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Navegar en barco es un hermoso pasatiempo.. Es una actividad que te vincula con la naturaleza.. Debes aprovechar el viento para que el barco avance..
Aún, the direction of the wind is uncontrollable, so you must learn how to direct the wind in your favor. The relationship between the wind angle and the boat’s speed and direction is called the points of sail.
Learning the points of sail is an important skill for any sailor to properly maneuver and control a sailboat.
The Science Behind the Points of Sail
To properly sail a boat you have to understand the theory behind it all. It is impossible for a boat to sail directly in the wind. While that’s obvious, it is important that you truly understand why.
Sails have a triangular shape designed to deflect wind, which propels the boat forward. This only happens when wind is hitting the sail at an angle. Therefore, if the boat is sailing directly into the wind, the boat will not move.
There’s Two Types: True and Apparent Wind
You’ve likely understood the first aspect: wind hitting sails at an angle can move the boat forward.
A secondary aspect is understanding that in the world of sailing there’s actually two types of wind: true and apparent wind.
True wind is measured from an object that is not moving. This is the wind weather stations report on.
Viento aparente is the wind a sailor feels when the boat is in movement. It’s a mix between true wind and the boat’s speed and direction.
For better understanding, the table below highlights the differences between apparent wind and true wind:
|
Term |
Definition | Impact on Sailing |
How it Varies |
| True Wind |
The actual wind speed and direction measured from a stationary object. |
Used as a reference point for planning and navigation. | Remains constant unless weather conditions change. |
| Apparent Wind | The wind felt by a sailor on a moving boat. It’s a combination of true wind and the boat’s speed and direction. | Directly affects sail trim, boat speed, and tactical decisions. |
Can be faster or slower than true wind depending on the boat’s speed and direction. La dirección también puede variar., especialmente cuando se navega en ángulo con el viento. |
¿Cómo se utiliza el viento aparente para navegar??
El viento aparente afecta los puntos de vela de la siguiente manera:
- Navegando contra el viento: Esto se refiere a navegar hacia un destino directamente en contra de la dirección del viento.. para compensar, navegas el barco lo más cerca posible del viento para avanzar en el ángulo más pequeño con respecto al viento aparente. Esto también se conoce como navegando en ceñida.
- Navegando a favor del viento: This refers to sailing in the same direction as the wind, meaning that apparent wind speed is reduced. The sails are usually eased out to capture more wind for faster speeds and more control.
The Use of Points of Sail
Proper use of the points of sail will help you do the following:
- Proper maneuvering: If you understand the points of sail, you can adjust or ‘sail trim’ to maximize the boat’s speed and efficiency.
- Windward and leeward sailing: Understanding the points of sail will help you gauge whether you are sailing closer to the wind (windward), or away from the wind (leeward).
- Safety: You can better anticipate changes in wind direction and properly adjust to not lose control of the boat’s direction.
What are the points of sail?
For context, it’s important to understand that there are two sides to a boat: a port tack and starboard tack.
- Starboard Tack: When winds blow from the right side of the vessel.
- Port Tack: Cuando el viento sopla del lado izquierdo del barco..
Points of sail are the different directions a sailboat can travel relative to the wind.
- Cerrada: Navegar lo más cerca posible del viento, generalmente en un ángulo de 30-45 grados.
- Alcance cercano: Navegando entre ceñida y alcance de manga, 60-70 grados fuera del viento.
- Alcance del haz: Navegar con el viento directamente en el costado del barco., o 90 grados.
- Amplio alcance: Navegando con el viento que viene de detrás del barco., aproximadamente en 120-160 grados desde la parte delantera del barco.
- Correr: Navegar con el viento directamente detrás del barco., making it the fastest point of sail.
While the no sail zone is not a point of sail, it is associated with these concepts in most diagrams and literature.
The No-Sailing Zone
La no-sail zone or to be “in irons” is when the sailboat cannot generate enough force to move forward. This happens when the wind is directly hitting the front of the boat, causing the sails to ‘lull’ or flap and lose their shape and momentum.
Therefore, asegúrese de que la parte delantera de su barco nunca apunte hacia el viento.
Cerrada
Ceñida es el punto de vela más cercano al viento.. Ajusta bien tus velas para atrapar el viento.. Navegar en ceñida requiere que coloques tu velero en un ángulo de 30-45 grados relativos al viento.
Alcance cercano
Navegar de cerca te permite aflojar un poco más las velas..
A través de este punto de navegación, estás navegando en un ángulo ligeramente alejado del viento. Se considera eficiente y cómodo., because you are able to work with a decent combination of speed and control with minimal struggles.
Alcance del haz
With this point of sail you should let your sails halfway out.
With beam reach, you are sailing perpendicular to the direction of the wind, o una 90 degree angle. Beam reach is referred to as the sailor’s sweet spot because the boat maintains stability and produces a reasonable speed with little to no adjustments.
Amplio alcance
With this point of sail you can further let your sails out.
During the broad reach point of sail, wind is blowing from behind the boat. Here the wind fills the sails from behind, pushing the boat forward. You’ll experience high speeds, so caution is suggested to prevent the boat from losing its stability.
Correr
Here your sails are let out as much as possible.
During the running or ‘downwind’ point of sail, the wind is directly behind the boat. You can reach top speeds, but consider that at this point the boat is at its least grade of stability, so maintain a safe distance from other vessels.
How Do I Change The Boat’s Direction?
We’ve mentioned several times that depending on the point of sail, you should change the boat’s direction to ensure the most efficient navigation.
In your journey to conquer the basics of sailing, you’ll learn about tacking and jibing, the essential maneuvers to change the direction of your boat.
- Tacking: To change your direction against the wind, you turn the front of the boat by shifting your sails to the opposite side to continue the forward momentum.
- Jibing: Also written as gybing, you use this to change your direction with the wind. The back of boat passes through the wind by shifting your sails to the opposite side.
Learning these maneuvers will allow you to transition smoothly between the points of sail, enabling you to navigate the waters with ease.
Where Can I Learn the Points of Sail?
En Marino Escuela de Vela we proudly offer more than 60 years of experience in teaching over 160,000 students how to navigate waters.
Our most popular certification course, la Fast Track to Cruising® is designed to help you learn to sail in a week without prior experience. Mastering the points of sail is just one drop of new knowledge that you’ll obtain with our certified experts.
We’re not just the best sailing course, we are the sailing school for life. If you’re interested in learning how to get started, contact our certified sailing instructors to set up your first consultation!
