THE OWNER, MASTER, MATE - THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF A YACHT There is no code of regulations for the discipline of a yacht, but generally the custom of the merchant service is observed. The master is not required by law to have a certificate of competency, and frequently he is only capable of making coasting passages. However, many masters of large vessels are skilful navigators, and could take a yacht to any part of the globe. The chief requisite in a master for a yacht, whose cruising does not extend beyond the English and Irish Channels, is that he should be a thorough master of fore-and-aft sailing, and that he should be clean and tidy in his habits, able to enforce cleanliness and tidiness in the crew, have perfect command over the crew, and carry out the owner's wishes cheerfully and respectfully. Most yacht masters rise from " before the mast " after they have served a season or two as mate or second mate, and generally they assume their new station with a full appre ciation of its consequence—that is, they are alive to the serious responsi bility of being in charge of a vessel—take her about with a caution and patience that are unceasing, and are always on their dignity in their intercourse with the crew. Some men, however, appear to be quite incapable of feeling that dignity, and at one moment are too familiar with the crew, and the next squabbling with them. Such a man should not have charge of a yacht, and if an owner wishes to cruise in comfort he will get a sailing master who, above all things, is " master of the crew," conducts himself as such, and is observed as such.
The master has sole control on board, subject of course to the wishes of the owner, who ought, however, never to have occasion to interfere with the discipline or working of the yacht. If the owner has any fault to find against the conduct, whatever its nature, of any member of the crew, he should make that complaint to the master ; it will show the master that he is responsible for the discipline, good behaviour, and efficiency of the crew, and the crew will not have the opportunity of saying they do not know who is master, or that the owner is master, and that the titular master is only so in name.* But if the owner observes any misconduct or gross inefficiency on the part of any member of the crew, and the master apparently does not notice it, then the owner should bring the master's attention to it, and, if necessary, insist on the delinquent being discharged. This will really strengthen the position of the master, and inspire him to take command of the crew, instead of being-content with a kind of slovenly discipline.
The owner should always keep up a kind of formality in addressing the sailing master, and address him as Mr. So-and-so, and not as Harry or John, as the case may be. The owner in this way can do a great deal towards inspiring the crew with respect for the master, as, if it is seen that the owner treats the master with a flippant familiarity, the crew will do so too. The crew should always address the master as
" Sir," and not in an offhand way, such as " All right, skipper," or " All ready, captain." If the owner wishes any work done on board, or requires the gig or boat, he should tell the master of his wishes or send a proper message to him, and not issue direct orders to the crew ; all such usurpations of the proper duties of the master are subversive of discipline, and should be carefully avoided. If the owner goes on shore and wishes the boat to return for him, he should give the orders to the master ; but if he forgets to do this he should upon landing give the order to the coxswain, whose duty it will be to repeat the order; thus, if the owner says, " Come for me at half-past four," the coxswain will answer, " Half-past four, sir," to show that he understands the order.
The master should always ship the crew, and generally should be allowed to ship the mate as well.
The mate, like the master, should always be addressed as " Mr.," alike by the owner, master, and crew. When the master is on deck the mate's place is forward, and he superintends the setting and taking in sails, and generally sees that the master's orders are efficiently carried out. He also takes charge of the yacht's rigging, and sees that all necessary work is done upon it, and from time to time reports the con dition of the rigging, spars, and sails, to the master.
When orders are given to get under way, he superintends all the necessary preparations for getting the anchor and making sail; so also in bringing up, he prepares for taking in sail and letting go the anchor.
When the master is below, the mate goes aft and takes charge of the deck and issues orders as if he were the master; but, although it may be his watch on deck, he does not make any serious alteration in the vessel's course or shorten or set sail, or reef without informing the master of what he is about to do. Then if the master considers it necessary, he goes on deck himself, and perhaps summons his watch from below.
The boatswain takes charge of the sail room and ship's chandler's stores, sees that all the tackles, spare sails, &c., are properly stowed and in good order. With the mate he superintends the washing down, scrubbing, cleaning of brass work, and blacking down the yacht or rigging.
The coxswain of a boat has to see that she is kept clean and in readiness for use, rows the stroke oar when passengers are in her, and takes the yoke lines when only the crew. The coxswain of the owner's gig has usually one shilling or so a week extra for taking charge of her, and he, as before said, is held responsible by the master for her condition and the condition of everything belonging to her.