Sailing is awful

[Forte of Gray]

When the wind changes to black on the UI (in front of you) and you get stuck dead in the water, you're screwed because you'll die if you get off and try to swim more than a short distance. It may not be realistic, but sailing needs to be reworked so that even if the wind is against you, you're still moving at 10-15% speed so you don't get stuck.

 

[Alfredo Notari]

turn around the boat and go backwards...

 

[Jerxes]

You can do that. Drop your speed down to the lowest setting, which stows your sails and rows at low speed. The Sail indicator will change to an Oar and you'll keep moving slowly even heading up wind.

If you have more room to maneuver it's usually faster to tack back and forth going up wind diagonally, but that can be dangerous near unfriendly coastline