The Sail-Boat

Four sailors stuck on disabled boat southeast of Halifax

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The classic yacht is in the foreground, while the modern wonder that is Sailing Yacht A rides up behind, ready to pass the clipper, both literally and figuratively. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, and this one that highlights the huge differences between a beautiful classic sailing yacht and the ultra-modern Sailing Yacht A certainly says plenty. This photo of Sailing Yacht A gives a close-up view of the yacht's bridge and wingstation, perched atop the superstructure. This photo illustrates just how big this yacht really is. Peer closely and see how tiny the captain looks up in the bridge.

The human form gives a good sense of scale as to how large the yacht is around him, how huge the oval portlights are below, and how gigantic the yacht's booms and rigging are above. Sailing Yacht A has the tallest carbon masts in the world , in fact. This photo of Sailing Yacht A gives a view of a parts of the yacht that was previously unseen — the aft deck. Much like Andrey Melnichenko's Motor Yacht A , the yacht looks as though there isn't much outdoor space, but seen from behind in this video of Motor Yacht A , the preconceived notion changes.

The same can be said for her sailing counterpart. You can see that there are layers of decks that enjoy outdoor space, and the top deck is glassed in, giving a view to the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that might be enjoyed on Sailing Yacht A.

One of the best photos of Sailing Yacht A to arise when she went out on sea trials was this shot taken from a drone video. From this angle, we get a great view of the foredeck of Sailing Yacht A and the outdoor living spaces here, which hadn't been seen before. It was big news when the masts were stepped on Sailing Yacht A and we got to see what this formidable vessel would look like for the first time.

It also made for one of the best photos of Sailing Yacht A to finally see the giant masts get stepped atop the giant yacht. Dykstra Naval Architects designed the rig on the three-masted yacht, while Philippe Starck , who also designed Steve Jobs' Venus , worked on the yacht's design. Another milestone was the day Sailing Yacht A was launched.

While she was still covered up in this aerial view, it was still a treat to those who had been following her build to get a glimpse of her hull shape and imagine what might lie beneath.

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Sailing Yacht A 's accommodation is spread out over eight decks, and she has a beam of She can accommodate 54 crew to take care of this sizeable vessel, which includes amenities such as a touch-and-go helipad. Sailing Yacht A boasts the tallest carbon masts in the world, each measuring in at more than 90 metres long. The masts were built by Magma Structures in Portsmouth, UK, and this photo shows the masts being delivered to their home on board the new superyacht. The masts will host sails that are larger than a football field.

Shop Shop Home Magazine Books. Subscribe Magazine Subscriptions U. Edition Subscriptions Free trial Newsletters. Click below to login to access your magazine subscriptions, digital edition subscriptions and BOAT Pro subscription. The best photos of Sailing Yacht A. While Sailing Yacht A's owner Andrey Melnichenko calls her a "sail-assisted motor yacht", she is regarded by many to become the world's largest sailing yacht.

Sails act in two basic modes; under the lift-predominant mode, the sail behaves in a manner analogous to a wing with airflow attached to both surfaces; under the drag-predominant mode, the sail acts in a manner analogous to a parachute with airflow in detached flow, eddying around the sail. Sails allow progress of a sailing craft to windward, thanks to their ability to generate lift and the craft's ability to resist the lateral forces that result.

Each sail configuration has a characteristic coefficient of lift and attendant coefficient of drag, which can be determined experimentally and calculated theoretically. Sailing craft orient their sails with a favorable angle of attack between the entry point of the sail and the apparent wind even as their course changes. The ability to generate lift is limited by sailing too close to the wind when no effective angle of attack is available to generate lift causing luffing and sailing sufficiently off the wind that the sail cannot be oriented at a favorable angle of attack to prevent the sail from stalling with flow separation.

When sailing craft are on a course where the angle between the sail and the apparent wind the angle of attack exceeds the point of maximum lift, separation of flow occurs. In addition to the sails used upwind, spinnakers provide area and curvature appropriate for sailing with separated flow on downwind points of sail, analogous to parachutes, which provide both lift and drag.

Spinnaker cross-section trimmed for a broad reach showing transition from boundary layer to separated flow where vortex shedding commences. Wind speed increases with height above the surface; at the same time, wind speed may vary over short periods of time as gusts. Wind shear affects sailing craft in motion by presenting a different wind speed and direction at different heights along the mast.

Wind shear occurs because of friction above a water surface slowing the flow of air. Additionally, apparent wind direction moves aft with height above water, which may necessitate a corresponding twist in the shape of the sail to achieve attached flow with height. Gusts may be predicted by the same value that serves as an exponent for wind shear, serving as a gust factor. So, one can expect gusts to be about 1. This, combined with changes in wind direction suggest the degree to which a sailing craft must adjust sail angle to wind gusts on a given course.

Four crew rescued from disabled sailboat off coast of Nova Scotia

A sailing craft's ability to derive power from the wind depends on the point of sail it is on—the direction of travel under sail in relation to the true wind direction over the surface. In points of sail that range from close-hauled to a broad reach, sails act substantially like a wing, with lift predominantly propelling the craft. In points of sail from a broad reach to down wind, sails act substantially like a parachute, with drag predominantly propelling the craft. For craft with little forward resistance ice boats and land yachts , this transition occurs further off the wind than for sailboats and sailing ships.

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Wind direction for points of sail always refers to the true wind —the wind felt by a stationary observer. The apparent wind —the wind felt by an observer on a moving sailing craft—determines the motive power for sailing craft. The waves give an indication of the true wind direction. The pennant Canadian flag gives an indication of apparent wind direction. True wind velocity V T combines with the sailing craft's velocity V B to be the apparent wind velocity V A , the air velocity experienced by instrumentation or crew on a moving sailing craft.

Apparent wind velocity provides the motive power for the sails on any given point of sail. It varies from being the true wind velocity of a stopped craft in irons in the no-go zone to being faster than the true wind speed as the sailing craft's velocity adds to the true windspeed on a reach, to diminishing towards zero, as a sailing craft sails dead downwind. Sailing craft A is close-hauled. Sailing craft B is on a beam reach.

Sailing craft C is on a broad reach. Boat velocity in black generates an equal and opposite apparent wind component not shown , which adds to the true wind to become apparent wind. Apparent wind and forces on a sailboat. As the boat sails further from the wind, the apparent wind becomes smaller and the lateral component becomes less; boat speed is highest on the beam reach. Apparent wind on an iceboat. As the iceboat sails further from the wind, the apparent wind increases slightly and the boat speed is highest on the broad reach. The sail is sheeted in for all three points of sail.

The speed of sailboats through the water is limited by the resistance that results from hull drag in the water. Ice boats typically have the least resistance to forward motion of any sailing craft. On conventional sail boats, the sails are set to create lift for those points of sail where it's possible to align the leading edge of the sail with the apparent wind. For a sailboat, point of sail affects lateral force significantly. The higher the boat points to the wind under sail, the stronger the lateral force, which requires resistance from a keel or other underwater foils, including daggerboard, centerboard, skeg and rudder.

Lateral force also induces heeling in a sailboat, which requires resistance by weight of ballast from the crew or the boat itself and by the shape of the boat, especially with a catamaran. As the boat points off the wind, lateral force and the forces required to resist it become less important. Wind and currents are important factors to plan on for both offshore and inshore sailing. Predicting the availability, strength and direction of the wind is key to using its power along the desired course. Ocean currents, tides and river currents may deflect a sailing vessel from its desired course.

If the desired course is within the no-go zone, then the sailing craft must follow a zig-zag route into the wind to reach its waypoint or destination. Downwind, certain high-performance sailing craft can reach the destination more quickly by following a zig-zag route on a series of broad reaches. Negotiating obstructions or a channel may also require a change direction of with respect to the wind, necessitating changing of tack with the wind on the opposite side of the craft, from before. Changing tack is called tacking when the wind crosses over the bow of the craft as it turns and jibing or gybing if the wind passes over the stern.

Winds and oceanic currents are both the result of the sun powering their respective fluid media. Wind powers the sailing craft and the ocean bears the craft on its course, as currents may alter the course of a sailing vessel on the ocean or a river. A sailing craft can sail on a course anywhere outside of its no-go zone. Because the lateral wind forces are highest on a sailing vessel, close-hauled and beating to windward, the resisting water forces around the vessel's keel, centerboard, rudder and other foils is also highest to mitigate leeway —the vessel sliding to leeward of its course.

Ice boats and land yachts minimize lateral motion with sidewise resistance from their blades or wheels. Tacking from starboard tack to port tack. Wind shown in red. Beating to windward with tacking points shown from starboard to port tack at points 1. Tacking or coming about is a maneuver by which a sailing craft turns its bow into and through the wind called the "eye of the wind" so that the apparent wind changes from one side to the other, allowing progress on the opposite tack.

Fore-and-aft rigs allow their sails to hang limp as they tack; square rigs must present the full frontal area of the sail to the wind, when changing from side to side; and windsurfers have flexibly pivoting and fully rotating masts that get flipped from side to side. A sailing craft can travel directly downwind only at a speed that is less than the wind speed.

However, a variety of sailing craft can achieve a higher downwind speed made good by traveling on a series of broad reaches, punctuated by jibes in between. This is true of ice boats and sand yachts. On the water it was explored by sailing vessels, starting in , and now extends to high-performance skiffs, catamarans and foiling sailboats. Navigating a channel or a downwind course among obstructions may necessitate changes in direction that require a change of tack, accomplished with a jibe.

Jibing or gybing is a sailing maneuver by which a sailing craft turns its stern past the eye of the wind so that the apparent wind changes from one side to the other, allowing progress on the opposite tack. Fore-and-aft sails with booms, gaffs or sprits are unstable when the free end points into the eye of the wind and must be controlled to avoid a violent change to the other side; square rigs as they present the full area of the sail to the wind from the rear experience little change of operation from one tack to the other; and windsurfers again have flexibly pivoting and fully rotating masts that get flipped from side to side.

The most basic control of the sail consists of setting its angle relative to the wind. The control line that accomplishes this is called a "sheet. Finer controls adjust the overall shape of the sail. Two or more sails are frequently combined to maximize the smooth flow of air. The sails are adjusted to create a smooth laminar flow over the sail surfaces. This is called the "slot effect". The combined sails fit into an imaginary aerofoil outline, so that the most forward sails are more in line with the wind, whereas the more aft sails are more in line with the course followed.

The combined efficiency of this sail plan is greater than the sum of each sail used in isolation. An important safety aspect of sailing is to adjust the amount of sail to suit the wind conditions. As the wind speed increases the crew should progressively reduce the amount of sail. On a small boat with only jib and mainsail this is done by furling the jib and by partially lowering the mainsail, a process called 'reefing the main'.

Reefing means reducing the area of a sail without actually changing it for a smaller sail. Ideally, reefing does not only result in a reduced sail area but also in a lower centre of effort from the sails, reducing the heeling moment and keeping the boat more upright. Mainsail furling systems have become increasingly popular on cruising yachts, as they can be operated shorthanded and from the cockpit, in most cases.

However, the sail can become jammed in the mast or boom slot if not operated correctly. Mainsail furling is almost never used while racing because it results in a less efficient sail profile. The classical slab-reefing method is the most widely used. Mainsail furling has an additional disadvantage in that its complicated gear may somewhat increase weight aloft. However, as the size of the boat increases, the benefits of mainsail roller furling increase dramatically.

Hull trim is the adjustment of a boat's loading so as to change its fore-and-aft attitude in the water.

In small boats, it is done by positioning the crew. In larger boats, the weight of a person has less effect on the hull trim, but it can be adjusted by shifting gear, fuel, water, or supplies. Different hull trim efforts are required for different kinds of boats and different conditions.

Here are just a few examples: In a lightweight racing dinghy like a Thistle , the hull should be kept level, on its designed water line for best performance in all conditions. In many small boats, weight too far aft can cause drag by submerging the transom , especially in light to moderate winds.

Weight too far forward can cause the bow to dig into the waves. In heavy winds, a boat with its bow too low may capsize by pitching forward over its bow pitch-pole or dive under the waves submarine. On a run in heavy winds, the forces on the sails tend to drive a boat's bow down, so the crew weight is moved far aft. When a ship or boat leans over to one side, from the action of waves or from the centrifugal force of a turn or under wind pressure or from the amount of exposed topsides, it is said to 'heel'.

A sailing boat that is over-canvassed and therefore heeling excessively, may sail less efficiently. A weighted keel provides additional means to right the boat. In some high-performance racing yachts, water ballast or the angle of a canting keel can be changed to provide additional righting force to counteract heeling.

This can only be done if the vessel is designed for this, as in dinghy sailing. A sailor can usually involuntarily try turning upwind in gusts it is known as rounding up. This can lead to difficulties in controlling the vessel if over-canvassed. Wind can be spilled from the sails by 'sheeting out', or loosening them.

The number of sails, their size and shape can be altered. Raising the dinghy centreboard can reduce heeling by allowing more leeway. The increasingly asymmetric underwater shape of the hull matching the increasing angle of heel may generate an increasing directional turning force into the wind.

The sails' centre of effort will also increase this turning effect or force on the vessel's motion due to increasing lever effect with increased heeling which shows itself as increased human effort required to steer a straight course. Increased heeling reduces exposed sail area relative to the wind direction, so leading to an equilibrium state.

As more heeling force causes more heel, weather helm may be experienced. This condition has a braking effect on the vessel but has the safety effect in that an excessively hard pressed boat will try and turn into the wind, therefore, reducing the forces on the sail. Lee helm, the opposite of weather helm, is generally considered to be dangerous because the vessel turns away from the wind when the helm is released, thus increasing forces on the sail at a time when the helmsperson is not in control.

Sailing boats with one hull are "monohulls", those with two are " catamarans ", those with three are " trimarans ". A boat is turned by a rudder , which itself is controlled by a tiller or a wheel, while at the same time adjusting the sheeting angle of the sails. Smaller sailing boats often have a stabilizing, raisable, underwater fin called a centreboard, daggerboard, or leeboard; larger sailing boats have a fixed or sometimes canting keel. As a general rule, the former are called dinghies, the latter keelboats. However, up until the adoption of the Racing Rules of Sailing , any vessel racing under sail was considered a yacht, be it a multi-masted ship-rigged vessel such as a sailing frigate , a sailboard more commonly referred to as a windsurfer or remote-controlled boat, or anything in between.

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In the case of a standard catamaran , there are two similarly-sized and -shaped slender hulls connected by beams, which are sometimes overlaid by a deck superstructure. Another catamaran variation is the proa. In the case of trimarans, which have an unballasted centre hull similar to a monohull, two smaller amas are situated parallel to the centre hull to resist the sideways force of the wind. The advantage of multihulled sailboats is that they do not suffer the performance penalty of having to carry heavy ballast, and their relatively lesser draft reduces the amount of drag, caused by friction and inertia when moving through the water.

One of the most common dinghy hulls in the world is the Laser hull. It was designed by Bruce Kirby in and unveiled at the New York boat show It was designed with speed and simplicity in mind. The Laser is 13 feet A traditional modern yacht is technically called a " Bermuda sloop " sometimes a "Bermudan sloop". A sloop is any boat that has a single mast and usually a single headsail generally a jib in addition to the mainsail Bermuda rig but c. A cutter boat also has a single mast, set further aft than a sloop and more than one headsail.

Additionally, Bermuda sloops only have a single sail behind the mast. Other types of sloops are gaff-rigged sloops and lateen sloops. Gaff-rigged sloops have quadrilateral mainsails with a gaff a small boom at their upper edge the "head" of the sail. Gaff-rigged vessels may also have another sail, called a topsail, above the gaff. Lateen sloops have triangular sails with the upper edge attached to a gaff, and the lower edge attached to the boom, and the boom and gaff are attached to each other via some type of hinge.

It is also possible for a sloop to be square rigged having large square sails like a Napoleonic Wars -era ship of the line. Note that a " sloop of war ", in the naval sense, may well have more than one mast, and is not properly a sloop by the modern meaning. If a boat has two masts, it may be a schooner , a ketch , or a yawl , if it is rigged fore-and-aft on all masts.

Four sailors stuck on disabled boat off Nova Scotia rescued by helicopter

A schooner may have any number of masts provided the second from the front is the tallest called the "main mast". In both a ketch and a yawl, the foremost mast is tallest, and thus the main mast, while the rear mast is shorter, and called the mizzen mast. The difference between a ketch and a yawl is that in a ketch, the mizzen mast is forward of the rudderpost the axis of rotation for the rudder , while a yawl has its mizzen mast behind the rudderpost. In modern parlance, a brigantine is a vessel whose forward mast is rigged with square sails, while her after mast is rigged fore-and-aft.

A brig is a vessel with two masts both rigged square.

As one gets into three or more masts the number of combinations rises and one gets barques , barquentines , and full-rigged ships. A spinnaker is a large, full headsail that is only used when sailing off wind either reaching or downwind, to catch the maximum amount of wind. With modern technology, "wings", that is rigid sails , may be used in place of fabric sails.

Some non-traditional rigs capture energy from the wind in a different fashion and are capable of feats that traditional rigs are not, such as sailing directly into the wind. One such example is the wind turbine boat, also called the windmill boat, [40] which uses a large windmill to extract energy from the wind, and a propeller to convert this energy to forward motion of the hull. A similar design, called the autogyro boat, uses a wind turbine without the propellor, and functions in a manner similar to a normal sail.

Some sailing craft are propelled by kites, as with kitesurfing , which uses a tethered airfoil. Others use an airfoil on a pivoting spar, as with windsurfers. Both forms of sailing may use the airfoil in a way that provides an upward force, as well as a propulsive one, when the sailor controls the airfoil atop a planing board with a skeg.

Nautical terms for elements of a vessel: Spars, supporting sails, include masts, booms, yards, gaffs and poles. In most cases, rope is the term used only for raw material. Once a section of rope is designated for a particular purpose on a vessel, it generally is called a line, as in outhaul line or dock line. A very thick line is considered a cable.

Lines that are attached to sails to control their shapes are called sheets , as in mainsheet. If a rope is made of wire, it maintains its rope name as in 'wire rope' halyard. Lines generally steel cables that support masts are stationary and are collectively known as a vessel's standing rigging , and individually as shrouds or stays.

The stay running forward from a mast to the bow is called the forestay or headstay. Stays running aft are backstays or after stays. Moveable lines that control sails or other equipment are known collectively as a vessel's running rigging. Lines that raise sails are called halyards while those that strike them are called downhauls. Lines that adjust trim the sails are called sheets. These are often referred to using the name of the sail they control such as main sheet or jib sheet.

Sail trim may also be controlled with smaller lines attached to the forward section of a boom such as a cunningham; a line used to hold the boom down is called a vang , or a kicker in the United Kingdom. A topping lift is used to hold a boom up in the absence of sail tension. Guys are used to control the ends of other spars such as spinnaker poles. Lines used to tie a boat up when alongside are called docklines , docking cables or mooring warps.

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