ISeamanship

 

At your discretion we will spend as much or as little time as you prefer on seamanship.  Take the helm or just sit back and enjoy the sail!

 

Mastering the art of sailing takes many years, but it is the learning that is so rewarding.  These trips provide opportunities to practice seamanship skills that you have always wanted to learn more about, but just may not have found the right time and place.  Maybe you've sailed monohulls and this will be your chance to explore the nuances of sailing a crusing catamaran.

 

Everyone brings something of value to the trip.

 

In port before departure, we will discuss our intended trip plan, take a good look at the weather and, go over the boats safety features.  Once underway, we will quickly get into the routine of the sail. Depending on the length of the charter we maybe taking you a bit further offshore than you may have been before, yet also provide the chance to pull into harbor and pick up a mooring, if you so choose.  All along the trip, we will be discussing every aspect of sailing and cruising.  Among the topics to be discussed are:

 

• Navigation,

• GPS and Dead Reckoning

• Currents and Tides

• Weather

• Sail Handling

• Reefing and Heaving To

• Anchoring and Mooring

• Boat Systems - Diesel, Electrical, Water

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For those of you with interest and little sailing experience the following sailing terms and their meaning are meant to provide a helpful overview of sailing basics.

 

1. Aft - The back of a ship. If something is located aft, it is at the back of the sailboat. The aft is also known as the stern.

2. Bow - The front of the ship is called the bow.  In the case of a catamaran we'll be adding the term port ("left") or starboard ("right") to bow in order to delinete which of the two bows is being referenced.

3. Port - Port is always the left-hand side of the boat when you are facing the bow. Because “right” and “left” can become confusing sailing terms when used out in the open waters, port is used to define the left-hand side of the boat as it relates to the bow, or front.

4. Starboard - Starboard is always the right-hand side of the boat when you are facing the bow. Because “right” and “left” can become confusing sailing terms when used out in the open waters, starboard is used to define the right-hand side of the boat as it relates to the bow, or front.

5. Leeward - Also known as lee, leeward is the direction opposite to the way the wind is currently blowing (windward).

6. Windward - The direction in which the wind is currently blowing. Windward is the opposite of leeward (the opposite direction of the wind). Sailboats tend to move with the wind, making the windward direction an important sailing term to know.

7. Boom - The boom is the horizontal pole which extends from the bottom of the mast. Adjusting the boom towards the direction of the wind is how the sailboat is able to harness wind power in order to move forward or backwards.

8. Rudder - Located beneath the boat, the rudder is a flat piece of wood, fiberglass, or metal that is used to steer the ship. Larger sailboats control the rudder via a wheel, while smaller sailboats will have a steering mechanism directly aft.

9. Tacking - The opposite of jibing, this basic sailing maneuver refers to turning the bow of the boat through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the boat to the other side. The boom of a boat will always shift from one side to the other when performing a tack or a jibe.

10. Jibing - The opposite of tacking, this basic sailing maneuver refers to turning the stern of the boat through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the boat to the other side. The boom of a boat will always shift from one side to the other when performing a tack or a jibe. Jibing is a less common technique than tacking, since it involves turning a boat directly into the wind.