Tack (sailing)

In sailing, tack is a corner of a sail on the lower leading edge. Separately, tack describes which side of a sailing vessel the wind is coming from while under way—port or starboard. Tacking is the maneuver of turning between starboard and port tack by bringing the bow (the forward part of the boat) through the wind. Jibing is the maneuver of turning from one tack to another by bringing the stern (rear of the boat) through the wind.

Sail corner

As a part of a sail, the tack is the lower corner of the sail's leading edge. On a sloop rigged sailboat, the mainsail tack is connected to the mast and the boom at the gooseneck. On the same boat, a foresail tack is clipped to the deck and forestay.[1]

Wind direction on sailing vessel

This vessel is on port tack.

As a point of reference, tack is the alignment of the wind with respect to a vessel under sail. If the wind is from starboard, the vessel is on "starboard tack", and if from port, on "port tack".[2]

The "rules of the road" for ships and boats declare that when the courses of two sailing vessels converge, the vessel on port tack must give way to a vessel on starboard tack.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Desoutter, Denny (2012). The Adlard Coles Book of Boatwords. London: A&C Black. p. 187. ISBN 1408126761.
  2. ↑ Desoutter, Denny (2012). The Adlard Coles Book of Boatwords. London: A&C Black. p. 220. ISBN 1408126761.
  3. ↑ Desoutter, Denny (2012). The Adlard Coles Book of Boatwords. London: A&C Black. p. 210. ISBN 1408126761.

See also

Bibliography


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