Ship's Attitude

Demonstrating "ship's attitude": a 90 ft. vessel portrayed upon ship hexes, with angles demonstrating the wind's direction with respect to their angle of influence upon the ship.

Ship's Attitude describes the orientation of a waterborne vessel in relation to the wind's direction. As the ship turns, this changes which part of the ship surface is blown upon, which determines how effectively the sails can employ the wind to drive the vessel forward. Different attitudes permit different degrees of speed and control, which can be advantaged or minimised by how the ship's hull and rigging are managed.

For the naval combat rule system,

The ship's attitude is its vessel in relation to the wind, divided into reaching, running, close-hauling and heading into the wind. This attitude determines how efficiently the sails use the wind, from the high speed of reaching to the complete loss of forward movement when the ship points into the wind.