Heading up, also called luffing up, means turning the boat towards the wind. Bearing away means turning away from it. As you head up you pull the sails in, and as you bear away you let them out.
On a sailing boat, turns are described by the wind rather than by left and right, because what matters is whether the boat is turning towards the wind or away from it.
- Heading up, also called luffing up or coming up, means turning towards the wind: from a run towards a reach, or from a reach towards close-hauled.
- Bearing away, also called bearing off or falling off, means turning away from the wind: from close-hauled towards a reach or a run.
With a tiller, and the helmsman sitting on the windward side as usual, you head up by pushing the tiller away from you, towards the sails, and bear away by pulling the tiller towards you. With a wheel, you turn it the way you want the bow to go.
Each turn needs a change of trim. As you head up, pull the sails in; as you bear away, let them out. If you head up without trimming in, the sails start to flap along the luff. If you bear away without easing them, they stall and the boat heels and slows. On a yacht, coordinate with whoever is on the sheets: “bearing away” is a useful call so the crew can ease in time.
Bearing away from close-hauled needs a little care in a breeze. The mainsail, if it isn’t eased, pushes the stern round and makes the boat want to head up, so the helm feels heavy. Ease the mainsheet first, or at the same time, and the boat will turn easily.
Heading up is also a way to slow down or depower: as the boat turns towards the wind, the sails start to luff and she loses speed. Turning right up into the no-go zone and letting the sails flap is how a boat stops, for example to pick up a mooring.
Look around before you turn, especially to leeward and astern.
More in the book: Chapter 6, Steering and tacking