Sailing is a boating sport that many say is almost as exciting as flying an airplane! When you sail a sailboat, you become close to nature and just like flying a small plane, you experience a sense of freedom that is just not the same as cruising in a powerboat or even driving a car. Your sailboat responds naturally to the waves of the ocean and the wind.

Sailboats were used by the Greeks and Egyptians several thousand years before the birth of Christ. Over the following hundreds and hundreds of years, sailboats were used in war and for transportation and exploring. Then in the 19th century, large pleasure schooners were used for racing and cruising by both wealthy Americans and Europeans. Today, there are many smaller sailboats that are available to regular people with average incomes to enjoy. The sport is not just for the wealthy anymore! Some of the smaller sailboats are only 8 feet long. There are many different types of sailboats such as catboats, sloops, schooners and yawls. But basically they all have similar equipment.

A sailboat uses large pieces of sails that are made of nylon or Dacron which are mildew, saltwater and sun-resistant. Powerboats use motors to move them through the water, but sailboats use the wind. The main parts of the sailboat are the principal sail, which is the mainsail, the mainmast, which is the pole that the sail is attached to and the smaller sails called headsails, which are in front of the mainmast. Small sailboats usually have only one headsail, called the jib.

The mainmast requires supports, which are called the standard rigging and the ropes or lines that are used to manipulate the sails are called the running rigging. These are usually made from nylon.

The rules for sailing determine which boat has the right of way under a variety of conditions. These rules are needed, just as rules for your car on the road are needed, to avoid collisions when boats are sailing close together. When you start getting into sailing, your sailing club or school will have all of the information you will need about rules and sailing. The United State Coast Guard also has information about the equipment you need to have in order to sail which is required by law.

While you are just starting to learn to sail, you should always be supervised by an experienced, qualified sailor, either sailing with you or in a nearby boat. You should also know how to swim. If you dont, then wear a life jacket at all times. On board you should always have a pump, bucket, oars, horn and a compass. Also, there should be a life jacket for every person on board and life preservers. Remember safety is of the utmost importance when sailing on the ocean.