How to sail - The Essential Factors: Part 1 of 9 Introduction

The essential factors are most commonly known as the five essentials. These are factors considered the most important to allow a boat to sail to its full potential. Each factor is as important as the other, and as one changes there is a knock on effect on the others. When you go on a course you will most probably find this called the 5 essentials. However we think that what the wind is doing is SO important that this should be included in this section as well and have made ours a list of six essentials. Wind awareness is the only essential that happens outside of the boat but it has a DIRECT impact on absolutely everything that happens on board a boat. You MUST understand where the wind is blowing from at all times afloat to allow you the best chance to then look at and understand the other factors in turn. Without understanding where the wind is blowing from there is a risk you will be lost and not fully understand what to do with regard to the remaining factors. This video introduces the concept of the essential factors and illustrates what to look for.