Sailing Terms - points of sail

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Points of Sail

Close Hauled: Sailing as close to the wind as possible. (pointing)
Close Reach: Sailing between close hauled and beam reach.
Beam Reach: Sailing so that the wind is on the beam. (90 degrees)
Broad Reach: Sailing so that the wind is behind the beam.
Running: Sailing so that the wind is directly astern. The jib and main sails will be on opposite sides. (wing and wing)
By the Lee: Sailing so that the wind is on the same side as where the main is carried. When running, this could happen if there is a wind shift to the side of the boat where the main is.  Sailing by the lee is discouraged because it could result in an accidental Gybe.
Tacking: Turning the bow of the boat through the eye of the wind.
Gybing: Turning the stern of the boat through the eye of the wind.
Luffing: The fluttering of a Sail when a boat is pointed too close to the wind or the sail is eased out too far.
In Irons: The condition when the boat is pointed directly into the wind without steerageway.
Windward: The direction from which the wind is coming.
Starboard Tack: When the starboard side of the boat is windward.
Port Tack: When the port side of the boat is windward.
Leeward: The direction to which the wind is going.
Head Up: Turning the bow of the boat towards the eye of the wind.
Bearing Away: Turning the bow of the boat away from the eye of the wind, also referred to as bearing off or falling off
Helms-A-Lee: Notification that the tiller has been put to leeward to cause the boat to come about. (tacking)