(1) A point of the compass is one of the 32 divisions which derived from taking a half-way position between North and East, say, then halving that, (East North-east) and then halving again.

Point (2) The crews of racing yachts refer to ‘the point’ as the bow end of the fore deck. The crew ‘doing point’ is the man with his backside wedged into the pulpit at the start, shouting or indicating to the helmsman to go high (luff) or down (bear away). He will be the poor soul responsible for the sail handling in the wettest part of the boat.