Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/960

 932

��Popular Science Monthly

��Owing to the fact that the wind pressure on the sail exerts a certain force on the bow of the boat, this "veering" is overcome by swinging the rudder at an angle. This balances the force of the sail. Every well-designed and properly rigged boat — whatever its size or number of sails — should have what sailors call a "weather helm;" that is, if the tiller is let go, the boat will fly up into the wind and come to a stop with the sails shaking. This is accom- plished by using a properly proportioned head sail or jib, and in single sail or "cat-rigged" boats like the one we have made, by stepping the mast well forward toward the bow. A few boats carry a "lee helm," that is, if the tiller is let go the boat sags ofif to leeward, and if the rudder is not thrown across to prevent it, the sail will jib over and the boat swing around as on a pivot. A boat thus badly rigged and balanced, is a dangerous craft for anyone to handle; it is a tricky boat. Furthermore, a boat so balanced is slower under sail, because the rudder must be swung across at a considerable angle in order to keep it headed up to the wind, and this drag of the rudder greatly retards the speed.

Some boats can sail closer to the wind than others and the single sail or cat- rigged type will point higher to wind- ward than a sloop-rigged craft which carries a jib. No boat can sail directly against the wind ; therefore, when sailing up-wind we must travel at an angle — which diagonal course is called "tack- ing." Suppose we are sailing close- hauled — beating to windward, the wind blowing in the direction indicated by the arrow, page 931. As we cannot sail directly against the wind, we must "tack" or sail a certain distance close- hauled with the wind on one side, and then go about and sail close-hauled with the wind on the other side. Thus we proceed to windward in a series of zig-zag courses.

In the diagram just referred to, the wind is "dead ahead" and the tacks are equal. If the wind is a point or two off, as shown in the next diagram, one tack will be longer than the other, as shown in the dotted lines. This sailors call "making a short leg and a long leg."

��Tacking against the wind or "beating to windward" as most skippers call it, naturally requires much practical ex- perience before one can get the best speed out of a boat. Some boats will sail closer than others but any well- designed and properly rigged craft should be able to point up within 45 degrees of the wind.

When sailing as close-hauled as pos- sible the sail must be trimmed rather flat. It is, of course, possible to pull in the sail too much ; this must be avoided for if trimmed too flat, the speed of the boat is much retarded and the side drift or leeway becomes more marked. In trimming the main sheet, pull it very flat, then ease it off until the edge of the sail along the hoist or mast wrinkles and flutters. The old hand always makes use of this fluttering, which indicates one is sailing "full and bye" or as close to the wind as possible without sacrificing an iota of speed.

In handling the boat, a good skipper will endeavor to "coax" his craft closer to the wind, "crawling to windward" as the sailor calls it. This is done a thousand and one times during a day's sail, by heading the boat close and then easing it off, with the sail just a-flutter.

When going about on another tack the boat is eased off a trifle, and the rudder thrown across, slowly and stead- ily. If the rudder is worked too quickly it checks the speed and may even put the boat in "stays" — so that it simply drifts sternwards, and necessitates swing- ing the bow around with an oar. When sailing with companions, going about is generally preceded by calling out "hard-a-lee," which warning enables passengers to duck the boom as it swings over, and to shift to the wind- ward side if needed.

The approximate trim of the sail with the wind at the several points of the compass, is shown on page 933. No. i shows the sheet trimmed flat for sailing close-hauled. No. 2 with bow wind. No. 3 wind a-beam. No. 4, wind abaft the beam. No. 5 wind on the quarter, and No. 6 with wind dead astern.

In small sailing craft, the boat is commonly ballasted or trimmed by shifting the weight of the skipper and one or two companions, but the boat

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