A sailboat is a boat that has sails.
A sailboat is a boat that is propelled by the action of the wind on its sails . It is worth remembering that sails are cloths of different sizes and shapes that are tied to the mast and that are part of a system known as rigging , which allows you to take advantage of the momentum provided by the air.
It is believed that the first sailing ships were developed by the Egyptians about 5000 years ago. They emerged as a means of transportation to move along different water courses, although over time they also began to be used for sporting, recreational and military purposes.
For example: “My dream is to have a sailboat to navigate the lake” , “An Indian sailboat won the last regatta that was held on this river” , “Yesterday we spent the entire afternoon on board the sailboat, having fun” .
The rigging of a sailboat
In the field of nautical, the term rigging refers to the group formed by masts, rigging, sails and yards , all the elements that allow a boat to move thanks to the impulse of the wind, whose force is directly impressed on the sails. These sails transmit the force to the other three components and thus the thrust of the hull takes place.
Let's see below a brief description of each of the elements mentioned in the previous paragraph:
- Masts : They are also known as masts , and are located vertically in the body of the boat to support the weight of much of the rigging.
- Rigging : These are the ropes and ropes used to support or stabilize the other elements of the rigging. The firm ones are always tense and give lateral stability to the clubs, while the mobile ones can be adjusted in the middle of a maneuver.
- Sails : it is the most popular part of the rig, and the only one that is related to the sailboat from a linguistic point of view. They are flexible canvas or canvas bodies of various sizes, depending on the characteristics of the boat .
- Yards : These are sticks that lock into the masts transversely to support the square sails, for which they are held from above or below.
Although sailboats use the force of the wind to move, their rig allows them to sail even in headwinds. The rig also allows you to control the boat precisely beyond the direction of the wind.
There are different types of sailboats.
an aircraft
A glider sailboat , on the other hand, is an aircraft that does not have an engine and manages to fly thanks to aerodynamics. It is also known simply as a glider and was designed in 1877 by Otto Lilienthal ; A decade and a half later, it made its first flight .
The glider sailboat has large wings and, in the same way as hang gliders and paragliders, it is supported and moved exclusively by the action of the wind . Also like the other two, it is used to practice free flight, since it does not have an engine, and for the sport known as volovelismo or gliding .
One of its most notable characteristics is that it loses very little height compared to the distance it is able to travel in each flight (this is called glide ratio ). In other words, the glider sailboat is the most efficient vehicle for flying.
Other uses of the term sailboat
The concept of sailboat is also used to name the subject that is dedicated to the manufacture and marketing of sails , according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ).
It is important to mention that a candle can be an element that has a wick covered by paraffin, wax or other solid fuel; In this case, candles are used for lighting.