Knowing the ropes

One of the (many) challenges when learning to sail is getting to grips with all the sailing terminology. So, do you know your halyards from your sheets? A halyard is a line which is used to hoist or lower a sail. The main sail or jib for example. A sheet, on the other hand, is a line used to control the angle and position of a sail. It is attached to the lower corner of the sail, called the clew, and enables adjustments to the tension and shape of the sail.