The direction of the wind dictates the direction a sailboat can sail. Understanding the points of sail is vital to understanding how sailors orient themselves relative to the wind. The Points of Sail describe the range of courses a sailboat can and cannot travel.
A sailor’s world revolves around the wind and staying aware of the wind’s direction is crucial. When you are just beginning to sail-you may feel so inundated with all of the new information that it’s easy to lose track of the wind direction. If that happens, just relax, take a deep breath and feel the wind on your face and skin. Your ability to accurately sense changes in the wind, its speed and its direction will improve as you learn. This is an important transition that will occur as you become a sailor. Points of Sail No sailboat can sail …