port tack starbord tack confusion.

[william3045]

someone please clearify port tack and starbord tack. my logical, (to me anyhow), assumption was that if the wind is off the starbord bow, and the bow is therefore pointed to port of the wind that this was a port tack...one is sailing to the left/port of the wind....and the reverse for a starbord tack. however, i read somewhere that it was just the opposite....the tack was considered to be the direction the wind was coming from. ie: if the wind was off the starbord bow, (and therefore the bow was "pointed" to port), that this was called a starbord tack because starbord was the direction the wind was coming from.

 

[Mike Collins]

Starboard/Port Tack

The tack reference is the direction that the wind is coming from. i.e. If the wind is coming over the starboard side of your boat, you are on the starboard tack. Pretty important concept in that the starboard tack boat (stand on boat) has the right of way over a port tack boat (give way boat). Good Sailing......

 

[Ron M]

Like the wind

It's just like the way wind direction is described. A north wind COMES from the north, it doesn't blow towards the north. A port tack has wind coming over the port side.Ron Mehringerh26 Hydro-Therapy

 

[calypso23513]

Let your boom tell you which tack you are on

If your boom is on the port side of your boat, you are on starboard tack; if it's on the starboard side you are on port tack. If you are heading almost directly downwind, it may be difficult to tell which side the wind is coming from, but you can easily see where your boom is.

 

[Mark]

Do what a lot of schools do??

Paint letters on the boom.On the Port side print "Port Tack"On the Starboard side of the boom print "Starboard Tack"

 

[william3045]

thanks guys

i hope i can remember without painting it on my boom...or my shoes :O ....if the wind is from my starbord its a starbord tack, if its from my port its a port tack. i had seen it the other way somewhere. ....if one was moving to starbord of the wind its a starbord tack), etc but since the info here is quite unamimous, i'll take it that was obviously not written by a sailor...thanks guys