If it is seen beforehand that one jib will have to be shifted for another, the tack of the jib which is to be first used is lashed to the bowsprit end ; the other jib is run out by the traveller and stopped along the bowsprit. To shift, haul taut the weather sheet ; one hand cut the lashing at the bowsprit end ; as the jib flies aft haul in by the mainparts of the sheet, and pull down by the downhaul. Hook the halyards, down haul, and sheets on the other jib and hoist away.
In light weather when a bowsprit spinnaker is carried, it is unusual to let the jib run in, but several of the hands stow it along the bowsprit.
To SET A GAFF TOPSAIL.—Bend the sail to the yard; lace the weather earing first, and then haul the head taut along the yard, and lace the peak earing through and through. Tie the stops round the yard, or lace, as the case may be. Bend the sheet to the clew cringle (see Fig. 41). See that the sheet is inside the topping lift, and that it passes under the yard from the mast side before it is bent to the clew cringle. See that the clew line is fast to the clew cringle. Hook on the halyards and bend the trip halyards (see Fig. 42), and hoist the sail clear of the deck. Hook on the tack tackle, and put a mousing on the hook.
To keep the sail from blowing away from the mast, it is usual to have a " lazy tack," which consists of a short line, one end of which is fast to the tack cringle of the sail; the other end is passed round that part of the main or peak halyards which has been belayed to the mast bitts, and is then made fast to the tack cringle the same as the other end was; the line thus forms a kind of traveller, and the main or peak halyard serves as a jackstay.
A gaff topsail should be always sent up to windward, and if the halyard and sheet are to leeward they should be shifted over.
Hoist on the trip halyards until the peak is well up inside the topping lift (the peak will always be the aft end of the yard), then hoist away on all, hauling out the sheet as the sail goes up ; otherwise, if the sail blows about, the sheet may get a turn round the gaff end. When the yard is so high that the point where the trip halyards are bent is level with the trip halyard sheave in the topmast, leave the trip halyards adrift, and all hands hoist by the other halyards. When the yard is chock-a
block, belay. Bowse down the tack to the last inch, and belay. Set taut the trip halyards. Pass the lacing and haul taut round the masthead. Haul out the sheet until the sail sits as desired. A topsail should never be sheeted until the tack has been bowled down. If during sailing it is found that the tack requires bowling down, the sheet should be eased up first.
Before the topsail is sheeted, a look should always be given to the topmast stay. The topmast should cant forwards a trifle, so as to insure plenty of drift for the sheet.
If the head of the sail be very short, the trip halyards will not be used.
In the case of a jib-headed topsail, the same precaution must be observed in bending the sheet by passing it under the sail from the side next the mast. The sail will be hoisted as fast as the masthead-man can lace it.
In running before the wind with the boom square off, if the topsail is to windward of the gaff the sheet should be eased a little, and, if necessary to relieve the strain on the weather cloths, the lacing or tack should be eased as well.
To TAKE IN e GAFF TOPSAIL.—One hand will go aloft to cast off the lacing. When all is ready for lowering, cast off the halyards and trip halyards from the belaying pins. Ease up the tack tackle; but do not cast off the " lazy tack." Lower away by the halyards, but keep the trip halyards hand taut, until the yard is " up and down " the mast. Ease up the sheet, and lower away all. If there be much wind, several hands must be put upon the tack to haul down, as the belly of the sail is certain to blow in between the parts of, or over, the peak halyards, and will thus prevent the sail lowering. The hand aloft will keep the heel of the yard inside the topping lift as it passes down.
As the yard comes down between the topping lift and the mainsail, haul forward by the tack (casting off lazy tack), so that the heel of the yard (the lower end) goes forward.
When the sail is on deck, unbend the halyards and make the ends fast to a belaying pin. Unbend the sheet, and make it fast round the boom. Roll the sail up on the yard ; or unbend it, roll up, and stow below.