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SailPolars
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Sailing guide

How to sail: your first sail

Learn the parts of a sailing boat, how wind moves the boat, and how to steer. Then practise in the free SailPolars sailing simulator.

By the SailPolars team · Updated

SailPolars sailing simulator practice scene

Know the boat

The bow is the front of the boat. The stern is the back. Port is the left side when you look forward. Starboard is the right side. These names stay the same when the boat turns.

The mast supports the sails. A sheet is a rope that controls a sail. The rudder steers the boat. The helm is the steering control.

Understand the force

Wind flowing around a sail creates a force. Part of this force pushes the boat sideways. The underwater foil resists this sideways motion. The combined forces help the boat move forward.

The boat can sail across the wind. It can also sail away from the wind. It cannot sail directly into the wind. Some sideways drift remains. This drift is called leeway.

Make small steering changes

Heading up means turning toward the wind. Bearing away means turning away from the wind. Look at the wind direction before you choose either action.

In SailPolars, A turns left and D turns right when you look forward from the boat. Phone steering buttons do the same task. The camera changes your view. It does not change these steering directions.

Practise this idea

  1. Open the first-sail lesson.
  2. Find the bow, stern and wind direction.
  3. Hold a steering control briefly. Release it and observe the new heading.
  4. Bear away until the sail fills and speed increases.
  5. Repeat the turn in the other direction.
Open the matching lesson

Avoid this mistake

Do not hold the rudder over after the boat reaches the required heading. Large corrections make the boat travel farther and lose speed.

Check your understanding

Can you turn toward the wind and away from it without changing the camera? Repeat the exercise from another camera view.

Continue learning

This guide follows the SailPolars sailing school and guided practice lessons. Game controls describe the simulator. They do not replace practical instruction on a real boat.

Further reading: RYA: points of sail.

Next: Points of sail and the no-go zoneAll practice lessons