Sailboat Question? What do you call this.....?

Question

Is there a technical name for when a sailboat turns on its side-not tipping over? I would imagine this happens when changing direction. I was on the Nathanial Bowditch Windjammer for a week in Maine and I could not believe how it actually tipped. The first time, unexpected and unprepared, I almost fell in. I'm not really explaining it well. I hope I 've given the right idea. All comments welcome, I promise I'll read every one!

Answer 1

The boat was maybe changing tack from one side to the other ie transferring the wind from port to starboard by putting the boats head (bow) thru' the wind though if she heeled suddenly it is as though she gybed (ie put the stern thru' the wind) instead. The latter causes a much more severe movement of the boat and can catch experienced sailors unaware!

Answer 2

It's called heeling or heeling over, when caused by the wind on the sails. If it do to unbalanced loads, it's called listing.

Answer 3

This is called listing. A sailing vessel will list when ever the wind is blowing from port or starboard. The only time it will not list  is when the wind is astern and you are running with the wind.Watch the wind and good sailing mate!!

Answer 4

When the boat is pushed over suddenly by the wind it is called Heeling Over. Even if it isn't a sudden thing, as a sailing vessel moves the angle of heel is how many degrees it leans over. This is how you would determine if you were carrying too much sail.

When the boat is at rest and leaning to one side it is called Listing. This is an issue of the stability of the boat's trim. Listing to port, listing to starboard. Also down by the head (where the bow is deeper than the established load line of the boat, or down by the stern. Ideal is an even trim.

If you are sailing downwind and have a following sea you can encounter a condition called Broaching. This is where the vessel, under the influence of the wind and seas will suddenly turn to one side. This can be dangerous as you have lost control of the boat and it will take a few minutes to get control again. If the winds and seas are particularly high you can Flounder. If a sea breaks over the stern when you are going down wind you have been Pooped.

Answer 5

Are you looking for the term "tacking".?

This is when you turn the boat into the wind, in order to change direction......it can often include some serious "listing".    I've often considered "listing" as more of  a defect.........like un unbalanced load, and something that should be corrected.

a sinking ship often "lists" to one side, as water fills ballast tanks and open spaces, unevenly.   The skill of "tacking", involves making sharp turns, which cause the most severe "list" and if you are not careful, you could tip the boat right over.  This is what makes sailing races thrilling.

Precision timing, split second decisions, and pushing things to the absolute brink of total disaster, without going "overboard"----as it were. !

I hope that helps, my dear lady!

May you have fair winds and following seas.!

Catch ya on the starboard side!

Answer 6

heeling over?  

TRIM

+The relationship between a ship's draughts forward and aft.

+(1) To adjust the sails for best advantage. (2) Fore and aft balance of a boat. If either the bow or stern is depressed, the vessel is said to be down by the bow or down by the stern. (3) To trim is to adjust. It does not just apply to sheets. You can trim the boat or ship (i.e. improve it’s balance)

+The angle to the horizontal at which a vessel rides.

+The condition of a vessel with reference to it’s longitudinal position in the water. It is the difference between the forward and after drafts expressed in feet/inches or meters/centimeters. Trim forward is called ‘by the head’ and trim aft is called ‘drag’.

HEEL

(1) To lean over to one side, due to wind pressure on the sails or crew on the side; The amount that a boat is tipped over side-to-side, relative to its normal horizontal position. (2) The after end of a ship's keel. (3) The lower end of a mast.

Answer 7

A lot of good answers, try one more. If the list reaches 90 deg. its called a knockdown.  If the mast stays in the water your capsized.  Otherwise your "rail down", a condition desired by true sailors.

Answer 8

Ed W explains the difference between healing....a temporary condition caused by winds or a change in direction...and listing....a more long lasting condition caused by bad weight distribution or, help us all, water... in the boat very well. Ten to him.

Answer 9

The nautical term for anytime a vessel leans away from the vertical on either side is 'listing'. If the vessel leans to the left, it is said to be listing to the port side. Leaning to the right is called listing to starboard.