THE MANAGEMENT OF CANOES.
Sail can be carried in almost any breeze so long as the Ni keeps moderately smooth, but beware of sailing a light canoe in ri rough water. " Big seas" are not here referred to ; these will be ref e to hereafter. Rough water throws a light canoe about in sudden unavoidable jerks, and a puff into the sails at a wrong moment, or perhaps a lump of water, may just give the canoe a finishing touch to a capsize; at the best her pace will be slow, and her working uncertain under sail, as soon as the water gets a rise of a couple of feet or more ; then out with the paddle and in with the mainsail ; the mizen, however, may be of use if paddling to windward.
With regard to heavy seas, the canoeist should bear in mind that there is a great difference between a " sea" and a "swell." With a fresh breeze "white horses" begin to show on a comparatively smooth sea, but if there is at the same time a steep swell on, then the ruffled swells appear somewhat in the form of " huge seas." Canoes and boats can easily, with fair management, live in such water, and have often done so, hence the stories of sails being becalmed in the hollows between the waves, &c. But a " sea " is a vastly different thing to look at and to put a boat at ; a broken sea not only has way on, but generally has weight on in its angry top, which, if not cleverly negotiated, would crush a canoe up like a steam roller going over an egg shell. It is not often that a canoe is worked in a " high " sea; but what is not uncommon is for a canoe to be caught out away from port and get into a nasty sea, a savage sea, before she can get into shelter. For an old hand to work safely through it is merely a question of whether he possesses the requisite amount, in equal parts, of pluck and caution, and suffi cient physical strength to avoid a collapse from exhaustion. He knows from practice how best to handle his craft as the various forms of water approach him ; he knows, too, when to carry on and when to ease her, and how to put her at a hollow breaker. But to the man who is not an old hand at the work, such work is no mere inconvenience ; it soon becomes a struggle for life, and a flurried twitching of the rudder and a dip or two of the paddle the wrong way may end that struggle in a few short moments.
There are one or two short maxims on which the handling of a canoe in a sea are founded, and, being very simple, they can easily be called to mind by beginners when trying their craft against a " steamer's swell." Unless in a well-ballasted sailing canoe, never keep sail on when the seas begin to break and come aboard, because by the time they get to breaking aboard you will probably be unable to get the sails in, and a sea into the sail might be a finisher ; or, if you have to leave your seat to get hold of the sail, a sea is pretty sure just to board the canoe, and, once waterlogged, it is hard work for even a practised hand to get rid of the water. Never allow the canoe for one moment, except
of course in the act of turning, to be broadside on to the sea; it may be all very well in a little popple or tide overfall to treat the crests with indifference, and let them " break across the deck ; " bat if you intend a safe return to land don't try any such duck-pond pranks with a heavy sea. To work safely through really heavy water a zig-zag course must be steered ; the seas should, when possible, be dodged ; but where it becomes necessary to " take " a sea pat her at it nearly end on, with plenty of way on (the weight in the boat rather forward than aft) ; then, as soon as she passes the head of the sea, drop her down sideways on the back of it ; if, on the contrary, you attempted to let it break athwartship over the deck, you would probabl] find yourself suddenly caught up and hurled broadside along before th sea for a few moments, then a thundering roar, a cold weight of wate all over you, crackling of planks, a greenish glimmer, and a want of a would proclaim to you that somehow your canoe, or the wreck of it, wt above you instead of under you.
When about to reef in rough water do not put the canoe end ( to the sea ; on the contrary, keep some way on her ; lower away t' halyards, and haul the boom in, and with the reefing gear little or difficulty will be found; reef the mainsail first, then shift the mizen, a so be prepared to shift mainsail if necessary.
When running before a sea keep the weight aft in the canoe removing the backboard beam and lying down, haul down the mizi and when a breaker is coming along stop the canoe's way by back strol with the paddle, else she may be overended or broached to. If canoe runs her bow under a sea, let go the halyards promptly, and el down the sail till the bow lifts again. In running for shore, before gett] into the breakers, turn her round head upon sea, and back in when the smooths, and paddle ahead to meet each heavy breaking sea.
The paddle should always be ready for use in a sea way, and most useful mode is to have the ordinary double-bladed paddle join in the middle, and a piece of bamboo 3ft. long, brass tipped, fitted join into the ferrule, and so make a long-handled single paddle a help to steering and working in a sea way.
Never go to sea, even for an hour's sail, without a compass ; f turn up even in the summer. Before going on a long cruise test fittings and gear carefully, and certainly have an experimental cap to test, above mere calculation, that the air bag and compartment sufficient to support canoe and skipper when swamped; after the cano righting practice getting on board by striding the bow or stern, or over side amidships ; finally, have a life-belt on whenever there is risk of an v