Alee (or a-lee) is a nautical term indicating that the helm (tiller or wheel) is pushed to the leeward side—the side of the boat away from the wind. It is commonly used as "Hard alee!" or "Helm's alee!" to initiate a tack, turning the bow into the wind. This positions the vessel for a new tack.

Key Aspects of Alee:
Definition: On or toward the lee side; away from the wind. It is the opposite of "aweather".

Command Usage: "Hard alee!" is a command to turn the helm steeply to leeward, initiating a sharp turn towards the wind.

Tacking Process: It follows the "Ready About" command to notify crew that the rudder is acting, forcing the boat’s head into the wind.

Safety/Positioning: The boat is considered alee when the wind is no longer acting directly on the sails to drive it forward, allowing the bow to cross the wind.