before you attempt to take a vessel across the open water, you should first become familiar with some of the following important sailing techniques:

Steering and Turning

The techniques you use to change direction and steer a sailboat will become influenced by the direction of the wind. Some of the terms associated with direction changes or turns are referred to as tacking, heading up, heading down, or jibing.

Heading up (or luffing up) refers to the kind of steering where the wind is close to coming in direct contact with the front (or bow) of the sailboat. When you head closer to the wind, you need to "trim" the sails, which means bringing them closer to the center of the boat. When you head up where the wind is almost ahead, the sails will "luff," which means that they begin to flutter without any lift. If the boat becomes too hard to maneuver, then it enters a state called "in irons."

Tacking (or coming about) is one of the most basic of turning techniques of sailing, as it requires one to bring the bow of the boat through the wind so that the wind comes across the opposing side of the boat. The boat then sails away on the opposite tack.

"Heading down" is known by many different terms, including "bearing away," "bearing off," "falling off," and "freeing off." This technique of sailing involves steering in such a way that the wind comes from closer to the aft of the boat. The method includes easing the sails, which means to let them out away from the center of the vessel.

Jibing (also gibing) is a turning motion that causes the boat to head down past the point where the wind crosses at the stern of the sailboat. The sails and boom then swing to the opposite side just before the sailboat sails off on the opposite tack. Exercising caution is highly recommended when jibing, as the sail and boom can cross the middle of the boat with great speed where misjudgment can cause a small sailboat to tip over. Improper jibing may also hurt passengers not paying attention, as well as cause damage to the rig of a larger sailboat. All of these circumstances increase in risk during times of strong winds.

Trim

An important part of sailing involves keeping the boat in "trim," which deals with steering, balance, and other aspects. First, you will "Course to Steer," where the boat is turned towards your intended destination by using the wheel or tiller. People may choose a specific bearing (such as steering 180 degrees), aim for a particular landmark, or base their course in regards to the wind direction. Trim refers to the fore and aft balance of a sailboat. The goal is to adjust the movable ballast in a forward or backward motion in order to accomplish what is called an "even keel." When traveling an upwind course in a smaller sailboat, passengers often sit in the front. Positioning of passengers means less when the sailboat is larger or weighs more.

When balancing, it is the port and starboard that is involved, where the aim is to regulate the weight in order to avoid unnecessary heeling. Trimming sails is quite important, as the sail should be pulled in until it becomes filled with wind. It should not exceed the point where the front edge of the sail (the luff) becomes completely aligned with the wind.

While this is just a taste of common sailing techniques, it is also advised to seek information on "running," "reaching," sailing upward, reducing the sails, reefing, hulling, and learning the different sail points



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