Sailing

Guide Note

The hobby or sport of sailing refers to directing a sailboat by managing the force of the wind on a sail by altering the rigging, centerboard and rudder. In addition to being knowledgeable about wind and water conditions, sailors must also be versed in the art of navigation and know how to read various maps and charts.

Fast Facts

1. The earliest evidence of sailing comes from a painted Egyptian vase that dates to 3500 B.C.
2. Most sailboats have two sails: A mainsail and a jib sail
3. Sailboats have one to three hulls
4. Knot tying is an integral part of sailing
5. Sailing is a Summer Olympic sport
6. Competitive sailing is one of the most expensive sports
7. Sailing crews may have anywhere from one to over a dozen members, depending on the size of the boat

1. "Raise your sail one foot, and you get ten feet of wind."—Chinese Proverb
2. "There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea."—Joseph Conrad
3. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."—Mark Twain
4. "Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world."—The opening lines of Moby Dick by Herman Melville
5. "A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind."—Webb Chiles