high

In sailing and marine navigation, high means positioned closer to the direction from which the wind is blowing. A vessel running high is sailing closer to the wind than another vessel, or closer to the wind than its own previous heading. It is the opposite of low, which means farther downwind. The term describes relative position and heading in relation to the wind direction, not altitude or latitude.

The concept is central to sail trim and collision avoidance at sea. A sailing vessel can point higher into the wind by adjusting sails and steering a finer angle; this ability, called pointing, depends on hull design, sail configuration, and wind conditions. A vessel going high sacrifices speed for course advantage. Motorized vessels also use the term when maneuvering relative to the wind, particularly during berthing or when towing operations demand position relative to wind and current.

High and Low in Practical Seamanship

When two sailing vessels are on converging courses, the one that is high has the right of way under racing rules; it controls the wind shadow and can force the lower vessel to bear away. In tight anchorages or harbor approaches, a pilot or master will request to move high of a channel or wreck to gain sea room. The direction is always relative to wind, not compass direction: a wind shift will change which course is high, even if the ship maintains the same heading.

The term appears in standing orders and berthing instructions, often paired with distance or bearing: "Anchor high of the fairway" or "Keep the tug high of the stern." Confusion arises because high in this context has nothing to do with elevation, geographic latitude, or the direction marked on a chart as north. New crew sometimes mistake it for a compass direction until they learn that wind direction is the only reference that matters.