Majestic sailing boats, with their billowing sails, are a sight to behold. But why do they have two wheels? It is for their intricate mechanics and design. These boats sail through the sea and two wheels make them easier to maneuver and control. These two wheels are called helms or steering wheels and are usually […]

Black sails are often used in Sydney to Hobart races due to their UV-resistant properties. Carbon or Kevlar laminates are UV-stable, which reduces wear over the course of a long race, and these materials are typically black. If you read on I'll give far more information on black sails and why they're so popular. Introduction […]

The oldest active sailing boat is believed to be the "Star of India." The Star of India is a fully rigged iron-hulled ship that was built in 1863. Originally known as the Euterpe, it was used for transporting emigrants to New Zealand and then served as a cargo ship in various trades, including the jute […]

Introduction Sailing ships had to battle many difficulties on the seas, like repairing their masts, which was no easy task. To do this, they'd make a 'jury mast' with spare wood from the ship. Or they'd fix a pole across the deck and hoist the broken mast for repair. Some captains even had pre-made masts […]

Why are triangular sails better? Read this to discover the undeniable advantages of triangular sails and explore their efficiency, giving optimal performance at sea. The Benefits of Triangular Sails Triangular sails have some great advantages over other sail shapes. They provide improved speed, better manoeuvrability, and control. Benefits include: What else? Triangular sails will keep […]

Challenges faced by sailing ships during storms Discover the remarkable resilience of old sailing ships as they confronted treacherous storms, here I unveil the tactics that helped them survive and prevail. Sailing ships in days gone by had to deal with the perils of storms at sea, without any of the modern day aids sailors […]

Key Takeaway: Introduction Sailing Ships: How Fast Were They? Sailing ships have always been an essential means of transportation and trade across the seas. Delving into the history of these ships brings light to their speed capabilities. When it comes to measuring the speed of these ships, the knot is the unit of measure. The […]

How did sailing ships get fresh water? Through rainwater collection, shore resupply, condensation, and distillation. Water was severely rationed on long voyages. Read all about it here. Key Takeaway: Introduction Sailing ship survival requires fresh water. The accessibility of water in oceans or seas was limited and dangerous due to saltwater. Therefore, sailors had to […]

Key Takeaway: Reasons why yachts have black sails As an avid sailor, I’ve always been curious about why some yachts have black sails. After researching the topic, I found that there are multiple reasons why black is a popular color choice for yacht sails. Yacht sails are made from carbon fibers which provide better performance Yacht sail […]