Basic Parts of a Sail Boat

There are many types of sailboats sailing on the water and most of these boats share some basic common parts. This is one of the first steps to learn sailing; a sailor must first learn the basic names of these basic sailboat parts. So in this case you can easily reference them on the water. First on the parts list is the Sail. A sail is the part that where we can spot the difference between a sailboat and a motorboat. A sailboat may have a single sail or multiple sails depending on the rig. The sail is used to move the sailboat, by capturing the wind and propel the vessel forward. A sail can be made in natural or synthetic materials.

Next basic part of a sailboat is the Boom. This is the pole that runs along the bottom of the sail and like in the movies, this is the part of the sailboat that usually hits people in the head. The boom can be made of metal or wood, and provides a great help in positioning the sail so that it can capture the wind. Another basic part of a sailboat is the Mast. This is the tall pole that sticks out of the boat and is commonly made up of wood or metal. The number of masts on a boat can be the part that determines the type of sailboat. The main mast is the taller mast installed in the boat.

Helm and Tiller, the helm is commonly known as the steering wheel. A tiller is smaller pole of metal or wood that is used to control or stir the direction of the boat and is generally found on smaller sailboats. Both of these parts or steering mechanisms are connected to the rudder. The Rudder, this is a piece of fiberglass metal or wood on the stern of the boat that can helps changing the vessel's direction. The helm or the tiller is attached and connected to the rudder. When you move the helm or tiller, you are also moving it and causing the boat to change directions of the sailboat.

Most sailboats have a centerboard or a keel that can be located underneath the hull and looks like the fin on a fish. A keel is permanently attached to the hull and is commonly filled with ballast. A centerboard can be raised up or lowered down from the boat and is usually lightweight. Next is the hull, it is the bottom part of the boat or the part that you are sitting in or on and includes the part of the boat that is underneath the water. Sailboats can have single hull or be multi-hulled depending on its size.

Other parts are the Stern, located at the back of the boat. Bow, the front of the boat. There are also Lines Onboard a Sailboat, These are many lines with various purposes aboard and connected to a sailboat including dock lines, sheets, halyards, downhauls, outhauls, cunninghams, vangs and travelers There are still many other parts on a boat that are not a part of this list, but this contains most commonly known parts of the basic a sailboat.