How to sail a yacht

Publication date: 29.10.2025

Sailing a yacht involves using the force of the wind to move the yacht in the desired direction. Executing turns relative to the wind and adjusting the sail area allows the yacht to move on the required course. Understanding the principles of sail trim while sailing on different points of sail is the primary task of a sailor.

The first step in learning the basics of sailing is the mandatory study of terminology used when working with sails. The captain's commands must be executed quickly and precisely, so the entire crew needs to understand the nautical language.

A yacht consists of a hull, standing rigging in the form of masts and supporting cables, running rigging for sail control, and the sails themselves.

An important aspect of sailing a vessel is understanding the yacht's position relative to the wind. All wind directions are considered relative to the yacht's axis—the centerline plane.

The main assistant in controlling the movement of a yacht is the wind, so it is necessary to distinguish between the true wind as its natural direction and the apparent wind, which is defined as the angle between the yacht's course and the wind flow.

The main principle of sailing a yacht is to move in a zigzag pattern relative to the wind and change tacks. Understanding the wind direction provides information for adjusting the sails and changing the yacht's position. For young sailors, a wind vane at the top of the mast and thin ribbons on the shrouds serve as helpers. Experienced sailors determine wind strength and direction by the water's surface, cloud movement, bird flight, and other signs.

Changing the angle between the centerline and the wind direction requires different adjustments of the sails and rigging in each specific situation.

If the wind blows directly into the bow of the yacht, movement is impossible. This is called being "in irons." This also includes a sector of 45 degrees on either side of the wind direction.

By turning the bow of the sailing yacht to an acute angle, we achieve the "close-hauled" point of sail, where the sails are under maximum tension. Despite sailing against the wind on this course, the yacht moves quite fast, and changing tacks looks extremely impressive to regatta spectators.

A perpendicular direction between the wind vector and the yacht's route gives the "beam reach" point of sail. The wind acts on a larger sail area, thereby giving the yacht greater speed.

If the wind is coming from behind and to the side, the yacht sails on a "broad reach" with slightly eased sails.

A wind directly from astern moves the yacht on a "downwind" run. Here, the movement is slow despite the classic tailwind.

The standard sloop rig on a yacht consists of a mast and two sails, the main one being the mainsail and the forward one the jib. In light winds, sailing efficiency is enhanced by replacing the jib with a larger sail—the genoa. The genoa often overlaps the mast, which is why it has specific designations like "160% genoa" or "120% genoa."

Additionally, large, lightweight sails such as a gennaker or spinnaker can be installed on the yacht to assist with downwind sailing. In strong winds and heavy weather, handling the yacht is aided by setting special, robust, smaller mainsails and jibs. In storm conditions, the yacht is powered by a storm jib, and the mainsail is replaced with a triangular trysail.

The mainsail is attached to the mast and the boom. A classic mainsail is folded into a special cover for protection from water and sun. It is hoisted using the main halyard. If the mainsail is spread on both sides of the boom, several crew members are required to stow it.

A simpler version, the furling mainsail, is most commonly used on charter yachts. In this case, the sail is raised by a special mechanism. Experienced sailors often have a biased view of this version, considering it unsuitable for true sailing. A furling mainsail is less amenable to fine-tuning and has inferior aerodynamics.

Proper trim of the mainsail is crucial for the yacht's steering balance. Preparation for hoisting the main sail is done in the head-to-wind position to avoid wind influence. All crew members must clearly know their tasks. The mainsail is trimmed using the main sheet and the boom vang. The required sail area is adjusted with the main halyard and the backstay. In light winds, it is recommended to leave the foot of the sail loose to enhance performance.

The jib is located at the front and is easier to handle. This triangular sail is rolled around the forestay—a cable connecting the mast to the bow of the yacht. The jib is moved to the port or starboard side depending on the wind direction. When the wind strengthens, the sail area should be reduced.

The headsail is set using jib sheets attached to the corners of the sail and a winch.

During a regatta, you may notice large, colorful sails on yachts. Gennakers and spinnakers are made of lightweight parachute silk, making them very sensitive to the wind. They are most often used in light winds; the process of setting and dousing them is quite complex and mainly suits experienced racers. The mechanism for deploying these large sails involves various lines and a heavy spinnaker pole. Handling a spinnaker or gennaker requires sailors to be prepared for significant physical exertion.

A sailing yacht can move at any angle to the wind, harnessing its energy. The only exception is the "no-go zone" or being "in irons." The helmsman controls the course using the wheel. Wind direction often changes, as do other weather conditions, so it is crucial for the entire crew to know and clearly execute their actions during maneuvers.

Tacking is performed when the yacht crosses the wind's eye with its bow. It is crucial for the skipper to correctly choose the location for the maneuver, ensuring the sea in that area is calm and the waves are small. This allows the yacht to change tack quickly without being slowed down by waves.

During a tack, the jib ends up on the opposite side; ideally, it should flip over on its own. A necessary condition for this maneuver is good speed, as the sails lose power when crossing the wind's direction, and sufficient inertia is required to complete the turn.

The sequence of actions for the crew during a tack is as follows:

During the turn, it's important not to rush. Turning the wheel too sharply increases heeling, while releasing the sheets too quickly leads to a loss of speed.

Common mistakes beginners make when tacking:

A gybe occurs when the yacht's stern crosses the wind line. This maneuver requires significant open space and careful execution. It demands precision and thorough preparation, as well as practice in both the theory and practical exercises of sailing.

The sequence of actions for a gybe is as follows:

Due to the complexity of a gybe, skippers sometimes replace it with a series of tacks. Changing tacks through a gybe can be performed at any speed.

Risks of a gybe:

When maneuvering on a downwind course, the helmsman requires high concentration on the surroundings and the crew's actions must be precisely coordinated.

Stopping a yacht is also achieved by adjusting the sail area and changing the course relative to the wind. When drifting, the yacht does not remain completely stationary but slowly moves downwind or under the influence of current.

To initiate a drift, the boat is positioned on a course slightly closer to the wind than a beam reach, at which point the crew must begin trimming the sheets. The yacht executes a tack, the headsail luffs, and forward motion slows. The steering wheel is fixed in the centerline position.

Racing yachts are often equipped with a tiller instead of a wheel. There is a belief that this method of steering allows for finer control of the yacht's movement.

The tiller usually has an extension, which helps in steering from a distance. This requires clear deck space and additional time to switch the extension from one side to the other. Mastering these skills to the point of automatism is an important part of training for professional sailors.

All skills for sailing a yacht are learned in theory and practiced hands-on.

Learning to sail a yacht is a continuous process; conditions change with every voyage, meaning there is always room to improve your skills.