Learn. Sail. Explore. Repeat.

Welcome! NauticEd’s Sailing Blog is an extension of our sailing courses and charter vacations – a happy space where our team of pro sailors and collaborators share education and vacation information, tips, news, and sometimes just fun stuff. With over 850 articles and growing, we offer sailors a wealth of sailing information. If you are interested in powerboating, check out our new powerboating courses and blog. Cheers! Grant Headifen – NauticEd.

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Popular Articles.

Latest Posts.

Grant steering sailboat, EDU-4 Approved Instructor: What is an EDU-4 Instructor? Why Should You Ask For One?

What is an American National Standards EDU-4 Instructor

EDU-4 is the American National Standard that describes what high-quality on-water instruction must look like: clear objectives, structured lessons, appropriate safety and student ratios, objective assessment, and continuous improvement. NauticEd requires its instructors to follow these principles in every training session.
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Illustration of keel vortex and drag comparison: Fin Keel vs Full Keel, analyzing performance differences.

Fin Keel versus a Full Keel Efficiency

Applying a bit of Newtonian physics says that the force on a keel is equal to half the water density x velocity squared x area. But wait - what if the fin keel area was the same as the full keel? All would be the same, right? And even so, usually a full keel would have a  larger area than a fin keel (despite the fin keel being a little deeper), so it would seem then that the full keel would do better, not worse.
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Infographic of SEA Learning Path: Study, Execute, Automate. Displays brain power percentages for each stage.

Are You Really Ready for an Assessment?

Before you ask an instructor for an assessment or certification sign-off, it helps to understand how learning actually works on the water. At NauticEd, we developed the S-E-A Learning Path.
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Catamarans at a dock with arrows showing wind direction; guide on docking in any wind condition.

How to Dock a Catamaran on a T-Head (Complete Guide)

Docking a catamaran on a T-head doesn’t have to be stressful. In this step-by-step video + transcript, Grant Headifen demonstrates five real-world approaches—45° drive-in, ferry-glide (crab), tailwind back-in, wind-on, and wind-off—showing throttle work, line order, and pro tips for clean, controlled landings.
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Catamaran sailing on vibrant blue ocean waves under clear sky.

Waves Explained: Formation, Swell vs Wind Waves & Safety

From chaos to swell: learn how wind builds waves, why long-period swells outpace storms, how fetch and period shape comfort (and seasickness), and what offshore safety gear—especially well-fitting PFDs with spray hoods—does to keep you breathing and alert.
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“We have one very powerful principle. It is concentrated in one word: competence”

NauticEd is the leading International sailing and boating education company – offering over 20 best-in-class online sailing courses, a global network of sailing schools and private sailing instructors, and top-ranked sailing blog. NauticEd Sailing Vacations includes full-service yacht charter agents ready to assist you when planning a sailing vacation anywhere in the world. View courses and more at nauticed.org >

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Last updated on January 7th, 2025