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/165

 qualities of the vessel (a deep boat will shoot much further than a shallow one before losing her way), and so forth; and practice only can enable the novice to calculate with nicety what should be done. If wind and tide are in the same direction one must of course lower the headsails and luff up into the wind sooner than if the wind and tide are opposed.

If the wind and tide are opposed, the easiest and safest method of coming to one's anchorage is to run dead before the wind up to it instead of luffing. Reduce the canvas gradually according to the strength of the wind, until the vessel remains stationary over the right spot, the wind and tide just counteracting each other; then let go. To give an example of this manœuvre, let us suppose that the mainsail has been lowered and that the vessel is still making good way under foresail and jib. The jib is next lowered, when the vessel is found to be progressing very slowly. As soon as she has reached her anchorage the foresail is hauled down, the tide at once gets the mastery and brings the vessel to a standstill, and she begins to go astern; then the anchor is let go.

If, instead of coming to an anchor, moorings have to be picked up, still greater accuracy must be employed in making one's calculations and executing the manœuvre, else the moorings may be missed altogether. A hand must be stationed in the bows with a boathook, ready to hook up the mooring-buoy