MEETING END ON.
In sailing with a beam wind, or if one yacht has the wind abaft the beam and another yacht has the wind on the bow, and they be going in opposite directions, they may meet each other end on so as to involve a risk of collision.
In such a case it is the duty of each yacht (even if one is close hauled) to put her helm to port : that is, the yacht on the port tack will bear away, whilst the yacht on the starboard tack will /uf, and the yacht on the port tack will thus pass on the lee side of the other. (This is the rule of the road observed by all ships.) • In sailing along a shore, either with the wind blowing on the shore or off the shore, two yachts meeting end on might be in a position where it would, perhaps, be hardly prudent for one of them to use much port helm. In Fig. 53, let A be a yacht close-hauled, and B one with the wind on the quarter ; it is quite plain if B ported that she might go ashore ; on the other hand, if A ported sufficiently to give B room she might get herself in irons. Again, if B starboarded and hauled off shore she would pass on the weather side of A, and A would get a temporary blanketing; beyond this B would be violating the rule as to porting. The proper thing to do would be for A to edge out a little in good time so that B should not be required to use so much port helm as to endanger her getting ashore. A very little port helm would bring A out clear on the weather side of B, and the rule of the road would have been complied with.
But the close-hauled vessel might be on the port tack (see C, Fig. 53), and as she would in such case have to pass on the lee side of the yacht which was free (see D) she would consequently require considerably more room than B, as the main boom of D would be broad off. If C ported sufficiently to clear D and her boom, C would most likely go ashore ; but D having plenty of sea room and plenty of sheet to haul upon could make a free use of port helm and clear C to windward in accordance with the rule. In this case almost the entire obligation of avoiding a foul would rest with D.
It must be clearly understood that this rule only applies when two yachts are meeting end on, so that if no alteration were made in their respectives courses a collision would ensue. If the yacht on the port tack has the other, say a couple of points on her lee bow, and they are sailing parallel courses, it would be manifestly absurd for the yachts to port their helms and cross each other, when by continuing their course unaltered they would clear each other.
If two yachts are approaching, but not on parallel courses, they are in the position of crossing vessels, and the yacht which is free must keep out of the way of the yacht which is close-hauled.