Chapter 1


Introduction to Keelboat Sailing


In many endeavors, preparation is a major key to success, and this is certainly true of sailing. Preparation will include choosing what to wear, informing those ashore of your plans, and understanding local wind patterns, currents, and the marine environment you will encounter. Being prepared for the sailing environment and having necessary safety requirements at hand are just the beginning and are essential for your voyage. This introductory chapter will acquaint you with the standard procedures, personal preparation, and safety checklists used by successful sailors. For your first sail, many of these pre-departure items may already be taken care of if the sailor is with an instructor, but ultimately, this responsibility is yours to ensure a safe and enjoyable sailing experience.


THE SAILING ENVIRONMENT Welcome to the world and lifestyle of keelboat sailing. Each day on the water you will learn a vast


amount of knowledge about the mechanics of how the boat moves through the water and how you can control or adjust the movement of the boat. People learn to sail keelboats for many reasons. What brought you here?


EXPLORATION You will be confident exploring harbors, rivers, lakes, bays, and even oceans in a small keelboat. For the most part as a beginning keelboat sailor, you will be sailing on your local waters. You will be able to see land and even identify some objects on land while you sail. For many sailors, exploring their local home by water can be a completely new perspective. The world looks and feels different when you are on the water.


1 Table of Contents

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123