Sailing is an exciting, fun way to explore the world. But owning a sailboat requires mechanical skills and a substantial investment. Most boats need to be maintained and repaired regularly. It is estimated that annual maintenance costs will cost 10-20% of a boat’s purchase price. This can be prohibitive, but it is possible to reduce these expenses with careful planning and by sharing ownership with someone you like and trust.
A sailboat relies on the wind to power it forward, and the size and shape of the sails can be changed to change the direction and speed the boat travels. But to get anywhere, the boat also needs a mast that supports the rigging and sails, and a rudder at the back of the boat to steer it.
Most modern sailboats use carbon fiber or Kevlar to create their hulls, adding strength and rigidity to the structure while eliminating deformation caused by the force of the water pushing against it. This adds to the overall cost of a boat, but it is worth the effort because it makes the vessel more efficient at travelling through the water.
Sailboats need to be able to resist being pushed sideways by the wind, which would slow them down, and they do that with a long fin on the bottom of the boat called a centerboard, which sticks down into the water like an airplane wing. The fin can be adjusted to change the amount of resistance it generates.
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