With a construction cost of 10 planks, 20 palm leaves, and three scraps, the sail is one of the first big objects a Raft player can build. This navigation device can make it much easier to guide the raft to places that players want to visit, but it can be tricky to understand how it works since it doesn't do what a normal sail does.

For instance, the sail doesn't speed up the raft, and players can point it in any direction. So to get the most from a sail, players first need to know how to operate one and what they're really for.

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Sail Controls

Raft Sail Rotate
The rotation controls for sails in Raft.

The first thing players need to do with a sail is deploy it. By default, the button for deploying in Raft is E, and players must stand next to the sail to get the prompt. Once the sail is down, it can start moving the raft in new directions.

The second thing Raft players must know is how to rotate the sail. To do this, players can stand on any side of the sail and must press and hold R. While R is held, moving the mouse or joystick to the left or right will spin the sail left or right.

While deployed, the sail will push the raft in the direction it's billowing. However, it doesn't negate the ocean current nor make the raft move faster. In fact, the sail will make the raft move slower if players point it against the current. Sail users should keep this in mind and point the sail a little further left or right of the place they're aiming for so the current doesn't sweep them past their destination.

Sailing Tips

Raft Paddle
Paddling away in Raft.
  • The raft can and will rotate when it hits land or strong waves. Keep checking the sail's orientation as the destination approaches.
  • The sail's added movement can't override the current, but it can slow the raft to a near halt by pointing it directly away from the current's flow. Players can then move back against the current by using a paddle. This may be essential for Raft players who are running out of food.
  • In a pinch, a sail deployed at just the right angle can keep the raft up against an island with no need for an anchor.
  • Extra sails don't add speed and may interfere with one another, so one sail is all any player will need, no matter how big their raft grows.
  • In spite of appearances, the streamer shows the direction of the ocean current, not the wind's direction. Players can feel free to point their sails whichever way they want.

Raft is available now on PC.

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