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.

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
Dual-color LED boat navigation light with red and green lenses, ideal for marine safety and visibility on sailboats.

Boat and Equipment Emergencies

The character MacGyver in the TV show of the same name would have made a great sailor. Why? Because he could fix anything and a boat is a concoction of a kajillion gadgets busting to rot...
October 19, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram showing a sailboat's anchor dragging underwater, with arrows indicating anchor path and boat movement.

Weighing Anchor

“Weighing the anchor” simply means raising it. If raising the anchor is to be done by hand...
October 17, 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
Sailboat anchored in serene blue water near rocky coast, ideal for sailing adventures and peaceful escapes.

Anchoring

Anchoring is not simply throwing a “hook” and letting out a line. However, after watching some sailors, this seems to be their theory. Successful anchoring requires a plan considering all the factors.
October 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram showing wind direction effects on a sail: trimmed, backwinding, and luffing stages.

Lifts and Knocks in Sailing

Lifts and Knocks are technical terms for how the direction of the wind changes, requiring changes in how you respond while sailing...
August 11, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sailors securing a sailboat to a mooring buoy at sunset, against a backdrop of tranquil ocean and distant islands.

Mooring on a Charter

Most developed chartering locations throughout the world have established zones in which mooring balls have been permanently implanted.
April 12, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Blue sailing life vest featuring durable straps and a cartoon logo. Ideal for safety and buoyancy on the water.

Personal Flotation Devices

The terms “life jacket” and “PFD” are interchangeable, with the latter used in the USA and the former used in most of the rest of the world.
October 17, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Raymarine ST6002 autopilot display showing course direction at 270 degrees, used in marine navigation.

The Autopilot on a Charter

The autopilot is a great tool for those long hauls and it’s probably better at holding a straight line than most of us.
April 10, 2024/by Grant Headifen

True Wind vs. Apparent Wind

Learn the basic difference between True Wind and Apparent Wind...
August 27, 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
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
Boat battery wiring diagram showing engine, alternator, battery banks, isolator, charger, and shore power connections.

Typical Boat and Battery Wiring Schematic

Here is a typical wiring schematic of how your batteries are connected into your boat and charging system.
April 15, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Sailing boat heels with mast head pull technique on water.

Mast Head pull heeling versus wind heeling

Takeaways: Standing rigging isn’t the place to economize—it’s a load-management system. Use stretchy docklines for masthead pulls, avoid shock loads, and apply smooth, steady pressure. Snatch loads break rigs.
January 3, 2026/by Grant Headifen

Holding a Constant Heading while Adjusting the Sails

We're heading to a specific point on land or a compass heading. Thus we need to keep the sails flying effectively...
August 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Safe Speed Nav Rule

The Rule Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can...
August 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sailboat and motor yacht on open sea, aerial view, showcasing a serene maritime adventure on calm waters.

Crossing Situations Nav Rules

The Rule 15 (a) when two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the vessel...
August 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Two people enjoying a sunny day sailing, adjusting sails on a boat with clear blue skies in the background.

Sails – Getting Familiar with a Charter Boat

We’re pretty certain here that you know how to operate sails on a sailboat,  however – chances are that you’re chartering a boat much bigger than you’re normally used to.
April 3, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Group of sailors examining navigation charts at a table in a nautical classroom setting.

Charter Local Area Familiarization

Once you’ve arrived at the charter base, the company will give you an extensive briefing on the local area, where to sail, where not to sail, and they’ll also give you a recommended route to take for the time that you have allotted.
April 4, 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

The Nautical Chart on a Charter

Even though most sailboat charters are within island groups where the next landfall is typically within sight, every boat should be equipped with complete large-scale charts of the area.
April 5, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Disassembled marine toilet pump with clog evidence on white boat floor.

Sailing Vessel Preparation

Sometimes it is a good idea to get nasty stuff out of the way first as well as prepare your boat and crew.
October 25, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Red powder fire extinguisher with blue handle, essential for boat safety and emergency preparedness on board.

Sailboat Fire Extinguishers and Requirements

Fire Extinguishers Fire Extinguishers are given a letter rating that matches the type of fire they will be battling.
October 13, 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

Last updated on December 6th, 2024