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.

Burned marine shore power plug showing signs of electrical damage in hand, indicating potential safety hazard.

Shore Power Connection

One of the more common sources of fire on a boat is a loose connection of the shore power to the receptacle plug on the stern of the boat.
October 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen
ICOM IC-M302 marine VHF radio with mic, featuring channel 16 display for reliable communication at sea.

Using a Marine Radio

Knowledge of use of a VHF is not only mandatory for safety but some governments require a VHF knowledge certification before you can charter a boat in their waters.
April 10, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Sailboats cruising on open sea under clear skies, showcasing vibrant sails and sleek designs.

Sailboats vs Sailboats Nav Rules

Sailboats On The Same Tack The Rule 12 a(ii) when both have the wind on the same...
August 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Sailboat Diesel Engine Fluids

Diesel engines make use of a variety of fluids, including raw and coolant water, diesel fuel, and lubricating oil. A problem in the flow of any one of these fluids can cause problems...
October 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram illustrating sailboat hydrodynamics with forces acting on rudder and resulting force direction.

Sailboat Maneuvering Topics

With practice, wind direction and current direction are not too much of a problem. But what can get you into trouble is extremely high winds. Be prepared to change...
October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Propeller Entanglement

If there is a sudden slowing or stopping of the engine while motoring it is possible that you have picked up some floating line, hopefully not from your vessel.
October 17, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Sailing Safety Introduction

Emergencies at sea extend from simple and almost funny episodes to major challenges that are extremely serious.
October 19, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Sail TellTales

"Telltales" attached to the sail in strategic positions to "tell" us what the wind is doing at that exact location.
August 11, 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
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

Keeping the Telltales Flying Steady

As a sailor we are doing one of two things when it comes to sail trim, either holding a course or trimming to our sails...
August 24, 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
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
Monument of Discoveries sculpture in Lisbon with sailors set against a clear blue sky and a view of the Tagus River.

Navigation Introduction

The history of navigation is fascinating and dates back to as many centuries as we can imagine.
October 15, 2023/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
Diagram of aerodynamic forces on an airfoil and sail, showing lift, drag, and pressure differences for sailing dynamics.

Sailing and Wind Forces

A sailboat moves in upwind and downwind directions. Downwind is intuitive; it just gets blown downwind. But just how does a sailboat move into the wind?
October 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram illustrating sea breeze effect: warm air from land replaces cooler water air, influencing sailboat movement.

Wind

Winds can be gentle, hardly felt, like zephyrs flitting about in a local area, or they can be vast movements of air moving swiftly across oceans and continents at low and high altitudes.
October 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Crew Briefing Video

It is important to know how much experience your crew has before you embark on any sailing adventure. For our boat, we created a video walkaround introduction to the boat covering safety items and also just general items on how we want our boat looked after.
October 15, 2023/by Grant Headifen

When Turbulent Flow Happens in Sailing

An airplane stalls and falls out of the sky when the wings stop producing as much lift, similar to when turbulent air flow happens in sailing...
August 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Satellites orbiting Earth in space, illustrating global connectivity and navigation technology.

Global Positioning System

GPS stands for global positioning system. It uses a network of satellites in orbit. Although the GPS is used as a navigation device, it is also a form of communication to the vessel.
October 14, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Rule 2000 heavy-duty bilge pump with red and blue design for efficient water removal on boats.

Bilge Pumps

An emergency bilge pump(s) is a very significant electrical device on any vessel. This pump is used to pump out water that may collect, for whatever reason, in the bilge.
October 23, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Compact marine generator with dimensions 36x22x23 and weight 600 lbs., ideal for sailing power needs.

Sailboat Generator or Large Battery Bank?

Dedicated electric generators on board sailboats are usually only reserved for large sailboats because of their weight and size. Unless there is a desire for large amounts of electricity...
October 23, 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
Two men discussing sailing techniques on a sailboat, part of NauticEd's Instructional Skipper program.

Learning sailing while on a Yacht Charter Vacation

Learn to sail while on vacation with the Instructional Skipper Program. Gain real-world skills and practical experience in beautiful destinations.
December 15, 2024/by Grant Headifen

Last updated on December 6th, 2024