Boating Knowledge Base

Have a sailing question? Access NauticEd’s sailing and boating knowledge base, and gain in-depth answers to your sailing questions. If you’re interested in powerboating, visit our new powerboating blog.

Aerial view of a sailboat with a wooden deck moored at a dock, floating on calm, dark blue water.

Returning a sailboat to the Slip

Time flies when you are sailing. But sadly, the moment comes when you must return and put your vessel back in its slip.
October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Schematic of boat bilge pump system with battery, manual and float switches, showing hull and water levels.

Bilge Pumps on a Charter Boat

Boats have two types of pumps to empty bilge water; electronic and manually operated. 
April 5, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Boat generator control panel with preheat and start switches; toggle between gen and shore power.

Generators on a Charter Boat

Some charter boats have generators. These are small diesel engines that convert fossil fuel to DC electricity that is stored in the battery banks and AC electricity that is used to run the air conditioning, microwave, and AC outlet plugs around the boat.
April 4, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Sailor in a red jacket braving rough seas, harnessed on a wet deck with splashing waves, focused on handling the sail.

Sailing Safety Equipment

There is a plethora of equipment specially designed for a variety of emergencies at sea. Some are inexpensive...
October 16, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Boat Heading vs Sail Set and Forces on the Sail

The set of your sail depends on your sailing angle to the wind. You're working to maximize the aerodynamic forces on the sail.
August 30, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Scenic harbor view with sailboats docked along a quaint seaside village, surrounded by lush greenery and hillside houses.

Mediterranean Mooring Techniques

Mediterranean Mooring Techniques is where the rubber meets the road—or, in this case, where the gel coat does not touch the big bad hard concrete wall.
May 15, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Sleek red sailboat gliding on blue water with foils, under a clear sky.

Sailboat Design

Surely, the first sailboat was invented by a five-year-old child with a block of wood. He or she stuck a twig through a piece of animal skin and then down into a knothole in the wood.
October 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram shows electromagnetic induction process and corresponding sinusoidal wave of current amplitude over time.

Alternating Current and Direct Current

In your house, your wall outlets deliver alternating current (AC) electricity. The electricity provided to your house and your marina from the national electric grid is AC. Most of the devices...
October 18, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sailboat bathroom interior with compact sink, mirror, and toilet, showcasing efficient design for marine use.

Heads on a Charter Boat

You don’t need trouble with the waste system, especially when on vacation.
April 4, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Sailboats anchor downwind in a neat line on calm water, with wind direction indicated.

Tacking and Gybing Maneuvers

Tacking when you want to sail in a direction to exactly where the wind is coming from— guess what—you can’t! The best we can do is to follow a zig-zag course by sailing at about 30 to 40 degrees off the wind...
October 19, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sailing yacht adjusting sheets: working sheet loosened to move fairlead, lazy sheet cleated amidships over scenic ocean.

High Wind and Gust Management in Sailing

Professional sail trimmers deal with high winds and gusts by managing the traveler and mainsheet simultaneously. The fairlead position...
August 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Two sailboats navigating in open sea, one with red hull. Wind direction indicated by blue arrow.

Some Navigation Rules Terminology

Understanding Navigation Rules begins with learning some basic Navigation Rules terminology...
August 23, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Blue nautical first aid kit with red handles, essential for boating safety and emergency preparedness.

Crew Safety Briefing

You can avoid many emergencies by conducting a proper safety briefing before leaving the dock.
October 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Sailboat Diesel Engine

Thanks go to Mr. Rudolf Diesel who years ago in Germany cleverly invented an engine that today bears his name (luckily, they chose to use his last name)—the sailboat diesel engine.
October 21, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sleek yacht interior featuring a shiny stainless steel stove and oven set within polished wooden cabinetry.

Galley Stove on a Charter Boat

The vast majority of vessels in charter fleets are equipped with propane-burning galley stoves. 
April 7, 2024/by Grant Headifen
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.
December 20, 2025/by Grant Headifen
Nautical chart symbols for rocks, wrecks, and obstructions, detailing dangers and depths for safe navigation.

Chart Symbols

Studying a harbor layout does very little good without understanding the symbols and what they signify. It pays to
October 17, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Sailboat Balance

Below is an animation that shows the balance of forces: actually it is technically the balance of a concept called “moments.”
October 20, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sailboats navigating between docks on a sunny day, with wind direction marked, illustrating docking maneuvers.

Leaving the Slip with a Sailboat

Wind coming into the slip channel and your boat is stern-to. This is best handled by steering out of the slip and then immediately downwind. Back out of the slip channel and well into the main channel before engaging forward.
April 1, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Sailboat engine cooling system diagram showing fluid flow through heat exchanger and pumps.

Sailboat Diesel Water Systems

Diesel engines run hot because of high compression and therefore need to be cooled. Fortunately, ample cooling is readily available from the water the vessel is sailing in.
October 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram of a sail with terms: head, luff, leech, foot, tack, clew, jibsail, jibsheet, fairlead, and geometric center.

Names of Thingys in Sailing

There's a lot of terminology in sailing, and to get started with sail trim we recommend beginning with some key sailing "thingy" terms.
August 2, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Two people in a dinghy on a calm sea with sailboats and green islands in the background under a cloudy sky.

Dinghy on a Bareboat Charter

Several things to note about the dinghy on a Bareboat Charter.
April 11, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Catamaran and monohull sailboats docked; text Catamaran vs Monohull overlaid, highlighting sailing choice options.

Catamaran vs Monohull: A Real-World Comparison for Cruisers

Comparing catamaran vs monohull for cruising? This guide breaks down comfort, sailing feel, cost, safety, and real-life tradeoffs that matter.
June 27, 2025/by Merrill Charette
Comparison of lifejacket and buoyancy vest, illustrating flotation differences in water safety gear.

Types of PFDs

Types of PDF's Here is a graphical explanation between a lifejacket and a buoyancy vest. PFD Type ratings are being phased out...
October 18, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Last updated on December 6th, 2024