Sailing maneuvers are techniques used by sailors to control the direction and speed of a sailboat. Tacks, which involve turning the boat into the wind and then back on course, are used to change direction. JIBES, which involve turning the boat away from the wind and then back on course, are used to change direction in the opposite direction. Reefs, which involve reducing the area of the sail exposed to the wind, are used to reduce the speed of the boat.