Sailing Terms Quiz (III)

How about another awesome ASA quiz, where you get compliments or a wisecrack. The last two have been about terminology and we’ve had feedback saying that they were too easy. Here’s a quiz generated from our Sailing Made Easy textbook designed to be a bit more challenging. Good luck!

• To “fake”, or “flake”, a line means to
  1. Coil it tightly Incorrect but at least you’re neat!
  2. Inspect it with a pilometer or similar tool for chafing. Pilometer? We made that word up!
  3. Lay it out so it can run freely. That is right and your intelligence is inspiring.
  4. Splice with another line of a similar dimension and material. Not right. Hit the books!
• While sailing close hauled, the windward telltale on the jib dances up and the leeward telltale flies straight. To get them both flying straight again you should
  1. Head up towards the wind. That won’t do it…
  2. Head down and away from the wind. Yes! You know how to trim a sail!
  3. It is impossible for both leeward and windward tales to fly straight on this point of sail. If you picked this one, you have not been sailing your best. Try again.
  4. Adjust the location of the telltales as they are placed on the sail. Chances are your telltales are ok. You just got the question wrong.
• “Sailing by the lee” is:
  1. Potentially dangerous. Correct! You withhold great understanding. Kudos!
  2. A reference that has little to do with sailing. It has plenty to do with sailing. Back to your studies!
  3. Sailing in waters that are less in depth than twice the draft of any given vessel. That sounds important but it’s not the right answer.
  4. Another term for “heaving to”. It is not another term for anything. Might want to look this up in Sailing Made Easy
• What is a “topping lift”?
  1. A sudden shift in wind direction of at least 15-degrees. Incorrectamundo!
  2. A rugged piece of hardware usually found in boatyards and seldom actually on board a sailboat. That answer be the wrong answer!
  3. Something that supports the boom when it’s not being supported by the sail. Yes! Your brilliance radiates!
  4. A knot used for raising, restricting and/or managing high payloads. The ol’ “topping lift knot” huh? No, that’s not right.
• “Apparent wind” is:
  1. The wind as it purely exists. No, that’s “true” wind.
  2. The wind speed as it relates to where it just was and where it will likely go next. Sometimes in life, we guess. Please try again.
  3. another term for “wind chill factor”. Afraid not. We still believe in you though.
  4. The wind as it exists combined with the wind generated from your movement. Correct! This quiz respects you!