Points of Sail - Reaching

Reaching

When the boat is traveling approximately perpendicular to the wind, this is called reaching. A 'close' reach is somewhat toward the wind, and 'broad' reach is a little bit away from the wind (a 'beam' reach is with the wind precisely at a right angle to the boat). For most modern sailboats, reaching is the fastest way to travel. On some boats, the beam reach is the fastest point of sail; on others, a broad reach is faster.

Read more about this topic:  Points Of Sail

Famous quotes containing the word reaching:

    ... A La Recherche du Temps Perdu is like a beautiful hand with long fingers reaching out to pluck a perfect fruit, without error, for the accurate eye knows well it is growing just there on the branch, while Ulysses is the fumbling of a horned hand in darkness after a doubted jewel.
    Rebecca West (1892–1983)

    The pious ones of Plymouth who, reaching the Rock, first fell upon their own knees and then upon the aborigines.
    William M. Evarts (1818–1901)

    ... this single span,
    Reaching for the world, as our lives do,
    As all lives do, reaching that we may give
    The best of what we are and hold as true:
    Always it is by bridges that we live.
    Philip Larkin (1922–1986)