We can’t see the wind, but we can see what it is doing to many objects on the water. Understanding the patterns and trends of the ever-­changing wind helps us sail faster, more efficiently, and on a more direct course toward our destination.   

Reading the wind is one of the great joys of sailing. Start by wearing sunglasses to dampen glare. This makes it easier to detect small changes of the ripples that wind causes on the water. I use prescription sunglasses to help me read the wind.  

Stand up in the boat so that you can see farther. Study one section of the horizon at a time. In a minute or two, you will be able to recognize what the wind is doing. 

Start by looking at the wind within 10 boatlengths, and then extend your view farther out, eventually all the way to the horizon. Study the patterns. Out loud, say where you think the wind is best.  

There are many clues. The first indicator is the water. Dark patches with ripples close together indicate more wind. Look for the intensity of the patches. That means puffs. You can also see if the puffs are coming from different directions.   

The next indicator is your sails. The wind flows around the sails and lets you know exactly what is happening around your boat. I use an apparent-wind indicator (a masthead fly) to see what direction the wind is flowing. Other boats sailing in your vicinity are a helpful source of information too. If, for example, you see a boat well ahead of you steering a higher course, that suggests you are about to be lifted (able to sail a higher course toward your destination).  

A change of direction that forces you farther off course is called a header. Often, when wind changes direction, it is part of a puff with more ­velocity. Anticipate a puff just before it flows into your sails. If it is a strong gust, be prepared to ease out your sails and head up a few degrees to lessen the effects of the puffs.  

Flags flying on the shoreline are helpful in trying to figure out if the wind is going to change direction. A set of anchored boats is another helpful source. (Be mindful that current flow can affect how a boat sits at anchor.) 

If a strong gust approaches your boat, then alert the rest of the crew that you are about to get a blast of wind. Crews don’t like surprises. Suddenly heeling over can startle an unsuspecting crew. 

Smokestacks are another good source of wind-direction information. A smokestack is high in the air and indicates what direction the wind is blowing at a higher elevation.

While you are sailing, keep a mental note of how each puff of wind is affecting your boat. The patterns repeat throughout the day. On a light-air day, head for a set of clouds. Often, good wind is underneath clouds. On a ­very-light-wind day, you can feel a subtle breeze on your neck. Wet a ­finger and hold it in the air, and you can feel which ­direction the wind is blowing.

Buddy Melges once told me that he looks to see what direction cattle are standing onshore so they can feel the wind on their backsides.

Thermal factors have a big impact on wind. When air heats up on land, it rises. A cooler breeze over the water fills in to take the place of the rising air. This is called a thermal or a sea breeze. 

Before sailing, take a few minutes to check out different forecasts by weather services. My favorites include Windy, PredictWind, SailFlow and the National Weather Service. I like looking at more than one source to get a sense of what might happen while I am on the water. 

For long-distance passages, consider subscribing to a private weather service. On an expedition to Antarctica, our crew engaged a weather service that gave us accurate forecasts every 12 hours. We received the information via email on a satellite phone. Many ­grand-prix racing crews use customized weather services as well.

The locals can be helpful. A gardener at a yacht club used to give me tips every Saturday before I went out racing. He would say: “There is a lot of dew on the grass this morning.  There’s going to be a strong breeze from the south.” Or: “I noticed cobwebs on the fence. Probably going to be a westerly wind today.” I smiled at the lore of the gardener, and yet his forecast generally proved accurate, so I always factored his commentary into my thinking.

Expect the wind to be choppy and confused in harbors and around moored boats. You are better off sailing in open water. Areas with many powerboats chop up the waves and cause confusion reading the wind. I try to sail in areas with as few power vessels as possible.  

Superstar sailor Buddy Melges once told me that he looks to see what direction cattle are standing on the shoreline so they can feel the wind on their backsides. Melges also advised watching the direction birds take off because they usually fly into the wind to generate lift.

When you sail into a gust of wind, it helps to use your sail trim, steering, and weight placement to maintain an even keel. When a boat heels over too far, it makes leeway. The rudder and keel stall, making it difficult to steer, and the boat slows down.  

When I am daysailing, I like to keep my boat sailing fast. The helm feels better, and the boat performs better. So, I ask the crew to sit to windward in a breeze and to leeward in light wind. If you plan to make a maneuver, let the crew know well in advance so that they will be prepared to switch sides of the boat. Reading the wind accurately will help you understand when it is time to tack or jibe.

More than anything, practice. I’ve spent my entire career studying the wind. Predicting what is going to happen will make your sailing more enjoyable.

The post How to Read the Wind appeared first on Cruising World.

The headsail on every boat works well alone or in concert with the mainsail or a staysail. I enjoy skillfully trimming a jib because it always makes a boat sail faster and in balance, but the lessons I’ve learned haven’t been exclusive to the race course.

Years ago, I was sailing to Bermuda with the late Walter Cronkite aboard his Hinckley 64, Wyntje. As we approached the Gulf Stream, the wind velocity increased, as did the size of the waves. To keep the boat balanced, I started setting up to change to a smaller jib sail. It was hard work hauling the heavy Dacron jib on deck. Just before I started the sail change, Walter motioned for me to return to the cockpit, where he asked me: “If you want a smaller jib, why don’t you just roll it up?”

“Great idea,” I thought. We both laughed. As a long-time racer, I’d never been on a boat with a roller-furling headsail.

Of course, most cruising boats today use rolling-furling headsails. Trimming techniques are easy to master. Experimenting is a good way to test different settings. Once a boat is sailing well, I try to return to the same settings. It helps to use visual references to set up the headsail. Attach yarns as telltales to the leading edge of the sail. These are very helpful when we trim the sail. Generally, I like them about 1 foot aft of the luff. Spread the telltales out, with one telltale a quarter of the way down from the head, a second one at the halfway point, and a third positioned about three-quarters of the way down the luff.

Use the halyard to adjust the sail. In light wind, I ease off the halyard so that wrinkles, or scallops, appear on the luff. As the wind builds, I tighten the halyard to remove the wrinkles. When you ease or tension a halyard, the curvature of the sail, called the draft, will move accordingly. Your initial goal is to trim the sail with the maximum amount of draft located in the middle of the sail. If you need more speed, or if the wind lightens, power up the sail by moving the draft forward. If the breeze is on or you want to sail a higher course and point closer to the wind, move the draft aft.

You can also adjust the jib lead so the leading edge of the sail luffs evenly. If the telltale at the top of the sail luffs before the middle or the bottom, the jib lead should be moved forward. I recommend making small adjustments at a time. If the bottom telltale luffs first, then move the jib lead aft. When sailing on the wind, I trim the headsail so the leech of the sail is within a few inches of the spreader. It’s very important never to trim the headsail too tight, because the spreader can rip the sail.

The next reference point is the boat’s angle of heel. Most boats sail fastest upwind when heeling about 20 degrees. If the boat heels over too far, it’ll start making leeway, which means it’s sailing sideways. A properly balanced boat can be felt in the helm. I like to sail with a slight windward helm—that is, with the boat balanced so that the forces driving it turn it lightly toward the wind—on the tiller or wheel. If you have too much helm and have to struggle to keep the boat on course, reduce sail area or adjust the sail trim.

If the boat’s overpowered—that is, if it’s heeling too much—consider moving the jib lead aft so the wind spills out of the top of the sail. This reduces heeling. If the jib is too full, or round, it diverts wind into the mainsail and renders it inefficient. When you have too much of this backwind in the main, I recommend one or more of the following steps: Ease the jib sheet, moving the lead aft to reduce the power in the sail; use a snatchblock to move the jib lead outboard; change to a smaller sail; or, as Mr. Cronkite suggested, simply roll up some of the sail.

When sailing on a reach with the sheets eased, it again helps to move the jib lead outboard to open the slot between the headsail and the mainsail. Move the sheet lead forward to keep the jib telltales flying evenly.

Another helpful reference tip is to keep the leeches of the main and headsail close to parallel. Jibs are built with internal cords on the foot and the leech. If the edge of a sail is flapping, pull these cords tight until the sail is taut. Flapping sails are slow and can damage the leech.

Remember, sailboats go faster when you bear off only when you ease the sheets. Whenever you change course, or the wind shifts, a crewmember should always be ready to trim the headsail. If you’re altering course to steer clear of anther boat, a trimmer should always have the headsail sheet in hand, ready to make a quick adjustment as the helmsman changes course.

Always alert the crew well in advance of making a turn. Give everyone a job. When tacking, the helmsman should turn the boat slowly so the trimmer has time to trim the sail. I like to ease the windward sheet well before a boat is head-to-wind. It’s important to be sure that the old sheet continues to be cast off throughout the turn so there’s no tension on the sheet that’s been released. This helps the trimmer pulling the sheet in on the new tack. When trimming the sail during the tack, start with two turns on the winch. When the tension on the sheet increases, add two more turns, then grind it home. If the sail is well out, the helmsman can help the trimmer by steering up into the wind. This is important on boats with a small crew. Be careful not to allow too much slack in the windward sheet because it can flap and injure a crewmember.

Downwind, I like to fly the jib wing and wing in tune with the mainsail. This works when sailing directly downwind so both sails fly. It helps to keep one crewmember stationed by the shrouds to hold out the sheet. Adjust the sheet so there’s even tension on the leech and the foot of the sail. A whisker pole or spinnaker pole can also be used to set the sail to windward—this is an excellent setup.

Jibing is easy with a jib. Simply ease it out and trim in the new sheet just as the main is moving across the boat. It’s important to control both sheets during a jibe.

With good care, a headsail can last a long time. Wash the sail periodically. Keep it out of the sun. Roller-furling jibs should have an extra layer of cloth on the leech for protection when furled. Look for chafe or wear on a sail. Patch or sew small holes or cuts. Periodically check spreader patches and the corners of the sail. Minimize luffing during turns, and furl or fold sails that aren’t in use.

I often cruise under jib alone, with the mainsail doused, and I’m always pleasantly surprised by how fast and well a boat can sail in this configuration. At times, I use a staysail with the jib for extra power. The key is to keep the staysail well aft of the jib. Check to see that the leeches of both sails are parallel. Adjust the leads of the staysail just as you would with the jib, so it luffs evenly on the leading edge of the sail.

A good headsail is every sailor’s friend. They’re fun and rewarding to trim properly, and these sails are an essential component on a well-sailed boat.

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