The steering of the boat is performed through the combined action of the positioning of the sail, using the sheet (the rope or ropes that control the sail position), and the rudder, an airfoil shaped board attached by a hinge to the stern (rear) of the boat where it immersed in the water.A binnacle is a waist-high case or stand on the deck of a ship, generally mounted in front of the helmsman, in which navigational instruments are placed for easy and quick reference as well as to protect the delicate instruments. Its traditional purpose was to hold the ship's magnetic compass, mounted in gimbals to keep it level while the ship pitched and rolled. A binnacle may be subdivided into sections and its contents typically include one or more compasses and an oil lamp or other light source. Other devices such as a sand timer for estimating speed may have been stored in the binnacle as well.

Binnacle can also refer to the cluster of instruments and switches mounted in a circular casing on or near the steering column of a car.[1].