• To STOW THE MAINSAIL AND SET THE TRYSAIL.—In heavy weather it it is always better to set a trysail than a close-reefed mainsail, as the mast is thus relieved of the heavy strain of the main boom and gaff. Get the trysail gaff clear of the other spars on deck. Get the trysail on deck, and the trysail sheets. Prepare to heave to under the two head sails. Ship the boom crutch. Set the topping lifts taut. Over haul the main and peak purchase. Settle the main boom down into the crutch. Haul the sheet taut and belay. Stow the mainsail and make it up on the boom. Put a lashing on the boom from each quarter, or secure the boom in the crutch by tackles on to each quarter. Take off main and peak halyards and hook the same to the trysail gaff. Unhook the topping lifts, and make them fast in main rigging. Ship the jaws of the trysail gaff to the mast, and make fast the parcel round the mast, the gaff end resting on the deck. Lace the trysail to the gaff. Bend the sheets and belay both hand taut. Hoist and toggle on the parrels, or strops, or lacing (as the case may be) on the luff of the sail round the mast, as the sail goes up.
If the yacht be yawl rigged, and the mizen has been stowed, it should be set before the mainsail is taken off, as the mizen will keep the yacht's head up to the sea. The storm mizen, of course, would be chosen for this purpose.
To Srr A STAY-FORESAIL. (In a schooner this sail is termed the fore staysail, and the foresail is the gaff sail set abaft the foremast; in cutters the foresail, although, as in a schooner, set on the forestay, is simply termed the foresail or staysail ; the proper term is stay-foresail). —Take off the coat and hook on or bend the sheets, hauling in slack of port or starboard one (or both), and belay. See that the downhaul is bent to the head cringle, and hoist away.* When the sail is high enough, hook on the tack tackle and bowse down.
To REEF A STAY-FORESAIL.—Cast off the tack tackle and lower the sail; unhook the sheets ; tightly and neatly roll up the foot of the sail and tie the reef points. Hook on the sheets to the reef cringle and belay ; re-hoist the sail; hook the tack to the reef (Tingle and bowse down with the tackle.
To SHIFT A STAY-FORESAIL FOR A BALLOONER.—Let go the halyards and haul down the foresail by the downhaul ; unhook the halyards from the head cringle ; hook them on to the balloon foresail with downhaul ; and, as the sail is hoisted, toggle the luff on to the forestay, or hook on as the case may be ; carry the lee sheet aft and belay (slack) as the crew start hoisting. When the head is chock-a-block bowse down the tack. Trim the sheet. On a wind the sheet is generally brought inside the main rigging, or between the main rigging and the topmast back stays. For reaching, the sheet is carried outside of all.
To SET A JIB.—Carry the sail forward tack first. Hook the tack cringle to the traveller ; hook on the halyards and downhaul to leeward of the forestay and foresail ; belay the sheets hand taut, or one a-weather, as required. Hoist away by the halyards until the sail is about half up; then haul the tack out by the traveller outhaul, hoist the sail and set taut with the purchase. Trim the sheets. Always be careful that the jib sheets are rove through the right holes ; nothing shows up the careless mate so much as the sheet for first jib rove through the holes for second jib, or the contrary.
In light winds it will be found less trouble to pull the jib out on the bowsprit before hoisting, and with a few stops uncut.
Generally in getting under way the jib is set up in stops, that is, before it is unrolled. The jib is hoisted up some distance, and then the tack is pulled out on the bowsprit, the sheets being loose, as otherwise the stops would be broken. Upon getting under way the stops are easily broken by hauling in the jib sheet.
When the second jib is set the bowsprit should be reefed, and double-reefed for third jib ; otherwise the strain from the jib may cause the bowsprit to break, as the traveller would come far inside the support of the bobstay, and " nip " the spar.
Before purchasing up a jib the runner-tackles should be always set taut, and, if necessary, swigged upon. If the runners are slack, the effect will be to pull the mast forward and slacken the forestay instead of to straighten the luff of the jib. It is also necessary that the bobstay should be set well taut by its tackle.
To SHIFT A JIB.—Ease up the purchase, slack up the outhaul and pull in by the inhaul, and gather the sail in board by the sheet and foot; then pull the head of the sail down by the downhaul, gathering the sail in-board, and " muzzling" it as it comes on deck over the lee bow. The purchase should always be eased before the outhaul is let go. If the outhaul is let go first, the jib will fly in, and cause such a jerk that the bowsprit might be sprung or the bobstay burst.
If possible, the jib should be shifted when the vessel is before the wind ; and often a sailing master will run his vessel off whilst the crew are getting the jib in, so that the sail is becalmed. Sometimes two or three or more hands go on the bowsprit, and gather the sail up as it comes down, but in bad weather the traveller is always let run up close to the stemhead.