Play to sail: 4 key basic actions to master steering a rc sailboat

The start is a topic moment to exploit skills on steering and trimming to achieve a gain to the opponents.

When sailing, the route of your boat is usually headed towards your destination or towards a mark of the course when racing. Steering towards a point - acting on the rudder by moving to left or right the joystick positioned on the left side of the controller unit - would be the first step followed by adjusting the sails - gently pushing up or down the stick positioned on the left - to maintain good boat speed in relation to the direction of the wind.
 

Focus:

You need to master (knowing & practicing) the basic actions of steering to properly handle your sailboat; this involves to direct, move, accelerate, change direction, stop, luff or bear away.

With the combined effects of the sails, the hull may be steered in any direction in relation to the wind. Just remember that your acting on the rudder will bring very different consequences to the movement of the boat.

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Basic actions to master steering a radio-controlled sailboat

[ Radio Sailing Basics ]

1. Steering toward the wind

To turn the bow of the hull toward the wind is called “heading up” or “luffing up”.

As you steer more toward the wind direction, you have to pull your sails in, "sheeting in", pushing down the left stick on the radio controller. You trim the sails in tighter to keep them full and keep generating lift.

You need to heading up in many situations, here you find some examples:

• To start sailing a route more close to the wind direction. Like turning closer to the wind to change your point of sail from broad reach to close hauled, when you cross the starting line after the signal.

• To start luffing to engage a boat you’re close.

• To keep a route more close to the wind when you have to reach a point slightly windward of your route. For example, the mark at the end of your starboard layline.

• To anticipate a veered puff of wind when beating.

• To accelerate running downwind.

• To “protect” your position on wind, when reaching or running downwind, from a boat that is close to you, backward.

• To point the hull into the wind direction, luffing the sails, reducing your speed such as when approaching a dock or an obstacle.

• To stop the boat keeping it “in iron“ (stopped headed into the wind).

A sailboat does not have brakes. The easiest way to stop it is to turn the bow and to keep it headed into the wind direction, and to lower the sails.

• To start your tacking to windward, changing your direction from a close hauled course to the opposite one passing your bow across the direction of the wind. 

• To round the downwind mark keeping a close hauled point of sail beating the next windward leg.

2. Steering away from the wind

To turn the bow of the hull away from the wind is called “bearing away”, “bearing off” or “heading downwind”.

You need to let the sails out, “ease the sheets”, gently pushing up the left stick of the radio controller.

You need to bear off in many situations, here you find some examples:

• To anticipate a backed puff of wind when running downwind.;

• To accelerate your boat into a lull of wind, or after a tack when beating.

• To accelerate your boat into a puff when reaching.

• To change the direction (from your close hauled route) when you need to pass astern a starboard opponent boat.

• To bear away rounding the windward mark.

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3. Tacking the boat

Tacking your boat refers to turning the bow through the wind so that the wind changes to intersect the sails from one side of the boat to the other side.

The boom (of the mainsail and of the jib in your radio sailboat) will shift from one side to the other when tacking.

As seen in the post about the different points of sails, a sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind direction due to a conical “no-go zone” of about 45+45 degrees from the direction which the wind is blowing. Tacking is the action you need to practice to get your sailboat to a point that is positioned directly upwind.

Remember, you must turn the boat at least 90 degrees when tacking or you may stall in the wind (put yourself "in irons"). Try to carve a smooth arc in the water, moving the rudder joystick firmly, but avoid sudden, jerky moves.

Ideally you steer the hull to go smoothly from sailing close hauled on one tack to sailing close hauled on the other tack.

4. Jibing the boat

The opposite of tacking, this basic sailing maneuver refers to turning the stern of the boat through the wind so that the wind changes from one side of the boat to the other side.

Turning away from the wind, or jibing is a way to change your course while sailing downwind.

When performing a jibe, the mainsail boom of your boat will always shift from one side to the other.

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[ Tips & Tricks ]

Steering your sailboat using the remote controller commands

Practice making smooth movements of both rudder joystick and the sail winch stick on your transmitter.

Control the direction of your boat by gently steering. Avoid any sharp movement of the rudder. A fast movement of the stick to full lock position will only act as a brake.

When tacking through the wind, make it a smooth and controlled turn which will help you carry boatspeed throughout the entire manoeuvre.

Too fast a turn and you throw off speed; too slow and you lose momentum.

Likewise, when sailing downwind try to keep rudder movements to a minimum to gain maximum boatspeed.

Steering to turn a sailboat in becomes more efficient the faster the boat is going. So when your sailboat is going fast, you can turn the rudder less to achieve the same turning arch. To turn when going slow, keep the rudder over for a longer time.

In light winds, get your speed up - by just bearing down a bit, before to start your tacking, so that the boat doesn’t stall halfway through your turn as it faces into the wind.

Fact to remember: you can’t steer effectively when your boat is not moving into the water. The rudder needs water to flow over it to be effective. Pay particularly attention at the start or when your boat is "in iron": use the sails to regain momentum and speed.

To deepen how to control your sailboat with the radio unit >

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Now get out on the water! Practice and enjoy steering at all points of sail and in different conditions of wind and sea.

You’re welcome to test your maneuvers renting an easy and fast radio-controlled sailboat or to race your friends on the Play2Sail arena courses.

To start steering a radio-controlled sailboat is easy but at Play2Sail we like to say also that: "to play is to learn", so here we share some really simple basics and tips, dedicated to everyone who wants to begin the fun of learning how to use the wind to "power" his rc yacht.

Play to sail: the radio unit provides you with control over your sailboat

Sailing requires constant reactions:

• to control or change the boat’s direction in the water

• to control the boat speed and fine-tune the angle to the wind, aging on the sails

When radio sailing, the radio unit provides you with control over your sailboat: on the rudder and sail trim.

Play2Sail provides you a two-stick surface transmitter to control your DF65 radio yacht.

The 2 ‘sticks’ on the radio are two controls.

Vertically moving the one on the left, you  trim the sails in and out.

Orizontally moving the stick on the right, you send commands to move the hull’s rudder blade to steer the boat into the direction you want.

On your rc sailboat are 2 servos, one each receive the signal off the two controls.

The steering servo actuates the rudder, through direct linkages.

The other will be hauling in and letting out the ropes that controls the position of the sails. At its shortest length, the sails may only have a few degrees of sway. With the line fully relaxed, the sails could approach 90-degrees of travel.

Above: a Dragon Force 65 yacht running downwind on a correct point of sail.

To use your controller unit to sail your radio yacht is really simple.

• Turn the hull to the right by moving the rudder joystick to the right.

• Turn the hull to the left by moving the rudder joystick to the left.

• Pull the sail In by moving the sail stick down.

• Ease the sail out by moving the sail stick up.

By manipulating the controls of the radio unit, you will sail your model from the piers as if it were a full-size yacht.

The distance to which you can sail our model yacht is limited by the range of the radio transmitter and receiver in the control system and by the capability of your eye. Visibility is crucial for sail trimming and steering to provide directional control to the hull (also for avoiding collisions).

We recommend to keep your sailing in the area where the floating marks are placed: from the pier, you will have a full control of your sailboats and, eventually, this will allow the staff to easily support you and your sailboat. 

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TIP: ALWAYS switch on the tx then the boat, then move the sheeting control up and down and the flashing green lights should go solid and you’ll be in control. ALWAYS switch off the boat then the tx.

Sailing Learning made easy and simple: download the Play2Sail e-manual and improve your skills fast!

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You may also be interested in these blog posts:

Control wind & sails to move your radio-controlled yacht to the direction needed >

Race THE radio-controlled sailboat on different courses signed by marks in the High Coast Arena >

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Play to sail: use wind & sails to move a boat to the direction needed

How to manage the effect of the wind on the sails to move your boat to the direction you need?

FOCUS: head to a destination keeping the proper points of sail

[ Radio Sailing Basics ]

Sailors harness the wind to move their boats, adjusting (trimming) the sails to keep air flowing over the sail to provide power. In a sailboat this force is harnessed into forward drive.

The curve of the sails (as in an airplane’s wing) generates lift, that force, in combination with the effect of the keel, results in the boat being pulled forward.

First it's important to understand that your boat can't sail straight into the wind.

When the bow of your boat (the front side of the hull) is pointed directly into the wind, the wind only shakes the sails (imagine a flag flying) and it provides no driving force.

The "no-go zone" for your boat - where a sail is unable to motive power from the wind - extends 45° on either side of the wind direction.

Pointing your bow within the no-go zone, your sails will start to flap and your boat will come to a stop.

In order to harness this power into forward drive, the sails must intersect and be kept into the wind at an angle.

Sail trimming allows you to manage the sails at the proper angle in relation at the direction of the wind and the point of sail.

Lear the basic Points of Sail

The diagram above shows the basic POINTS OF SAIL for different boat directions relative to the wind (blowing from the top of the diagram).

The points of sails diagram shows you how to most efficiently use the power of wind on the sails of your boat in motion toward a certain direction.

You learn that the name of your route changes in relation of the wind: the points of sails are defined by the angle of the wind coming over the boat relative to the bow.

Imagine to be on your boat, looking straight ahead at the bow (would be looking towards the top of the diagram: at 12 o'clock).

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wind coming from 180°

Radio sailing models running downwind: the mailsails and jibs are set to capture the wind coming at 180° degrees (sailing goosewinged).

Running downwind (point of sail) points your boat straight in the same direction as the wind: the wind is intersecting your boat at a relative bearing of 6 o'clock (around 180° from the bow).

SAILS RIGHT ANGLE: Letting both out to their maximum position

Let mainsail and jib eased out on opposite sides of the boat (as into the image above), as much as possible from the centerline of the boat, to expose the maximum surface of sails to capture the wind coming from back.

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WIND COMING FROM 120/240°

A Dragon Force 95 and a 65 sailing on a broad reach in calm waters.

Broad Reach (point of sail): the wind blows over the boat's quarter, between the beam and the stern.  The sailing is heading you far off the wind (but not quite directly downwind): a bit further upwind, 135° off the wind.

A broad reach is faster rather than a point of sailing directly downwind since mainsail and jib receive more pressure from the wind.

SAILS RIGHT ANGLE: let your sails out a bit leSs.

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wind coming from 90/270°

Radio controlled boats sailing a fast beam reach.

Beam Reach (point of sail) moves your boat at the fastest speed: the wind blows on the side of your boat.
 

SAILS RIGHT ANGLE: let your sails out half way (Each at a position of 45°)

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wind coming from 60/300°

Radio yachts sailing on close reach after rounding a mark.

Close Reach (point of sail): here you sail with the wind forward of the beam: it reaches your boat with a relative bearing of 2 o'clock or 10 o'clock. 
 

SAILS RIGHT ANGLE: Pulling both in a little

Let the sails out until they flap then bring them in just to the point on no longer luffing. They are let out farther than when close hauled.

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wind coming from 45/135°

Radio yachts sailing upwind (beating) during a regatta.

Close Hauled or Beating (point of sail) to windward involves tacking your boat through about 90 degrees from close hauled to close hauled through the no-go zone (since about 40/45 degrees off the wind is about as close as you can sailing upwind).
  

SAILS RIGHT ANGLE: Keeping pulled in

The mainsail and the jib are pulled in tight, and the boom is centered down the centerline of the boat. 

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Sailing Learning made easy and simple: download the Play2Sail e-manual and improve your skills fast!

HOW TO RADIO SAILING

€6.00

[ E-MANUAL ]

To start the radio-controlled yachting is easy but at Play2Sail we like to say also that: "to play is to learn", so here we share some really simple basics and tips of sailing, dedicated to everyone who wants to begin the fun of learning how to use the wind to "power" his sailboat - small or big - and get the most of the enjoyment on the water.

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Play to sail: basics to know the wind direction

DF65 radio sailboats sailing windward at the start of a regatta.

To start the radio-controlled yachting is easy but at Play2Sail we like to say also that: "to play is to learn", so here we share some really simple basics and tips of sailing, dedicated to everyone who wants to begin the fun of learning how to use the wind to "power" his sailboat - small or big - and get the most of the enjoyment on the water.

FOCUS: Check from which direction the wind is blowing

[ Radio Sailing BasicS ]

The wind powers your sails, that are the “engine” to move your sailboat: in a sailboat the force generated by the wind is harnessed into forward drive.

A sailor need to know the wind direction to manage to capture it properly, acting on the sails position and acting on the steer, to direct the hull (in the right point of sail).

Check the direction of the wind first

Four easy ways to check the direction of the wind while steering your sailboat: 

• 1) Look around and see clues to the wind’s direction: look at surrounding flags, smoke, moving clouds or meteorological weather stations nearby.

The ripples toward your point of view flow in the direction of the wind

• 2) Look at the ripulse flow over the water surface. They are formed by the wind pushing the water and breaking its surface. The ripples flow in the direction of the wind.

• 3) Simply to feel the direction of the wind using your body, your face / head or just by wetting a finger and pointing it upwards (the side of the that feels "cool" is approximately the direction from which the wind is blowing).

• 4) Look for sailboats, how they set the sails or, if moored, look at the top of their masts: in which direction is the narrow side of their Windex wheather vanes pointing?

Sailing Learning made easy and simple: download the Play2Sail e-manual and improve your skills fast!

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Play to sail: 4 race courses for radio yachting

A sailing race may have the purpose to reach a destination or, as per our radio sailing activities at P2S Arena, to race around a set of marks.

A regatta course consists of a start and finish line and legs separated by marks. The sailboats run the legs on different points of sailing in relation to the main wind direction - for a determined number of rounds of the complete course (usually one or two rounds, but sailors at the Play2Sail Arena are free to decide how to set their regatta).

The video gives you an overview from the pier of the Play2Sail racing area at Docksta Havet.

There are 4 different race courses for rc yachting in the Play2Sail Arena

“Olympic”, “Triangle”, Windward-Leeward” and the “Arena” courses are what we suggest to sailors to enjoy racing their radio yachts at the top of the fun.

Here you find a diagram for every course, that shows the location of the marks and the sequence they must be rounded, plus a short description on how to sail the legs.

For all the courses, the START is set into the wind. The starting line is an imaginary straight line (usually about perpendicular to the wind direction) between two marks. So, after the start, the first leg is always towards the direction of the wind: sailboats need beating to windward at a course of about forty-five degrees and tacking to reach the mark upwind.

The diagrams below show the racing course set for the prevalent southerly wind at Docksta Havet Base Camp.

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ARENA course

Description:

• START from the Start/Finish line between the yellow marks

• Sail upwind toward the Windward gate

• Pass into the Windward gate sailing around either the mark 1 or 2

• Sail downwind toward the Leeward gate

• Pass into the Leeward gate sailing around either the mark 4 or 5

• Sail upwind to cross the FINISH line

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TRIANGLE course

Description:

• START from the Start/Finish line between the yellow marks

• Sail upwind toward the Mark 1

• Keep the mark 1 on your left and sail toward mark 3

• Keep the mark 3 on your left and sail toward mark 5, that you will keep to your left to

• Sail upwind and cross the FINISH line

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WINDWARD/LEEWARD course

Description:

• START from the Start/Finish line between the yellow marks

• Sail upwind toward the mark 1

• Keep the mark 1 on your left and sail toward mark 2

• Keep the mark 2 on your left and sail downwind toward the Leeward gate

• Pass into the Leeward gate sailing around either the mark 4 or 5

• Sail upwind to cross the FINISH line

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OLYMPIC course

Description:

• START from the Start/Finish line between the yellow marks

• Sail upwind toward the mark 1

• Keep the mark 1 on your left and sail toward mark 3

• Keep the mark 3 on your left and sail toward the mark 5

• Keep the mark 5 on your left and sail upwind toward the mark 1

• Keep the mark 1 on your left and sail downwind toward the mark 5

• Keep the mark 5 on your left and sail upwind to cross the FINISH line

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Dragon Force 65 sailboats running a leward leg of a racing course.

The racing rules of radio sailing set a sequence of visual signals and sound signals to warn sailors of the departure of a regatta. We suggest you this reading: how to become confident with the starting procedures of a radio sailing regatta >

If you like practice your maneuvers or compete against your friends, race or just sailing the provided course rounding the marks is a top fun sailing experience: you will learn a lot, improving your skills in all the conditions.

Join us at the Höga Kusten radioseglararena, renting a fast Dragon Force 65 of our fleet or sailing your own radio-controlled yacht.

• Where you find Play2Sail RC Sailboat Rental in the High Coast? You can easily reach us by boat or by car at Docksta Havet Base Camp. You are welcome and feel free to contact us for more information :)

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