On the other hand, on the steep beach, it is the general practice, in a boat of any size, to retain speed right on to the beach, and in the act of landing, whether under oars or sail, to turn the boat’s bow half round towards the direction from which the surf is running, so that she may be thrown on her broadside up the beach, when abundance of help is usually at hand to haul her as quickly as possible out of reach of the sea. In such situations, we believe, it is nowhere the practice to back a boat in stern foremost under oars, but to row in under full speed as above described.
Management of a Yacht in a Rough Sea.—When sailing a small yacht in a rough sea certain precautions must be observed which we will describe as briefly as possible, for to handle a vessel properly under these circumstances requires a skill that cannot be imparted by books.
In the first place, do not carry on too much; for it will often be necessary to bear away or luff according to the seas, regardless of the wind; and if too much sail be carried this cannot be done.
A beam sea is the most dangerous. If you are obliged to sail in a direction that brings the sea abeam, keep a sharp look-out and luff up to every sea that looks dangerously steep, so as to take it at a sharp angle instead of broadside on.
To run before a high sea is also dangerous, especially if the vessel is a short and beamy one, for a sea may strike the stern on one side and cause her to broach to; or again the vessel may be pooped, that is, a sea may break on board over the stern, filling the well and even swamping her.
While running before the sea, steer with great care, so that every dangerous sea strike the vessel right aft, and not on the side, and be ready to meet promptly with the tiller any tendency to broach to.
If you are sailing with the sea on the quarter, bear away to every dangerous sea so as to bring it right aft.
To sail against the sea, as when one is close hauled, is the safest way of meeting it. A sea breaking over the bows can do little harm in comparison to one coming over the stern. Luff up so as to meet a dangerous sea nearly end on, and bear away after it has passed, but take care that the way of the vessel is not lost in doing this.
We have already explained how to heave to, the most prudent measure that can be taken in bad weather, provided one has plenty of sea room to leeward.
It may happen that when one is sailing along the coast for some harbour of refuge, the wind is dead on shore so that the seas are on one’s beam. If the seas are so dangerous that it becomes very hazardous to proceed in this way, it is best to sail in a zigzag fashion towards one’s port—that is, first to sail almost close hauled out to sea, then, having watched one’s opportunity in a smooth, to bear away again and run right before wind and sea towards the shore, and so on till the harbour is reached.