Sailing Skills Archives

Tag Archive for: Sailing Skills

Sail Trim – How do sails work?

March 2, 2023/by Trisha Evelyn

Learn how to raise or unfurl sails in this brief glimpse into one of our introductory sailing courses.

How to Raise or Unfurl Sails

January 12, 2023/by Trisha Evelyn

Learn how to raise or unfurl sails in this brief glimpse into one of our introductory sailing courses.

The Chicken Gybe (Jibe)

November 18, 2022/by Grant Headifen

Sometimes in sailing it’s smart to stay safe and not take the dare. The safe maneuver is called the chicken gybe (jibe).

What is Sail Twist and how to use it

October 18, 2022/by D Henderson

Managing sail twist can increase the performance, speed, and control of the sails. What is Sail Twist and how to use it…

How to Pick Up a Mooring Ball

June 8, 2022/by Grant Headifen

The principle is simple – motor downwind past your selected mooring ball and back up to it. Run a line from the forward cleat outside the stanchions…

Anchoring with side waves

May 7, 2022/by Grant Headifen

Here is a trick on how to turn your anchored boat to fave the waves instead of facing the wind. It gives you a much smoother experience while anchoring with side waves.

Maneuvering a Sailboat out of a Tight Slip

February 17, 2022/by Grant Headifen

Maneuvering a Sailboat out of a tight slip does not need to be stressful or embarrassing. Learn how to use your spring line in challenging crosswinds.

Anchoring: How much rope or chain should I let out?

October 28, 2020/by Grant Headifen

Anchoring and getting how much chain and rope right to let out is such an important topic that we thought we’d make this excerpt available for free in open space. Please enjoy how we dive into science and mathematics in these techniques.

How to rig a temporary Barber Hauler on a Catamaran

March 14, 2020/by Grant Headifen

Following on from last week’s excellent post by SVN Magazine on Barber Haulers, this week we show how to make your own very simple Barber Hauler while on a catamaran on a sailing vacation (or on your own catamaran). The issue is that the catamarans have their jibsheet track on the rooftop of the salon. […]

The Barber Hauler User Guide

March 7, 2020/by Grant Headifen

The barber hauler owes its name to the Barber brothers, who introduced it for the first time in the 1950s to move the jib clew laterally and inwards to close the jib-mainsail channel and get a tighter angle on the wind. Over the years it has undergone a remarkable development….