| When learning how to sail, it is important to take on | | | | wind is approach your yacht from the Port side you |
| board (sorry about the pun) the correct terms for | | | | are sailing on a Port Tack and vice versa for a |
| each side of the boat. Port refers to the left-hand side | | | | Starboard Tack. When to two converge your yacht is |
| of the boat when you are looking forward towards | | | | sailing on a run. |
| the bow. Starboard is the opposite, referring to the | | | | So the points of sail are; Close Hauled, Port or |
| right-hand side of the boat. | | | | Starboard Tack. |
| Beginner sailors often think that it would be easier to | | | | Close Reach, Port or Starboard Tack. |
| use 'left' and 'right', but these could refer to something | | | | Beam Reach, Port or Starboard Tack. |
| else whilst out on the water and become confusing. | | | | Broad Reach, Port or Starboard Tack. |
| When you consider looking forwards on a boat, Port is | | | | Running. |
| on your left-hand side, when you are looking to the | | | | The basic rules to be followed while sailing or racing at |
| stern of the boat Port is on your right-hand side, | | | | sea are those set by International Regulations for |
| therefore the Port side of a boat is fixed, we naturally | | | | Avoiding Collisions at Sea. |
| determine Left and right as we look at it! | | | | The rules are extensive but with relation to Port and |
| It is important to know these two terms because | | | | Starboard some useful terms to remember are; |
| many sailing rules regarding the rights of way that | | | | If two yachts are approaching each other with the |
| oncoming boats have refer to them. One common | | | | wind approaching on different sides of the yacht, the |
| way to remember them is that 'port' has the same | | | | yacht sailing on a Port Tack should give way to the |
| amount of letters as 'left', but they will soon roll off the | | | | yacht sailing on the Starboard Tack. |
| tongue easily. | | | | If two yachts are approaching each other with the |
| When undertaking a mooring or docking manoeuvre | | | | wind on the same side, which could happen when you |
| Port or Starboard play a key role in commands from | | | | are close Hauled sailing, the windward yacht should |
| the skipper for setting fenders on the side of your | | | | give way to the leeward yacht. Windward side refers |
| yacht, attaching mooring or docking lines on approach | | | | to a yacht sailing in the direction of the wind, while |
| to a jetty or mooring buoy. When assisting the skipper | | | | leeward side refers to a yacht sailing against direction |
| with directional information it is too important to relay | | | | of the wind. This could be for example, a yacht sailing |
| that information as port and starboard and not left and | | | | close hauled (leeward yacht) approaching a yacht |
| right. | | | | sailing broad reach (windward yacht) both yachts |
| When your yacht is under sail the terms Port or | | | | having the wind over their Port Side. |
| Starboard come in to play on your points of sail, if the | | | | |