1. Sails work just like airplane wings. Sails don't just get pushed from behind by the wind! When wind flows around a curved sail, it creates high pressure on one side and low pressure on the other. This creates "lift"—the exact same force that pulls airplanes up into the sky, but turned sideways to pull the boat forward.

2. The world's fastest sailboat flies above the water. Modern high-tech racing sailboats use underwater blades called hydrofoils. When the boat gains speed, these foils lift the entire hull completely out of the water so the sailboat literally flies on air at speeds over 60 miles per hour!

3. Sailors have their own special words for left and right. To prevent confusion on a stormy deck, sailors never say "left" or "right." The left side of a boat is always called port (which has 4 letters, just like "left"), and the right side is always called starboard!

4. The front and back of a boat have special names, too. The very front tip of a boat is called the bow (rhymes with how), and the flat back end is called the stern.

5. The giant balloon-like sail is called a spinnaker. When sailing with the wind blowing behind them, sailors unpack a massive, lightweight colorful sail called a spinnaker. It puffs out like a giant parachute to catch maximum breeze.

6. Whistling on a sailboat used to be bad luck. Old-time sailors believed that whistling on board would anger the ocean gods and "whistle up a storm." The only person allowed to whistle was the ship's cook—because if he was whistling, it meant he wasn't sneaking food!

7. Sailboats helped map the entire planet. Long before engines and GPS existed, explorers sailed across giant oceans using only the wind, stars, and compasses. Ancient Viking ships, Polynesian canoes, and wooden galleons spent months at sea discovering new continents.