You will learn helmsmanship such that you can maintain a heading accurately with reference to compass and visual landmarks. The first step in hoisting sails is to point the bow of the boat into the wind. Make sure the halyard is properly secured to the head of the sail, then check to see that the other end of the halyard has a figure 8 knot in its end. Make sure the halyard is free and straight from the head of the sail to the top of the mast before hoisting. Then, hoist away by hand, wrap around the winch to tighten the halyard, and then properly secure with a cleat knot around the cleat and a halyard hitch.
Beating is when the wind is coming from broad on the bow.
Close reaching is when the wind is coming from between the points broad on the bow and the beam. Broad reaching is when the wind is coming from between broad on the quarter and the beam. Running is when the wind is coming from between broad on the quarter and the stern. Tacking Tacking is defined as the changing of a sailboat's course so that the bow swings past the eye of the wind and onto a new course. The name of the new tack is derived from the side of the boat from where the wind comes.