Sailing Education Archives

Electric Devices and Standards

October 16, 2023/by Grant Headifen

A word of caution whenever using any home AC appliances on a vessel. Generally, these devices will work fine

Magnetism

October 16, 2023/by Grant Headifen

We begin with a phenomenon called magnetism. This phenomenon was known thousands of years before electricity. Magnetism was discovered…

Helpful Hints about Wind

October 16, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Since the existence of wind is the primary reason we can sail, it is prudent to know all we can about it.

Sailing Safety Equipment

October 16, 2023/by Grant Headifen

There is a plethora of equipment specially designed for a variety of emergencies at sea. Some are inexpensive…

Take Note When the Boat Heels Over or Stands Up

October 16, 2023/by Grant Headifen

At a sailing group meeting, someone mentioned they were having trouble determining if the boat was pinching or not.

As the skipper of a vessel, you are expected to be able to handle situations thrust upon you at a moment’s notice. Many of these situations are boat-related issues, but there are also crew injury issues for which you should be prepared to assess and handle at least enough until professional assistance arrives.

Waves, Swells, and Depth

October 15, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Since waves are primarily the result of surface wind action, they can be accurately predicted. Waves have troughs and crests.

Navigation Introduction

October 15, 2023/by Grant Headifen

The history of navigation is fascinating and dates back to as many centuries as we can imagine.

Mast Head and Fractional Rigging

October 15, 2023/by Grant Headifen

There are two variations on the standing rigging set up: Masthead and Fractional. On masthead rigs, the attachment point for the sidestays (shrouds), forestay, and backstay (if they exist) is at the top of the mast.

Crew Briefing Video

October 15, 2023/by Grant Headifen

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.