Page:Small-boat sailing; an explanation of the management of small yachts, half-decked and open sailing-boats of various rigs; sailing on sea and on river; cruising, etc (IA smallboatsailing01knig).pdf/107

 the required side, until it is at right angles to the length of the boat; it then becomes spinnaker-boom, and the sail serves as spinnaker, one of the jib-sheets now acting as spinnaker tack.

On many small craft carrying a single head-sail the latter is conveniently reefed by an arrangement that reefs it along the forestay.

As has already been pointed out, it is better that a small boat, intended for single-handed sailing and rowing on smooth water, should be entirely open; decking of any description is for her unnecessary, is much in the way, and adds to the weight. But with a slightly bigger craft, intended for cruising on more exposed waters, where one is likely to fall in with a lumpy sea at times, it is of advantage to have a half deck. A half-decked boat can be sailed with greater safety in rough water than if she were quite open; a sudden heeling of the boat, that would at once fill and swamp an open boat, will only send the water flowing down the lee waterways, leaving the half-decked boat dry within. A half-decked boat (Fig. 54) is partly decked fore and aft, and has waterways on either side. The well is surrounded by a low coaming to keep the water out. In the bigger half-decked boats the deck forward covers a cuddy or small cabin which affords comfortable sleeping quarters, while spacious lockers, in which sails, stores, and so forth can be stowed away, surround the sides of the well and occupy the space under the after-deck.