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...
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...
Definition of the backstay On a Bermuda-rigged sailing yacht, the backstay is a cable running between the masthead and the stern (via a chainplate secured to the deck structure). In its single configuration, it effectively bisects the yacht along its centreline; in a...
A jib is the generic term for a triangular headsail fitted at the bow of a sailing yacht. When a yacht is equipped with multiple headsails, these allow the sail area to be adjusted according to wind strength. In such configurations, the jib typically sits between a...
