www.Dabchick.za.net

Early beginnings

There has always been a need for small tender boats for transporting goods and personnel to and from anchored sailing ships. Together with other smaller work craft such as fishing and light cargo, small inshore craft have always been in evidence. Charles II of England had a private sailing boat presented to him when he returned from exile to England in the 17th century, and he sailed for recreation and competition.

Towards the end of the 19th century people began to use these small boats for sport and recreational sailing, utilising the opportunities for leisure afforded by the industrial revolution. Larger privately used sailing boats had developed separately, and have resulted in the yachts of today. There has been some crossover, in that the sloop sail plan was adopted as standard and most convenient by early dinghy designers.

Planing and trapezing
The development of the sailing dinghy was helped in the early 20th century by Uffa Fox (1898-1972), an English boat designer and sailing enthusiast. He developed and contributed to many dinghy classes which are still with us nearly a century later: the Albacore, International 14, National 12, the Firefly, Flying Fifteen and the Scorpion.

He also introduced the major advance of hull shapes which can plane, and which can therefore reach beyond the usual speed limits for small sailing boats. In effect, a boat which is planing is skimming along the surface, rising up on its own bow wave. This results in less friction because of reduced waterline length, reduced displacement (the amount of water needing to be pushed aside by the boat), and reduced ‘wetted area’. The power given by the sails has to overcome less resistance, and therefore speed increases
dramatically.

In 1928 Uffa Fox introduced planing to an astonished racing world in his International 14 boat, the Avenger. He gained 52 first places, two second places and three third places out of 57 race starts that year. Note: Graham Anderson in his 1999 book Fast Light Boats, a Century of Kiwi Innovation [1] argues that planing centreboard sailing boats werey introduced into New Zealand in the early 20th century – well before Uffa Fox popularised the concept.

Another advance in dinghy sailing was introduced in the 1930s, when the technique of trapezing was introduced. This involves using the crew to provide more leverage to keep the sails vertical, by hanging outside the boat on a harness and rope attached to the ‘hounds’ or upper mast. As a result the boat is easier to keep upright, and the sails can deliver maximum power most of the time.

Trapezing during a race first appeared in 1934, on the Thames A Class Rater Vagabond sailed by Peter Scott (son of the famous Scott of the Antarctic), and John Winter. The owner of the boat, Beecher Moore, of Thames Sailing Club had worked on developing the technique, in discussion with Uffa Fox. Vagabond was spectacularly successful in that race, winning by four minutes.

The innovative technique was immediately banned, and received little development until it was reintroduced on the Osprey and Fiveohfive Class (505) in 1954 by John Westell and the Flying Dutchman class in the early 1960s.

Post WWII developments

During the Second World War plywood had become a major building material for aircraft. After the war, plywood was adapted for building sailing dinghies. Two primary methods of construction were adopted: Stitch and glue and timber framed construction. Jack Holt designed many dinghies to be built by home handymen using these construction techniques. The Mirror Dinghy was predominantly built using stitch and glue, while the Heron is an example of a boat built using plywood on a timber frame.

Modern developments

At the beginning of the 21st century, dinghy sailing is still a rapidly developing sport. It is losing its image of being expensive, time consuming and exclusive. This is because of the earlier work of pioneers such as Uffa Fox, and through the use of modern designs and techniques such as lighter hull materials (eg, fibreglass and foam sandwich hull construction, which eliminate time-consuming maintenance of wooden hulls), more responsive sail materials and design, easily transportable boats (many car-toppable), and simpler rigs such as Gennakers instead of more complex Spinnakers. These advances are more economical in time and money, and have greatly extended the appeal of dinghy sailing.

Increasingly sailing is a young person’s sport, and the number of participants is mushrooming. In many dinghy clubs in the UK the adult members are sometimes outnumbered by junior members, and the balance of activities can change from mainly racing to increasingly providing training courses.

Sailing is also becoming more accessible to people with disabilities, partly through new boat designs, and generally through recognition of everybody’s right to participate in all areas of life. (See the Sailability website)

In Britain and Europe dinghy sailing has also been considerably advanced by the RYA, the regulatory authority which regulates racing and which provides modular and accredited training courses for leisure and competitive sailing. A basic sailing course can be completed in several days, and participants can be sure that the training is competent and delivered in a safe setting.

Posted by Judith Racho on Saturday, September 12, 2009

Sailing Tips

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This sailing clothing guide and advice offers advice on what options to consider when choosing and purchasing the wide range of sailing clothing and accessories available on the market today.

Dinghy Sailing Gear

The popularity of sailing in recent years can be attributed somewhat to the significant improvement in dinghy sailing clothing that makes it feasible to remain warm and dry in most conditions. Yacht clothing improvements have been the development of the new ‘breathable’ fabrics allowing perspiration to evaporate and escape without allowing seawater in.

When sailing and the weather and water are warm, the choice of dinghy sailing gear depends upon your preferences and the current fashions but more practical sailing clothing is needed for serious sailing in cold weather and rough seas. The main sailing equipment manufacturers, such as Musto, Henri-Lloyd, Splashdown, Helly-Hansen and Gill make sailing wear in a series of grades to suit dinghy racing, coastal cruising and racing or serious offshore yacht work.

The choice of dinghy sailing clothing or sailing waterproofs is between drysuits for sailing verses sailing dinghy wetsuits. A lightweight ‘shortie’ sailing wetsuit for summer sailing, leaves the arms and lower legs uncovered is the most suitable, while cold weather conditions call for a full wetsuit and in winter use, a suit with seals at the neck, ankle and wrist. Improvements in materials have transformed the sailing drysuit that is easy and quick to put on and offering total protection. The following is a guide to the various clothing for sailing and gear.

Dinghy Sailing Drysuit
Previously you could not wear a sailing drysuit for an extended period because undergarments became soaked with perspiration, but with the development of breathable fabrics this problem has been overcome.

A sailing [ drysuit ] has latex seals at the neck, wrist, and feet sealing water from the body and come in one-piece and two-piece suits. Controlling body temperature, when wearing a drysuit, involves choosing the clothing that is worn underneath. Shorts and a T-shirt are sufficient in warm weather but in colder conditions, wear thin thermal clothing .

The dinghy sailing drysuit is full of air when zipped up so squatting down forces the air out of the legs and pulling the neck seal open deflates it around your body.

Choosing a Sailing Drysuit

When choosing the best drysuit for sailing, take into consideration the following. Lighter material is easier to wear, but is prone to tearing so there must be a compromise with durability. Popular materials feature PVC (vinyl)/polyurethane coated nylon fabrics in the 115g (4oz) weight range. The areas in most contact with the boat – the seat and knees – should be heavily reinforced with a trapeze harness or hiking pants providing extra protection.
•When trying on a sailing drysuit, bend and stretch in all directions ensuring the suit is the right size.

•Seal guards are like reinforced cuffs and offer protection against snagging the wrist or ankle seals.
•Internal braces keep the drysuit sitting correctly on the body and if you overheat with onshore activities such as rigging, remove the top.
•Diagonal front zip allows you to get in and out of it without help. The traditional style of zip is horizontal across the shoulders and preferred by trapeze crews as it does not clutter up the harness.

Variations

Any part of the sailing drysuit that is covered by a buoyancy aid and trapeze harness will not breathe correctly. In general terms, the more physically demanding your style of sailing is, the more desirable a breathable sailing drysuit becomes.

When choosing the best drysuit for dinghy sailing, take into account the variations which include the [ two-piece ]. This drysuit joins at the waist with two pieces of latex rolled together creating a seal. There is no need for a zipper meaning the top can be worn on its own with a wetsuit or shorts. A further variation is the combi-suit, combining a loose drysuit-style top with a tight sailing wetsuit bottom giving a trimmer fit.

Sailing Drysuit Care
•Latex seals are one size and often need to be cut down to achieve a comfortable fit. Use very sharp scissors and cut slowly round one ring at a time then try each seal for comfort.
•The neck seal will stretch when on the water and a perfect seal should be tight enough to keep out water without choking you.
•Do not be rough when pushing the parts of your body through the seals.
•Dust the seals with talcum powder to prevent them being sticky and remember that a ring or watch easily snags and tears a latex seal.
•Anything like split pins, screw ends or frayed wire on the boat can snag and tear the material so wrap them with tape.
•Clean and lubricate the zip by rubbing candle wax on both sides of a metal zip, then briefly melt the wax into the teeth with a hair dryer.
•Do not store the suit while wet.
•Wash in fresh water and allow it to dry. Lubricate the seals with a proprietary solution before storing and store out of full light on a plastic hanger.
•drysuits are damaged by overexposure to direct sunlight or heat.

Dinghy Sailing Wetsuit
A sailing dinghy [ wetsuit ] is the means of staying warm where staying dry is not an option. Dinghy sailing wetsuits are made from neoprene and are close fitting. When totally immersed, the wetsuit allows a thin layer of water to be trapped between the skin and the suit and this warms up by body heat, insulating the body against cold.

This works well if the sailing wetsuit is a perfect fit and prevents any more cold water flushing through the layer. A close-fitting wetsuit is vital for warmth and comfort and if buying off the rack make sure of a correct fit or buy a made-to-measure wetsuit. For summer and winter sailing, different weights of neoprene are used.

Choosing a Sailing Wetsuit

With a tight fitting sailing dinghy wetsuit, the neoprene must stretch to provide maximum freedom of movement. Modern neoprene is lighter and more supple than predecessors, and laminate materials allow thinner, lighter and suppler neoprene that maintains the same body heat. The best wetsuit for dinghy sailing has a standard thickness of 5mm body and 5mm legs used in conjunction with flexible 3mm arms for the coldest sailing conditions, while a 3mm body should suffice for summer use.

The stitching that holds neoprene panels of a wetsuit together has an impact on the quantity of water that can flush through. The basic form of stitching is the mechanical overlock, that punctures the neoprene with many tiny holes allowing water through.

This is acceptable for a summer suit, but is not suitable for cold weather sailing. The [ flatlock ] and [ blindstitching ] method uses a stitch that pierces one side of the edge of the panel and then is bonded and taped with neoprene glue producing a watertight join.

Neoprene is sometimes lined with lycra on the inside making it easy to pull on and off the body and may also be lined on the outside increasing both abrasion and tear resistance. A good fit at the neck, wrists and ankles is essential in preventing cold water flushing through the suit, and the zipper running straight up the spine should have two overlapping neoprene flaps or a single C-Flap folding over as a water sealant. An alternative solution is no zip at all, which is possible with the most modern flexible neoprene.

It is easier to get in and out of a wetsuit with ankle zips, but they are expensive and allow water flush through. Knee pad reinforcement built into the suit, is essential for any style of sailing where the crew works on their knees.

Dinghy Suits
The dinghy suit is sufficient protection in open boat sailing to stay warm and dry and where there is no need to end up in the water launching, retrieving or capsizing. Dinghy suits are manufactured in proofed nylon featuring a separate [ smock ] with a neoprene waistband and velcro-adjustable wrist and neck closure. This is worn over [ chest-high trousers ] with an adjustable ankle closure or a pair of dinghy shorts.

Look for reinforced knees and seat for longevity, a short zipper at the neck of the smock, full length zip on the trousers making them easy to put on and off, and pockets. The fit should be loose, light and comfortable allowing thermal layers to be built up underneath. Breathable outer materials are available at the top end of most ranges. One-piece dinghy suits are also available and are lighter and more comfortable to wear at the expense of being a single garment.

Dry Tops
The dry top bridges the gap between the dinghy smock and drysuit, using latex seals at the neck and wrists plus a deep, neoprene waistband to create a fully waterproof top that can effectively be worn with dinghy trousers, a long john or a convertible-style wetsuit.

Thermal Underclothing
In cold weather, thermal underclothing is always worn beneath drysuits and dinghy suits. Using [ stretch fleece materials ] that are light and quick drying when wet, such as Polartec, which enables layers of internal warmth to be built up with minimal bulk. When used with a breathable outer suit, thermal underclothing draws perspiration away from the body and dissipates it rather than being trapped on the surface of the skin becoming cold leaving the wearer feeling clammy and wet.

For general use, the most user-friendly base layer tends to be thermal trousers or salopettes worn with a matching, long-sleeved thermal zip-top polo or turtle-neck jersey. One-piece thermal suits may offer marginally better thermal protection.

Sailing Accessories
Sailing Boots and Shoes
Sailing a dinghy barefoot is not recommended because there are boat fittings that bruise or cut feet and bare skin does not grip as well as rubber. As well as these reasons, be aware that when launching and retrieving a dinghy, there are dangerous objects on the shore and under the water. Therefore sailing footwear such as boots or shoes for dinghy sailing should be a consideration.

Most [ dinghy boots ] combine a neoprene sock, providing warmth and comfort, with a durable rubber sole with PVC rubber reinforcement at the heel and over the top of the foot. For warm water sailing the slip-on rubber or neoprene shoe such as the Okespor Beachsurf are light, comfortable and have a strong grip. These sailing shoes are cheaper than boots but can fall off the foot at inconvenient moments such as a capsize.

Neoprene products tend to have an unpleasant odour after a period of wearing them. This is overcome by proper care by washing them in fresh water and aired or clean them properly using soap or soak them in a solution of sterilizing tablets.

Dinghy Sailing Gloves

Modern sailing dinghies have an array of synthetic ropes and control lines, which have a tendency to chafe the hands when heaving on a downhaul or straining on the gennaker sheet and for this reason dinghy sailing gloves are worn in all seasons. [ Dinghy sailing gloves ] for summer have a reinforced palm a synthetic leather material, which copes with being wet and resists hardening when dry (popular materials include Amara and NASH), combined with a mesh back and velcro wrist strap giving a precise fit, with optional cut off fingers enabling exposed fingers to grasp small objects.

[ Dinghy sailing gloves ] suitable for winter sailing pose a problem in that a glove that is warm and waterproof has a tendency to be bulky and lack feeling. The solution is a wet sailing glove, combining Amara style palms for grip and feel with 3mm double-lined neoprene backing giving warmth.

Sunglasses

The blue sea and white water combination offers a reflective surface for the sun, making sailing trying and tiring without the aid of sunglasses. Sunglasses should block out both UVA and UVB sunlight to at least 99% and fit comfortably and securely as well as stay in position.

The wrap-around, face-hugging style is more secure with the advantage of having no protrusions that catch on a flailing rope or line. A disadvantage of these types of sunglasses is they reduce the field of vision. Ensure the lenses and frames are virtually unbreakable and if wearing corrective lenses, investigate prescription sunglass lenses.

Sailing Headwear

A major source of heat loss in cold weather is an unprotected head which can be protected by a beanie-style hat made from a quick drying thermal material. These hats are resilient, offering protection against knocks to the head by the boom, and remain in place during a capsize. More extreme cold weather conditions require a neoprene hood or balaclava style sailing headwear, but they inhibit hearing and can be unpleasant to wear.

Hiking Shorts

Hiking off the deck of a small dinghy can be harsh and uncomfortable. The [ hiking shorts ] role is to provide a soft layer between the posterior and the deck using a combination of mesh, neoprene, straps and padding.

Dinghy Sailing Knee Pads

Knee pads are necessary on high performance dinghies and catamarans where the crew work on their knees needing the knee protection of neoprene and kevlar reinforcement.

Sailing Trapeze Harnesses
The primary feature when looking for in a [ trapeze harness ] is comfort and a precise fit is one that moulds to the body. Resist buying a sailing trapeze harness unless it can be tested on dry land. Simulating the reality of trapezing on the water is hard to do on dry land but test or seek answers to these questions from the retailer:
•Can the trapeze harness be quickly fitted and released with reliable buckles being simple and fast to adjust?
•Can it be worn with your wetsuit/drysuit and buoyancy aid and still be comfortable and easy to use?
•Does it still feel comfortable when bending and stretching?
•When hanging off a line is it comfortable around the hips and groin area?

The popular style of sailing trapeze harness is the Nappy, featuring a full back with padded straps; padded waist flaps either side with a padded crutch strap that passes between the legs. An alternative replaces the nappy component with twin thigh straps needing to be padded well as they pass either side of the groin.

Good back support maintains a straight-out stance in a harness, but skiff-style of sailing requires a sit-up stance along with upper body mobility.

Many skiff sailors on short course racing favour the windsurfer type of harness with no upper back support. Lower back support is provided by padded foam inserts and hip tensioning points.

The load across the hips is taken by an aluminium spreader bar which spreads the load and prevents crushing. Adjustable hook height is a useful when requiring extra lumbar support. Shoulder, hip and thigh straps should have a quick and easy adjustment system using velcro or buckles the ends of webbing straps tidied away and not interfering with the hook.

Trapezing involves a lot of sliding in and out on your posterior and a tough reinforcement material such as Cordura provides durability in the seat area. Custom made-to-measure harnesses that provide a perfect fit can be obtained from specialist manufacturers.

Yacht Clothing
The right yacht clothing is important when afloat, but especially when sailing offshore. The dinghy sailor has the luxury of hot shower at the end of the day, but the cruising sailor is at sea, sometimes in unpleasant conditions for days or even weeks.

When afloat it is always cooler than ashore and when sailing in temperate areas staying warm is a necessity. Cold reduces the ability to think and act efficiently along with increasing the risk of seasickness. When sailing offshore, it is important to wear the right yacht clothing in order to maintain a comfortable working temperature.

To stay warm, [ yacht clothing ] should provide sufficient insulation with a barrier layer stopping the warm layer getting wet eliminating wind chill.

Silk and wool are the best natural insulators, but so are modern synthetic fibres. Being very light and able to dry quickly they wick moisture away from the skin, keeping the wearer dry and warm.

Marine clothing manufacturers, such as Musto, Henri-Lloyd, Splashdown, Helly-Hansen and Gill, make a specialist, multi-layered clothing arrangement. This consists of a thin, light, underwear layer, over which is worn a thicker, warm layer. Either layer can be worn separately to suit different temperatures with a top, waterproof layer keeping the wearer dry. The latest designs of yacht clothing use waterproofs made of breathable material that keep water out while allowing perspiration trapped inside to pass through. These waterproof designs are expensive, but are worth buying as they are the lightest, most comfortable and warmest yacht clothing available.

Sailing Jacket and Trousers
A sailing jacket for coastal use is fairly basic waterproof design whereas an offshore jacket requires waterproof cuffs, a high collar and hood protecting the head and space for a built-in harness and buoyancy, and pockets for equipment as well as reflective patches that are visible at night. Lightweight, vapour-permeable materials such as Gore-Tex were a welcome invention being lighter and flexible than the previous standard of proofed nylon but they are expensive.

Waterproof trousers should be cut high, so there no gap during any body motion at waist level between the trousers and the sailing jacket and be fitted with ankle tighteners. There should be reinforcement on the seat and knees and a lining to prevent condensation forming on the inside of the trousers.

Yacht Deck Shoes and Boots

The popular leather deck shoes are the footwear for temperate conditions, except racing dinghies where zip-up boots are used. Make sure the deck shoes are designed for use afloat rather than fashion items manufactured from tanned leather that survives repeated wetting and drying along with rot-proof stitching. Offshore sailing requires boots with thick, well-insulated soles.

Avoid the foam rubber insole, which when wet, takes a while to dry. Knee-high boots should be the choice as short ones tend to come apart from trousers when sitting down and there is the possibility of them filling with water.

OWEN

Here are few tips to ensure that your Dabbie is well cared for.

Rot. Boatlife Git Rot Penetrating Epoxy How long a wooden boat survives depends almost entirely on how well the wood is protected.
Marine archaeologists are still finding the remains of wooden boats hundreds of years old. The reason these timbers haven’t rotted away, despite being under water is the absence of oxygen.

Most wood rot is caused by a fungus in the wood.

The most common form of deterioration in wood boats is misnamed dry rot.

For this to grow it needs moisture, oxygen and a warm environment.

While there are likely to be some rot spores in all wood their growth can be curtailed by a bit of boat care and eliminating the conditions that allow them to grow.

Bare wood will absorb the moisture which attracts rot so keep it painted or varnished.

Good ventilation is a major part of boat care.

Airing all any enclosed spaces will help prevent dampness from collecting, which is why open boats are less susceptible to rot than cabin cruisers.

All boats most at risk of from rot when they are not in use.

However the type of construction and bad design can lead to moisture being trapped.

Also some woods are more prone to rot than others.

Softer woods and those fast growing woods which have less resin and tightness of grain suffer more than older growth wood.

Storage. The vast majority of us are leisure boaters and our boats spend as much time in storage than in use.

Therefore boat care is important, take some care over the storage of your boat.

This is particularly true for wooden boats, though even plastic ones, despite popular opinion need boat care.

Wooden boats that remain afloat in salt water will tend to have less rot than boats in fresh water.

However, the majority of small boats are kept out of the water.

Boats stored on the beach or yard, even during the season should be propped up on blocks so that they are off the ground at least a few inches.

And cover her so as to keep the worst of the weather off, yet still allow air to circulate.

Try to keep her away from any shedding trees or where there is tall, wet grass that may come into contact with the wood.

And avoid keeping her close to an old wooden shed which might be a breading ground for rot spores.

Whether she is on blocks or on a trailer keep one end raised up to help shed rainwater.

Open the drain plug if there is one to allow any bilge water to drain.

On the other hand if you are keeping you boat indoors in a garage or shed be careful that the wood isn’t allowed to dry excessively.

Wherever you keep her check her periodically and allow the air to circulate through the interior.

It can be argued that a hull which is well protected with paint and varnish is better off without a cover.

However, varnish and paint will degrade more quickly when exposed.

Covers. A canvas cover will keep an open boat protected and looking good indefinitely.
It will protect her from the rain, sun, bird droppings, leaves and twigs.

However you must allow the boat to breathe.

If you wrap her tightly in plastic she is almost sure to become damp with condensation, encouraging rot to develop.

The ends must be kept open so air can circulate and moisture escape.

The cover should be kept clear of the wood using a framework.

Although reinforced plastic can be used as a cover, breathable canvas will allow moisture to evaporate when it is dry and the canvas will tighten up when it is wet to become water repellent.

And keep the cover in good shape, repair tears, rips and worn spots before they allow too much damp to damage to the boat.

Where a boat is stored under a cover in sunny climes it is best to avoid dark colored canvas, it will absorb heat that could cause excessive drying of the wood and cause seams to crack and open up.

The cover should be held in place with lines from grommets in the edge of the cover but these should be anchored to the ground and not to the boat or chocks.

If there is a windstorm it is better that the cover blows away than the boat is blown over.

Test your knowledge of fun nautical trivia with a sailing focus. These are great questions for a long night watch or the yacht club bar. The answer to each question is given on the next page.

1. Your disabled sailboat has been taken under tow. When a fog bank rolls in, what sound signals should you make?

2. What is the origin of the phrase “son of a gun”?

3. What is the origin of the term “mayday” for an emergency call?

4. What percentage of ocean water is composed of dissolved salts?

5. Where on a sailboat are you most likely to find an angel?

6. You have been sailing south through day after day of heavy overcast and fog, and are thus unable to use your sextant to determine your latitude (and you have no GPS). How can you tell when you have crossed the equator?

7. Few people with ancraophobia become sailors. Why? What are they afraid of?

8. Every mariner knows the different between port and starboard. Hundreds of years ago, however, a different word was used to refer to the left side of the boat. What is it? Do you know the origin of these terms?

9. Is everything on your boat hunky dory? This phrase for feeling carefree does have a nautical origin, but it’s not related to a small wood boat that is rowed. Where does the phrase originate?

10. Rum punch is a favorite among sailors when the sun is over the yardarm. There’s a delightful little verse to help you remember the proportions of different ingredients in rum punch:

One of sour
Two of sweet
Three of strong
And four of weak.

Name the four ingredients that are sour, sweet, strong, and weak.

Here are the answers to the trivia questions on the previous page:

1. A vessel under tow in fog should give one long sound blast followed by three short blasts. Repeat at two-minute intervals.

2. In historic sailing ships, women were occasionally smuggled aboard – and many naturally became pregnant in due course. Childbirth at sea traditionally happened between cannons on the gun deck, and the child was recorded in the ship’s log as a son of a gun.

3. “Mayday” is said to have originated from the French phrase “M’aidez” – meaning “Help me.”

4. Although salinity varies in different oceans and locations, on average sea water is about 3.5% dissolved salts.

5. An “angel” is another term for an anchor kellet or sentinel. This is a weight that is suspended from the anchor rode some distance down from the bow to lower the angle between the lower part of the rode and the sea bottom, thus increasing its holding power while also providing slack to absorb the strain caused by gusts and waves, especially when there is not room to let out sufficient scope.

6. Water going down a drain swirls counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. So just put some water in the galley sink and watch after you pull the plug. This is called the Coriolis effect, which also influences ocean and wind currents.

7. Ancraophobia is fear of the wind.

8. The term originally used for the left side of the boat was larboard. Given its similarity in sound to “starboard,” you can see how the term “port” became preferable over time. “Starboard” derived from Old English terms for steering board (on the right side of historic ships). Larboard possibly came from the words for loading and board – and ships were traditionally docked on their left side for loading. “Port” is thought to have the same meaning: the side put to the wharf when in port.

9. Sailors in port in Yokohama liked to visit Hunki-Dori street when they felt carefree – in the center of the city’s red light district where sailors were wont to go after a long time at sea.

10. Rum punch can be made in various ways, but this ditty helps you recall the basics. One part of lime juice (sour); two parts of sugar syrup or a sweet juice like orange or pineapple (sweet); three parts rum (strong); and four parts water or any lighter juice (weak).

How’d you score? Good enough to celebrate by flying three sheets to the wind?

Much of this nautical trivia comes from the Sailing Pocket Companion from Pavilion Books.

I found this on a blog and thought it needed sharing to remind us of why we enjoy our sport so much.

Why I Love To SailGretchen asks for a post on sailing: how, what, why. I’ll start with why I love it so much. It’s pretty, of course, and racing sailboats is a competitive outlet that I like. And it can be social, which is fun. But I think I would love sailing even if all those things weren’t true.

My favorite part of sailing is how awake and alive and tuned in it makes me. Essentially, making a sailboat go fast requires that you trim the sails so that they have a particular shape and angle in relation to the wind that’s going across them. There are a lot of nuances to the angle and the shape that I could go on and on about — you can adjust the angle and shape with a variety of different controls, that do everything from bending the mast, to flattening the bottom of the sail, to making the sail curve or hook more at its trailing edge or a million zillion other things, that differ depending on the kind of boat you are sailing and the strength of the wind and the size of the waves you’re sailing through. But the wonderful part of all of this is that the thing you are reacting to, the wind, is totally invisible. So you have to figure out how to “see” the wind so you can respond to it right. And for me, that’s what is the most beautiful thing about sailing — it is a discipline that makes you notice the invisible.

So to see the wind you can look at the clouds, you can look at the flagpoles or smokestacks on the shore. I mostly look at the water and the million different ways different kinds of wind (rogue, sporadic, spreading catpaw puffs, or steadily building ocean breezes, or dying light evening wind shifting steadily to the right) manifest on the water. Patterns of ripples, size of waves, whitecaps or no whitecaps, these are the ways I see the wind. And you can feel it, too — on the hairs on the back of your neck, on your face. Being trained to respond to the wind makes you a person who sees and feels and notices more. You are immersed in all the ways something invisible can make itself known. What better pasttime could there be?

The other thing that makes a boat go is the way the hull moves through the water. I don’t want to get into physics here but under every boat is a keel or centerboard that is doing the same kind of thing as the sails. So you have water flow considerations to think about too. Current and the flow of the water under your boat are invisible as well, and you have to notice the heck out of the water — why is that lobster pot leaning in just that kind of way? Because there’s a current pushing your boat and all the water that it’s in with a certain force in a certain direction. You need to know that, because the current varies around the course and if you’re sailing just as fast as someone else and they’re in more current than you, one of you will appear to be going faster. And what’s that strange little vibrating tug on the tiller? Does it mean there’s a big clump of seaweed stuck on your keel or your rudder disrupting the flow of water around the hull? Better get rid of it. Why does the water sound funny, or why are the waves splashing in just that kind of way? Maybe I’m not steering through this the right way. Again, a million little things you have to notice, and it is the process of tuning in to all of them that I love.

Oh, Gretchen, I could go on and on. Because there is the fleet of boats you are racing against, and how you can position your boat to disrupt the flow of wind going to their sails, or how you can make someone turn their boat to avoid hitting you and go in a direction they don’t really want to go in (maybe because over there there is more current, or less wind). There’s the whole chess game aspect of figuring out how to do the tactical things that will put your boat in a better position than everyone else’s boat. And of course there’s all the physical stuff — you might know what you want to do but actually executing good tacks and gybes and putting up and taking down sails quickly, that’s hard, and fun. And you’re in the sun, salty, tired, sunburned, with your friends, and in one of the most beautiful places anywhere, with blue sky and green water and harbor seals swimming by looking at you and islands and ferries? It’s pretty great.

A myth about sailing is that you have to be rich to do it. As the daughter of a sailmaker, I can tell you this: it’s not true. There are so many people who have boats that they can’t sail alone — they’re DYING for someone energetic and enthusiastic to come out with an able body and help them sail their pride and joy. That’s how to get started — find someone who has a boat, and offer to help them sail it. Most boat owners find this a wonderful offer.