A reach is any point of sail with the wind coming from the side, between close-hauled and a run. Sailors divide it into three: a close reach, with the wind forward of the beam but sheets eased from hard on the wind; a beam reach, with the wind at right angles to the boat; and a broad reach, with the wind aft of the beam, over the quarter. Beginners learn that reaching is the fastest and easiest way to sail. Experienced sailors know that it is the point of sail where sheet leads, twist and the choice between a genoa, a reacher, a Code Zero and an asymmetric spinnaker make the largest difference to speed – and where a boat carrying too much sail on a broad reach is closest to a broach.
Why reaching is fast
Upwind, the sails are set at a small angle of attack and much of their force is sideways, resisted by the keel as heel and leeway. Downwind, the apparent wind falls to the true wind minus the boat speed and the sails are working as drag devices. On a reach the boat gets the best of both: the sails are at a good angle of attack generating lift, the force is directed mostly forward, and the apparent wind is still strong because boat speed adds to it rather than subtracting. Displacement keelboats are fastest on a beam to broad reach; planing dinghies and sportsboats often on a close to beam reach where the apparent wind is strongest.
Trimming for a reach
The commonest mistake on a reach is to ease the sheets and change nothing else. A headsail that was trimmed for beating has its lead too far inboard and too far forward for reaching: ease the sheet and the leech falls open at the top while the foot is still tight, so the sail twists off and the top luffs while the bottom is stalled. Move the lead outboard and aft, to the rail or a barber hauler, and ease the halyard slightly for a fuller shape. On the main, ease the sheet until the luff is just short of lifting, put the vang on to control twist now that the mainsheet is no longer holding the boom down, and ease the outhaul and backstay to add depth. Let the traveller down to leeward before easing sheet, so the leech stays controlled.
The sailmaker’s view: which sail?
Reaching is where sail inventories earn their length. A genoa is a compromise on a reach: designed for upwind, it becomes too flat and too small as the sheet is eased. Purpose-built sails do better:
- Reacher: a UK Sailmakers term for a large, fuller-cut headsail with a higher clew, designed for close and beam reaching where a genoa runs out of power and a spinnaker will not hold. For shorthanded cruisers it is often built on a furler so it lives on the bow and rolls away in a minute.
- Code Zero: a very flat asymmetric on a furling torque cable, built for light air close reaching.
- Asymmetric spinnaker: the reaching workhorse from about 90° to 150° apparent. A sail with a straighter luff and flatter sections for tighter reaching, a fuller luff and bigger shoulders for broad reaching.
Cruising and racing perspectives
Cruisers love a reach. It is fast, the boat is upright, the motion is easy and the autopilot copes. The dangers are becoming over-canvassed on a broad reach without the heel that would warn you on a beat, and the accidental gybe when the wind backs behind the quarter. Reef early and rig a preventer.
Racers think about reaching in terms of angle and mode. A reaching leg is rarely sailed straight down the rhumb line: if the leg is tight, the fleet sails high early to hold a lane and comes down at the end with speed; if it is broad, the boats “soak” low in the puffs and heat up in the lulls to keep the apparent wind forward. VMG rather than boat speed decides whether to sail the hotter, longer course or the slower, shorter one.
Frequently Asked Questions about Reach
What are the three kinds of reach?
A close reach has the wind forward of the beam with sheets eased from close-hauled; a beam reach has the wind abeam at about 90°; a broad reach has the wind aft of the beam, over the quarter, at roughly 120° to 160°.
Is a reach the fastest point of sail?
For most boats, yes. Displacement keelboats are generally fastest on a beam to broad reach; light, planing boats are often fastest on a close to beam reach where the apparent wind is strongest.
What sail should I use on a reach?
Close reaching in moderate air, a genoa with the lead moved outboard and aft, or a reacher. Light-air close reaching, a Code Zero. Beam to broad reaching, an asymmetric spinnaker or a squared symmetric spinnaker, with the mainsail eased and vanged.
Reaching is where sailing feels easiest, and where the difference between adequate and excellent is largest. Move the leads, control the twist, put up the sail the angle deserves and keep the apparent wind forward, and a reach becomes the leg where a well-sailed boat leaves the fleet behind – or, for a cruiser, simply the finest afternoon of the season.