A number of points to do with sailing

When sailing a dinghy such as a solo or a laser the helm will need to get to grips with the points of sailing. In relatively modern dinghy’s with a single sail it is possible to sail very close to the wind, typically just a few degrees off. This is known as beating and one of the most important for the helm to get proficient at if they are to maximise their speed upwind and win races! The sail is flattened by pulling the outhaul and kicker on tight. The boom is pulled in so the sail is set close to the middle of the boat. As the helm steers the boat just off the wind a few degrees they should be looking to optimise the angle and speed by paying particular attention to the tell tails on the main sail to ensure they are lifted and flowing correctly.  Sailing too close to the wind will cause the boat to slow down and eventually stall.