We've all seen the graphic below, in some form. The right side shows the point in terms of apparent wind (direction indicated by a flag on the boat), and the left side shows the true direction, sometimes indicated by waves. The right side is traditional.
First, the obvious "error." Directions are all in terms of apparent wind, except for close-hauled. And the first thing we see, right at the top, is a 90-degree no-sail zone based on true wind, not apparent wind. An agreed-upon misrepresentation. The actual apparent wind when close-hauled is more like 26-35 degrees, depending on conditions and the boat, so the chart cheats on that one. Why? Because the term close hauled does not tell us where we are going, which apparently matters.
The second problem is that of clarity. On most boats, basing it on apparent wind makes sense, we think. That is what you trim for. But in the case of a performance catamaran sailing close-hauled, if we simply bear off 10-30 degrees, boat speed doubles, the sails don't really need re-trimmed, though we could crack the sheets a few inches for best speed. We are now sailing at 80 degrees to the true wind. The apparent wind has moved aft a little (not much). But as far as the chart is concerned, we are still close-hauled, in terms of sheet position
and apparent wind. Bear off a few degrees more (90-100 true), we crack the sheets just a little (the traveler is still centered), and soon we find ourselves sailing at 18 knots with the apparent wind little different than it was close-hauled. A slower boat, on the other hand, is clearly on a close reach.
If we turn another 45 degrees and put up the (flat) chute, the apparent wind is still well forward of the bow, between a close reach and a beam reach, but we are sailing over windspeed, the main is still sheeted close, and the traveler down only 6 to 12 inches. In fact, we seldom sail deeper that this. The apparent wind is never aft of the beam, so strictly speaking, we never sail on a broad reach or down wind. That seems odd, since that "close reach" is our fastest VMG downwind course. A slower boat, of course, will have the wind aft of the beam, the boom well-eased, and will use the vang to keep the boom down. Coincidentally, this catamaran does not have a vang; it doesn't need one.
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On my first beach catamaran (faster than the roto-molded beach rental stuff they sell now) I learned to call courses by the true wind direction. My second boat, a turboed Stiletto 27 (saw 24 knots once, not surfing), was just as fast. Both were faster than the wind on any reaching course. Through several more boats, I have kept this nomenclature. So have my multihull-sailing buddies.
- Windward/Close Hauled. The same either way. As high as you can go with good speed.
- Beam Reach. True wind on the beam, sails pretty tight, going fast.
- Broad Reach. True wind on the quarter, apparent wind on the beam to well forward. Maybe a chute, with the traveler down a little. Maybe a jib, Barberhauled out and forward and the traveler well down.
- Dead-Down-Wind. Main and jib are wing-and-wing. There is no reason to sail a course between wind on the beam and wing-and-wing, because the flow does not attach and they are all slower than dead-down-wind, wing-and-wing.
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But even if I transitioned to slower boats, and even when I'm sailing with reefs I don't need and going slow, in my head I still use the same true-wind-based nomenclature system. It relates to where I'm going in relation to the wind, not how I've set the sails, and that makes more sense to me. I know how to set the sails for best speed.
To each his own. I've always found the apparent wind-based system misleading in both the close reach and broad reach realms. To me, it's a beam reach when the true wind is striking the beam, whether we're well trimmed and moving or sitting still. For example, I'm sitting still, with sails out and flogging. The apparent wind is on the beam. As I sheet in and the boat accelerates, and without turning one degree, I will go through beam reach, close reach, and very nearly close hauled without changing sails or course. What do I tell the helmsman? "Keep the true wind on the beam" or "beam reach." The latter seems simpler. A close reach means nearly close hauled. A broad reach means apparent wind on the beam for best downwind VMG. Obviously, if I mean a compass course, I can say that, but more often the rule is "broad reach, as she goes," meaning keep the wind on the beam and the sails drawing as set. Since we never sail a broad reach based on apparent wind or downwind, what use are those terms to me? None.
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I guess I'm wrong. To me, this is more clear.
