NaCzarter Team
What are points of sail?
A point of sail is the angle between the direction the boat is heading and the direction the wind is blowing from. From the tightest: close-hauled (wind at an angle from ahead), beam reach (from the side), broad reach (at an angle from behind) and running (straight from astern). You cannot sail straight into the wind: on a charter yacht roughly 40–50° on either side of the wind line is the no-go zone, which you get through by tacking.
These four terms come up on every sailing course, yet the explanations are often thin. Here they are in one place, with angles and with what they mean on the Masurian lakes. If you are not sure how wind direction is measured in the first place, start with our piece on the wind rose.
What are the points of sail and at what angle?
The angles in the table are approximate and measured from the wind line, meaning the direction the wind blows from. The boundaries between the points of sail follow dictionary definitions: close-hauled ends at the beam, when the wind is at right angles to the side of the boat, and the broad reach starts there and runs all the way to the stern. For the tightest angle a charter yacht can manage, we use the same figure as in our guide to tacking.
| Point of sail | Where the wind comes from | Approximate angle to the wind | Sails | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No-go zone | Straight over the bow | below approx. 40–50° | Flapping, not pulling | The boat loses speed and stops |
| Close-hauled | At an angle from ahead | from approx. 40–50° to approx. 80° | Sheeted in hard, close to the centreline | Heeling, gusts, steering too high |
| Beam reach | From the side, at right angles to the hull | approx. 90° | Eased roughly halfway | Heeling in a gust, sideways drift |
| Broad reach | At an angle from astern | between the beam and the stern | Eased well out | Bearing away too far, towards a run |
| Running | Straight from astern | approx. 180° | Mainsail fully eased, jib often on the other side | Accidental gybe and the boom |
To be fair: these numbers vary between textbooks and between boats. The lower limit of close-hauled depends on how high a given boat can point, and dictionary descriptions give a range from about 30° to about 80°. A racing boat will point high. A charter sailing boat with a furling jib and a comfortable, beamy hull will not sail as close, so on the water expect something closer to 40–50°.
Close-hauled: how to sail as close to the wind as you can
Close-hauled is the point of sail you use to go upwind as far as the boat allows. In Polish it is called bajdewind (the PWN dictionary spells it bejdewind), from the Dutch "bij de wind". Both mean the same thing. It comes in two shades. Hard on the wind is the limit: a little higher and the sails start to luff. A close reach sits nearer the beam reach, is faster and forgives more mistakes.
When close-hauled, the boat heels because the wind presses on the sails from the side and slightly from ahead. The sheets are pulled in hard, and the helmsman watches the telltales on the sail and the bow, which likes to head up into the wind. Steer too high and the jib starts fluttering from its leading edge and the boat slows down. Steer too low and you go fast, just sideways from your destination. Every upwind beat is made of this point of sail, so you need to have it in your hands. We describe the technique step by step in our guide to tacking upwind.
Beam reach: why is it the easiest point of sail to start with?
On a beam reach the wind blows at right angles to the side of the boat. For beginners it is the easiest point of sail to learn. You ease the sails roughly halfway, the telltales still work, and the boat holds a steady speed without needing constant corrections. That is why the first minutes at the helm very often happen on a beam reach.
There is one downside: in a stronger crosswind the heel can take you by surprise. In a gust you ease the mainsail instead of fighting with the rudder. How wind strength translates into what happens on the water is explained in our piece on the Beaufort scale on a lake.
Broad reach: why do sailors love it so much?
A broad reach means the wind comes at an angle, from the sector between the beam (the side of the boat) and the stern. It is split into a close broad reach, nearer the beam reach, and a deep broad reach, nearer a run. The Polish name, baksztag, comes from a piece of rigging (German Backstag, the backstay) that supports the mast and runs to the side of the boat behind it.
For many sailors it is the most enjoyable point of sail. The heel drops, the sails are eased well out, and the boat moves briskly and smoothly. Polish dictionary descriptions regard the broad reach as the most favourable wind for a sailing yacht. Running, even though the wind then blows straight in the direction of travel, is usually not faster.
How does it differ from running? On a broad reach the wind comes from one clear side, so the mainsail knows which side it belongs on. When running, that boundary blurs. That is why on a longer downwind leg many helmsmen prefer to sail a broad reach and gybe once along the way.
Running: why can wind from behind be dangerous?
Running means the wind comes straight from the stern. The Polish name, fordewind, comes from the Dutch "voor de wind", literally "before the wind". It sounds like the easiest point of sail. For beginners it is the most treacherous.
The problem is called an accidental gybe. A small shift in the wind, a wave or a moment of inattention from the helmsman is enough for the wind to catch the mainsail from the other side. The mainsail and boom then swing across the cockpit to the other side, with great force and at head height. In stronger wind such a gybe can also heel the boat sharply.
What helps:
- the helmsman steers slightly higher than a dead run, so in practice sails a deep broad reach;
- the crew sits low and knows where the boom swings;
- on longer downwind legs you can secure the boom with a line led from its end to the front of the boat (a preventer), so it cannot swing across on its own;
- you gybe deliberately, with the mainsail sheeted in and a clear command, not by accident.
When running, the jib often hides behind the mainsail and hangs lifeless. Hence setting it on the other side, known as sailing goose-winged (wing on wing). How to gybe safely, and when it is better to turn the boat through the wind by tacking, is covered in our piece on tacking and gybing.
Why can't you sail straight into the wind?
When you point the bow too close to the wind line, the sail stops working as a wing and starts flapping like a flag. Nothing pulls, the boat loses speed and stops. This sector on both sides of the wind direction is the no-go zone. To reach a destination upwind you sail a zigzag, close-hauled first on one tack, then on the other. That is tacking.
What do the points of sail look like on the Masurian lakes?
In Masuria the shape of the lake often decides your point of sail more than the forecast does. On narrow, long channel lakes such as Tałty, Bełdany or Jagodne, the wind lines up along the axis of the lake. So you mostly feel it either over the bow or from astern. In practice that means two scenarios: a downwind course along the whole length of the lake, or a close-hauled beat, tack after tack, from shore to shore. A beam reach on such a channel is rare. We cover the details for Tałty in our guide to Lake Tałty.
It goes roughly like this. In the morning you head up the Tałty channel into the wind. A close-hauled beat, tack, a few minutes, tack again. The helmsman sweats, the crew handles the sheets. After lunch you come back the same way on a broad reach. The boat straightens up, it goes quiet, and suddenly the whole crew has time for coffee.
On open water, on Niegocin, Mamry or Śniardwy, a beam reach and a free choice of course are easier to come by. Here, on the other hand, watch out for the waves: in stronger wind Śniardwy and Mamry build short, steep waves, so you cross them in the morning or not at all.
Where does the wind usually come from? According to a study based on IMGW-PIB data from 1991–2010, westerly and southerly winds prevailed in Mikołajki and Kętrzyn. These are figures for specific stations, not a rule for every day or every lake. The main route runs roughly north to south, from Węgorzewo through Giżycko and Mikołajki to Ruciane-Nida. With a westerly wind, the open-water stretch is close to a beam reach. When the wind is from the south and you are sailing south, expect to beat upwind. The return north will then be a downwind course. The forecast for the day decides, not statistics.
What is heading up and bearing away?
Heading up means turning the bow closer to the wind line, towards close-hauled. Bearing away means turning it away from the wind, towards a broad reach and a run. Close-hauled and the beam reach are called upwind points of sail, while the broad reach and running are downwind points of sail. Every time you change course you adjust the sails: heading up, you sheet in; bearing away, you ease out. A full cheat sheet on how to set the mainsail and jib on each point of sail is in our guide to sail trim.
Frequently asked questions
What is close-hauled? Close-hauled is the point of sail where the wind blows at an angle from ahead of the boat, on a typical charter sailing boat roughly from 40–50° to about 80° off the bow. It is the closest you can sail to the wind.
What is the difference between a broad reach and running? On a broad reach the wind blows at an angle from astern, from one clear side. When running it blows straight from the stern, which makes an accidental gybe and a swinging boom more likely.
Which point of sail is the fastest? It depends on the boat and the wind strength. Dictionary descriptions usually consider the broad reach the most favourable, while the beam reach gives the steadiest speed. Running, contrary to intuition, is usually not the fastest.
What is the no-go zone in sailing? It is the sector around the direction the wind blows from, where the sails just flap and the boat stops. On a typical charter yacht it is roughly 40–50° either side of the wind line. You get past it by tacking.
Which point of sail is the most dangerous for beginners? Running. With the wind straight behind you, it can easily catch the mainsail from the other side and send the boom across the cockpit. It is safer to sail a deep broad reach and gybe deliberately.
