Tag Archive for: Sail Trim

What is VMG?

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VMG – Velocity Made Good and Polar Plots This discussion comes mostly out of our Electronic Navigation Course which is available also as an iPad Electronic Navigation Course App. For sailboats, VMG is slightly different than what you’d expect if you were navigating an airplane or power boat. For airplanes and powerboat VMG is your […]

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Sailing by the Luff

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This question was posed to us on our NauticEd Sailing facebook page QUESTION: Well My Uncle invited us out to see the tall ships on parade in Long beach harbor… but we sailed outside the breakwater, then headed back in. At one point I got behind the helm of the boat to get the feel […]

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Dinghy Sailing Heading up

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As an addition to our dinghy sailing iBook for kids, which will be available for download via the Apple iTunes store soon, below is another animation to help further their education. It easily and effectively explains the concept of heading up on the wind from a beam reach to a close haul. The helmsperson pushes […]

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Headsail funnels the wind

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The animation included below shows you exactly how a head sail will funnel the wind on the back side of the mainsail. This, in turn, will allow the mainsail to be hauled in tighter with out the wind stalling behind the mainsail. This will then allow the boat to head even further upwind. You can […]

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Luffing and sheeting in

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This animation below shows a dinghy that is sailing at about 45 deg to the wind. The sail is luffing (flapping) because it has been let out too far. When you sheet in, the sail will stop luffing and begin to drive the boat forward. Click on the “sheet in” button to see more about […]

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Points of Sail

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This is a points of sail animation for teaching kids how to sail a dinghy. This animation will be in our upcoming dinghy sailing ibook.

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How to Pull on a Line

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Here’s a quicky sailing tip that isn’t documented in too many places. And you might think it’s a bit basic but I’ve even seen old time sailing instructors doing this the wrong way. One day their luck is going to run out. Fortunately we got to you just in time. I was out racing last […]

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