| If you are anything like me, trying to understand | | | | "sail trim" wind. If AW blows between the bow |
| the difference between true wind and apparent | | | | and beam, set your sails to parallel the AW |
| wind was a big hurdle to cross in learning how to | | | | direction. If AW blows between the beam and the |
| sail a boat. Forget about those confusing telltales | | | | stern, trim your sails so they are perpendicular to |
| and other mechanical wind indicators that so | | | | AW. |
| many sailing books talk about. Try this new way | | | | How Do You Trim Your Sails? |
| of looking at the three winds of sailing. | | | | * Close Hauled (beating) |
| Boat Wind (BW) | | | | Now let's get onto a close hauled course with the |
| Let's say you get underway on a calm morning. | | | | true wind (TW) 45 degrees off the starboard |
| You start your outboard or small diesel engine and | | | | bow. Where would you trim your sails so that |
| motor out of the marina. Right away, you will | | | | they parallel the apparent wind (AW)? Between |
| start to feel the first type of wind--called boat | | | | the bow (BW) and 45 degrees off the bow (TW). |
| wind (BW)--blow onto your face as you stand at | | | | * Reaches Between the Bow and Beam |
| the sailboat wheel or tiller. Boat wind always blows | | | | Let's turn the boat onto a beam reach, so that |
| straight down the boat from the bow to the | | | | the true wind (TW) lies directly off of the |
| stern. This happens no matter how you turn the | | | | starboard beam. Where would you trim your sails |
| boat. | | | | now so that they parallel AW? Between the bow |
| True Wind (TW) | | | | (BW) and beam (TW). |
| Later on that same morning, you look around for | | | | * Broad Reaches and Running |
| signs of the true wind (TW). In order to start | | | | On broad reaches, AW will be between the beam |
| sailing, you need some true wind. Some indicators | | | | and quarter (aft corner). On a run, AW lines up |
| of true wind are flags, wind socks (like those you | | | | with TW dead astern. Ease the sheets on your |
| see at airports), boats at anchor (their bows | | | | mainsail and Genoa (or jib) so that they are |
| usually face into the true wind), and wind waves. | | | | perpendicular to AW. You could even set a big, |
| Ahhh--there it is! You see a flag flapping on a tall | | | | colorful, balloon-like spinnaker sail to ramp up your |
| flagpole near the water. Now it's time to raise our | | | | speed for the ultimate thrill in downwind sailing! |
| sails to take advantage of the third type of sailing | | | | With this new way of thinking about apparent |
| wind... | | | | wind, you will learn how to sail a boat better than |
| Apparent Wind (AW) | | | | ever before. Practice these sail trim secrets to |
| As soon as you raise your sails, boat wind and | | | | boost your sailing skipper skills to the next level |
| true wind combine together. AW lies between the | | | | and beyond. |
| boat wind and true wind. Think of AW as your | | | | |