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/245

 of the arrow on the chart—that is, north (magnetic). This decides us to lay our vessel on the port tack; for by doing so we underbow the tide, as it is called—that is, we cause it to serve us by making it set the vessel, broadside on, to windward; so that though, while sailing close-hauled, her course through the water is about east, she is really travelling over the ground in a direction considerably to the north of east—that is, much more directly for her port than she would do on the starboard tack. So having taken our departure at C, we sail away on the port tack and soon lose sight of land. As we have a long passage before us, and we wish to cross the Channel without delay, we must sail our vessel a good full and bye—that is, we must take care not to keep her too close up to the wind, with sails ever on the shake; neither must we haul our sheets aft over much, to flatten in our sails. For if we fall into these errors we shall discover that, though our vessel points up well for her port, she has been so pinned down that she will be almost as sluggish as a craft that is hove-to; she will make but slow progress, and will drift away to leeward. More especially when there is a choppy sea on to deaden your vessel's way, keep her ramping full when on a passage. Having sailed, let us say, for four hours from our point of departure C, and being well out of sight of land, we bethink ourselves to once more ascertain our whereabouts. We have been steering from C