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.

Diagram illustrating a sailboat's interaction with strong wind, showing movement and wind direction.

Planning to use springlines when docking

Like a work of fine engineering, a spring maneuver requires a design. The key is to plan the maneuver by considering the wind, current, and other obstacles, then design the placement and directions of the forces and moments.
May 13, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Father and child repairing sailboat deck on a sunny day near lush green shorelines.

Plumbing and Tankage – Getting Familiar with a Charter Boat

A diaphragm pump below directs flow from the water tank(s) to various faucets throughout the boat. You'll always begin a charter with full water tanks but understand that water conservation is still required.
April 4, 2024/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

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
Satellite image of a swirling hurricane over the Atlantic, approaching the southeastern coast of the USA.

Understanding Weather Systems

Weather is a highly complex natural phenomenon. Globally, it is all connected and operates on a multitude of physical laws.
October 19, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sailboat with people navigating open waters, capturing the essence of adventure and freedom under clear skies.

Seacocks – Getting Familiar with a Charter Boat

Seacocks are designed to let water flow out of the hull safely. They are not one-way valves so any loose clamps around the seacock itself create leaks around the hoses and can allow water to enter into the boat. This is usually bad – right?
April 4, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Boat throttle control diagram showing forward, neutral, and reverse positions to increase RPM.

Sailboat Gear and Throttle Controls

Sailboats, and boats in general, use their gears and throttle to control momentum. It’s unlike driving a car in that you have no brake! Instead, you use your forward and reverse gears and throttle to both increase and decrease speed...
May 22, 2024/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
Diagram of a sail with terms: head, luff, leech, foot, tack, clew, jibsail, jibsheet, fairlead, and geometric center.

Fairlead Control

The fairlead is the first control device that the jib sheet passes through on its way back to the cockpit. You can move the fair lead forward or backward.
August 30, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Two sailboats with conical shapes on the ocean, indicating vessels under power, sailing in clear weather.

Motor Sailing

If the wind is light and your time is short you might want to consider motor-sailing—using your auxiliary engine...
October 19, 2023/by Grant Headifen
West Marine deep cycle battery, Group 31, for reliable marine power and extended 105 amp hours performance.

Marine Batteries

The source of DC power is usually one or more marine-grade batteries, normally 12 volts each. They are similar to automobile batteries, except sturdier—and of course more expensive.
October 18, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram showing wind direction effects on a sail: trimmed, backwinding, and luffing stages.

Luffing and Backwinding Sails

Luffing is when the sail is flapping in the wind. Back winding happens usually right before luffing occurs.
August 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen
RSS feed icon for staying updated with the latest sailing adventures and tips.

Boat Safety Sound Signals

Sound signals are defined and prescribed in the Navigation Rules for International and Inland Waters. Sound has an advantage over light signals, in that it can be used when vision fails.
October 25, 2023/by Grant Headifen

The Job of a Sail Trimmer

Sail trimmers in world-class regattas spend years reading and understanding the wind relative to the sails. Sometimes they trim the sheets only a few inches/cm...
August 5, 2023/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
Illustration of sailboats docked at a pier, showing wind direction and spring line for secure mooring.

Docking onto End Ties

Wind blowing you off the dock end ties, plan a fairly steep approach so that you are facing more into the wind.
March 30, 2024/by Grant Headifen
Sea anchor setup on a yacht deck with tow line and deflate line labeled for easy sailing navigation and safety.

Sea Anchor

Finally, there is something called a “sea anchor.” These can be a variety of devices used to slow down a vessel caught in high winds and turbulent seas.
October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Sea spray splashes over a vast ocean surface under a clear sky, capturing the excitement of open water sailing adventure.

Waves, Swells, and Depth

Since waves are primarily the result of surface wind action, they can be accurately predicted. Waves have troughs and crests.
October 15, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram of yacht communication and navigation system with satellite, GPS, radar, WiFi, and autopilot integration.

Electronic Communications

Nowadays, gigabytes of data can be sent in a second as a digital signal. It is all a complete Wow!
October 22, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Diagram comparing lift and drag forces on fabric and winged sails, illustrating aerodynamic efficiency differences.

Winged Sail Vector Diagrams

Sail and Winged Sail Wind Force Vector Diagrams. And it's highly relevant right now because of the America's Cup AC45 catamarans using winged sails.
August 26, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Open yacht anchor locker with chain and windlass, showcasing teak deck and railing against blue sea backdrop.

Electric Windlass

An electric windlass is a powerful electric winch that greatly helps in the lowering and raising the anchor.
October 23, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Group of people planning a sailing route with a map and notes in a cozy room, discussing navigation strategies.

The Nautical Chart

Safely maneuvering a vessel while using positions derived from various coastal and near coastal sources is called coastal navigation.
October 24, 2023/by Grant Headifen
Assorted sailboat hardware: snap hook, swivel block, cleats, shackles, rope jammer, jib sail hank, turnbuckle, pad eye.

Sailboat Running Rigging

A sailboat’s running rigging consists of those items controlling the sails and helping the sails to capture the wind’s energy.
October 18, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Last updated on December 6th, 2024