To HEAVE TO TO PICK UP A BOAT.—It will be supposed that the wind is blowing off shore, and that the yacht is in the offing waiting for the boat. As the boat gets off into deep water, where the yacht will reach in past to leeward of her from fifty to one hundred yards clear ; then put the helm down, and shoot up towards her, keeping the jib sheet and fore sheet fast so as to lie a-weather as she fills on the other tack ; or the jib sheets can be slackened well up so that the jib can blow about. If well judged the boat will now be close under the lee side of the yacht, and a hand • will be ready to throw a line into her as she comes alongside. If the wind is blowing on the shore similar tactics will be observed, but a greater sweep must be taken in coming to, and the main sheet must be well rounded in as the helm is eased down. Sometimes under such conditions the yacht will run in to windward of the boat and wear round, but generally it is safer to keep to leeward and bring the yacht to.
SQUALLS.—If a squall is long foreseen, the sailing master will of course have snugged down and got his vessel so as to meet it end on if possible ; but if caught unawares lose no time in letting jib sheets fly, and haul down the foresail. Set the topping-lifts taut ; let the throat run half down the mast, and trice up the main tack. Or let the peak drop down between the topping-lifts until the gaff is about square to or at right angles to the mast. Then haul up the main tack and the mainsail will be scandalised.
, If the sail be a laced one the throat must be let down instead of the peak, keeping the peak downhaul fast to the centre of the boom to leeward to prevent the sail blowing out. In short handed vessels the throat is generally let down in preference to the peak, as the sail is the more easily managed, and the throat can be got up again if necessary more easily than the peak could.
If the vessel has the wind abaft the beam when she is actually struck, put the helm up a little to keep her before the squall. If the squall strikes her before the beam, put the helm down. If the vessel gets struck or knocked down on her side before the sails can be lowered, and will not come to, cast off the jib sheets, pull the foresail down by the downhaul. Haul the main boom well aboard, cast off the throat halyards and the throat will fly down, then cast off the peak halyards and haul in on the peak downhaul. If the vessel does not right get the kedge up if a bottom can be reached, bend the hawser to it and let go over the stern ; then the vessel may wear round so that the wind will take her on the other side. If the ballast or anything else shifts to leeward, trim it back to windward. Close up the companion hatchways and skylights to keep the water out.
To SCANDALISE A DisnrsAn.—Set taut the topping lifts. Trice up the tack as high as possible, and lower down the peak between the lifts.