Practical Boat-Sailing Part 11

"Why, uncle Charley, what a change! I should think there was scarcely any wind at all."

"Yes, that is a most common impression when a craft is kept off before the wind after pounding into it; but you should not be deceived. Now is the time that you must pay great attention to the helm; for the waves lift the stern so far out of the water, that the rudder acts, as you see, in an irregular and unequal manner, causing me to meet her as she yaws with a quick movement of the helm. I don't like the looks of the weather at all.

"Look out! Hold on, everybody! There, that sea has p.o.o.ped us, and we are all afloat! This will never do.

"Stand by to haul aft the main-sheet! We must shake out this reef, Bob, if it is blowing fresh, so as to go faster before the wind, and not get p.o.o.ped again."

[The reef is shaken out, and the yacht again kept away.]

"There, Tom! see how she runs away from those large seas, now! No more danger of their coming on board again.

"You see, the tide was against us, and the wind astern; and the 'Nancy'

moved too slowly forward to escape those big fellows. This is one of the times that it is good seamanship to clap on more sail, although the sea is getting up. If we should haul on a wind now, we should need two reefs in; but, running before it, she is doing very well.

"There is the headland that we shall have to leave on the port side. Do you see it, Tom? We shall have to jibe before we can run in, and that is a manoeuvre that must be nicely executed in such a sea-way as this. But we shall execute it all right, as you shall see.

"Lay aft here, Bob, and stand by the peak-halliards! Let go! That will do. Belay! Now clap on this main-sheet, and get it aft, steadily. Round it in!

"Keep a good turn at the cleat! Don't let the boom get away with you!

Now slack the lee jib-sheet off, so that the jib can work itself. Now look out for the jerk when the boom goes over, and stand by to slack the sheet at once. Handsomely done! Slack away the main-sheet! Belay!

There, that is a good job! Up with the peak! Belay!

"Go forward, Bob, and stock the second anchor; and bend on the cable, and have it all ready for anchoring; for we shall not find very much lee in this harbor till the wind shifts. But there is good holding-ground, and we shall be all right.

"As soon as we pa.s.s that lighthouse, Tom, and get in the bight of the bay you see ahead on the starboard side, I shall round her to, and let go the anchors. There are two fishermen at anchor there now. Do you see them?"

"Yes, uncle, I see them; and they seem to be laboring pretty heavy."

"Yes. That is because they are loaded deep; but we shall ride like a bird.

"Haul down the jib, and stow it! Lend Bob a hand, Tom. Now come aft here!

"Stand by the anchor, Bob!"

"Ay, ay, sir!"

"Now you see, Tom, how I round her up under the stern of this fisherman, and bring her head to wind.

"Let go the anchor!"

"All gone."

"Don't check her too quick, Bob! Pay out! pay out! Now snub her, but not too sharp. Does she hold?"

"Yes, sir. She has brought up."

"Then let go the second anchor, and pay out on both. Give your cables plenty of scope. That will do. Make every thing fast.

"I can see by the land that she does not drag. But jump below, Bob, and hand me up the hand lead, that I may throw it over the side, and see that she is holding all right.

"There, Tom! don't she ride easily?

"Now down mainsail, and stow it, before it is slatted to pieces by the wind, and lash the helm amidships. We shall ride here like a Mother Carey's chicken.

"Now let's sound the pumps, and then we will go below, and take things easy till this wind moderates; have a good, nice dinner; and then we will proceed upon our cruise. Well, Tom, do you think you have smelt salt water, boy?"

"Yes, uncle; but I like it, though, and the way you manage, in spite of the elements. We have not started a rope-yarn, and are lying here as snug as a bug in a rug."

And thus we will leave them, wishing them good weather, and a pleasant ending to their cruise.

CHAPTER IX.

VOCABULARY OF SEA-TERMS COMMONLY IN USE.

ABACK.--A sail is said to be taken aback, when its forward surface is acted upon by the wind.

ABAFT.--The position, towards the stern, or hinder part of the yacht, from any stated point; as, "abaft the forecastle," "abaft the mainmast,"

"abaft the cabin."

ABEAM.--Any object is said to be abeam that bears at right angles to the line of the keel; and an imaginary line drawn at right angles across the keel, equidistant from the bow and stern, divides the yacht into two parts. Any thing bearing forward of this line is said to be "forward of the beam," and any thing bearing behind this line is said to be "abaft the beam."

ABOARD.--In the yacht; as, "Get the anchor aboard!" "Come aboard!"

ABOUT.--A yacht is said to "go about" when tacking, the order to prepare for which is, "Ready about!"

ABREAST.--Opposite to, as relates to the sides of a yacht; as, abreast of a lighthouse, when the side of the yacht is at right angles to it, or nearly so.

ADRIFT.--Broken loose from moorings; or any thing rolling about the decks loose in a sea-way is said to have broken adrift.

AFLOAT.--Clear of the bottom, sustained by the water.

AFORE.--That part of the yacht nearest to the stem, or head.

AFT.--Behind; as, "Stand further aft," "Haul aft the main sheet!" i.e.

bring the boom nearer the line of the keel.

AFTER.--Hinder, as after sails, such as the mainsail, in contra distinction to forward-sails, such as the jib.

AGROUND.--Not having water enough for the yacht, which rests on the ground.

AHEAD.--Before the yacht; any thing in advance of where the yacht is being directed.

A-LEE.--The helm is a-lee when the tiller is put to the lee-side; "hard a lee," when it is put over as far as it will go.