Acquiring a sound understanding of basic marine engineering involves comprehending the system—namely the engine—that generates, transmits or transforms motion. It also requires an appreciation of the marine engineer’s role, which is essential for the servicing,...
A sailing vessel, a mast, a sail, a line, a yard… On board a ship, the yard is a spar belonging to the wider family of rigging components, which includes wires, ropes, head fittings, blocks and sails. On a sailing yacht or ship, a yard is an elongated structural...
For effective sailing, the mainsail must be correctly trimmed. This is the fundamental condition for achieving optimal performance in terms of balance and power, regardless of sea state, wind strength and direction, course, or point of sail. On a mainsail, the greater...
Naval architecture: the art of structures that navigate Naval architecture may be defined as the discipline concerned with the design of structures intended to operate on and beneath the water. The naval architect is therefore at the origin of all vessel design—from...
Spar afloat: definition At sea, maritime buoyage systems—ensuring the safety of vessels and navigation—are governed by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). A spar in this context refers to a rigid, fixed mark...
The capstan: then Historically, the capstan was a wooden drum with a vertical axis into which capstan bars were inserted, around which a rope was wound. These bars—removable levers used to rotate the capstan—featured a square or rectangular end that fitted into...
