Bearing away
Altering the boat’s course away from the wind
Blanketing
Positioning your boat between your opponent and the wind, to reduce the wind available to
him.
Camber
The curve or belly in a sail.
Committee boat
The boat which controls the sailing race, usually moored at one end of the startline.
Covering
Staying between your racing opponent and the next race mark.
Deep
Sailing ‘deep’ means sailing as low a course as possible on a run.
Dirty wind
The turbulent wind to leeward of a sail and in line with it.
Feathering
A temporary and subtle luff, on a beat, to depower the sails.
Foils
The rudder blade and centreboard.
Free (also called Footing)
Sailing a little off the wind on a beat, with sheets eased, to improve boatspeed at the
expense of pointing ability.
Gate start
A method of starting a one-design sailing fleet where a port tack boat beats across the fleet,
the other boats passing under her stern.
Handicap race
A method of racing boats of different classes together, using a handicap to correct
for their different speeds.
Header
A windshift, so the wind comes more from the bow.
In irons
When your dinghy is stopped head to wind, unintentionally.
Inner distance mark (IDM)
A buoy laid approximately on the startline near the committee boat. Competitors may not
pass between the two.
Layline
Imaginary lines depicting the port and starboard close-hauled courses to the windward mark.
Also applicable downwind.
Lee-bow effect
When one racing boat, slightly ahead and to leeward, deflects wind onto the lee side of a pursuing
boat’s sails.
Lee helm
A boat has lee helm if it bears away if the tiller is released when beating.
Leeward boat
A boat downwind of another.
Leeward mark
The mark rounded at the beginning of the beat. The most downwind mark of the course (except
for starting marks).
Lift
A wind shift that allows one to point higher (opposite to ‘header’).
Luff
Altering course towards the wind.Mast rake How far aft the mast leans.
Officer of the day (OOD)
The person in charge of racing on a particular day.
Outer Distance Mark (ODM)
The buoy that limits the length of the start line (usally at the port end).
Overlap
An overlap exists when the bow of a pursuing boat is ahead of an imaginary line through
the aftmost point of the leading boat, and at right angles to that boat.
Pinch
Beat too close to the wind.
Pointing
A boat sailing very close to the wind is said to be pointing well, although she may be a
little slower through the water than a boat sailing free.
Protest
A protest is lodged by shouting “protest” at the time of the incident. The protest meeting
is similar to a court of law.
Pursuit race
Boats start at times determined by their handicap, and the first across the line is the
winner.
Rhumb line
The direct line to the next mark.
Roll tack
A light weather tack in which the boat is rolled, thus fanning the sails through the air.
Safe leeward position
The leading yacht establishes herself in front and to leeward of her opponent (see lee-bow
effect).
Sailing instructions
Written instructions on the management of a race, and the course to be sailed.
Starboard!
If two yachts are on opposite tacks (have different windward sides) the one on starboard
tack has right of way.
Tacking downwind
Sailing downwind in a series of broad reaches, connected by gybes, to try and reach the
leeward mark faster.
Transit
Two fixed objects aligned to give an imaginary line or bearing.
Two-Turns Penalty
If the sailing instructions allow it doing two turns including two tacks and
two gybes can exonerate a boat after certain infringements.
Up, up, up!
The leeward boat is requesting the windward boat to luff.
Water!
A request for room to round a mark or obstruction, or to tack clear of an object.
Weather helm
A boat that luffs when the tiller is let go has weather helm.
Weather mark
The most windward mark of the course, excepting finishing marks.
Wetted area
The surface of the hull that is immersed.
Wind backs
When the wind shifts anticlockwise.
Windbend
A progressive windshift, i.e. one that becomes more pronounced as you travel into it.
Wind shadow
The area to leeward of a sail where the wind is lessened.
Windshift
A change in the direction of the wind.
Wind veers
When the wind shifts clockwise
Windward boat
The boat that is nearer the wind.