Bournville Yacht Racing

   Radio Control and Free Sailing yacht Racing

                           A part of the Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club


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Glosssary of terms

Abeam                    At a right angle to the length of the boat.


Aft                           Toward the stern of the boat.


Angle of attack    The angle of a sail in relation to the direction of the wind.


Astern                     Toward the stern of a vessel, or behind the boat.


Backstay             A mast support that runs from the top of the mast to the stern of the yacht; it may be adjustable in order to                                  bend the mast backward or to increase tension on the forestay.


Beam reach         Sailing on a point of sail such that the apparent wind is coming from the beam (side) of the boat at about a                                   90° angle. A beam reach is usually the fastest point of sail. A beam reach is a point of sail between a broad                                   reach and a close reach.


Bow                          The front of the boat.


Beat to Windward  A'beat' against the wind which will involve tacking the yacht a number of times before reaching the                                     windward  buoy. The course therefore actually sailed to the windward buoy takes the form of a zig zag and                                     not a  straight line

Broad Reach        This represents a range of wind angles between beam reach and running downwind. The

                              sails are eased out away from the boat, but not as much as on a run This is the

                              fastest direction, relative to the wind, a yacht can sail.


Clear Astern          One boat is clear astern of another when her hull and equipment are behind a line abeam from the


Clear Ahead          aftermost point of the other boats hull and equipment. The other boat is clear ahead


Close hauled        Sailing with the sails hauled tight, sailing the boat towards the wind as much as possible


Clew                         The lower aft corner of a sail.


Cunningham         A line used to control the tension along a sail's luff in order to maintain proper sail shape.


Dead ahead            A position directly in front of the vessel.


Dead astern           A position directly behind the vessel.


Fairlead                   A fitting designed to control the direction of a line with minimal friction.


 Gybe                      To change tack with the wind crossing behind the boat.

                            A gybe causes the main sail to 'flip' violently from one side of the yacht to the other.

                         (also Jibe)


In irons                All way lost when attempting to tack. The boat is pointing into the wind with the sails flapping, but it will not                                  pay off on to either tack by its own momentum and is temporarily out of control.


Mark                         A buoy or other object  used to mark a location.


Port                    The left side of the boat from the perspective of a person at the stern of the boat and looking                             toward the bow

Port tack        Sailing with the wind coming over the port bow.

Starboard      The right side of a boat, from the perspective of a person at the stern of the boat and looking                           toward the bow.


Starboard tack  A sailboat sailing on a tack with the wind coming over the starboard side and the boom on

                               the port side of the boat. If two boats under sail are approaching, the one on port tack

                              must give way to the boat on starboard tack.