TO GET UNDER WAY AND LEAVE AN ANCHORAGE TO RUN FOR IT.--If possible choose slack-water time or when the tide is running to leeward. Set the trysail, reefed foresail and fourth jib. Watch for " smooths " to heave up the chain ; but, if the sea is so bad that the vessel pitches head and shoulders under, so that there might be danger in pinning her down by heaving short, or if she sheers about so as to get the cable jammed hard athwart the stem, then unshackle the chain, make fast the buoy rope outside the hawse pipe, wait till the vessel sheers the way she is wanted to cast, then slip the chain and sail her.
If the vessel is wind rode, and on a lee shore, it will be prudent to claw out to sea for an offing. Set the storm canvas as if for a thrash to windward. Heave short, set the jib with the sheets slack, set the foresail, and if the vessel is to be cast on the port tack, haul in the port foresheet ; put the helm to port ; slack out a little mainsheet. As the vessel sheers to starboard break out the anchor or slip, and when she pays off enough so as to make sure of not flying to again, ease the fore sheet over, trim the main sheet and sail her. If the vessel does not gather way, but drives towards the shore, stand by to let go the anchor again : if one anchor has been slipped, the other should be ready on the bow. If there is not too much sea, the kedge with hawser bent to it should now be carried out in a boat; then as the anchor is hove short haul in on the hawser. When the anchor is off the ground haul the vessel ahead by the hawser, when the kedge is apeak, sheet the jib, and break out the kedge. When anchored on a lee shore a vessel should never wait till the wind and sea gets so bad that it is neither safe to remain nor to attempt to leave.
To TACK A Currm.—When the order is given "ready about," the fore deck hands will go to their stations at fore sheets and jib sheets, and one of the after guard to the main sheet, seeing all are clear. The cry of " Helm's a-lee " will be the signal that the helm is being put down ; ease up the jib sheet as the jib begins to lift, and overhaul it. If the vessel is coming round smartly, ease up the fore sheet or fore sheet purchase as well; the hand aft hauls in the main sheet. When the vessel has passed the point " head to wind," begin to haul in the jib sheet, and get the sail sheeted and belayed before the vessel is full again and gathers way ; handle the fore sheet in the same way, and overhaul the main sheet. Care must always be taken not to pull the jib sheet over the forestay, and get a strain on it before the vessel has passed the " head to wind " point, or is filling on the opposite tack to the one upon which she has been sailing ; otherwise a back sail will be formed, and the vessel may fall off again. On the other hand the jib, when the time comes for working the sheets, must be sheeted with all despatch; as, if the vessel is allowed to fill before the jib sheets are in, it will be hardly possible to get them in properly without a tackle if there be a nice breeze. So with the fore sheet.
In tacking a vessel in a sea, the fore sheet should as a rule not be let go until it is seen whether the vessel is going to fill on the other tack or not, as the sail may be wanted to pay her head off : when the vessel fills, the fore sheets must be handled with smartness. If there is much sea, a
" smooth" should be watched for, to tack in. Never, if it can be avoided, attempt to tack with a big comber rolling in on the weather bow, as a " miss-stays " may be the consequence, to say nothing of the water that might be thrown on deck.
The helmsman will soon find out how the vessel likes the helm put down for quick staying; but generally the vessel should be kept a good full before giving lee helm. Then at first ease the helm down graduilly, so as to shoot a good distance, and make as big a circle as possible, but be very careful not to keep the vessel shooting till her way is stopped ; as she comes near head to wind, put the helm right over to the rail, and keep it there till the vessel fills and gathers way on the other tack; keep the vessel a little off a good full till she is reaching along, and then bring her to wind " full and bye." To TACK A YewL.—The only way in which tacking a yawl is different from tacking a cutter is that there is the wizen stay to work. The stays lead forward from the mizen-mast head, and are set up by tackles ; only the weather one is set np. The weather tackle is overhauled in tacking, and the lee set taut, and forms the weather one when the vessel has filled on the opposite tack. Generally a yawl does not stay so quickly as a cutter, and more frequently requires backing off by the foresail.
To TACK A SCHOONER.—Keep the vessel a good full. As the vessel begins to come to ease up the jib sheet, but do not let it " fly "; overhaul the fore-sheet purchase and fore-staysail purchase, and overhaul fore topsail tack and sheet and clew up. As the vessel comes head to wind cast off standing part of foresheet and forestaysail sheet. As she passes the point " head to wind " haul in jib sheets and belay ; haul in the standing part of the fore sheet and fore-staysail sheet and belay ; then be smart with the purchases and get the foot of the foresail as straight as possible ; fore-staysail sheet not quite so " straight," as there should be a little flow in the after leech, owing to the angle made by the luff of the sail, and if the foot be pulled " bar taut," the leech will generally be so too. Tack and sheet the foretopsail.
In hauling in the foresheet all hands should be outside it, and not between the sheet and the rail. Care should also be taken that the fall of the purchase ig clear and ready to hand directly the standing part of the sheet is fast. One hand should be selected to stand by the foresheet cavel, and he should belay. Directly the order " belay ! " is given all hands should haul on the fall of the purchase ; the belaying hand taking care that a turn of the standing part of the sheet is caught round the cavel. It is highly important that the fore sheet of a schooner should be well taut ; as, if the foot be slack, the Bail, not being set on a boom, is certain to bag more or less. And when sailing close hauled and the wind frees a trifle, the foresheet should always be the last one to be checked.