How To: Sail

Today, sailing is usually done for leisure or pleasure rather than traveling or moving cargo. While shipping is still the most viable way of moving goods overseas, with the advent of the airplane, sailing has transformed from a necessity to a sport. Some people put their sailing skills to the test in sailboat races; some just find it exciting to be riding the ocean waves on a non-motored vehicle, using techniques which sailors have employed for thousands of years.

Sailing from one place to another remains a highly technical and complicated management of wind and sails, ropes, knots, and men. A sailboat can have any number of sail and mast configurations that determine how the craft responds in varying weather and water conditions. The open ocean is a dangerous place to go unprepared, and people still spend lifetimes learning the craft of sailing.

In this free instructional video series for beginner sailors, learn the basics of operating a sailboat in fair wind conditions. Lessons cover tying proper knots in depth, identifying the parts of the sailboat, important safety tips, how to stop your sailboat, how to hoist the main sail, and what to do when leaving the dock. Sail on, sailor.