Bahamas vacations . sailing in the abacos

Abaco, which is located in the Bahamas, is a true world class sailing destination, and is located less than 200 miles East of Florida. The mainland of Abaco is lined with a string of outer cays that run north and south. These cays protect the miles and miles of turquoise waters off of the mainland, making them safe to explore. This particular area is known as the Sea of Abaco, and is referred to as the sailing capital of the Bahamas. Here, the trade winds are steady, and private secluded anchorages are plentiful.

Abaco boasts numerous beaches, coves, and islands to explore. The reef network, which serves as a barrier for the outer cays, is known to be the third largest in the northern hemisphere. Stretching nearly 100 miles, this natural wonder should be taken advantage of. Snorkeling and Scuba diving is a must, as the underwater wildlife is very diverse and colourful. Abaco offers many dive sites, which are perfect for the beginner or experienced diver.

Planning a sailing vacation in the Bahamas is easier than most would think. If you plan to charter, you can bareboat with general sailing experience, or relax while enjoying a captained excursion. With a captain, learn the ropes while on vacation, and take advantage of his local knowledge. This knowledge will able you to explore the path less traveled. Travelers can also take advantage of Abaco by bringing their personal sailboat to cruise the area.

Abaco offers modern conveniences, such as grocery stores, marinas, hotels, and the internet, without losing the old world charm and warmth of the islands. Each island in the chain offers something different, whether it is the landscape, beaches, restaurants, activities, or local people. A sailing vacation within the sea of Abaco gives you the opportunity to explore and experience each individual cay. Since you are not stuck in one location, you will have complete freedom to sail into a new anchorage every night. People tend to fall in love with the area, or even a particular cay, and return year after year to vacation.

The Bottom line is, when planning how and where to base your sailing vacation, consider what the unique water and cays of Abaco can offer. The key is doing plenty of research and making preparations. Planning the perfect sailing vacation is not hard -- it just takes a little time and effort. In the end, it will all pay off, and you will have many memories that will last a lifetime.

Start planning your sailing vacation in the Abacos. With a little research, you are one step closer to being surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, and relaxing on the turquoise water. Learn more about the cays and visit Hope Town, Elbow Cay and Great Guana Cay in the Abacos.

The history of american sailing

The history of American sailing ships is an exciting journey into American history, starting with the world's most famous explorer Christopher Columbus.

The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria are probably the most well known American ships in history. Christopher Columbus sailed these ships in 1492, to try to discover a trade route across the Atlantic Ocean. He ended up discovering the New world on October 12, 1492.

Another important part of the history of American sailing ships is a sailing ship named the Godspeed, which in 1607, carried settlers to the Jamestown colonies.

One of the most famous sailing ships is the Mary Celeste, which on November 5, 1872, was set to travel from New York to Italy to deliver alcohol. The ship was seen heading to the Strait of Gibraltar about a month later. The entire cargo of alcohol was still on board, and in good shape, but there were none of the ten passengers to be found. Many people believe that the alcohol on board began to leak, and the captain must have ordered everyone overboard because he thought that the ship would explode. The exact account of what happened on the Mary Celeste will probably never be known.

Different kinds of ships in the history of American sailing are:

1. The Sloop- It had one mast, and cut sail. This type of ship could be very large, and some were quite small.

2. The Brigantine- It had two masts, and a topgallant sail. The foremast was rigged square, but the mainmast was not.

3. The Barkentine- It had three masts and square sails on the foremast structure.

4. The Three Masted Schooner- The maximum masts ever used on a three masted schooner was seven.

5. The Topsail Schooner- Its rigging and masts are much like the Brigantine.

6. The Bark- Usually had four rigged sails.

7. The Brig- It was a two masted square rigged ship.

Some more in the history of American sailing ships include:

1. The Wanderer- A sixty foot long fishing schooner, that was built in 1903.

2. The Wanderbird- Built as a North Sea fishing trawler in 1963.

3. The Wawona- One of three, three masted schooners still in the U.S.

4. The Welcome- A schooner built in 1795 for collecting customs.

5. We are Here- Built in Massachusetts before 1888. It was captained by Edward Byard.

6. Westward- A 125ft. Steel schooner.

7. Wendemeen- This is a schooner that was built in 1912.

8. Windy- Four masted Gaff schooner made in Chicago.

9. Wolf- A 74ft. top sail schooner that is made with a steel hull.

Throughout the history of American sailing ships we have had many different types of vessels to lead us on the grandest of all sailing voyages.

Sailing with a spinnaker

It seems to me that many sailors, particularly beginners, are quite frightened of sailing with a spinnaker. There's no need to be. But there are some basic traps to be avoided.

I have sailed in scores of ocean races, including 14 Sydney to Hobarts, and the best way I can illustrate what I mean is to tell you about an incident when I sailed as Navigator and local knowledge for a Russian crew.

They were from St Petersburg - and they were very much the modern Russian, smart, self-assured and commercially aware. Though they were 20 years out of date in their sailing techniques they were almost arrogant in their belief that they were not. This was to lead to some firm discussions between us.

We were running before a good hard northerly on the second day of the race. The wind had been blowing for some time so that the seas, even though they were running with the current, had become significant although not big.

I pointed out to the skipper that the big spinnaker was four or five feet from the top of its hoist, which naturally was causing the boat to get into a heavy rolling pattern. Also the crew had not fitted a choker to the sheet, which was not helping.

At first he pretended not to hear me. Then he said, "This is not the Russian way." I insisted that not only was this heavy rolling slowing the boat down but that there were very great pressures being put on the mast. He insisted, still, that this was not the Russian way.
I snappily replied he would lose the mast - but it was no satisfaction to me when that happened only half an hour or so later. We were out of the race.

(By the way it is something to see when 12 fit strong young Russians, who don't have much money but a lot of incentive, recover from a broken mast. They had the whole thing back on board within 2 minutes and then had the problem of about 15 feet of overhang bow and stern. It didn't matter much at the bow, but with the mast in the steep seas at the stern the helmsman had a struggle to counteract the sweep effect. The mast was trying to steer the boat.)

A better way to sail under spinnaker

If that's the wrong way what is the right way? For a start, never, ever (to coin a phrase) fail to pull the spinnaker halyard, and the spinnaker, right to the top of its hoist. The moment the spinnaker starts to sway from side to side the forward drive of the boat is lost. That's bad in its own right, but as I pointed out, that puts strains on the boat that are far too dangerous. For instance the steering comes under enormous pressure as the side of the boat starts to take control and the helmsman has to use all pressure to try to counteract. If he fails the boat broaches, of course.

The choker, which I mentioned to the Russians, is another way of preventing the death rolls. It is a simple arrangement which may be as basic as tying a line over the sheet, tying a bowline in that line and pulling the standing part through a block and to a winch so that the sheet is pulled down and in to the side of the boat. On some boats a special open-sided block is used which sits over the sheet and then goes through another block in the same way. As tension is put on the line, and the sheet pulled down again, the spinnaker is held firm and any tendency to roll is counteracted.

While the main way to learn how to sail with spinnakers in heavy weather is to practice, there are a couple of good basic rules to learn. In the first place always keep the boat under the spinnaker. This apparently silly little phrase is actually the best rule to know. It means that if the boat rolls to starboard steer 'under the spinnaker' to starboard and counteract the movement of the hull. By this I don't mean giving a big swing on the wheel and making the boat turn to 45 degrees. It is more a little kick.

The next rule is to reef down. When the boat starts being hard-pressed when running it is because the pressure in the mainsail is trying to turn the boat to the side opposite the main. At its extreme the helmsman won't be able to counteract this and the boat will broach. For this reason it is best to take a reef in the main (not always easy when the sail is pressed against the shrouds) but nevertheless take a slab out of the sail and so reduce the turning moment. Of course, in the end, no amount reefing is going to allow you to keep the spinnaker up.

But all is not lost. Even without the spinnaker the boat can be kept moving very fast and safe by using two headsails.

Learn more about sailing with spinnakers in The Boating Bible Manual of Seamanship, http://www.theboatingbible.com

There are also free articles and a blog and a newsletter with tips and advice from a very experienced sailor. See you there!

Catboat

A catboat (alternate spelling: cat boat), or a cat-rigged sailboat, is a sailing vessel characterized by a single mast carried well forward (i.e., near the front of the boat).

Although any boat with a single sail and a mast carried well forward is 'technically' a catboat, the traditional catboat has a wide beam approximately half the length of the boat, a centerboard, and a single gaff-rigged sail. Some catboats such as the Barnegat Bay type and more modern catboat designs carry a Bermuda sail. A jib is sometimes added, but this may require a bowsprit, and technically creates a sloop sail-plan.

It is generally accepted that the origin of the catboat type was in New York around 1840 and from there spread east and south as the virtues of the type - simplicity, ease of handling, shallow draft, large capacity - were discovered.

Historically, catboats were used for fishing and transport in the coastal waters around Cape Cod, Narragansett Bay, New York and New Jersey. Some were fitted with bowsprits for swordfishing and others were used as 'party boats' with canvas-sided, wood-framed summer cabins that could be rolled up.

Around the turn of the 19th century, catboats were adapted for racing, and long booms and gaffs, bowsprits and large jibs were fitted to capture as much wind as possible. The decline of racing and advent of small, efficient gasoline engines eliminated the need for large sailplans, and catboats today are used as pleasure craft for day sailing and cruising, and have the virtues of roominess, stability and simple handling, though many catboats have poorer upwind performance than well-designed sloop-rigged craft.

The Breck Marshall is a 20-foot (6.1 m) Crosby catboat design that is open for public use at Mystic Seaport

One of the most well-known catboats is the 12-foot (3.7 m) Beetle Cat daysailer. Fleets of these one-design boats are found in harbors all across New England, often competing in races. In the 1960's, Breck Marshall based his 18-foot (5.5 m) fiberglass Sanderling upon an existing, wooden design. The Sanderling has since become a very popular boat, with more than 700 built, and it has helped to rekindle interest in the catboat. To honor Marshall and his contribution to the type, the Catboat Association funded the construction of the Breck Marshall, a 20-foot (6.1 m) catboat built and berthed at Mystic Seaport.

The terms catboat and cat-rigged are often confused with catamaran. Catamaran describes the hull structure of a boat (specifically, it refers to two hulls side-by-side) whereas cat-rigged and catboat describe the sail plan and vessel type, respectively. To add to the confusion, some small sporting catamarans are cat-rigged and both terms are abbreviated cat when no ambiguity is foreseen.

Trimaran

A trimaran is a multihulled boat consisting of a main hull (vaka) and two smaller outrigger hulls (amas), attached to the main hull with lateral struts (akas). The design and names for the trimaran components are derived from the original proa constructed by native Pacific Islanders.

history

The first trimarans were built by indigenous Polynesians almost 4,000 years ago, and much of the current terminology is inherited from them. Multihull sailboats (catamarans and trimarans) gained favor during the 1960s and 1970s. Modern recreational trimarans are rooted in the same homebuilt tradition as other multihulls but there are also a number of production models on the market. A number of trimarans in the 19 - 36 foot lengths have been designed over the last 30 years to be accommodated on a road trailer. These include Catri, Farrier, and Corsair folding trimarans and Quorning and Elan Series swing wing trimarans. Many sailboat designers have also designed demountable trimarans that are able to be trailered.

The trimaran design is also becoming more widespread as a passenger ferry. In 2005 the 127 metre (417 ft) trimaran Benchijigua Express was delivered by Austal to Spanish ferry operator Fred.Olsen, S.A. for service in the Canary Islands. Capable of carrying 1280 passengers and 340 cars, or equivalents, at speeds up to 40 knots, this boat was the longest aluminum ship in the world at the time of delivery.^[1] The trimaran concept has also been considered for modern warships. The RV Triton was commissioned by British defense contractor QinetiQ in 2000. In October 2005, the United States Navy commissioned for evaluation the construction of a General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) trimaran designed and built by Austal.^[2]

Construction

2 types of trimaran exist: the regular trimaran and the open trimaran, which features a trampoline between the hulls instead of plating.

Trimarans have a number of advantages over comparable monohulls (conventional, single-hulled sailboats). Given two boats of the same length, the trimaran has a shallower draft, a wider beam, less hull area, and is able to fly more sail area. In addition, because of the wide beam, trimarans do not need the weighted keel required in monohulls. As a result, the trimaran offers much better straight-line performance than a monohull, is able to sail in shallower water, and maintains its stability in stronger winds. However, its wider beam makes it a little more cumbersome to maneuver, so tacking and gybing can be trickier, and the narrower hulls provide less living space than an equivalently-sized monohull.

As the righting moment (the force that resists the opposite torque of the wind on the sails) is produced by a float on either side called an ama and not a heavy protruding keel, trimarans are lighter and faster than a monohull of equivalent length. A lightweight retractable keel, referred to as a centerboard is often employed to resist lateral movement, making many models easily beachable. Most trimarans are nearly impossible to flip sideways given a reasonable degree of caution, however, trimarans can reach speeds so great in a storm that they can plow into a wave and flip end-over-end. This hazard is especially dangerous for a multihull because of their wide beam. The front of the boat, often covered by trampoline, acts as a giant paddle rather than a narrow monohull would. To avoid this unfortunate scenario trimaran sailors are advised to use trampolines with a large weave and employ parachute drogues and sea anchors whenever appropriate.

The father of the modern sailing trimaran is Victor Tchetchet, a Russian émigré and a strong proponent of multihull sailing. Mr. Tchetchet, who was a fighter pilot during the First World War in the Czar’s Air Force, lived in Great Neck, New York from the 1940’s until his death. He built two trimarans while living in the US, Eggnog 1 and 2. Both boats were made of marine plywood and were about 24 feet long. Mr. Tchetchet is credited with coining the name trimaran. Aside from boat design Mr. Tchetchet earned his living as a landscape and portrait painter.

advantages

Although it is possible for a trimaran to capsize, this is less frequent than with monohull boats because of the greater resistance to rolling that the amas offer. Most trimaran designs are considered nearly unsinkable because even when filled with water, the flotation of one ama is enough to keep the entire vessel afloat. Because of their stability and safety, trimarans such as the Challenger class have become popular with sailors who have restricted mobility.

The greater speed compared to monohulls can become important for safety when weather conditions are bad or threaten to deteriorate because the boat can faster leave the area of danger.

Potential buyers of trimarans should look for one that is designed with amas with multiple sealed partitions, controls that all run to the cockpit, a collision bulkhead, partial or full cockpit coverings or windshields, and drain holes in the cockpit that can adequately drain the cockpit quickly, among other things.

Disadvantages

Trimarans capsizes are more likely to be of the pitch-pole type than a roll to one side due to their higher sideways stability and speeds. Capsized trimarans are harder to turn upright than monohull boats. A capsized trimaran should not be righted by sideways rotation as this usually causes heavy damage of the mast and rigging. Harnesses pulling on the stern toward the bow, or from the bow toward the stern of capsized trimarans have been shown to be able to successfully turn them end-over-end. Several design features reduce the chance of pitch-pole capsize. These include having wing nets with an open weave designed to reduce windage and decks and nets that shed water easily. The best way to avoid capsize is to reduce the efficiency of the sails in heavy weather conditions.

In their early days, multihulls including trimarans ran a greater risk of material damage than monohulls. For ocean-going trimarans, even some trimaran sailors still considered this to be true.

Trimarans at anchor or mooring may follow the wind due to their light weight and shallow draft while monohulls usually follow the tides. This can cause collisions if the trimaran is close to another vessel and the swing circles overlap. A bridle to the anchor line may assist in reducing this swing.

Ketch

A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft (rearward) of the main mast. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward. If a ketch is not rigged for jibs it is called a cat ketch, sometimes called a periauger. On older, larger ketches the main mast may in addition carry one or more square rigged topsails. A ketch may also carry extra sails, see below.

The lowest fore-and-aft sail on the main mast is called the mainsail, while that on the mizzen is called the mizzen sail. These may be any type of fore-and-aft sail, in any combination. The Scots Zulu, for example, had a dipping lug main with a standing lug mizzen.

The ketch is popular among long distance cruisers as the additional sail allows for a better balance, and a smaller more easily handled mainsail for the same overall sail area. It also allows sailing on mizzen and jib only without introducing excessive lee helm, and in an emergency can be quite well steered without use of the rudder. The ketch is a popular rig in northern European waters where sudden increases in wind strength sometimes requires a rapid reefing: the mainsail can be dropped, reducing sail and leaving a balanced sail-plan with jib and mizzen set.

Running before the wind or reaching across the wind, a ketch may carry extra sails such as a spinnaker on the main mast, and a spinnaker.

Similar rigs

The ketch rig is often confused with a yawl. The difference is that the ketch has her mizzen mast forward of the rudder post or waterline thus having more sail area, which contributes significant forward propulsion, whereas the mizzen on a yawl is aft of the rudder post and is used primarily to balance the sail plan (and as a riding sail while at anchor). This is often a matter of intent rather than a physical difference.

The ketch rig can be distinguished from the similar two masted schooner rig by the shorter aftermost mast on the ketch. A schooner has the shorter mast forward. In the case where both masts are approximately the same height, the rig with the larger sail forward is usually called a ketch, while the rig with the larger sail aft is a schooner.

Catamaran

A catamaran (From Tamil 'kattumaram')^[1] is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas. Catamarans can be sail- or engine-powered. The catamaran was first discovered being used by the paravas, a fishing community in the southern coast of Tamil Nadu, India. Catamarans were used by the ancient Tamil Chola dynasty as early as the 5th century AD for moving their fleets to invade such Southeast Asian regions as Burma, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Catamarans are a relatively recent introduction to the design of boats for both leisure and sport sailing, although they have been used for millennia in Oceania, where Polynesian catamarans and outrigger canoes allowed seafaring Polynesians to settle the world's most far-flung islands.

In recreational sailing, catamarans, and multihulls in general, have been met by a degree of skepticism from Western sailors accustomed to more "traditional" monohull designs^[2], mainly because multihulls were based on, to them, completely alien and strange concepts, with balance based on geometry rather than weight distribution. However, the catamaran has arguably become the best hullform for fast ferries, because their powering characteristics and spacious arrangements are valuable.

History

A Polynesian catamaran

A present scull training on catamaran

While the English adventurer and buccaneer William Dampier was traveling around the world in the 1690s in search of business opportunities, he found himself on the southeastern coast of India, in Tamil Nadu on the Bay of Bengal. He was the first to write in English about a kind of vessel he observed there. It was little more than a raft made of logs.

On the coast of Coromandel," he wrote in 1697, "they call them Catamarans. These are but one Log, or two, sometimes of a sort of light Wood ... so small, that they carry but one Man, whose legs and breech are always in the Water.

Although the name came from Tamil, the modern catamaran came from the South Pacific. English visitors applied the Tamil name catamaran to the swift, stable sail and paddle boats made out of two widely separated logs and used by Polynesian natives to get from one island to another.

The design remained relatively unknown in the West for almost another 200 years, until an American, Nathanael Herreshoff, began to build catamaran boats of his own design in 1877 (US Pat. No. 189,459), namely 'Amaryllis', which immediately showed her superior performance capabilities, at her maiden regatta (The Centennial Regatta held on June 22, 1876, off the New York Yacht Club's Staten Island station^[2]). It was this same event, after being protested by the losers, where Catamarans, as a design, were barred from all the regular classes^[2] and they remained barred until the 1970s.

This ban relegated the catamaran to being a mere novelty boat design until 1947^[5]. In 1947, surfing legend, Woodbridge "Woody" Brown and Alfred Kumalae designed and built the first modern ocean-going catamaran, Manu Kai, in Hawaii. Their young assistant was Rudy Choy, who later founded the design firm Choy/Seaman/Kumalae (C/S/K, 1957) and became a fountainhead for the catamaran movement. The Prout Brothers, Roland and Francis, experimented with catamarans in 1949 and converted their 1935 boat factory in Canvey Island, Essex (England), to catamaran production in 1954. Their Shearwater catamarans won races easily against the single hulled yachts.

The speed and stability of these catamarans soon made them a popular pleasure craft, with their popularity really taking off in Europe, and was followed soon thereafter in America. Currently, most individually owned catamarans are built in France, South Africa, and Australia.

In the mid-twentieth century, the catamaran inspired an even more popular sailboat, the Beach Cat. In California, a maker of surfboards, Hobie Alter produced the 250-pound Hobie Cat 14 in 1967, and two years later the larger and even more successful Hobie 16. That boat remains in production, with more than 100,000 made in the past three decades.

The Tornado catamaran is an Olympic class sailing catamaran, with a crew of two. It has been in the Olympic Games since 1976. It was designed in 1967 by Rodney March of Brightlingsea, England, with help from Terry Pierce, and Reg White, specifically for the purpose of becoming the Olympic catamaran. At the IYRU Olympic Catamaran Trials, it easily defeated the other challengers.

Other important builders of catamarans are Austal and Incat, both of Australia and best known for building large catamarans both as civilian ferries and as naval vessels.

Usage and Application

Sailing Beach Catamarans

A catamaran sailboat

Although the principles of sailing are the same for both catamarans and monohulls, there are some "peculiarities" to sailing catamarans. For example:

• Catamarans can be harder to tack if they don't have dagger boards or centre boards. All sailboats must resist lateral movement in order to sail in directions other than downwind and they do this by either the hull itself or else dagger boards or centre boards. Also, because catamarans are lighter in proportion to their sail size, they have less momentum to carry them through the turn when they are head to wind. Correct use of the jib sail (back-filling the jib to pull the bow around) is often essential in successfully completing a tack without ending up stuck in irons (pointing dead into the wind and sailing backwards, see: No-Go Zone).
• They have a higher speed than other sailboats of the same size. This is because they can have a much larger sail area due to the larger righting moment. They can reach over 1.5 times the speed of the wind.
• Catamarans are less likely to capsize in the classic 'beam-wise' manner but often have a tendency to pitchpole instead - where the leeward (downwind) bow sinks into the water and the boat 'trips' over forward, leading to a capsize.^{[citation needed]}

Teaching for new sailors is usually carried out in monohulls as they are thought easier to learn to sail, a mixture of all the differences mentioned probably contributes to this.

Catamarans, and multihulls in general, are normally faster than single-hull boats for three reasons:

• catamarans are lighter due to the fact there is no keel counterweight;
• catamarans have a wider beam (the distance from one side of the boat to the other), which makes them more stable and therefore able to carry more sail area per unit of length than an equivalent monohull; and
• the greater stability means that the sail is more likely to stay upright in a gust, drawing more power than a monohull's sail which is more likely to heel (lean) over.

A catamaran is most likely to achieve its maximum speed when its forward motion is not unduly disturbed by wave action. This is achieved in waters where the wavelength of the waves is somewhat greater than the waterline length of the hulls, or it is achieved by the design piercing the waves. In either case pitching (rocking horse-like motion) is reduced. This has led to it being said that catamarans are especially favourable in coastal waters, where the often sheltered waters permit the boat to reach and maintain its maximum speed.

Catamarans make good cruising and long distance boats: The Race (around the world, in 2001) was won by the giant catamaran Club Med skippered by Grant Dalton. It went round the earth in 62 days at an average speed of eighteen knots.

Sailing regulations

There are three basic rules for avoiding a collision at sea, but this is a simplification of a detailed set of regulations:

1. A yacht using sails as motive power on port tack^[8] gives way to one on starboard tack.^[9].
2. The more maneuverable vessel gives way to the less maneuverable vessel. It is generally assumed that this means that power 'gives way' to sail, but this is not always the case. It is prudent for a small sailing vessel to stay out of the way of large power driven ships by making an early and obvious alteration in course to signal both recognition of a potential collision situation and that avoiding action has been taken. It is mandatory, by port and harbour regulations, that sailing vessels shall stay clear of shipping in a buoyed channel.
3. If a collision is imminent both vessels must take avoiding action even if one vessel (this is the 'stand-on' vessel) would normally take no action. Not to do so, if there is an opportunity, may make the sailor the guilty party at an inquiry. The use of the term 'right of way' is borrowed from yacht racing environment, does not appear in internationally recognised rules for vessels not racing and is inappropriate to all other vessels and situations.

Power driven vessel A that is on a potential collision course crossing the port side of power driven vessel B must give way. Sailing boats with their sails set on the same side of the boat, require that^[10] the windward boat shall give way to the leeward boat.^[11] Vessel A overtaking vessel B normally must keep clear of them . Head on collisions are avoided by vessels both turning to Starboard.

If these rules are not followed in a yacht race, a protest may be called by one of the skippers. A hearing of protestor and protestee by the protest committee panel will decide who wins the rule breach.

However there are many other rules besides these, that are applicable and sailors are required to know these, which are fundamental boating safety rules including:

• The "rules of the road" or International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) set forth by the International Maritime Organization are particularly relevant to sailboats because they may be sharing the same body of water as powered vessels, who are bound by the COLREGS.
• The IALA International Association of Lighthouse Authorities standards for lateral marks, lights, signals, and buoyage and rules designed to support safe navigation.
• The SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations place the obligations for safety on the owners and operators of any boat including sailboats. These regulations specify the safety equipment needed and emergency procedures to be used appropriate to the boat's size and its sailing range.
• When racing, all sailing vessels must follow the Racing Rules of Sailing promulgated by the International Sailing Federation as well as any prescriptions (additional rules) given by the national governing body and organisation running the event. When a boat that is racing encounters one that is not, the racing boat must comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea with respect to the non-racing boat. It is the custom amongst sailors that a sailing boat cruising will not normally get in the way of a racing fleet. Similarly, all sailors give way to divers' boats and fishers for reasons of safety & courtesy.

After sunset all boats racing are bound by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) rather than the Racing Rules of Sailing.

Sailing terminology

Sailors use traditional nautical terms for the parts of or directions on a vessel; starboard (right), port (left), forward or fore (front), aft (rearward), bow (forward part of the hull), stern (aft part of the hull), beam (the widest part). Vertical spars are masts, horizontal spars are booms (if they can hit the sailor), gaffs (if they are too high to reach) or poles (if they cannot hit the sailor).

Rope and lines

Standing rigging (on the left) and running rigging (on the right), on a sailing boat.

Rope is the term used only for raw material; once a section of rope is designated for a particular purpose on a vessel, it generally is called a line, as in outhaul line or dock line. A very thick line is considered a cable. Lines that are attached to sails to control their shapes are called sheets, as in mainsheet If a rope is made of wire, it maintains its rope name as in 'wire rope' halyard.

Lines (generally steel cables) that support masts are stationary and are collectively known as a vessel's standing rigging, and individually as shrouds or stays (the stay running forward from a mast to the bow is called the forestay or headstay).

Moveable lines that control sails or other equipment are known collectively as a vessel's running rigging. Lines that raise sails are called halyards while those that strike them are called downhauls or cunninghams. Lines that adjust (trim) the sails are called sheets. These are often referred to using the name of the sail they control (such as main sheet, or jib sheet). Sail trim may also be controlled with smaller lines attached to the forward section of a boom; such a line is called a vang, or a kicker in the United Kingdom.

Lines used to tie a boat up when alongside are called docklines, docking cables or mooring warps.

Some lines are referred to as ropes: A bell rope (to ring the bell), a bolt rope (attached to the edge of a sail for extra strength), a foot rope (on old square riggers for the sailors to stand on while reefing or furling the sails), and a tiller rope (to temporarily hold the tiller and keep the boat on course). A rode is what keeps an anchor attached to the boat when the anchor is in use. It may be chain, rope, or a combination of the two.

Other terms

Sailboat on a mooring ball near Youngstown, NY

Walls are called bulkheads or ceilings, while the surfaces referred to as ceilings on land are called 'overheads'. Floors are called 'soles' or decks. The toilet is traditionally called the 'head', the kitchen is the galley. Lines are rarely tied off, they are almost always 'made fast' or 'belayed.' Sails in different sail plans have unchanging names, however. For the naming of sails, see sail-plan.

Knots

Knots are among the most important things a sailor needs to know. Although only a few are required, the bowline in particular is essential. By also learning the clove hitch and "round turn and two half hitches," one can easily cope with all of the knot requirements of a boat. A more complete grasp of knot-tying includes mastery of the following knots:

• bowline
• clove hitch
• round turn and two half hitches
• rolling hitch
• figure of eight
• reef knot
• sheet bend
• stopper knots

Additional knots are available List of knots

Even experienced sailors may forget their knots if they are not performed on a regular basis. Forgetting how to tie an important knot can damage a boat or cause injury.

• http://www.tollesburysc.co.uk/Knots/Knots_gallery.htm (Some of the important knots)

Sailing the Dalmatian Coast

KORNATI

Kornati is an archipelago of 89 largely

uninhabited islands of really quite
exceptional beauty. You can visit for
the day but it takes some time to
explore it fully and to experience all
it has to offer. I love the place, but
Kornati is about raw untouched appeal
and for those who prefer a livelier,
more dynamic environment, it may
not be the place.
I don’t want to put anyone off visiting
but part of the appeal of the place is
that civilisation has not corrupted its
natural beauty and although the area
is protected by national park status, the
last thing Kornati needs is a stampede of
visitors who aren’t going to appreciate
its subtle charms.
The secluded island of Smokvica “Fig
Island” is a great place to moor for
the night. A short walk through fields
of fig and olive trees will take you to
the peak of the island from which you
can see the whole of the archipelago.
It’s not a difficult hike but the terrain
is uneven so I wouldn’t recommend
climbing in flip flops. Your reward at
the top, apart from a breathtaking view,
is the prevailing aroma of ripe figs and
eucalyptus on a hot day.

VIS

Vis is one of the furthest off shore
of the islands, and has a long and
colourful history. The protected
submarine environment is rich with
sunken ships from ancient times to the
Second World War. In the medieval
cities of Vis and Komiza the streets
echo the voices of a cappella singers
on warm summer evenings.
The bay at Stoncica has one of the
most beautiful beaches on the island,
with unbelievably clear waters and,
best of all, a small restaurant right by
the sea. However, if you’re thinking
of popping in for lunch and a swim
I’d be careful, as the your host will
undoubtedly offer you treat after treat,
and your lunch can easily turn into
an all day feast with a swim fitted in
between courses.
The leading wine producers on the
island, the Roki family, will invite you
to their cellar for a spot of wine tasting
and some local lamb cooked “under
the bell”, and many other specialities.



THE BLUE CAVE



Between noon and 2 o’clock
in the summer, the sun’s rays
bounce off the seabed and
illuminate the cave in a bright
blue, producing a silvery effect
on the surface of the water. If
you’re brave enough try diving
under the wall of the cave out to
sea, you only have to hold your
breath for around 30 seconds
but if you like your adrenaline
high, here’s your challenge.



VILLA KALIOPA


A romantic restaurant set
amongst the palm trees of an
ancient villa courtyard. It serves
traditional Vis wine, which has
been enjoyed by locals since
Greek times and is a fine drop.

BRAC

With its steep sides and the highest peak
in the Adriatic, Brac is a mammoth of an
island. The western point of Brac hides
the small town of Milna where most of
the local yachting community hangs out
at the small but cheerful marina, before
setting off to fi nd a more secluded (and
free) mooring spot for the night. If you
feel like a bit of exercise, hike up to
Vidova Gora, the highest spot on the
island, and from which the views are
spectacular. Just beneath the peak,
facing south towards Hvar, lies Zlatni
Rat (The Golden Cape), one of the most
photographed beaches of the Adriatic.
The tip of this huge arrow shaped beach
constantly changes shape depending on
where the breeze is coming from.
Apart from the freshest seafood you can
get, Brac offers succulent lamb from its
mountainous plateaus (there are more
sheep than human inhabitants on
the island). The many sheltered bays
surrounding Milna offer clear water for
swimming. The island also has a great
reputation amongst windsurfers and
parasailors who enjoy the strong and
steady winds in the Brac channel.

HVAR

In the heyday of the Venetian Empire,
Hvar was a central trading point and
the wealth generated made Hvar town
the place to be seen. Today well-heeled
Croats and overseas visitors stroll around
the Piazza and along the harbour side
(which is the largest in the Adriatic after
St. Mark’s in Venice) and hop from café
to bar. The fashion conscious have made
Hvar town a place to be seen, and much
remains for the casual visitor to see in
the narrow, stepped and stone streets.
The citadel above the town watches over
all, from the 16th century cathedral to
the two monasteries, and across to the
string of Pakleni “Hells” islands.
It can sometimes be tough to fi nd
mooring in Hvar town late in the day,
so if you fancy something a bit more
peaceful, the Devil’s Islands have a well
equipped ACI marina, and one of my
favourite restaurants, Dagmar’s, is just a
short walk away (see right).

LASTOVO

Upon closer inspection Lastovo turns
out to be an archipelago, with the main
island surrounded by 46 smaller ones,
which means that you’re spoilt for
choice when it comes to choosing an
isolated spot, whether for a lunchtime
swim, or an overnight mooring.
One of the bays you won’t want to miss
is Skrivena Luka “The Hidden Harbour”,
which used to be a hiding place for
pirates trying to evade the Venetians.
The mouth of the bay is almost invisible
to ships off the coast, and this makes for
a sheltered mooring spot.
If you take a dinghy to the bottom of the
bay you’ll fi nd a small fi sherman’s house
where, if you’re brave enough to introduce
yourself and strike up a conversation,
you might get some fresh lobster or the
recommended, scorpion fi sh.
The town of Ubli has the island’s
only fuel station, and is a sensible
overnight stop if you’re about to travel
westwards to Hvar or Vis. If you were
lucky enough to get some of that
scorpion fi sh you could venture out in
the evening to Hotel Solitudo and have
your fi sh barbecued the Lastovian way
in the hotel kitchen, and trust me,
scorpion fi sh à la Lastovo is something
you’ll remember…

KORCULA

Located on a small headland, Korcula
town, with its elegant Venetian
architecture, defensive walls and old
red, tiled roofs, may well remind you
of Dubrovnik. The waters between the
island and the coast used to be a busy
trading route in the days of Marco Polo,
full of merchant vessels and pirates
trying to loot them. This channel is a
lot quieter now, its waters disturbed
only by keen windsurfers, and by the
yachts and ferries.
Ingeniously designed to take the
effects of the prevailing wind into
account, the Old Town rises to a
central square with the narrow streets
acting as stone staircases. Restaurants
set out their tables along these alleys
and around two harbours either side
of the old town, where many of the
buildings exist in a state of graceful
dilapidation, with linen unfurled
from high windows. The occasional
classical concert takes place in the
cathedral, and elaborate and colourful
sword dances are a regular occurrence
during July and August.

MLJET

Time magazine ranks the island of Mijet
among the 10 most beautiful in the world,
while Jacques Cousteau considered this
part of the Adriatic one of the world’s most
beautiful diving locations. The northwest
part of the island is a national park covered
with pine forests and unusual saltwater
lakes. It has always been a target for fans
of untouched nature and wanderers on
the track of Ulysses and St Paul.
Hiking and biking paths run throughout
the park, around the lakes, over the
hills, where there are the remains of
Roman fortifi cations, and along the
cliffs and wild shores with breathtaking
views of the open sea. The bays at
Poalce and Pomena are probably the
best mooring spots, and are within a
short distance of the lakes.
It is believed that the Ship Castor & Pollux
on which St Paul was sailing for his court
trial in Rome, was shipwrecked on the
island of Mljet in late autumn in 59
AD. The shipwrecked men passed their
winter on the island and then continued
towards Rome. Apostolic Works describe
the inhabitants of the island as courteous
barbarians, however I can vouch for the
fact that, since then, their hospitality and
social skills have improved considerably!

MLJET NATIONAL PARK

If you happen to anchor on
Mljet en route, be sure to
visit the Mljet National Park
and the impressive saline
lakes within the island. The
easiest way to get around is
a leisurely bike ride and we
would strongly recommend this
area as one, not to be missed.

Sailboat racing

Sailboat racing

U.S. Sailing team at the World Military Games Sailing Competition, December 2003

Sailboat racing ranges from single person dinghy racing to large boats with 10 or 20 crew and from small boats costing a few hundred dollars to multi-million dollar America's Cup or Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race campaigns. The costs of participating in the high end large boat competitions make this type of sailing one of the most expensive sports in the world. However, there are relatively inexpensive ways to get involved in sailboat racing, such as at community sailing clubs, and in some relatively inexpensive dinghy and small catamaran classes. Additionally high schools and colleges may offer sailboat racing programs through the Interscholastic Sailing Association (in the USA) and the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (in the USA and some parts of Canada). Under these conditions, sailboat racing can be comparable to or less expensive than sports such as golf and skiing. Sailboat racing is one of the few sports in which people of all ages and genders can regularly compete with and against each other.

Most sailboat and yacht racing is done in sheltered coastal or inland waters. However, in terms of endurance and risk to life, ocean races such as the Volvo Ocean Race, the solo VELUX 5 Oceans Race, and the non-stop solo Vendée Globe, rate as some of the most extreme and dangerous sporting events. Not only do participants compete for days with little rest, but an unexpected storm, a single equipment failure, or collision with an ice floe could result in the sailboat being disabled or sunk hundreds or thousands of miles from search and rescue.

The sport of Sailboat racing is governed by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), and the rules under which competitors race are the Racing Rules of Sailing, which can be found on the ISAF web site.

As well as these there is the "mini transats" in which very small craft and a solo sailer cross the Atlantic Ocean. The Vendee Globe is another race for larger boats. Other races include the Fastnet race from Cowes, around the Fastnet rock just of the coast of Ireland and back again to the Plymouth. There is also the Sydney to Hobart race. Other race much important is Valtur World Cup for Amateurs disputated in Pollina (Italy) in 2001.

Sailing in croatia

Sailing in Croatia can be a dream come true, that is, if your dreams include deserted islands, dropping anchor in crystal clear water and going to sleep to the sound of waves lapping gently at your boat. There are no fewer than 1185 islands off the Croatian coast and the 1778km coastline is studded with hundreds of splendid bays. Sailing is truly the best way of discovering Croatia's remarkable coast. Many of the finest Croatian islands, such as the Kornati Islands National Park, are inaccessible without your own boat.

sailing history

Two thirds of the World�s surface is covered by water. The majority of all people on this planet lives by or near the coast � and has done so for millennia. The striving of man to explore and extend his horizon has always been constrained by the sea and the limitations of those vessels that would carry people further and further offshore. This article aims to investigate the history of sailing � which, in fact, is the history of people who pushed the world�s horizon.

For thousands of years, wind was the only source of energy that would allow man to pass long distances over seas such as the Mediterranean or the Atlantic Ocean. Distances that proved to be too long to be overcome by the use of muscle power and paddles only. This limitation naturally led different civilizations to develop different ways to exploit this only sufficient source of energy.

Starting from the most primitive vessels � little more than trees with a piece of cloth on top, a construction still used by many fishermen in developing countries � people quickly improved their skills in navigation and the construction of more sophisticated boats. Phoenician started early to master the Mediterranean, only challenged and eventually defeated by the uprising power of Rome.

Boats as the key to Mediterranean civilizations

As most highly developed civilizations concentrated around the Mediterranean, this naturally favored a strong interest in navigation and all disciplines concerned with it � astronomy, meteorology, shipbuilding and even basic forms of oceanography. Antiquity boosted mankind�s skills in passing long distances over the seas.

Much of the knowledge of the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Romans and Greek disappeared and was forgotten during the Middle Ages. Viking longboats used mostly the power of men at oars and primitive square-sails. The shape of square-sail rigs quickly became the most common rig type in European nations.

The Arabs, however, developed their own characteristic, triangular sail as a more efficient solution. Arabic dhows could sail upwind very well and proved to be more flexible and navigable than European ships equipped with square-sails.

Junk, slightly different: Chinese sail boats

Completely different were concepts even further away, in China. The Chinese lugsail is more often referred to as a junk rig, was rigged to a short mast and based on long bamboo battens. The construction of junks was likely to be the most efficient and sophisticated of its days, being cheap and flexible and at the same time easy to navigate. This allowed junks to sail with a relatively small crew on board.

A much simpler construction was created on the Polynesian islands of the Pacific Ocean: the proa consists of a hollowed-out tree trunk that would hold people and goods, and another piece of wood was attached as a stabilizing outrigger; a simple, but robust construction that was cheap and easily made. It is probably for the same reasons that proas are still widely used all over the Pacific Ocean.

As the leading seafaring nations changed over the course of centuries � Venetian, Spaniards, Portuguese, Arabs, Chinese, Dutch � the materials remained essentially the same. Wood was cut into shape or tied together and only very rarely other materials were used for the construction of the main body of ships. This should change with the up rise of Britain after the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

New materials, new challenges

With the industrial revolution, new materials for the construction of sailing vessels became available. Also, distances became longer as the British reached out over the oceans built an Empire spanning the globe. The new needs and opportunities led to a boost in innovative designs and developments.

However, it was still wind that would carry most goods � now over thousands of miles of canals that cut Britain into navigable slices. The Thames barges are prime examples for innovative designs � easy to navigate even by as few as two men, these little sailing boats were altered from a ground plan into manifold shapes and varieties. This way, they could meet local requirements.

Offshore, the large sailing ships dominated the oceans. Among the most legendary cargo-carrying ships of that period were windjammers and clipper ships. The latter ones were most likely called that way as they allowed trade companies to clip short the time for individual passages, as they were designed to speed up the traffic between the British mother island and its outposts in India, Australia or the Americas.

Sailing goes yachting - from cargo to aristocrats

A little earlier than that, in the 16th and 17th century, the oldest indications for a new trend appear: sailing out of pleasure rather than transportation, exploration or warfare. In the Netherlands, by than a trading empire that spun the World�s seas, Europe�s largest fleet maintained a flourishing economy. The rising prosperity of Dutch merchants and their strong orientation towards maritime activities most likely caused them to start sailing as a method of entertainment.

Small sailboats that were light and easy to navigate were called �Jaght�. The modern English word �Yacht� is derived from that and the first Dutch yacht arrived in England in 1660 as a gift to King Charles I. The design stimulated a whole new approach to yachting in Britain � a rather sportive than practical one. As soon as in 1661, two more yachts had been built: �Catherine�, a second yacht to King Charles, and �Anne� for the King�s brother. With these two vessels, the King and his brother raced between Greenwich and Gravesend and back along the Thames and thereby, doing the first pleasure sailing race in history.

The first yacht club was founded in Ireland around 1720. It was called �The Water Club of Cork�, and although the original organization disappeared in the late 18th century, it was re-founded as �The Cork Yacht Club� in 1828. A few years earlier than that, in 1815, a club called �The Yacht Club� was founded in England and re-named into �The Royal Yacht Club� in 1820, when the Prince Regent � the club�s most distinguished member � became King George IV.

Golden Age of Yacht Clubs

The club bought a clubhouse in Cowes in 1824 but changed its name again in 1833 into �The Royal Yacht Squadron�. The first race of the club took place on the 10th of August 1826, accompanied by fireworks on Cowes Parade the following evening. Ever since then, with the only exceptions during the years of the World Wars, the Annual Cowes Week Regatta with fireworks has been held in August.

In 1830, there were already three royal yachting clubs in the United Kingdom: �The Royal Yacht Squadron�, �The Royal Cork Yacht Club� and �The Royal Thames Yacht Club�. In that year, the first non-British club was formed in Sweden. New York started its first club in 1844.

Over the course of the 19th century, many other clubs followed, making yachting a sport for the noble, the rich and powerful. In 1851, the schooner �America� visited England and attended a race starting from Cowes and sailing around the Isle of Wight. It bet the best British yachts and won the �Hundred Guinea Cup�, which was re-named into �America�s Cup� in honor of the ship. The America�s Cup is considered to be the oldest trophy in the World of international sports. ...

Sailing theory

It seems obvious how a sailboat sails downwind: It is pushed along by the wind in its sails. Less obvious is how it can sail upwind or how some sailboats can sail faster than the wind. Let us see how it can be.
Sir Isaac Newton formulated three basic laws that pertain to the motions and accelerations of all objects.
Let us have a look at the third law:
For any force exerted on an object, an equal but opposite force must be exerted by that object onto whatever exerted the force.
A direct consequence of this law is the conservation of momentum (Momentum equals mass times velocity). The conservation of momentum tells us that if the velocity of one thing is somehow changed (in either magnitude or direction) that the velocity of something else must also change accordingly.

Moreover, a large change in velocity of a light object can be balanced by a small change in velocity of a massive object. This is, of course, how a sailboat sails. Because of its large sail area, a sailboat can change the velocity of a huge amount of air in a small amount of direction or speed.
The change of velocity that the sailboat imparts to the air hitting her sails is mainly a change in the direction in which the air is moving. So a sailboat can experience a large driving force even when she is sailing against the wind.
In the real world, there are two forces. One is the wind pushing on the sail when it is changing direction. The air traveling over the leeward surface of the cambered sail creates the second force. It has to travel a longer way to reach the end of the sail (the leech), and as a consequence goes faster. This is causing a pressure differential in accordance with Bernoulli’s principle. (More speed gives less pressure and less speed gives more pressure).
So a sailboat can sail upwind with the addition of these two forces. But remember that the force created by the depression is four times bigger that the one created by pushing the air sideways.

A fluid flow exerts a force upon an object in a direction perpendicular to the uninterrupted flow of that fluid. As a result, a lift is generated. But there is also creation of a drag that is a force acting in the direction of the fluid.Because lift and drag are defined as being perpendicular to one another, any force acting on a sail can, using trigonometry, be divided into a lift component and a drag component. By separating the force into these two components, we can study the relationships between lift, drag, the shape of the sail, and the angle between the sail and the airflow( AOA or Angle Of

Attack with the Greek letter)