Close Reach, Beam Reach, Broad Reach, Downwind Courses | Grabner SAILING ACADEMY [Episode 03] 

In this video you will learn on which courses you can sail, how to steer correctly and how to adjust the sail position to the respective course!
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When sailors speak of courses, they usually mean the direction of travel in relation to the wind direction.
If you sail at right angles to the wind like the boat in the picture, this is called a beam reach course. The course diagonal to the wind is the beating course (close-hauled sails) and the course diagonal with the wind is called the broad reach course. If you are sailing exactly in the wind direction, it is the downwind course.
The sail position must be adjusted on each course. In the beginning, the best way to do this is to let the sheets slack until the sail starts to flutter slightly - then tighten the sheets slightly again until the sail just stops fluttering- now you have a sail position that fits the course with optimal forward thrust. Opening the sail is called sheet out. If, on the other hand, you pull the sail closer to you, this is called sheet in or to haul.
On a beating course - that is, when you are sailing diagonally to the wind - your sails are hauled tight. And the traveller is positioned somewhat leeward. Make sure that the lowest sail batten is always at least 10 cm or a little further leeward.
On a downwind course it is particularly important that your centreboard is fully folded into the water to minimise lateral drift. The most efficient way to sail a beating course is to shift the crew weight slightly forward so that the hull touches the water up to the tip of the bow.
On a beam reach course - that is, when you are sailing at right angles to the wind - you have the sails half open. If you pull the tiller towards you on this course, the boat will turn with the bow away from the wind on the so-called broad reach course. The crew weight is shifted slightly aft on a broad reach course.
If you are sailing exactly into the wind, you are on a downwind course. In order for your headsail not to be in the lee of the mainsail, you can give one of the two sails to the other side - then you sail "butterfly". The downwind course is the slowest course - you are faster if you zig-zag several broad reach courses together.
As a helmsman, you always sit on the side of the boat facing the wind. Sailors also call it the windward side. To steer and shift between courses, you use the tiller. If you move the tiller towards you and away from the mainsail, the boat will turn with the bow away from the wind - this is also called bearing away or falling off. The opposite would be luffing up or heading up - a change of direction with the bow towards the wind - to do this, push the tiller away from you and towards the mainsail.
When luffing up, the sails are always hauled tight -
when bearing away the sails are sheeted out.
By the way, there's one thing you've probably noticed - we haven't shown you how to sail against the wind. That doesn't really work either - if you steer your boat with the bow facing the wind, it will stop or even go backwards. One then also says: the boat is in irons. Nevertheless, you can reach any point windward of you by zigzagging in opposite directions on beating courses.
To switch direction, it's best to always use a so-called tack - you'll learn how to do this in the next video!
The GRABNER Sailing Academy Team wishes you lots of sailing fun!
0:00 Introduction
0:16 Courses
0:50 Sail positions
3:06 Steering
4:37 Tack
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