When a boat floats on water, there are many ways of keeping it moving. Oars, Paddles and Engines are some of the ways of pushing a boat forward on water. A sail boat uses the wind as the primary engine to move through the water. Since a sail boat uses the wind, there are no noisy engines and no smelly fumes. The sail boats come in different sizes, ranging from a personal craft to a luxury yacht.
What Is A Sail Boat Made Of ?
Whatever be the size of a sail boat, all sail boats have certain common features. You may need to get familiar with these essential parts of a sail boat and their functions. A sail boat has eight principal parts that helps in having an exciting, but safe, sailing experience. The eight parts of a sail boat are;
1. Bow - The front part of the sail boat
2. Stern - The rear part of the sail boat
3. Tiller - The part that steers the sail boat
4. Deck - An area of the boat where you can stand while sailing
5. Sail - A sheet that helps in capturing the wind to set the boat moving
6. Hull - The body of the boat
7. Mast - The vertical pole structure that spreads the sail
8. Rigging - A host of ropes of lines that are attached to the sail and mast to help in trimming and hoisting the sail, and in controlling the direction of the boat while sailing
The sail is indeed the most important part of the sail boat as this is what propels the boat across the waters. The direction of the boat is controlled by the swivelling of the sail while capturing the wind to move the boat forward.
What Should You Know To Set Sail ?
Sailing is a skill which is earned through practice. It is also important for you to know the various parts of the boat and how they help in your sailing expedition. You may sail solo (alone) or sail along with a group of 4 or 5 persons depending on the size of the sail boat. If you are sailing in a group, it would be of an advantage if a few of them knew about handling the sail boat as much as possible. This is important if the sea gets suddenly rough and you find it difficult to handle the sail boat alone.
You would also need to ascertain the sea conditions before you set sail. The equipment that you use needs to be checked for wear and tear or damages in order to ensure a safe sailing.
