Dans Papers - May 25, 2007 - Manning The Weatherly

Last weekend was the only time I'd want to leave the Hamptons until Columbus Day weekend. Gearing up for the summer season, I went on a family vacation to Newport. Sure, we visited the Breakers, which makes The Creeks look like a pool house, but the main reason we took to Rhode Island was for a chance to race in the Mashomack Cup. The competition was part of a fundraiser for the Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island. My family and friends crewed The Weatherly, a 12-meter yacht and winner of the 1962 America's Cup. The opposing vessel, crewed by a dozen other Shelter Islanders, was the Intrepid.

In a light fog, on an overcast Saturday we fought through light precipitation and almost no wind for the slowest regatta in which I had ever sailed. The rains had steadily poured throughout the night and into the next morning. Two members of the crew bailed out by Friday night as the weather mounted, fearing rough waters and seasickness. Later that night, two drunken skippers in town told us that there was no way we were going out on the water on Saturday. They had just came up from Antigua and said the seas were a nightmare.

The next morning there were six foot beach breaks and in the distance I looked out and saw a sailboat with its sails down, bobbing in the water 200 yards offshore. I thought to myself, what kind of moron would go out sailing in this kind of weather? Then I remembered.

By the time we reached the dock, the harbor was flat as glass and sails across the water were luffing. There was no wind and at one point, due to the current, we even started going in reverse. But, we were determined to make a day of it and in the end, though losing three of the four races (two due to faults), I was able to spend a day on the water refreshing myself with the terminology and techniques of sailing.

Since most of you would prefer not to sit in drizzle remembering everything, I'd like to take it upon myself to bring the terms to you before you board your sailboat for the first time this season. Other than that, check the weather before you go out and please don't hit anything.

aft -toward the stern of a boat or behind it.
block - nautical term for a pulley.
boom - horizontal pole that holds the bottom of the mainsail.
bow - the front (pointy) end of the boat.
capsize - when a boat tips over.
centerboard - fin under boat to prevent sideways sailing; swings up for storage.
cleat (noun) - device for holding lines such as jib sheets or halyards.
come about - to turn the boat up into the wind and over to change the side the sails are on (also called "tack").
forestay - the wire between the bow and mast, which keeps the mast from falling backwards when the jib is off.
halyard - line used to lift the sails.
heel - a boat's leaning over to one side, usually because of the wind.
hull - the floating parts of a boat, not including sails, etc.
in - irons pointing into the wind.
jib - small sail in front of boat, hooked onto forestay.
jibe- turn away from the wind to cause the sails to flip over to the other side of the boat.
jib sheet - line that controls the trim (angle to the wind) of the jib.
keel - a foil at the hull of a ship which give stability and aids in direction
knots - nautical miles per hour; 1 knot = approx 1.1 mph.
luff (verb) - when sails flap because they're not pulled in, or to turn the boat into the wind or let out the sails so that the sails luff.
mainsail - big sail in back.
mainsheet - line that controls the trim (angle to the wind) of the mainsail.
mast - long vertical pole that holds the sails up.
port - left side of the boat when you are facing forward.
rudder - big movable fin that helps one to steer a boat.
shackle - snap or locking ring used to connect lines, sails, spars, and blocks.
starboard - right side of the boat when you are facing forward.
stern - the back end of a boat.
tack (verb) - change tacks, usually by coming about.
tiller - stick for steering, attached to the rudder.
transom - the flat part of the stern.