How to jibe and tack when sailing
You need to know the two basic sailing maneuvers — jibing and tacking — whether you’re sailing the open seas or an enclosed lake. (Jibing and tacking take you away from or into the wind.) The following instructions and illustrations give you step-by-step procedures to accomplish both.
Sail positions and their names
When you’re sailing, you use specific terms to describe the position of the sail — along with calling the left side of the boat port and the right side starboard. Check the following figure for the terms that indicate different sail positions.
Basic traffic rules of the waterway for sailboats
Traffic rules prevent accidents on land — and on water. Just because you’re sailing on open water doesn’t mean you can disobey simple traffic rules. The rules of the water actually call for more consideration than rules of the asphalt, so bear the following conventions in mind as you sail:
What to bring when you sail
A good sailor always has the right tools and equipment on board. Whether you’re sailing around for just half an hour or spending the day on the water, use the following checklists to make sure you’re prepared for any eventuality. (Remember what happened to Gilligan and friends on their three-hour tour!)
