Mindblown: a blog about sailing

A Guide to Tuning a Sailboat Mast and Rigging High-performance dinghies with [ powerful mast ] rigging systems have a variety of controls governing the amount of power delivered by the sails. Other boats have fewer controls, but significant rig changes can be made to tune the mast and increase sailing performance . In this sailboat mast tuning […]

How do sailboats work requires an understanding of hydrofoil and airfoil sailing theory. This page discusses the effects of leeway and hull resistance as well as sail theory with the airflow over the jib and mainsail and air resistance. How sail camber effects the centre of effort of the sail along with the angle of […]

The correct emergency procedures when the sailing dinghy capsizes, or man overboard requires a complete understanding of the sailboat, its equipment and the way it sails. Both dinghy sailing capsize recovery and man over board drills, are exercises designed to improve boat handling skills and taught as a sequence. When learning how to right a […]

Changing direction and sailing away from the wind is termed gybing. In gybing or jibing it is the stern, rather than the bow, that turns through the wind with the mainsail staying full of wind throughout the manoeuvre. It is the swing of the boom across the sailboat which can be sudden and violent so […]

Boat Motors Many cruisers are fitted with an auxiliary engine that, in addition to a motoring capability, charges the boat’s electrical system. As well as using them for motoring or motor-sailing, many sailors use boat motors in preference to sails when entering harbour and berthing. Here is a review of the different types of marine […]

Trapeze Sailing The weight of the crew keeps sailing dinghies upright when they are being sailed and in general-purpose dinghies this is accomplished by the helmsman and crew sitting out as far as possible. With high-performance dinghies with larger sail areas, most times sitting out is not sufficient to balance the power of the sails […]

Sail Control An understanding of dinghy sail rigging comes from recognizing that sails are sophisticated aerofoils assembled from precisely shaped panels of closely woven synthetic sailcloth. The mast and boom along with their fittings allow adjustment to the cut of the sails enabling a wide range of sail shapes to suit changing wind conditions. With Ropes that control the […]

Different Types of Sailing Rigs Junk Rig In eastern Asia, the [ junk rig ] as used is a refined, multipurpose sailboat rigging type which, while not being effective close winded, has its efficiencies off the wind. The appeal of the junk rig is the ease with which it can be set and reefed, operating on the […]

All mooring rope cleats and fairleads should be adequate for the purpose and securely bolted to the deck having smooth, rounded edges to prevent warp chafe. The larger the rope cleat, the less it will wear the rope along with being easier to make up a rope with sufficient turns. A typical set up is […]

Securing a yacht without coming alongside a quay or pontoon can be done by mooring and anchoring. Places to moor are laid in harbours, rivers,and bays providing convenient securing points for visiting or resident yachts. Yacht Mooring Techniques and Procedures A yacht mooring is one or more heavy anchors or seabed weights attached to a […]