How do sailboats work?

Question

How can you steer the boat?

Answer 1

A sail makes a sort of wing/airfoil and the wind actually pulls the boat along going into the wind and pushes the boat as the boat goes downwind or running with the wind.  A sailboat can't sail directly into the wind as the sail will lose all of its power.  If it is held too long into the wind the boat can actually run backwards.  The steering of a sailboat will be through the Steering wheel or a tiller which is made of wood or aluminum and this moves the rudder which applies pressure to the boat when it is turned away from the center line of the boat.  If the boat is equipped with a tiller you move the tiller in the opposite direction you want to go.  If you want to turn left, you would push the tiller to the right side of the boat and if you want to go right you push the tiller to the left side of the boat.

Answer 2

Wind power propels the boat. A rudder and the position of the sail give the boat direction.

Answer 3

The steering wheel is connected to a rudder, which moves left and right to disrupt the flow of water around the boat, which causes it to turn left or right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudder