Boat Sailing in Fair Weather and Foul, 6th ed.

by A. J. Kenealy

Before getting a cat-boat under way from an anchorage, or casting adrift from moorings, the captain should see all gear clear, that the centerboard works easily in its trunk, and that oars, rowlocks and a baler are aboard. An oar is very handy for turning a boat's head round in a light air when she has barely steerage way on; and in case you are confronted with a flat calm, a pair of oars are indispensable for working homeward. A boat-hook, too, should not be neglected. There is a story that I heard in the forecastle, of a mean old Dutch skipper who left his new anchor ashore on purely economic grounds. He was afraid it might rust, I suppose. The result of this thrifty dodge was the loss of his vessel on the Goodwin Sands. My counsel to the young boat-skipper is to see that his anchor is snugly stowed away forward, and that his chain—if his cable is of chain—is properly shackled to the ring of the anchor, and that the inner end of the cable is fast to the heel of the mast by a lashing that can be cut if it is necessary to slip at any time. If the cable is of rope, take care that it is not made fast to the ring with a slippery hitch. Anchors cost money, and a bend that will not come adrift is quite simple to make.

Cast the tyers off the mainsail and hoist it, pulling up best on the throat halyards and then "swigging" on the peak till the after-leech is taut and the sail begins to wrinkle slightly at the throat. While you are setting the sail, let the sheet fly. Next coil down the throat and peak halyards clear for running, and see that the mainsheet is free from kinks and coiled so that it can be eased off at a moment's notice without any danger of jamming in the block. A kink in the mainsheet has capsized many a cat-boat. Before you reeve a new mainsheet, stretch it well and take all the kinks out of it. Take care that the running parts of all sheets and halyards are coiled uppermost, with the ends underneath.

Let us suppose that there is a nice breeze blowing and that your intention is to essay a four or five mile beat to windward, and then conclude your trial trip with a run home. Cast adrift from your moorings or get your anchor aboard, as the case may be, and start out on whichever tack is convenient. When on the starboard tack the boom is over to port, and vice versa. Lower the centerboard and fill away on the boat with one hand on the tiller and the other holding the mainsheet, which should never be belayed, but may be held by half a turn round the cleat.

Do not make the mistake of trimming in the sheet too flat, but let the boom off till it is well on the quarter and keep the sail well full, not allowing it to shiver. This is called steering "full-and-by," which signifies as close to the wind as possible with the sail not shaking. If your boat is well balanced—that is, if her weights are well adjusted and her sail of proper cut—she will carry quite a little weather helm. So much so that if you allow the rudder to come amidships or on a line with the keel she will fly up in the wind and her sails will shake. This is by no means a fault unless it is carried to excess, and it may be said, indeed, that there is something radically wrong with a craft that requires lee helm—a defect that should be remedied at once.

The young sailor should bear in mind that to accomplish the best results in beating to windward the sail should always be kept full. Nothing is gained by sailing a boat right in the wind's eye with the sail shivering. The boat then points higher but she goes to leeward like a crab. Instances have been known of a fore-and-aft racing yacht sailing within three points of the wind, but these are rare, indeed. The ordinary cat-boat will not often do better than pointing up within four points of the breeze, and her best windward work is generally thus accomplished. There are occasions, indeed, when what is known as a "fisherman's luff" may be indulged in with profit, such as when rounding a mark or shooting up to an anchorage where there is little room. The maneuver consists in luffing the boat up into the wind so that the sails shake, and she shoots dead to windward by her own momentum. If the boat is a heavy one she will shoot quite a distance. Care must be taken to put the helm up and fill on her before she loses way, or she will get "in irons" and acquire sternway, or perhaps pay off on the other tack. If a boat acquires sternway the helm must be shifted at once. The rudder will now produce the reverse effect to what it would if the boat were going ahead. Putting the tiller to starboard turns the vessel's head to port, and vice versa in the case of sternway.

The beginner will find that his boat spins along quite merrily and obeys the slightest touch of the tiller. He should not relax his vigilance in the least, but should keep his weather eye skinned for sudden gusts of wind or catspaws which may be seen ruffling the water to windward, in timely season before they strike the boat. As the little craft begins to heel or list over to the pressure, luff up a little so that the fore-leech of the sail begins to shiver. If there is not weight enough in the puff to put the lee rail under, sail her along with just the suspicion of a shake in the luff of the sail, so that if she goes over far enough for the water to threaten to come over the lee coamings and deluge the cockpit you can put your helm down and luff up until the boat comes nearly head to wind, at the same time lowering away your sail and making preparations for taking in a reef.

If you are a novice, and the water is neither too rough nor too deep and the breeze seems likely to last, and you think your craft is not up to carrying a whole mainsail, there is no reason why you should not drop anchor and reef your sail in leisurely and comfortable fashion. If you feel at all nervous take in a couple of reefs.

After sail has been shortened set the mainsail, hoist up the anchor again and thresh her at it. You will observe that she inclines less to the puffs under the pressure of the reduced sail, and that the lee gunwale is always well clear of the water. Watch the boat well; look out for coming squalls, and be prepared to ease off the sheet and luff up instantly should occasion arise. If there are other boats in company with you tacking toward the same point you must remember that those on the starboard tack have the right of way, and thus when you are on the port tack you must keep clear of them. I would not advise a novice in a boat on the port tack to try and cross the bow of a boat on the starboard tack unless there is plenty of room. Distances on the water are deceptive to the tyro, and it is well to run no risk of collision. If the boat on the port tack will not keep away for you when you are on the starboard tack, and seems to be making for you with the intention of running you down, keep cool. Stand by to put your helm hard down so as to luff right up in the wind or even to go about. If you put your helm up and keep away, and a collision ensues, you would probably have to pay all the damage. The strict legal rule is that the vessel on the starboard tack must keep her course and neither luff nor bear up. If this rule is observed you will be within the letter of the law. In yacht racing a yacht on the port tack can be disqualified if she is struck by a yacht which is on the starboard tack, no matter how the striking happened; if she herself strikes a yacht which is on the starboard tack; if she causes a yacht which is on the starboard tack to bear away to avoid a collision. It is apparent, therefore, that no wise helmsman will run any risks. If he is on the port tack he will give way with a good grace and try to look pleasant. It is better than a collision, which is sure in a brisk breeze to do a lot of damage, and may possibly cause serious personal injuries or even loss of life.

The beginner may, after threshing to windward for an hour or so, begin to feel homesick. Let him then put his helm up, easing the mainsheet off at the same time until he gets the boom at a right angle with the mast and the boat dead before the wind. He will at this time have to pay particular attention to the steering, giving the boat "small helm" and giving it to her quickly in order to keep her steady on her course. Steering a cat-boat in a stiff breeze and lumpy water requires both skill and experience. I should counsel a green hand to lower the peak of the mainsail and run her under easy sail until he acquires the art. In that case, should he accidentally gybe the boom over, the result is not likely to be particularly disastrous; whereas, if the sail were peaked up, the boom might snap in two or the boat herself might broach to.

The centerboard should be hoisted up into the trunk when running before the wind, and the boom should be kept well topped up. In some small cat-boats there is no topping lift and the sail has only one halyard, which hoists both the throat and peak. This is a faulty rig. Throat and peak halyards should be separate, and a topping lift should always be fitted.