Sailing is one of the most breathtaking experiences you can enjoy in life. There is no doubt that sailing trips are different from any other type of trip due to the particularities of the boat. To enjoy sailing on board a sailboat more, it is important to take into account different concepts, since passengers often feel like part of the crew.
In this article we are going to focus on sailing courses, one of the most important concepts when it comes to sailing on a sailboat. The wind is one of the most important aspects influencing navigation and, of course, has great importance on the course.
Depending on the direction of the wind or the use made of it, different manoeuvres can be carried out in navigation. With this , different courses can be achieved when sailing. Let’s take a closer look.
Setting a course
In sailing, heading is understood as the angle formed by the ship’s bay line and the actual wind. The bay line is an imaginary line by which the sailboat is divided into two equal halves, the stern and the bow. The real wind is the wind that hits the boat where the direction and speed of the apparent wind, the speed of the sailboat and, finally, the direction of the current are also taken into account.
One of the most common confusions regarding the course is confusing it with the direction of the ship. These are two different concepts, as the direction of the ship is the direction in which the ship is moving, while the heading is the direction in which the ship is pointing.
To better distinguish it, it should be known that the direction of the boat can be affected by the current while the course cannot. Navigators make use of bearings to navigate accurately and also to communicate with other ships.
Types of wind heading:
Let’s take a closer look at the different types of wind headings that exist. If you are going to sail on a sailboat, knowing these courses will help you to better understand the movements of the boat.
Upwind heading
When we talk about upwind, we mean sailing as close to the wind as possible, that is, trying to form the smallest possible angle against the direction of the wind. When a downwind course is carried out, the mainsail and foresail combine to form a much more aerodynamic profile.
On this type of course the sails will be much tighter, trying to catch the sheets in order to keep the maximum upwind. Depending on the strength of the wind and also the waves, the sails will be adjusted. On the upwind course, the size of the mainsail is very important, because if it is too large for the wind we have, it is possible that the boat increases its heel and tends to tack.
Heading Through
On the cross-country course, it sails at a 90º angle to the wind when it is entering perpendicularly from port or starboard. This is one of the easiest courses to achieve because it is much more forgiving of mistakes.
This ease of course makes it an ideal course for beginners, as it is much easier to follow. One of the possibilities is that there is also an open course of passage. In this open passage, the boat will sail with the wind at an angle of about 120º with respect to the bow.
Long Course
The long course is one of the most suitable courses if you are looking for the sailboat to gain in speed. It is a course in which you sail at an angle of 120º with respect to the wind.
When the wind enters through the fin, you can glide the waves and sail much faster, so it is one of the most fun courses when it comes to sailing, if the sea conditions allow it.
The longheading can also be open or closed stern long. In the case of an open length, the angle, as its name suggests, is more open, as it can be found between 150º and 160º with respect to the bow.
As for the long course of the closed stern, it is sailed with the wind at an angle of 180º, but, unlike the long course, in this one it is sailed with respect to the bow.
Round Stern Heading
The round stern course is also known as the engraved. On this course, the wind is blown right at the stern of the boat at about 170º with respect to it. While the cross-country course was the simplest course, the round stern course is the most complicated course due to the very unstable navigation. In addition to this, it is one of the slowest courses.
The difficulty of this course is due to the fact that the boat can gybe involuntarily. If you decide to sail on this course you can take one sail on each side, that is, take a mainsail on one side and Genoa on the other. This way of sailing is also colloquially known as donkey ears due to the fun way in which the sailboat is perceived.
On the way to a quartering
The heading to a quarter is a bearing that lies somewhere between the upwind and across-course course. On this course the sails are somewhat more open than on the upwind course and you will be sailing at an angle of about 60º or 70º with respect to the wind.
This heading is quite efficient, as it has the advantages of upwind heading, but it is less strict. This allows you to sail in a faster way compared to the upwind course, also in a slightly easier way.
Aleta's Heading
Finally, with the fin heading we also find an intermediate heading. In this case, it’s an intermediate course between sailing astern and sailing on a long course. Basically, it’s about taking a 150º angle to the wind.
If you decide to go on this course, it is important that you keep in mind that you should always hunt trapa. This is necessary to prevent the boom from lifting and thus causing a twist in the mainsail. If you don’t do this , the angle of incidence of the wind would be reduced, affecting the power.
Depending on the route and the weather conditions, you will have to choose the most convenient course. Among all the options that exist, the choice of course will affect several factors in navigation, for example, the speed of the sailboat.
