1. Watch the Sails
Often, the way that you move through the water seems contradictory. Moving the sails in the direction of the wind, you would think might send you backwards. Knowing how the wind catches in the sails is the key to efficient sailing. Heading down means that you are moving the boat in a down wind direction. The captain may yell out, "heading down," and crew members need to know how to trim the sails accordingly.
2. Heading Down
When heading down, the wind will be coming onto the boat from the back. The boat begins to cruise in sync with the wind. The sails need to be let out, or loosened in order to keep moving. The lines are let out and each crew member who is manning a line watches the sails until they become full of air and the boat levels off so that no side is sticking up out of the water. The sailboat actually slows down when it is heading down. The jib, or sail in the front of the boat, is usually swung over to the other side when you begin a downward ride. This move is called jibing and someone, typically the person who is handling the jib, calls out to warn the others on the boat that the boom is about to swing and cross over to the other side. You have to duck or risk getting hit in the head and possibly knocked overboard if you are standing up when the boom swings.
3. Heading Up
Heading into the direction from which the wind is coming is called going upwind. The sails are pointed into the wind and off center just a little. When a sailboat is pointed exactly into the wind, it will come to a stop. So you always have to veer to the starboard or port when heading up. You have to pull the sails in tighter when heading up into the wind. The wind will be coming over the bow, or front, of the boat when you head upwind. As you pull the sails in tighter and closer to the center of the boat, the sails will flutter. You need to adjust the lines until the sails become taut once again and the fluttering stops. You'll feel the boat take off when you get this right. This is a classic racing move that, when done precisely, can give your boat a good advantage in a race.
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