New Sailors

Wind speed and direction never stay the same – they are constantly changing. While these changes are often small and subtle, they can be substantial. You will, with experience, develop a skill called wind sensing or wind feel which helps you detect the wind and anticipate its changes.

How can you tell the direction of the wind? The easiest way is to simply use your rig like a weather vane. Hold the rig upright and let it pivot freely. The front edge (luff) of the sail will point toward the wind (upwind) and the back edge will point away from the wind (downwind).

Other visual wind indicators are flags, smoke, and trees. Sometimes clouds can be used, since they often move in the same direction as surface wind.

As you become more experienced, you will also sense wind direction and speed by feeling the wind on your face and neck, and looking at the ripples or waves on the water. Ripples and waves are usually perpendicular to the wind.

Before your first sail, your instructor will show you how to determine wind direction and speed. By knowing where the wind is coming from, you will know the best way to prepare and carry the rig, launch, sail, and return to shore again.