A sailboat is powered by wind and sails, but can also use a diesel or gas engine for maneuvering. Boaters must be informed of the rules of boating. Sail trimming and the use of keels or center boards are necessary for steering. The rudder completes the steering process.
A sailboat is a wind-powered vessel whose sole or primary source of power comes from the use of sails to move on and through the water. As a sailing ship, when under the power of sail alone, the ship enjoys certain navigational benefits, such as right-of-way privileges. However, if supplemental power from a diesel or gas engine is used, either for docking or other precise maneuvering, a sailboat technically becomes another motor vessel and is subject to the rules of motor boating.
In the same way that motorists must comply with certain laws and regulations governing the rules of the road, every boater, whether in a sailboat or motor boat, must be informed of the rules of boating. For more information, a good start is to purchase a copy of the “US Coast Guard Rules of Boating, Inland International,” which are also available at most marine store outlets. .
The twin forces of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics work together to propel a sailboat through the water. When the wind hits the sails and the underwater parts of a sailboat catch on the water, movement is created. Learning to maximize these forces to steer an intended course comprises much of the skill and craft required to operate a sailboat.
A sailboat will have one or more sails attached by lines to other parts of the boat, usually to a mast (a vertical pole) and/or boom (a horizontal pole) but also to lines routed to capstans (mechanical winding devices) or cleats ( fixed accessories for tying). The operation of these devices to manipulate the position, shape and size of the sails in relation to the direction of the wind is called “sail trimming”.
If a sailboat depended solely on the force of the wind on the sails for the direction of motion, then the direction of motion would always be the same as the direction of the wind. When a sailboat moves in the same direction as the wind is blowing or with slight variations, it is called “running ahead of the wind” or “running.” However, when a sailboat must sail to a certain point in the wind, it is called “bumping”, “tacking” or “steering up” and must use the additional dynamics of a keel or center board.
The keels and center boards are strong underwater extensions that protrude from the bottom center of the sailboat. The keel is a fixed extension and is usually found on larger sailboats. A center board, sometimes called a “dagger board”, can be either a pivoting or dagger type and is retractable. In each case, the extension works to force a counterwind drag onto the sails and results in a new direction of motion. Without a center keel or plank, the sailboat would move only sideways and likely capsize or capsize.
The ship’s wheel or rudder arm (a handle rather than a wheel) is connected via lines and blocks (pulleys) to the underwater rudder (steering blade) located at the rear (or stern) of the sailboat to form the rudder, which completes the rudder. Assortment of devices necessary to deliberately steer and steer a sailboat through and over the water.
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