The Basic Parts of a Sail Boat

Have you ever had the privilege of sailing across the oceans water in a sail boat? This is one of the most enjoyable experiences that you could ever take pleasure in. A sail boat is a boat that uses the wind as the primary way of moving across the water. There are many different variations of the sail boat that includes everything from yachts to small personal crafts.

Regardless of how big or how small sail boats are they all have certain features in common. To help you get familiar with the different parts of a sail boat the basic parts and their meanings are listed below.

There are eight basic parts to a sail boat that you need to have as much knowledge about as possible. Having a fundamental understanding of each one of these parts will help you to have a safe sailing experience when you are out on the water. The eight basic parts are listed below.

1. Bow

2. Stern

3. Tiller

4. Deck

5. Sail

6. Hull

7. Mast

8. Rigging

The bow is the front part of the boat and the stern is the back of the boat. You steer the boat with the tiller and the deck is the area of the sail boat where you can stand. Of course, the sail is the part of the boat that the wind catches and propels you across the water. The hull is the body of the ship that is the central point of the boat. It is the part of the boat that provides the most buoyancy and keeps the boat afloat.

The mast is the tall vertical pole on which the sails are supported. The larger sail boats require several masts to work the sails properly. The rigging is the ropes and lines that are attached to the hull which are used to hoist or trim the sail.

It is important to make sure that you do learn about the different parts of the sail boat in order to know how to handle yourself while out on the water. For safety reasons it would be a good idea for everyone that will be on the boat to learn as much as they can. It is just good common sense to have more than one person onboard that understands the sail boat who can take over in the event that something happens to the primary captain of the boat.

It is also important to keep the boat and the sails in the best condition possible. If your equipment is worn or if you have a tear or rip in your sails, you will run into problems that can become big safety issues.