Terms Under Sail

SAILING TERMS UNDERWAY- Refer to above Sailing Quadrant

The following six terms are points of sail:

Close Hauled: Sailing as close to the wind as possible. (pointing)
Close Reach: Sailing between close hauled and beam reach.
Beam Reach: Sailing so that the wind is on the beam. (90 degrees)
Broad Reach: Sailing so that the wind is behind the beam.
Running: Sailing so that the wind is directly astern. The jib and main sails will be on opposite sides. (wing and wing)
By the Lee: Sailing so that the wind is on the same side as where the main is carried. When running, this could happen if there is a wind shift to the side of the boat where the main is. Sailing by the lee is discouraged because it could result in an accidental Gybe.

Tacking: Turning the bow of the boat through the eye of the wind.
Gybing: Turning the stern of the boat through the eye of the wind.
Luffing: The fluttering of a Sail when a boat is pointed too close to the wind or the sail is eased out too far.
In Irons: The condition when the boat is pointed directly into the wind without steerageway.
Windward: The direction from which the wind is coming.
Starboard Tack: When the starboard side of the boat is windward.
Port Tack: When the port side of the boat is windward.
Leeward: The direction to which the wind is going.
Head Up: Turning the bow of the boat towards the eye of the wind.
Bearing Away: Turning the bow of the boat away from the eye of the wind, also referred to as bearing off or falling off
Helms-A-Lee: Notification that the tiller has been put to leeward to cause the boat to come about. (tacking)
 

ADDITIONAL SAILING TERMS

Trim: To pull in... as in trim a sheet. (line)
Ease: To let out... as in ease a sheet. (line)
Overtrim: A condition where the sail is trimmed in too tightly for the wind direction.
Undertrim: A condition where the sail is trimmed too loosely for the wind direction. The Sail will luff if undertrimmed more than a slight amount.
Beat: Sailing to windward by means of a Series of tacks.
Reefing: Reducing the area of a sail due to strong wind.
True Wind: The wind speed and direction as seen by a stationary observer.
Apparent Wind: The wind speed and direction as seen by an observer who is moving across the water.
Weather Helm: The tendency of a sailboat to head into the wind if the helm is released. (letting go of the tiller)
Lee Helm: The tendency of a sailboat to head away from the wind if the helm is released.
Header: Change in wind direction towards the bow of the boat.
Lift: Change in wind direction towards the stern of the boat. A header for a boat on port tack is a lift for a boat on starboard tack.
Beam: The widest section of a boat, generaily across the middle.
Abeam: The direction to either side of the boat. (90 degrees from the bow)
Underway: When the boat is neither at anchor, made fast or aground.
No Way: When the boat is stopped.