Points of sail
The closest point of sail to the wind where a boat can still gather power.
What is close-hauled?
The two dominant doublehanded dinghies used throughout college sailing.
What are the FJ and Club 420
Under Rule 10, this boat has right of way when two boats are on opposite tacks.
What is the starboard-tack boat?
The organization overseeing intercollegiate sailing competition in the United States.
What is the ICSA — Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association?
The traditional college format where teams compete in separate A and B divisions.
What is divisional racing?
The technique of shifting crew weight to help the boat turn through a tack or gybe while maintaining speed
What is a roll tack / roll gybe?
You definitely want these installed in the transom before launching an FJ or 420.
What are drain plugs?
This many boat lengths define the zone around a mark.
What is three boat lengths?
The trophy awarded to the College Sailor of the Year.
What is the Everett B. Morris Trophy?
The piece of safety equipment every college sailor becomes very familiar with wearing.
What is a PFD / life jacket?
In heavy air, sailing slightly higher than your normal close-hauled course to reduce power and keep the boat flat.
What is pinching?
The singlehanded class used for collegiate singlehanded championships.
What is the ILCA?
After hitting a mark, a boat generally takes this penalty while racing.
What is a one-turn penalty?
NEISA represents this geographic region of college sailing.
What is New England?
This document tells competitors the regatta's procedures, courses, signals, and other event-specific rules.
What are the Sailing Instructions (SIs)?
When a boat points directly into the wind, its sails flap, and it loses forward momentum.
What is in irons?
College FJs and 420s generally lack this sail-control system, making vang use especially important.
What is a traveler?
A wind shift that forces an upwind boat to point farther away from its desired direction.
What is a header?
The number of geographic conferences traditionally making up the ICSA.
What is seven?
Three boats from one school face three boats from another, where the finishing combination matters more than individual victory.
What is Team Racing?
This control tensions the mainsail luff and helps move the draft forward, particularly in heavy air.
What is the Cunningham?
This three-person keelboat has traditionally been used for collegiate match-racing competition.
What is the Sonar?
This rule restricts certain leeward boats from sailing above their proper course after establishing an overlap from clear astern.
What is Rule 17?
This historic trophy is associated with the top-level collegiate dinghy national championship.
What is the Henry A. Morss Memorial Trophy?
In an 18-boat fleet, a DSQ earns this many points.
What is 19 points?