index.md.html

  <meta charset="utf-8" emacsmode="-*-markdown-*-"><link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/png" href="compass-rose.png"><meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes"><meta property="og:image" content="https://morgan3d.github.io/sailing/compass-rose.png">

<title>The Sailing Codex</title>
![ ](j80.jpg width=400 attriburl="https://jboats.com/j80" attrib="J Boats") Welcome to the Sailing Codex! I wrote these sailing notes for myself and my crew on topics relevant to coastal cruising, day sailing, and dinghy racing.

The regional regulations and jargon referenced tend to focus on the US and Canada, where I sail most often.

As of April 2026, I'm regularly updating these notes but have no particular release schedule. Note the disclaimer on the bottom of each page.

If you're linking to a particular article, beware that I plan to break up the longer ones this summer, so some URLs may change.

If this is your first time visiting the Sailing Codex, consider starting with one of these, depending where you are in your sailing journey and goals:

[Want to learn](beginner/index.md.html) ⛵[Buying 1st boat](dinghies/dinghy1.md.html) ⛵[Yachting guest](living/index.md.html) ⛵[Upgrading to overnights](cruisers/index.md.html) ⛵[Sailing as sport](racing/beginner.md.html)

Morgan's Notes

1. Beginners: Learn to Sail in 10 Easy Steps
2. Essential Line Handling (Sailor knots and more)
3. Novice Sail Trim
4. Physics of How Sailboats Work
5. Dinghies
   1. Launch and Retrieval
   2. Racing Gear
   3. Single-Handed Racing Dinghies
   4. Double-Handed Racing Dinghies
6. Keelboats
   1. Sailboat Accommodations
   2. Motoring a Sailboat
   3. Recreational Vessel VHF
   4. Coastal Cruising Sailboats
7. Racing
   1. Introduction to Racing
   2. Rules Summary
   3. Intermediate Dinghy Tactics
   4. Advanced Dinghy Tactics
   5. Handicap Math (Portsmouth Yardstick and PHRF)
   6. Signals
8. A Sailor's Bookshelf

In development:

• Intermediate Sail Trim
• Cruiser Electrical Systems
• Mooring and Anchoring
• Marine Sanitation Systems
• Cruising Gear

Checklists

• Morgan's pre- and post-cruise checklists
• Morgan's anchoring worksheet
• Sailing Nomad's pre- and post-cruise checklists
• ASA daysailing checklist

Translations

Nautical term translations to and from English and...

French German

Italian Spanish

Portuguese Japanese

Chinese Russian

Navigation Rules

• Davis Quick Reference
• International (COLREGs)
• USA - required in hardcopy on vessels over 12m
• Canada
• Mexico
• United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
• Europe (CEVNI). Note that Italy, Ireland, Norway, Finland, and Belarus have their own regulations.
• Racing (RRS)
• US Sailing RRS Prescriptions
• Signals (INTERCO)

Marine Regulations

• International Safety (SOLAS)
• International Pollution (MARPOL)
• Canada Shipping Act 2001
• USA pleasure boat customs requirements
• Canada pleasure boat customs requirements

Etiquette

• Between Sailors
• For Guests:
  • Video
  • Sail-World Article
  • Yacht Rent Article
• Between Boats

Apps

• Weather:
  • PredictWind
  • Windfinder
  • Barometer Plus
  • Windy
• Autopilot and Instrument Mirroring:
  • Raymarine
  • Garmin
  • B&G
• Charts and Planning:
  • Navionics (only mobile app)
  • OpenCPN (no mobile app)
  • Savvy Navvy
• AIS: MarineTraffic
• iOS Anchor alarm: Anchor Pro Note: anchor alarms do not work on Android phones because they power off the GPS!
• Current: PNW Current Atlas
• CBP ROAM (US Customs) iOS Android

<script>markdeepOptions = {tocStyle: 'short'};</script> <script src="sailing.js"> </script>