Sailing is a water sport that skillfully uses the power of the wind to move a sail - thereby moving the hull under it. If the wind is weak, the boat won't go far, but if the wind is strong, the boat will go very fast. It's the job of the skipper (the person steering) to harness the wind best, to make the boat go faster. Some sailboats are designed for only one, while some world-class racers pack in a crew of 17. If you're racing against another boat (and we highly recommend it), a whole lot of strategy, teamwork and skill are needed to go faster, sail smarter and beat your opponent.

But be warned - your muscles will probably get bigger, if you don't mind. Your mental sharpness and confidence may also increase! Best of all, the techniques and preparedness you learn while sailing have been proven to boost other life disciplines.

If competition is what you're looking for, take some lessons and find out where you can get involved with racing. There are sailing events happening all over Canada. Check out the regatta schedule at www.ontariosailing.ca to see where sailing can take you.

"Fun Fact: Ontario Sailing consists of more than 170 member clubs, sailing schools and camps, 10,000 member families and 100,000 boaters."

There are 10 different types of sailboats used in the Olympics. Take a read through this list, find the one that you think is coolest, then test it out.

Laser
This one's probably the most popular (you can find them everywhere from cottages to championship events). It's sailed by guys who weigh over 60 kg. It's only 4.3 metres long, has one sail and fits one person. Want to know the best part? It's easy to learn how to sail a Laser.

Laser Radial
This is sailed by men and women, but solely women at the Olympics. It's similar to the Laser except that the Laser Radial has a smaller sail area and can hold someone approximately 55 kg to 70 kg.

Finn
This is the boat for those who are larger and taller than most people. It's 0.2 metres longer than the Laser, with a very large sail area - making it fast and challenging. Both the boat and sail are customized to fit your body type - very nice!

Tornado
This is the fastest boat in the Olympics. This 6 metre-long racer has two hulls that two people sail. It has three sails: a main, a jib and a spinnaker. These help make the Tornado "fly" past many other vessels.

470
Slightly shorter than the Tornado, the 470 has three sails and is handled by two people. A very tactical boat, it challenges sailors both physically and mentally to maintain high speeds.

Star
With a length of 6.9 metres, this is a big boat with big sails. Two sails and two sailors make this boat go. A crew from Ontario and British Columbia powered a Star to win a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Yngling (pronounced ing-ling)
This relatively stable boat is 6.3 metres in length, boasts three sails and is piloted by three women. It's one of the latest to be a part of the sailing competition at the Olympic Games.

49er
This fast boat is approximately 5 metres in length and is sailed by men. It has three sails and is designed to be sailed by two, both of whom have to like fast speeds. As you race around the course, you'll be hopping from wave to wave! You can even catch up to them, if you're good enough.

2.4mR (pronounced 2.4 Metre)
The 2.4mR is actually 2.5 metres in length - fit for one avid adventurer. It is well suited to sailors with physical disabilities and was selected for the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney.

Sonar
This is a long one - 7 metres, in fact. It carries three people and bears the same number in sails. It also accommodates those with physical disabilities and, like the 2.4mR, was used at the 2000 Paralympics.

Windsurfing
Men and women have separate windsurfing events at the Olypmic Games. The Neil Pryde RS:X sailboard, which has recently replaced the Mistral in Olympic competition, is used by the racers. Windsurfing is a very technical and physically demanding sport that has many international competitions.

Here are some of the more popular sailing terms

Boom
A wooden or metal pole attached to the bottom edge of the mainsail and attached to the mast.

Bow
The front of the boat.

Capsize
To tip or turn over.

Captain
The driver, or person who is in charge of a vessel.

Halyards
Lines used to pull the sail up the mast.

Harbour
A safe place to keep the boat, protected from most storms; may be natural or man-made, with breakwaters and jetties; a place for docking and loading.

Hull
The main body of the boat.

In irons
A sailboat with its bow pointed directly into the wind, so that the sails flap and do not catch the wind (the boat does not move forward).

Jib
A triangular sail at the front of the boat.

Mainsail
The sail on the mast near the centre of the boat.

Mast
A large wooden/metal pole used to hold up the sails.

Port
The left side of the boat when facing forward.

Starboard
The right side of the boat when facing forward.

Stern
The back of the boat.

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Bernard has been on the Canadian Sailing Team for nine years. Most recently he competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in the Laser Class. To qualify, he posted the best Canadian result at the World Championships. Bernard has been ranked number one in his class for the last three years and has been named the Canadian Yachting Association's Male Athlete of the Year for the last two years.

Sailing, as a form of transportation, is very old. So old, that no one really knows when it started. But we do know that sport sailing, or yachting, originated in Holland in the 17th century, where it spread to England and then to the Americas. Today, sailors gather for racing or social events at yacht clubs and sailing schools across Canada and around the world.

A group of sailors from the Yacht Racing Association of Ontario organized a competition in order to select a representative for the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. This competition took place at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto, Ontario where Norman Robertson of Hamilton, Ontario won the right to represent Canada as the first ever Canadian in the Olympic sailing event. He finished in an impressive 7th place.

With support from the Canadian Yachting Association (CYA), which was formed in 1932, Canada has sent many successful athletes to the Olympics in a range of different classes of boats with excellent results. From H.E. Wylie's fourth place finish in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles to Ross MacDonald and Mike Wolfs' silver medal win in the 2004 Athens Olympics, Canada has enjoyed many successes at international competitions and continues to train world-class sailors to succeed.

Ontario Sailing

65 Guise St. E.Hamilton, ON
L8L 8B4
1-888-672-7245
http://www.ontariosailing.ca