sail

sail
sailable, adj.sailless, adj.
/sayl/, n.
1. an area of canvas or other fabric extended to the wind in such a way as to transmit the force of the wind to an assemblage of spars and rigging mounted firmly on a hull, raft, iceboat, etc., so as to drive it along.
2. some similar piece or apparatus, as the part of an arm that catches the wind on a windmill.
3. a voyage or excursion, esp. in a sailing vessel: They went for a sail around the island.
4. a sailing vessel or ship.
5. sailing vessels collectively: The fleet numbered 30 sail.
6. sails for a vessel or vessels collectively.
7. (cap.) Astron. the constellation Vela.
8. in sail, with the sails set.
9. make sail, Naut.
a. to set the sail or sails of a boat or increase the amount of sail already set.
b. to set out on a voyage: Make sail for the Leeward Islands.
10. set sail, to start a sea voyage: We set sail at midnight for Nantucket.
11. trim one's sails, Informal. to cut expenses; economize: We're going to have to trim our sails if we stay in business.
12. under sail, with sails set; in motion; sailing: It was good to be under sail in the brisk wind and under the warm sun.
v.i.
13. to move along or travel over water: steamships sailing to Lisbon.
14. to manage a sailboat, esp. for sport.
15. to begin a journey by water: We are sailing at dawn.
16. to move along in a manner suggestive of a sailing vessel: caravans sailing along.
17. to move along in a stately, effortless way: to sail into a room.
v.t.
18. to sail upon, over, or through: to sail the seven seas.
19. to navigate (a vessel).
20. sail in or into, Informal.
a. to go vigorously into action; begin to act; attack.
b. to attack verbally: He would sail into his staff when work was going badly.
[bef. 900; (n.) ME sail(e), seille, OE segl; c. G Segel, ON segl; (v.) ME seillen, saylen, OE siglan, seglian; c. D zeilen, ON sigla]

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      an extent of fabric (such as canvas) by means of which wind is used to propel a ship through water.

      The first sails were most likely animal skins that were used to harness wind power for rafts or boats consisting of a single log. The next probable step was the use of woven reed mats stretched between poles. Depictions of cloth sails appear in predynastic (c. 3300 BC) Egyptian art, and ships from other early Mediterranean civilizations were equipped with sails.

      Sailcloth was woven from flax fibre during the period when England, France, and Spain were striving for supremacy of the seas. Fibre flax is still used for sails, although cotton has replaced it for better quality canvas. Cotton sails became popular in Europe after the U.S. racing yacht America, using cotton sails, decisively defeated a fleet of British yachts in 1851. Cotton sailcloth has the advantage over flax, hemp, ramie, jute, and combinations of these materials as a fabric in that it can be woven more closely and therefore will not stretch out of shape as easily or lose as much wind through the pores of the material. Sails made of cotton, however, are very stiff, which makes them difficult to handle.

      The chief modern users of quality sailcloth are yachtsmen, who generally prefer the polyester fibre Dacron (or Terylene, its British equivalent). These synthetic fabrics were first introduced in 1950, and they proved much superior to any type of cotton or other synthetic materials. Sails made of Dacron maintain just the correct amount of stretch and so require no “breaking in” period. The greater strength of the fabric permits the use of lighter-weight sails, which maintain their original shape for years. Because this fabric is heat-treated by pressing it between hot rollers of metal, its fibres are flattened and interlocked, giving it a smooth, almost frictionless surface and very little porosity. The stitches, however, do not mesh with the fabric but protrude above the surface of the sail, causing the sail twine to become abraded more rapidly than with other sailcloth.

      The basic steps in manufacturing a sail may be outlined as follows: (1) The sailmaker studies the sail plan or measures the vessel's rig. (2) The stretch and the amount of draft (i.e., the curvature of the surface) are calculated. (3) The actual plan of the sail is chalked out to full scale on the floor of the sail loft. (4) The cloths are laid down over this plan, and their actual length and shape are marked on each individual cloth. (5) The cloths are numbered and then cut to the dimensions outlined by the markings. (6) The cloths are sewn together. A special sail twine is used as thread, and after the needle is threaded the twine is waxed so it will hold the right-hand twist then given to it. This twist helps the thread to mesh with the fabric. (7) After all the cloths are sewn together, patches are attached to the corners, and tabling (hems on the edges) is sewn on the luff (forward edge) and the foot—the places where the greatest strain develops. (8) The finishing touches are applied. The luff rope is sewn inside the leading edge of the sail to prevent the sail from being stretched out of shape. Strong ropes (boltropes) are sewn to the luff and foot, and various fittings, such as metal slides, grommets, reef points, cringles, etc., are attached to the sail.

      The two major categories of sails are square sails (square sail) and fore-and-aft sails (fore-and-aft sail) (which are usually triangular). The first type is generally set in a position across the longitudinal axis of the ship; the second type of sail is set along this axis. Square sails drive the craft forward by the pressure of the wind on the afterside of the sail only; with fore-and-aft sails, both sides may be used for forward propulsion.

      Sails are divided further into groups of primary and secondary sails. Primary sails are those that supply the chief propelling force in ordinary weather; secondary sails are those that aid the primary sails either by helping to balance the ship or by providing additional driving power. There are six classes of primary sales: square sails, gaff sails, jib-headed sails (Bermuda or Marconi), spritsails, lugsails, and lateen sails. Secondary sails are variations of these basic types. In addition, sails are often grouped according to their function, usually as cruising sails for ordinary weather, summer sails for tropical weather, storm sails for extremely heavy weather, and racing sails.

      The name of a sail is frequently derived from the name of the piece of rigging on which it is set or from its location with reference to a nearby piece of gear. The nearest mast is often the primary reference point; therefore, the names of the masts and their location are important. Starting at the bow in a two-masted vessel, the masts are termed the foremast and the mainmast; when the aftermast is considerably smaller they are named the mainmast and the mizzenmast. In all three-masted vessels the names of the masts are foremast, mainmast and mizzenmast.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Sail — Sail, n. [OE. seil, AS. segel, segl; akin to D. zeil, OHG. segal, G. & Sw. segel, Icel. segl, Dan. seil. [root] 153.] 1. An extent of canvas or other fabric by means of which the wind is made serviceable as a power for propelling vessels through… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sail — [sāl] n. [ME seil, sail < OE segl, akin to Ger segel, prob. ult. < IE base * sek , to cut > L secare, to cut, segmentum, segment] 1. any of the shaped sheets of canvas or other strong material spread to catch or deflect the wind, by… …   English World dictionary

  • sail — ► NOUN 1) a piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship. 2) a wind catching apparatus attached to the arm of a windmill. 3) a voyage or excursion in a sailing boat or ship. ► VERB 1) travel in a sailing boat… …   English terms dictionary

  • Sail 8 — was an attempt at sailing protesters from Cherbourg in Northern France to Edinburgh in Scotland, as part of the 2005 Make Poverty History campaign. Taking place on 3 July 2005, the day after Live 8, the event was intended to be another aspect of… …   Wikipedia

  • Sail — Sail, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Sailed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sailing}.] [AS. segelian, seglian. See {Sail}, n.] 1. To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water; to be impelled on a body of water by the action of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • sail — [v] travel through water, air; glide boat, captain, cast anchor, cast off, cross, cruise, dart, drift, embark, flit, float, fly, get under way*, leave, make headway, motor, move, navigate, pilot, put to sea*, reach, run, scud, set sail, shoot,… …   New thesaurus

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  • sail|er — «SAY luhr», noun. 1. a ship with reference to its sailing power: »the best sailer in the fleet, a fast sailer. 2. a sailing vessel …   Useful english dictionary

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