Reach

“Reach” refers to the point of sail where the wind is coming from the side of the boat, roughly perpendicular to the direction the boat is travelling. This allows the boat to sail with the wind at a broad angle to the course, making it easier to maintain speed and manoeuvre. Depending on the angle of the wind relative to the boat’s course, there are different types of reaches, such as a close reach, beam reach, and broad reach.