King of the Wilderness

She quickly sketched a huge fin-like shape below the boat.

"The Dragon Bone has two core functions. First, it acts like a knife inserted into the water, providing enormous lateral resistance to prevent the boat from being blown sideways by the wind."

"Second, the bottom usually contains ballast weighing several tons, offering strong restoring torque. Like the bottom of a tumbler doll, the more the boat tilts, the more it wants to right itself."

"The size of the sail, the width of the hull, the weight and depth of the Dragon Bone must be calculated with extreme precision to achieve a perfect balance. A bigger sail is not necessarily better, but a perfectly matched one is. A good sailor is a master of balance."

This explanation once again broadened the viewers’ horizons in the live broadcast room.

"Alright," Riven put down her pen for illustrating physics, her expression becoming serious, "we’ve understood both language and body. Now it’s time for today’s most important, and also most tedious part of the theoretical class, but it concerns our very lives—rules."

"Remember, the ocean is not a wilderness; it’s not a place without rules. On the contrary, its rules are stricter than traffic rules on land because on the sea, there are no brakes and no traffic lights."

She drew two sailboats about to meet on the whiteboard.

"These are the so-called right-of-way rules, universally used internationally, like the laws among sailors. Today we’ll only learn the two basic rules."

"Rule one: If two sailboats have the wind coming from different sides, then the vessel with the wind on the port side must yield to the one with the wind on the starboard side."

She explained, "The boat with the wind on the starboard side has the right of way, and it can maintain its course and speed. Why does starboard take precedence? It’s historical tradition, no reason, you just need to remember it."

[Wow! It’s like a boating theory test, part one!]

[Take notes, take notes! Starboard’s the boss! Starboard rules!]

"Rule two: If the wind comes from the same side, then the leeward boat has the right of way, and the windward boat must yield."

Riven continued explaining, "Put simply, the boat farther from the wind and lower in position is the boss, because it’s harder to maneuver. Rules always protect the party with more operational difficulty."

[Comment: What about when a sailboat meets a motorboat? Who yields then? Feels like yacht drivers are more domineering!]

Lin Yu’an raised the question again.

"An extremely important question!" Riven’s expression grew more serious, "Remember this yielding hierarchy: vessels not under command > vessels restricted in ability to maneuver > draft-constrained vessels > fishing vessels > sailing vessels > motorboats."

"Do you see? In this chain, motorboats rank lowest! In most cases, as long as a sailboat is sailing, all motorboats, regardless of size, must actively yield to you!"

"Because sailboats rely on the wind and are restricted in maneuverability, while they have engines and can move freely. The law protects the weaker party."

She paused, then shifted her tone: "However! There are exceptions to everything. If a sailboat is using its engine and has lowered its sails, then legally it becomes a motorboat, and the yielding rules change."

"Moreover, if you’re trying to cut across the bow of a massive cargo ship, even if you have the right of way, don’t do it, because the laws of physics are more powerful than navigation rules. A good captain must first learn reverence, not the abuse of rights."

This explanation, full of dialectical and practical wisdom, gave the viewers a new understanding of the complexity and gravity of sailing in the live broadcast room.

"Lastly, regarding local Florida laws," Riven added, "remember, anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, must hold a ’Boating Safety Education Card’ for operating motorboats over ten horsepower."

"Additionally, in the Manatee Sanctuary, strict speed limits must be adhered to, or you’ll receive a hefty fine that’ll sting for a long time. We’ll cover these in detail in later courses."

An hour of the theoretical course ended amid an explosion of information and the audience’s cries of "my brain can’t take it anymore."

Riven closed the textbook, exhaling deeply, her face relaxing into a smile: "Alright then, your brain is jam-packed with theoretical knowledge; how do you feel?"

"I’ve gained a lot," Lin Yu’an said sincerely. This class transformed his perception of a sailboat from just a simple means of transport into a complex being needing to be navigated with wisdom and rules.

"That’s good," Riven said, smiling, "Now head to the dock. My father’s about to imprint these rules and theories into your muscles in the most real way possible. Good luck, and try not to fall into the water."

The live broadcast room’s comment section instantly got anxious.

[??? Gorgeous teacher don’t go! We still want to hear your lecture!]

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

[Exactly! Get that tyrant of a dad out of there; we just want to watch Teacher Riven!]

[Waaah, my Flying Class is over; the prime of my youth is finished.]

[Hey, Lin, ask for her Twitter or TikTok! We have to follow this amazing coach!]

[Yes, yes! God Lin, hurry and ask! It’s the plea of us all!]

Lin Yu’an looked at the barrage of comments, smiled wryly, but still brought up this "people’s request" question: "Uh... Coach Riven, the viewers are all asking if you have any personal social media accounts, like Twitter or TikTok?"

Riven, just about to step out, paused. She turned around with her arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe, and leisurely gazed at Lin Yu’an.

She didn’t answer immediately; instead, she raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow, a glimmer of mischief flashing in her blue eyes, and with a hint of a smile she asked back, "Is it the viewers who want to know... or is it you who wants to know?"