How to Sail a Sailboat : How to Tack a Sailboat

Learn how to safely and correctly tack a sailboat with expert boating tips in this free video clip on sailing.

Expert: Kelli Gant, Steve Damm, Ed Polkenhorn
Bio: Steve Damm has raced in the America's Cup, round the world races and won Olympic gold medals. He now teaches beginning sailing.
Filmmaker: Bing Hu

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• extreme
• sports
• sailing
• ships
• sailboats
• racing
• knots
• wind
• waves
• ocean
• water

[lisarob5767]

I thought you say hard alee on a tack and helms alee on a jib??

[tomperanteau]

@noclassatall Towards the wind. When sailing you cannot head directly into the wind. You have to zigzag (tack) back and forth to head towards the wind.

[ozskipper]

@bobtheowl2 The leech has stretched. A tug on the leach line may take most of that out. But also turn the leach in somewhat and cause it to stall .

[bobtheowl2]

isn't the leech of the jib still luffing at the end? (and is that ok?)

[sk8wnec]

@CHOADspewer Why does it matter if they say ready or not?

[BatoNY65]

Thanks for putting this one up, old timer.

[LaPazSkipper]

Answers to questions: We are sailing on San Francisco Bay. The noise you hear is the electronic bell coming from the lighthouse known as Southhampton Shoal. Screphoe is right, you should never leave the winch handles in the winches. Script, what script? Camera man pointed the camera at us and said tell me something about ________. This boat is a 32' Beneteau. She sails nice in the light winds we had on that Fall day.

[capitalsfan4ever]

How big is this boat?

[sailor2233]

nice peopleshame about the confusion in  script! Watch out for a new contribution!!

[screphoe]

Never back and forth like that on a winch with the handle.