Nautical Term: Spill
Definition of Spill
To release the wind from a sail, effectively causing the sail to lose its wind power.
For example, during a sailing race, a gust of wind suddenly fills the sail of one of the boats. Realizing that this sudden wind surge could potentially put them at a disadvantage, the crew of the other boats quickly respond by spilling the wind out of their sails to effectively neutralize the wind power of their opponents’ sail. By skillfully managing the wind in their sails, the crew of the other boats are able to maintain a more even keel in the race, while keeping their opponents’ wind power at bay.
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