In this manner of sailing the keel commonly makes an angle of six points with the line of the wind; but sloops, and some other small vessels, are said to sail almost a point nearer. All vessels, however, are supposed to make nearly a point of lee-way, when close-hauled, even when they have the advantage of a good sailing-breeze and smooth water. The angle of lee-way, however, enlarges in proportion to the increase of the wind and sea.
In this disposition of the sails, they are all extended sideways on the ship, so that the wind, as it crosses the ship obliquely toward the stern from forwards, may fill their cavities. But as the current of wind also enters the cavities of the sails in an oblique direction, the effort of it, to make the ship advance, is considerably diminished: she will, therefore, make the least progress when sailing in this manner.
The ship is said to be close-hauled, because at this time her tacks, or lower corners of the principal sails, are drawn close down to her side to windward; the sheets hauled close aft; and all the bow-lines drawn to their greatest extension, in order to keep the sails steddy.
CLOSE-QUARTERS, certain strong barriers of wood stretching across a merchant-ship in several places. They are used as a place of retreat when a ship is boarded by her adversary, and are therefore fitted with several small loop-holes, through which to fire the small arms, whereby the ship’s crew may defend themselves and annoy the enemy. They are likewise furnished with several small caissons, called powder-chests, which are fixed upon the deck, and filled with powder, old nails, &c. and may be fired at any time from the close-quarters upon the boarders.
We have known an English merchant-ship, of sixteen guns, and properly fitted with close-quarters, defeat the united efforts of three French privateers who boarded her in the late war, after having engaged at some distance nearly a day and a half with very few intervals of rest. Two of the cruisers were equipped with twelve guns each, and the other with eight. The French sailors were, after boarding, so much exposed to the continued fire of musquetry, and coehorns charged with granadoes, that a dreadful scene of carnage ensued, in which the decks were soon covered with the dead bodies of the enemy, several of which the boarders, in their hurry to escape, had left behind.
CLUE of a sail, point, the lower corner, and hence
Clue-Garnets, cargues point, are a sort of tackles fastened to the clues, or lower corners of the mainsail and foresail, to truss them up to the yard as occasion requires, which is usually termed clueing-up the sails.
Clue-Lines are for the same purpose as clue-garnets, only that the latter are confined to the courses, whereas the clue-lines are common to all the square sails. See these ropes, as represented in the article Sail.
COACH, or COUCH, a sort of chamber or apartment in a large ship of war near the stern. The floor of it is formed by the aftmost part of the quarter-deck, and the roof of it by the poop: it is generally the habitation of the captain.
COAMINGS of the hatches, certain raised borders about the edge of the hatches of a ship, to prevent the water which may flow in upon the deck at sea, from running down into the lower apartments. They are represented in the Deck, plate [III]. as enclosing their respective hatchways.