Sailing - Ten Facts

With Lake George extending over 32 miles, our campers can learn and explore all the lake has to offer during their activity periods. No matter their ability all our campers can refine their skills and learn something new.

1. The easiest wind to maneuver small and mid-sized boats is between 8-12 knots. Anything between 5-8 knots is ideal for beginners that are trying to learn to sail.

2. 16-year old Laura Dekker is the youngest person ever to circumnavigate the world solo.

3. Sailing has been a part of all modern Olympic games, except for the 1904 Summer Games, which were held in Louisiana.

4. Great Britain currently holds the most Olympic medals.

5. Most word-record contenders choose to sail eastward, thanks to the stronger and more predictable winds and currents eastward on the southern hemisphere.

6. There are just 5 world records using the westward route, and since 2010 no one set a record by taking a right turn.

7. Many terms and sayings we use every day originate from sailing.

8. Laser sailboats are some of the fastest, most nimble dinghies, fit for Olympic-level racing. Sunfish are simple and easy to use, great for casual sailing. All you need are two strings to pull and go.

9. The measurement that ships use for navigation is the nautical mile. One nautical mile per hour is called a “knot”. The origin of the word “knot” comes from when the speed of the ships would be measured by throwing into the sea a log attached to a rope with evenly spaced knots. As the ship moved relative to the log, the number of knots during a certain period of time would be counted to measure the speed of the vessel.

10. Sailing relies on the physics of sails as they derive power from the wind, generating both lift and drag.