tacking Archives - Safe Skipper Boating & Safety Afloat Apps for phones & tablets

The give-way hierarchy – sail boats and power boats

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership

Who gives way to who at sea? Even seasoned sailors sometimes get this wrong and in a crowded harbour this can easily lead to a collision or at best considerable embarrassment for a boat that mistakenly thinks it has right of way over another. I recently went sailing...

Sail trimming for cruisers

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership

Whether racing or cruising, a well tuned boat will sail faster and tend to heel less than a boat with badly adjusted sails. On a racing yacht, constant effort and considerable skill is required by the crew to keep the sails trimmed to gain maximum performance, added...

How to trim a genoa sail

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership

I recently had two new sails made by Sanders Sails, based in Lymington UK. The first to arrive was the new genoa and it took me a little while to get to know it and learn how to adjust it correctly. Here is an aide memoire for getting to know how to trim a genoa so...

How to improve a yacht’s upwind performance

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership

There are several ways to improve the upwind performance of a sailing yacht. Read on for some useful tips that should help in the upcoming season. One of the easiest ways to boost windward performance is to make sure your boat has a clean bottom, as even a coat of...

Sailing to windward – how to take advantage of wind shifts

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Crewing skills, Navigation, Yacht ownership

For most sailors, sailing upwind is the most exhilarating point of sail as you tack your way to your destination. Sailing to windward is a bit like zig-zagging your way up a mountain road through a series of hairpin bends – great fun but also calling for...