Learning Sailing in Vancouver: Sailing Basics

Once you understand the basic concepts, learning to sail in Vancouver can be easy, fun, and intuitive. The best sailing programs teach you the concepts in a classroom setting, and then let you internalize those concepts with experiential learning on the sailboat. You can get a head start on the classroom aspect of learning to sail right here!

First, you need to learn about the parts of the sailboat. Typically, the small sailboats that beginners use are single-mast, single-sail boats with a centerboard and tiller. The front of the boat is the bow, the back is the stern, left is port and right is starboard. The sailboat is steered by using the tiller to manipulate the rudder. The rudder is a thin blade of wood that is mounted on the stern of the boat. It can be pivoted side to side using the tiller, a simple wood or metal arm attached to the top of the rudder. All ropes on a sailboat are called lines, and the lines are collectively known as the rigging.

On a small sailboat, there is only one sail, which is attached on its vertical edge to the mast by the halyard line. The sail is attached on its bottom edge to the boom by the mainsail or mainsheet line. The boom is a metal pole that pivots around the mast and allows the sail the freedom to move and catch wind. The sailor uses the mainsail line to control the position of the boom and the sail.

The last part of the boat that a beginner needs to know about is the centerboard. This is a flat piece of wood that is inserted into a slot in the center of the boat. It extends down below the hull of the boat into the water and provides stability and resistance to lateral movement. In other words, it keeps the boat from tipping over too far and from being blown sideways by the wind.

Now that you've been introduced to the basic parts of the boat, you can begin learning how sailboats sail. The most important thing to understand is that a sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind. The sailboat can only move in a direction that allows the wind to blow into the sail and fill it with air.

When a sailboat is pointing directly into the wind, no air fills the sail and it is said to be "in irons". Sometimes sailors will deliberately put the boat in irons in order to stop sailing. Point the boat 45 degrees to either side of the wind, and the boat can begin to sail again.

Basically, the closer you sail to the wind, the closer you pull the sail. Sailing 45 degrees toward the wind is called being close hauled, because on such a course the sail must be pulled in close. Sailing perpendicular to the wind is called a beam reach, sailing at a broad angle to the wind is called a broad reach, and sailing directly downwind is called running. When the sailboat is running, the sail will be let out almost as far as it can go, until the boom is perpendicular to the boat.

The sail should always be taut and catching the most air possible. If the sail begins to luff (bubbles appearing in the taut surface), you need to either pull in the sail to remain on course or head downwind to pick up speed.

Sailboats are easy to steer once you remember that the boat always moves away from the tiller. So if you want to go left, push the tiller away to the right.

Now that you've read a little bit about the parts of the sailboat as well as the basics of sail position and steering, you're reading to get on the water and start learning sailing firsthand.

Be sure to check out our articles on choosing a sailing school and what to expect on your first day sailing.

Or learn about other sports in Vancouver:
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Learning Rock Climbing
Learning Snowboarding

Sports in Vancouver