Sailing with the wind directly from behind, dead downwind.
Running, or sailing dead downwind, means the wind comes from directly behind the boat, at around 180°. The sails are eased right out and work mainly by catching the wind rather than by flowing lift. It's the last point of sail after a broad reach.
How it feels
- Calm and quiet. Your own speed is subtracted from the wind, so the apparent wind is light and the boat sits upright.
- Rolly. Without the steadying pressure of the sails, the boat rolls in waves.
- Slower than you'd think. Many boats are faster on a broad reach, and gybing downwind often gives a better VMG.
Sails and safety
- Goose-winging: the jib is set on the opposite side to the main, often held out with a pole, so both sails catch the wind.
- Preventer: a line from the end of the boom forward keeps it from slamming across in an accidental gybe, the main danger on this point of sail.
- Even dead downwind, the side your mainsail is on decides which tack you're on, and with it the right of way.