You might be landing here to get the answer to one of our lighthearted puzzles. If not, our fans and followers were simply asked what happens next and told that there would be answers for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced sailors.
If you enjoy these lighthearted snippets of sailing info, please let us know in the comments below and we promise to keep them coming.
What Happens Next?
Our fans and followers were asked to work out what is going on. There are of course deliberately lots of possible answers, so if you got something else, it doesn’t mean it is wrong. Why not pop it in the comments box below and let our community discuss!
Beginners
Port Tack – You will see the picture is taken looking at the stern and the yacht is heeling (leaning over) to the Port side (left if you were facing the bows (front)). We call this a “Port Tack” and it becomes very important for the “rules of the road”. The “rope” errm line, (rope is not a term favoured by us nautical types), is called a “sheet”. The crew member is preparing to Tack – moving the yacht through the wind.
Intermediate
Heeling Effect – The boat is not level as you can see from the horizon. The effect is due to the flow of the wind over the sail literally pulling her over. The keel under the yacht translates the lateral resistance into forward motion, and that’s how we sail! Cool huh! No keel, and we would just go sideways!
Advanced
Racing Tack – If you look, the crew member has two extra anti-clockwise turns around the winch ending in a loop. When she lets go with her right hand, two of the clockwise turns on the winch will be immediately unraveled leaving the perfect one turn to take any kinks out of the sheet as we let draw. This is NOT favoured by all skippers, but I am a bit of a fan on cruising yachts that almost always have self-tailing winches.
Baltic Yacht Charter
The image is taken from a recent sailing trip in the Baltic sea. All of the crew were relaxing and learning during a superb sailing adventure from Germany to Denmark and Sweden and back… If you are interested in learning to sail and having an adventure, let us know and someone will get back to you shortly.
