0
Sailing
Questions about wind-propelled water vessels, their maintenance, handling and rules governing their use.
2,485 Questions
How long are around the world yacht races?
around the world yacht races take an extremly long time 6 months to be exact
How do I give a rough indication of an object's position when onboard a vessel?
Because it is not possible to display diagrams or pictures on this site it is necessary to describe what we are referring to. This explains how to give a rough indication of the position an object. Start with a standard circle. We will call this our compass or compass rose. This is used in various situations both for relative bearings and absolute bearings. We will use it here to refer to the positions relative to the vessel itself. Standing at the rear, aft, and looking forward towards the front, bow, is considered 0 degrees and is also known as the vessels head or heading. Directly behind you, astern, is 180 degrees. With 'quick and dirty' indications of position angles are measured clockwise and anticlockwise from the bow around the compass up to 180 degrees. Remember this is only used for directions relative to the vessel for rough indications. So the angles 90 degrees left and 90 degrees right are at right angles relative to the vessels head. This is known as abeam. Angles to the right are called starboard and angles to the left are called port. Just knowing this you can give a rough indication of the location of an object by saying some thing like, "Flashing light at port 10." This would indicate on object about 10 degrees to port of the vessels head, though it gives no indication of distance.
How does a boat move through the water?
Sailing a boat is simple when you're navigating downwind with the wind at your back. You let out the mainsail perpendicular to the wind to capture the mostenergy. As the wind presses directly into the sails to make them puff out, that natural force propels the boat forward.
Plotting an upwind course, against the wind, is much harder. Compare the difference between running with the wind behind you and running with the wind gusting at you. You exert more energy to run into it, rather than enjoying the gentle push of it at your back. In fact, it is impossible to sail directly upwind. Either the opposing force of the wind will push the boat backward if the sails are let out, or it will stall the boat if the sails are pulled in and slack. Sailors refer to this as beingin irons. Instead, to reach an upwind destination, crews use a method callingtacking.
While the wind pushes the boat when going away from it (downwind) the opposite happens when going toward it (upwind). "When you sail upwind, the boat is actually being pulled rather than pushed by the force of the wind," says Bryan Kelly, the national governing body of sailing in the United States. That forward pull is referred to aslift. For that reason, sailors steering upwind must take a zigzagging path called tacking. By doing so, the wind approaches at an angle rather than head-on.
When tacking, the sails act as theengineof the boat, harnessingwind power. However, since the boat is moving angled to the wind, that wind power pushes the boat sideways. But remember that the wind isn't the only element the boat interacts with. There's also thewater. As the boat tips to one side, the long, flat keel submerged underneath the hull, pivots upward with the motion of the boat, creating a sideways force in the opposite direction because of the amount of water it displaces as it moves.
When tacking successfully, these equal, opposing sideways forces cancel each other out. However, that collected wind power must go somewhere, so it is released in a forward thrust -- there is nowhere else it can go. This is the same type of effect that happens when you shoot a marble. Your finger and thumb press equally hard on either side of the marble, causing it to zip forward.
After this happens, the sailor would alter course and tack again toward the opposite direction to gradually move upwind.
In the next section, we'll dissect the physicsof lift that pull sailboats forward into the wind and what they have in common with kites.
Where would you use runner block pulleys on sailboat?
Blocks are used in purchase systems on sailboats so sailors can better control the high amounts of load created by wind and sails. The way to make this difficult task simpler is by designing blocks that run freely and reduce the friction caused by sheets and lines in purchase systems. So what is the difference between ball bearing blocks and non-ball bearing blocks?
Ball Bearing BlockBall bearing blocks are best for any system on your boat that does not see "static loads," or low-movement applications. Examples of a few recommended ball bearing block applications are main, jib, and spinnaker sheeting systems, traveler cars, and controls, and running rigging backstay runner blocks. Compared to non-ball bearing blocks, ball bearing blocks run freely allowing for increased safety and ease of use. Whether cruising or racing-the sailor can only exert a limited amount of power, so ease of operation and ability to release a line and let it run free is very important and is optimized with ball bearing blocks.
Non-Ball Bearing BlocksNon-ball bearing blocks are best fit for applications that hold high static loads and/or only change line direction, such as turning blocks, masts base blocks, deck organizers, halyard blocks, boom vangs, and reefing blocks. In these instances, a simpler, less expensive, non-ball bearing block makes the most sense.
What are the names of the masts on a pirate ship?
"Pirate ships" nominally had three: the foremast, mainmast, mizzenmast.
What wind measurement is considered smooth water with small waves?
Small waves, up to 0.1 mtr are present in a force 2 wind.
What American frigate earned the name Yankee Race Horse?
After her successful five-hour confrontation with the French frigate "La Vengeance", the "USS Constellation" inspired the French to nickname her the "Yankee Racehorse".
What do letters mean on the top of a sail on a sailboat?
It is the registration identification of the vessel
Hakuna matata,
not a,
what a,
whole lotta,
have you gotta,
would you dot a,
yada, yada, yada,
did the baby say, "Dada"?
Why did europeans risk their lives sailing into the unknown?
Europeans wanted to find a waterway passage to Asia after the trade routes became taxed. They didn't find one but instead found the New World or the Americas. After this find they began exploring the New Land in search of gold, silver, vegetables, and other items they might be able to trade. They also explored the unknown to find Native Americans and trade with them. Also, to set up plantation settlements and colony settlements.
Yachting is the activity of sailing in a yacht.
In the original sense a yacht was a light and fast type of sailing vessel. In modern terms however the name as become applicable to several types of sailing and power boats. The common factor for all of the boats covered by the term is that they are used primarily for pleasure not work or sport.
What equipment do you need to go sailing?
When you sail you need to be ready for anything but the essentials are:
- a boat, complete with mast, sail, rudder, centerboard etc. (fully rigged)
- a bouyancy vest
- secure footwear
- a hat and sunscreen (very important, because the water reflects UV rays at you so you don't just get hit from the top)
Keep in mind that there will always be more little things to make it safer but those are definitely important.
Happy sailing! :)
Check out the book "25 Things Every Sailor Needs (and why)" for a good list of the essential equipment everyone needs to go sailing.
You also may need a towel for after, also water proof or wind proof jacket and something to put your wet clothes in after :P
If you're looking for the shortest "reasonable" time, you could figure it this way: The ocean distance from SF to LA is 371nm and the Catalina 320's theoretical hull speed is 7.1 kts, so figuring you might average 5 kts and put in a 12 hour day, you could reasonably expect make the trip in just over 6 days of sailing. Of course, much depends on the winds, weather, time of year, how often you wanted to put in to ports along the way, etc. Hope that helps.
What is the name of the long pole to which you can attach a sail on a sailing ship?
Its called a mast. hope i helped :)
Is it even possible to flake out a line Bristol-fashion?
Bristol fashion come from the nautical phrase "ship shape and Bristol fashion" meaning quickly and tidily.
Flake means to lay out a line or rope in a manner where it can run out freely and be safe and tidy.
So to flake out a line would mean to it in that manner.
A picture of a mast of a boat?
Check out the related link below for photos of the Tall Ship "Lady Washington". She's a Brig -- a two masted beauty and the photos are great!
What is the name of a triangular shaped fore and aft sail commonly seen in the Mediterranean?
A lanteen sail
How many people need to be on a sailing boat?
Depends on how big the boat is - 1 person to 100 people.
The bow on any vessel is the front most part of the boat
