Sailing Education Archives

How to Get to a Waypoint

September 11, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Recently on our NauticEd flotilla with the Moorings to the Kingdom of Tonga we wanted to pass through the Fanua Tapu Pass which is a gap in the reef to get to the eastern islands of the Vava’u archipelago. Normally the gap is marked by a series of buoys, however the latest storm ate them. The […]

How to Spring off the Dock with a Catamaran

August 12, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Next week we’re going to Tonga and the island of Vava’U for a week long NauticEd Flotilla sailing trip amongst the archipelago. After a rainy and relatively cool winter in New Zealand this year its going to be a welcome and fun trip. We’re bareboat chartering three catamarans from the Moorings. 21 adults and 3 […]

Heaving To And Something About It That You Might Not Know

July 23, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Most sailors already know how to heave to so I’ll give the quick part of this tip up front. The Quick Bit When heaving to, and if you have the choice, do it so that your boat is on a starboard tack. This way you are the “Stand-on” vessel in an approaching situation with other […]

Even whales want to learn to sail

July 22, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Oh My Goodness This story is, almost unbelievably, one hundred percent real – included here is a pic of a southern right whale who, it seems, accidentally breeched on to a sailboat in Capetown, South Africa. I actually think it was, most likely, just jealous. I believe it simply wanted to get in on the […]

Types of Anchors and bottom types that they are best suited.

July 6, 2010/by Grant Headifen

As you learn to sail, you should be also learning about anchoring. There is more to tossing the hook so to speak. After doing some research on the internet and looking at some of the tests performed on holding power, I’ve made a quick summary of what I learned. Anchor types are selected based on […]

How the Tides Work

July 3, 2010/by Grant Headifen

As a new sailor, just learning to sail, the thought of figuring out how tides work can be quite intimidating. Let’s talk about them.

Leeway and a Bottle of Rum

June 22, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Leeway is just one of those things that is a law of the universe that we have to put up with. It’s just like gravity. Still with gravity – the advantage is that it’s highly predictable. And so then is leeway. Leeway is the sideways slip motion of our sailboat downwind from the pressure of […]

Weather Helm Vs Lee Helm – What is it? How to use it?

June 16, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Most of us sort of understand the concept of weather and lee helm, but few explanations go into how it gives your boat a sailing advantage.

Stopping Rounding Up Dead in it’s Tracks

June 8, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Rounding up is caused by many factors. One is too much wind and force aloft which tends to heel the boat over. This reduces the amount of rudder in the water and thus the rudder’s effectiveness. Another factor in rounding up is the center of pressure of wind on the sails is too far aft […]

Sailing Certification Question

June 3, 2010/by Grant Headifen

Here is a question posted by one of our students today with our response following. On 6/4/10 1:54 PM, “Ted” wrote: I have recently started through your courses in the hope of chartering next winter. My own boat is a 25′ Catalina. From your information it appears that I will not receive credit for […]