Tacking (sailing) facts for kids
Tacking (also called coming about) is a sailing term. It means changing the direction of a sailboat by turning its front (called the bow) through the wind. Imagine the wind blowing towards you. When you tack, you turn the boat so the wind crosses the front of the boat.
The direction the wind blows over the boat also gives the tack a name. If the wind blows over the left side of the boat (called port), it's a "port tack." If the wind blows over the right side (called starboard), it's a "starboard tack."
The person steering the sailboat, called the helmsman, tells the rest of the crew when they are about to tack. The helmsman usually shouts "Ready about!" When the crew is ready, they shout "Ready!" Then, the boat turns. The opposite of tacking (turning into the wind) is called a jibe. A jibe means changing direction while the wind is blowing from behind the boat.
How to Change Direction: The Tacking Maneuver
To successfully tack, a sailboat needs to be moving fast enough. If the boat turns too slowly, it can lose its forward speed. This might even make the boat start moving backward!
If a sailboat gets stuck pointing directly into the wind, it's called being "in irons." When a boat is "in irons," it stops moving forward completely. Learning to tack is a basic but important skill for sailors. It takes practice to get it right. Tacking also feels different depending on the size of the boat. It's different in a small boat for one person compared to a large racing sailboat.
Sailing Against the Wind: Beating
Beating is how a sailboat moves forward when the wind is blowing from the direction you want to go. Since a sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind, it has to move in a zig-zag pattern. This zig-zag course allows the boat to slowly make progress against the wind.
When a ship is beating, it sails as close to the wind as it can. This position is known as being close hauled. Most sailboats can sail at an angle of about 35 to 45 degrees to the wind. Some newer boats can sail even closer to the wind. Older ships, especially those with square sails, could not sail very close to the wind at all.
See also
In Spanish: Bordada para niños
