Espen Bergersen / Adult male King eider (Somateria spectabilis) portrait from behind also showing triangular black sails on the back and white sides of rump. Batsfjord, Norway, March.

Onne van der Wal / Crew lowering spinnaker on J-Class yacht "Ranger", Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Crew lowering spinnaker on J-Class yacht "Ranger", Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Anthony Marchand on Figaro yacht "Espoir Region Bretagne". Port la Foret, Brittany, March 2010.

Rick Tomlinson / Farr 40 fleet downwind, Miami Grand Prix, Florida, USA. March 2010.

Onne van der Wal / Yachts racing under spinnaker, New York Yacht Club Invitational Regatta, Newport, Rhode Island. September 2009.

Onne van der Wal / Yachts racing at the 12 Metre World Championships, Newport, Rhode Island, USA. September 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / 15M Fife cutter "Tuiga" sailing at her centenary, Monaco Classics Week, September 2009.

Onne van der Wal / Sailing-boat during the Bahamian Sloop regatta, Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas. April 2009.

Rick Tomlinson / Gaff cutters "Tuiga" and "Mariquita" at the Westward Cup Regatta, Cowes, Isle of Wight. July 2010.

Rick Tomlinson / Gaff cutters "Tuiga" and "Mariquita" at the Westward Cup Regatta, Cowes, Isle of Wight. July 2010.

Onne van der Wal / Miami Acura Grand Prix, Key West, Florida. 2009.

Onne van der Wal / Yacht viewed from underwater, Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009.

Rick Tomlinson / "Team Russia" bowman Michael Joubert during in-port race training in Alicante, Spain, for the 10th Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. For EDITORIAL USE only.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, at the Superyacht Cup Palma, October 2005 Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, at the Superyacht Cup Palma, October 2005 Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / Aerial view of SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, underway just off the Antigua coast, January 2006. Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / Melges 32 fleet at the top mark, with "Atlantica" leading. Miami Grand Prix, Florida, USA. March 2010.

Rick Tomlinson / Melges 32 "Fantastica" and "Sambs Pa Ti" racing at the Miami Grand Prix, Florida, USA. March 2010.

Juergen Freund / Brightly painted local fishing boats in Bali which still use traditional sails. Bali, Indonesia, July 2009.

Mike Read / Motor boats going under Twin Sails Bridge, Poole Harbour, Dorset, England, UK. September 2018.

Ashley Cooper / An old windmill converted into a house in Sigri on Lesvos, with a fossilised tree in the foreground. Greece, June 2013

David Fleetham / Scuba diving charter vessel "Cheng-Ho" in Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

Angelo Gandolfi / Sailing ship Starflyer (Star Clippers fleet) furling sails at sunrise, Costa Rica.

Jack Dykinga / American bobcat (Lynx rufus baileyi) resting on shade 'sails' over patio in garden. Santa Catalina Mountains, Coronado National Forest, Tucson, Arizona, USA, July.

Solvin Zankl / Crew attending to sails on mast of a sailing boat, Sargasso Sea, Bermuda

Solvin Zankl / Fish eye view of sails of Corwith Cramer, 134-foot steel brigantine research vessel, Sargasso Sea, Bermuda, April.

Onne van der Wal / Mega yacht racing in 2013 St. Barth bucket. All non-editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Onne van der Wal / Four sailing boats racing during the 2013 Key West Race Week, Florida. All non-editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Onne van der Wal / Sailing boat with wind in sails during 2013 Key West Race Week, Florida. All non-editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Onne van der Wal / Cluster of white sails racing during 2013 Key West Race Week, Florida. All non-editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Michele Westmorland / View of sailboat in bay at Gili Lawa Dalat near Komodo Island, Indonesia 2009

Gavin Hellier / Colourful sailboats on Jolly Beach, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda, Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean, West Indies, 2012

Juan Manuel Borrero / Illustration of individuals of Velella (Velella velella) siphonophore Colony. Velella is a small hydrozoan, 1 to 5 cm which floats on the sea. Pencil and watercolor painting.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Dhow fishing boat on the East Coast of Jambiani, Zanzibar Island, Tanzania

Christophe Courteau / Yacht sails past Vieille lighthouse at entrance to Raz de Seine, Brittany, France

Brent Stephenson / Wind-powered Enercon owned ship E-Ship 1. The tall columns are rotors / sails that aid the ship's propulsion by using the Magnus effect, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, August 2010.

Brent Stephenson / Wind-powered Enercon owned ship E-Ship 1. The tall columns are rotors / sails that aid the ship's propulsion by using the Magnus effect, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, August 2010.

Benoit Stichelbaut / "Maximus", one of the 272 boats on the starting line of the Tour de Belle Ile 2009. Belle Ile en Mer, France, May 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Skipper Ronan Treussart during La Soilitair Afflelou le Figaro on his yacht "Groupe Celeos", 2007

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work on schooner "Zuiderzee" at the Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Benoit Stichelbaut / China Team competing at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Man on mast at 32nd America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 12), Valencia, Spain (June 2006).

Benoit Stichelbaut / Aboard Maxi yacht "Banque Populaire V", skippered by Pascal Bidegorry, practicing off Cadiz, Spain. March 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Some of the 272 boats on the starting line of the Tour de Belle Ile 2009. Belle Ile en Mer, France, May 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Skipper Pascal Bidegorry checking the sails aboard Decision 35 yacht "Banque Populaire". Challenge Julius Baer race, Geneva, May 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Figaro "Defi Mousquetaires", skippered by Thomas Rouxel. Figaro season 2009, Port la Foret, France. May 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Figaro "Defi Mousquetaires", skippered by Thomas Rouxel. Figaro season 2009, Port la Foret, France. April 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Crew trimming the sails with an electric winch aboard 118ft schooner "Magistral", 2002.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Yacht "Cercle Vert" (Gildas Morvan and Erwan Tabarly) training in Port la Foret for the Transat AG2R. March 2006, France.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Monohull Open 60ft "Foncia", skippered by Michel Desjoyeaux. Transatlantic Jaques Vabre race, Port Le Foret, France, 25 September 2007

Benoit Stichelbaut / Imoca 60ft monohull "BT", skippered by Sebastian Josse, Vendee Globe 2008-2009

Benoit Stichelbaut / Monohulls departing France for Transatlantic Jacques Vabre race, November 2005

Benoit Stichelbaut / Vincent Riou's 60ft Monohull "Maitre Coq" during Route du Cafe, 1993

Benoit Stichelbaut / Crew member swinging from yard arm on Team Alinghi yacht, America's Cup Louis Vuitton Act 1, Marseille, France 2004

Benoit Stichelbaut / Skipper Ronan Treussart during La Soilitair Afflelou le Figaro on his yacht "Groupe Celeos", 2007

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Gildas Morvan climbing rigging on yacht "Cercle Vert" during Figaro solo Transatlantic race, March 2005

Benoit Stichelbaut / Team Alinghi racing at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work upon United Internet team Germany yacht, 32nd America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 12), Valencia, Spain (June 2006)

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work on "Brit Air" in the Figaro Transatlantic Race 2006

Benoit Stichelbaut / ITA 85 demasted at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Climbing the rigging at America's Cup 2007 (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work on schooner "Zuiderzee" at the Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work aboard schooner "L'Etoile" at Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work aboard Bisquine "La Cancalaise", Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Merryn Thomas / Tall ship "Pelican" sails past Pendennis Castle, flanked by a fleet of spectator boats at the Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta race day, Saturday 13th September 2008. Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work aboard schooner "L'Etoile" at Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work aboard schooner "L'Etoile" at Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work on schooner "Zuiderzee" at the Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Benoit Stichelbaut / Some of the 272 boats on the starting line of the Tour de Belle Ile 2009. Belle Ile en Mer, France, May 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / "Maximus", one of the 272 boats on the starting line of the Tour de Belle Ile 2009. Belle Ile en Mer, France, May 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Figaro "Defi Mousquetaires", skippered by Thomas Rouxel. Figaro season 2009, Port la Foret, France. April 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Skipper Ronan Treussart during La Soilitair Afflelou le Figaro on his yacht "Groupe Celeos", 2007

Benoit Stichelbaut / Bazilian Jangadas at Brest Sailing Festival, France July 2004

Benoit Stichelbaut / Tour de Bretagne / Round Brittany race, Douarnenez, Brittany, France, September 2007

Benoit Stichelbaut / Person climbing Tall ship rigging during Brest International Maritime Festival, July 2004

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Team Alinghi racing at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Man clipping rigging on schooner "Goelette", Douarnenez International Maritime Festival, July 2006

Benoit Stichelbaut / ITA 85 demasted at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Sail work on schooner "Zuiderzee" at the Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Merryn Thomas / Tall ships sails at the Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta race day, Saturday 13th September 2008. Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Merryn Thomas / Sails of barque "Sedov" at the Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta race day, Saturday 13th September 2008. Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Benoit Stichelbaut / Boats in Port de Rosmeur, Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Merryn Thomas / Crew stood on yard arms of three masted barque "Cuauhtemoc" at Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta race day, Saturday 13th September 2008. Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Onne van der Wal / Crew on 68ft Swan "Chippewa" dropping the spinnaker, Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Premier of J-Class yacht "Hanuman", Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Premier of J-Class yacht "Hanuman", Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Crew on 68ft Swan "Chippewa" dropping the spinnaker, Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Premier of J-Class yacht "Hanuman", Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Hoisting the spinnaker on J-Class yacht "Hanuman" during her premier at the Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Hoisting the spinnaker on J-Class yacht "Hanuman" during her premier at the Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Crew lowering spinnaker on J-Class yacht "Ranger", Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Premier of J-Class yacht "Hanuman", Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Hoisting the spinnaker on J-Class yacht "Hanuman" during her premier at the Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.