A sailboat is a boat that uses wind to move through the water. Sailboats are built for many purposes, from racing around buoys to circumnavigating the world. While sailing can be dangerous, it’s also a great way to experience the incredible wonders of the ocean. Dolphins playing in the waves never gets old, sunrises and sunsets are stunning, and billions of stars shimmer in a sky that seems endless.
There are a few things to consider before purchasing and sailing a sailboat. First, decide what your sailing goals are and be realistic about them. It’s easy to get caught up in the dream of a new sailboat and forget that owning one is expensive, technically challenging, and time consuming. Many sailors eventually bail out of sailing because they discover that it’s more work than they anticipated and can’t manage it.
Sailing boats come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and hull types. There are monohulls, multihulls, and trimarans. Some have keels that are fixed, others can swing side-to-side, and some have no keel at all and can self-right in the event of a capsize.
Most sailboats have a central keel that helps them keep their shape and reduce leeway (sideways slippage). Some have bilge keels that allow the boat to stand upright on sand or mud at low tide. Others have a daggerboard or centerboard that retracts in an appendage on the boat, increasing their lateral plane and making them more effective upwind.
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