Close Hauled
A boat is sailing close hauled (also called beating or working to windward) when its sails are trimmed in tightly and it is sailing as close to the wind as it can without entering the no go zone. This point of sail lets the boat travel diagonally to the wind direction, or "upwind". A boat is considered to be "pinching" or "feathering" if the helmsman tries to sail above an efficient close-hauled course and the sails begin to luff slightly. This can be an effective technique to maintain control of the boat on a windy day by "de-powering", or spilling some wind, but is otherwise inefficient.
Read more about this topic: Points Of Sail
Famous quotes containing the words close and/or hauled:
“Nonsense and beauty have close connections—closer connections than Art will allow.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)
“Up rose old Barbara Frietchie then,
Bowed with her fourscore years and ten;
Bravest of all in Frederick town,
She took up the flag the men hauled down;”
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)