The Seaman's Friend
by Richard Henry Dana · English · Gutenberg #40958 · 516,875 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Seaman's Friend
Author: Richard Henry Dana
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEAMAN'S FRIEND ***
THE SEAMAN'S FRIEND; CONTAINING
A TREATISE ON PRACTICAL SEAMANSHIP,
WITH PLATES, A DICTIONARY OF SEA TERMS;
CUSTOMS AND USAGES OF THE MERCHANT SERVICE;
LAWS RELATING TO THE PRACTICAL DUTIES OF
MASTER AND MARINERS.
BY R. H. DANA, JR.,
AUTHOR OF "TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST."
FIFTH EDITION.
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY THOMAS GROOM.
1847.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1841,
BY R. H. DANA, JR.,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.
STEREOTYPED BY
GEO. A. & J. CURTIS,
NEW-ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.
Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected
without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have
been retained as printed. The cover of this book was created by the
transcriber and is hereby placed in the public domain.
To all sea-faring persons, and especially to those commencing the sea
life;--to owners and insurers of vessels;--to judges and practitioners
in maritime law;--and to all persons interested in acquainting
themselves with the laws, customs, and duties of Seamen;--this work is
respectfully dedicated by
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
A PLAIN TREATISE ON PRACTICAL SEAMANSHIP.
CHAP. I.--GENERAL RULES AND OBSERVATIONS, pages 13--18.
Construction of vessels, 13. Tonnage and carriage of merchant
vessels, 14. Proportions of spars, 14. Placing the masts, 16. Size
of anchors and cables, 16. Lead-lines, 17. Log-line, 17. Ballast and
lading, 18.
CHAP. II.--CUTTING AND FITTING STANDING RIGGING, 19--25.
Cutting lower rigging, 19. Fitting lower rigging, 20. Cutting and
fitting topmast rigging, 21. Jib, topgallant and royal rigging, 21.
Ratling, 23. Standing rigging of the yards, 23. Breast-backstays,
25.
CHAP. III.--FITTING AND REEVING RUNNING RIGGING, 26--29.
To reeve a brace, 26. Fore, main, and cross-jack braces, 26. Fore
and main topsail braces, 26. Mizzen topsail braces, 27. Fore, main,
and mizzen topgallant and royal braces, 27. Halyards, 27. Spanker
brails, 28. Tacks, sheets, and clewlines, 28. Reef-tackles,
clew-garnets, buntlines, leechlines, bowlines, and slablines, 29.
CHAP. IV.--TO RIG MASTS AND YARDS, 30--36.
Taking in lower masts and bowsprit, 30. To rig a bowsprit, 31. To
get the tops over the mast-heads, 31. To send up a topmast, 31. To
get on a topmast cap, 32. To rig out a jib-boom, 32. To cross a
lower yard, 33. To cross a topsail yard, 33. To send up a topgallant
mast, 34. Long, short, and stump topgallant masts, 34. To rig out a
flying jib-boom, 34. To cross a topgallant yard, 35. To cross a
royal yard, 35. Skysail yards, 35.
CHAP. V.--TO SEND DOWN MASTS AND YARDS, 36--38.
To send down a royal yard, 36. To send down a topgallant yard, 37.
To send down a topgallant mast, 37. To house a topgallant mast, 37.
To send down a topmast, 37. To rig in a jib-boom, 38.
CHAP. VI.--BENDING AND UNBENDING SAILS, 38--42.
To bend a course, 38. To bend a topsail by the halyards, 39;--by the
buntlines, 40. To bend topgallant sails and royals, 40. To bend a
jib, 40. To bend a spanker, 41. To bend a spencer, 41. To unbend a
course, 41. To unbend a topsail, 41. To unbend a topgallant sail or
royal, 41. To unbend a jib, 41. To send down a topsail or course in
a gale of wind, 42. To bend a topsail in a gale of wind, 42. To bend
one topsail or course and send down the other at the same time, 42.
CHAP. VII.--WORK UPON RIGGING. ROPE, KNOTS, SPLICES, BENDS,
HITCHES, 43--53.
Yarns, strands, 43. Kinds of rope--cable-laid, hawser-laid, 43.
Spunyarn, 44. Worming, parcelling, and service, 44. Short splice,
44. Long splice, 45. Eye splice, 45. Flemish eye, 45. Artificial
eye, 46. Cut splice, 46. Grommet, 46. Single and double walls, 46.
Matthew Walker, 47. Single and double diamonds, 47. Spritsail sheet
knot, 47. Stopper knot, 47. Shroud and French shroud knots, 48.
Buoy-rope knot, 48. Turk's head, 48. Two half-hitches, clove hitch,
overhand knot, and figure-of-eight, 48. Standing and running
bowlines, and bowline upon a bight, 49. Square knot, 49. Timber
hitch, rolling hitch, and blackwall hitch, 49. Cat's paw, 50. Sheet
bend, fisherman's bend, carrick bend, and bowline bend, 50.
Sheep-shank, 50. Selvagee, 50. Marlinspike hitch, 50. To pass a
round seizing, 51. Throat seizing, 51. Stopping and nippering, 51.
Pointing, 51. Snaking and grafting, 52. Foxes, Spanish foxes,
sennit, French sennit, gaskets, 52. To bend a buoy-rope, 52. To pass
a shear-lashing, 52.
CHAP. VIII.--BLOCKS AND PURCHASES, 53--55.
Parts of a block, made and morticed blocks, 53. Bull's-eye,
dead-eye, sister-block, 53. Snatch-block, tail-blocks, 54.
Tackles--whip, gun-tackle, luff-tackle, luff-upon-luff,
runner-tackle, watch-tackle, tail-tackle, and burtons, 54.
CHAP. IX.--MAKING AND TAKING IN SAIL, 55--67.
To loose a sail, 55. To set a course, 55. To set a topsail, 56. To
set a topgallant sail or royal, 56. To set a skysail, 56. To set a
jib, flying jib, or fore topmast staysail, 56. To set a spanker, 57.
To set a spencer, 57. To take in a course, 57. To take in a topsail,
57. To take in a topgallant sail or royal, 58. To take in a skysail,
58. To take in a jib, 58. To take in a spanker, 58. To furl a royal,
59. To furl a topgallant sail, 60. To furl a topsail or course, 60.
To furl a jib, 60. To stow a jib in cloth, 61. To reef a topsail,
61. To reef a course, 62. To turn out reefs, 63. To set a topgallant
studdingsail, 63. To take in a topgallant studdingsail, 64. To set a
topmast studdingsail, 65. To take in a topmast studdingsail, 66. To
set a lower studdingsail, 66. To take in a lower studdingsail, 67.
CHAP. X.--GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF WORKING A SHIP, 68--71.
Action of the water upon the rudder; headway, sternway, 68. Action
of the wind upon the sails; head sails, after sails, 69. Centre of
gravity or rotation, 70. Turning a ship to or from the wind, 70.
CHAP. XI.--TACKING, WEARING, BOXING, &C., 71--77.
To tack a ship, 71. To tack without fore-reaching, 73. Tacking
against a heavy head sea, 73. Tacking by hauling off all, 73. To
trim the yards when close-hauled, 73. Missing stays, 74. Wearing,
74. To wear under courses, under a mainsail, under bare poles, 75.
Box-hauling, 75. Short-round, 76. Club-hauling, 76. Drifting in a
tide way, 76. Backing and filling in a tide-way, 77. Clubbing in a
tide-way, 77.
CHAP. XII.--GALES OF WIND, LYING-TO, GETTING ABACK, BY THE LEE,
&C., 78--81.
Lying-to, 78. Scudding, 79. To heave-to after scudding, 79. Taken
aback, 79. Chappelling, 80. Broaching-to, 80. Brought by the lee,
80.
CHAP. XIII.--ACCIDENTS, 81--84.
On beam-ends, 81. Losing a rudder, 82. A squall, 83. A man
overboard, 83. Collision, 84.
CHAP. XIV.--HEAVING-TO BY COUNTER-BRACING, SPEAKING, SOUNDING,
HEAVING THE LOG, 84--87.
Counter-bracing, 84. Speaking, 85. Sounding, 85. Heaving the log,
86.
CHAP. XV.--COMING TO ANCHOR, 87--90.
Getting ready for port, 87. Mooring, 88. A flying moor, 89. Clearing
hawse, 89. To anchor with a slip-rope, 89. To slip a cable, 90.
Coming-to at a slipped cable, 90.
CHAP. XVI.--GETTING UNDER WAY, 91--95.
Unmoor, 91. To get under way from a single anchor, 91. To cat and
fish an anchor, 92. To get under way with the wind blowing directly
out and riding head to it, 92. To get under way, riding head to the
wind, with a rock or shoal close astern, 93. To get under way riding
head to wind and tide, and to stand out close-hauled, 93. To get
under way wind-rode, with a weather tide, 94. To get under way
tide-rode, casting to windward, 94. To get under way tide-rode,
wearing round, 94.
A DICTIONARY OF SEA TERMS, 96--130.
PART II.
CUSTOMS AND USAGES OF THE MERCHANT SERVICE.
CHAP. I.--THE MASTER, 131--138.
Beginning of the voyage, 131. Shipping the crew, 132. Outfit,
provisions, 132. Watches, 133. Navigation, 134. Log-book,
observations, 134. Working ship, 135. Day's work, 136. Discipline,
137.
CHAP. II.--THE CHIEF MATE, 138--146.
Care of rigging and ship's furniture, 138. Day's work, 139. Working
ship, 139. Getting under way, 139. Coming to anchor, 140. Reefing
and furling, 140. Duties in port, account of cargo, stowage, 141.
Station, watch, and all-hands duties, 142. Log-book, navigation,
145.
CHAP. III.--SECOND AND THIRD MATES, 146--153.
Second Mate.--Navigation, 146. Station; watch duties, 147. Day's
work, 147, 149. Working ship, 148, 150. Reefing, furling, and duties
aloft, 148. Care of ship's furniture, 151. Stores, 151. Duties in
port, 152. Third Mate, 152, 153.
CHAP. IV.--CARPENTER, COOK, STEWARD, &C., 153--158.
Carpenter.--Working ship, 153. Seaman's work, helm, duty aloft,
station, 154. Work at his trade, 154. Berth and mess, 154. Standing
watch, 154. Sailmaker 155. Steward.--Duty in passenger-ships, 156.
In other vessels, 156. Relation to master and mate; duty aloft and
about decks; working ship, 156. Cook.--Berth, watch and all-hands
duty; care of galley; duty aloft, 157. Idlers, 157.
CHAP V.--ABLE SEAMEN, 158--163.
Grades, 158. Rating, 158. Requisites of an able seaman, 159. Hand,
reef, and steer, 159. Work upon rigging, 160. Sailmaking, 160. Day's
work, 160. Working ship; reefing; furling, 161. Watch duty, 162.
Coasters and small vessels, 162.
CHAP. VI.--ORDINARY SEAMEN, 163--165.
Requisites, 163. Hand, reef, and steer; loose, furl, and set sails;
reeve rigging, 163. Work upon rigging, 164. Watch duty, 164.
CHAP. VII.--BOYS, 165--167.
Requisites, wages, 165. Day's work; working ship; duties aloft and
about decks, 166.
CHAP. VIII.--MISCELLANEOUS, 167--174.
Watches, 167. Calling the watch, 168. Bells, 169. Helm, 170.
Answering, 171, (at helm, 170.) Discipline, 172. Stations, 173.
Food, sleep, &c., 173.
PART III.
LAWS RELATING TO THE PRACTICAL DUTIES OF MASTER AND MARINERS.
CHAP. I.--THE VESSEL, pages 175--179.
Title, 175. Registry, enrolment and license, 175. Certificate of
registry or enrolment, 177. Passport, 177. Sea letter, list of crew,
bill of health, clearance, manifest, invoice, bill of lading,
charter-party, log-book, list of passengers and crew, list of
sea-stores, 178. Medicine-chest, 178. National character of crew,
178. Provisions, 178. Passengers, 179.
CHAP. II.--MASTER'S RELATION TO VESSEL AND CARGO, 179--187.
Revenue duties and obligations, 179. List of crew, 179. Certified
copy, 180. Certified copy of shipping articles, 180. Sea-letter,
passport, list of passengers, manifest, sea-stores, 180, 181.
Unloading, 180, 181. Post-office, 181. Forfeitures, 180, 181, 182.
Report, 182. Coasting license, 182. Power to sell and pledge, 182.
Keeping and delivering cargo, 185. Deviation, 185. Collision, 186.
Pilot, 187. Wages and advances, 187.
CHAP. III.--MASTER'S RELATION TO PASSENGERS AND OFFICERS, 187, 188.
Treatment of passengers, 187. Removal of officers, 188.
CHAP. IV.--MASTER'S RELATION TO THE CREW, 189--195.
Shipment, 189. Shipping articles, 189. Discharge, 190. Imprisonment,
191. Punishment, 192. Power of consuls as to punishment, 192, 193,
194.
CHAP. V.--PASSENGERS, 195, 196.
Provisions, 195. Treatment, 195. Passage-money, 196. Deportment,
196. Services, 196.
CHAP. VI.--MATES AND SUBORDINATES, 197--201.
Mates included in 'crew,' 197. Removal, 197. Succession, 198.
Log-book; wages; sickness, 198. Punishment, 199. Subordinates, 200.
Pilots, 200.
CHAP. VII.--SEAMEN. SHIPPING CONTRACT, 201--203.
Shipping contract, 201. Erasures and interlineations, 202. Unusual
stipulations, 202. Violation of contract, 202.
CHAP. VIII.--SEAMEN--CONTINUED, 204--206.
Rendering on board, 204. Refusal to proceed, 204. Desertion or
absence during the voyage, 205. Discharge, 206.
CHAP. IX.--SEAMEN--CONTINUED, 207--210.
Provisions, 207. Sickness, medicine-chest, 208. Hospital money, 209.
Relief in foreign ports, 209. Protection, 210.
CHAP. X.--SEAMEN--CONTINUED, 210--214.
Punishment, 210. Revolt and mutiny, 211. Embezzlement, 213. Piracy,
214.
CHAP. XI.--SEAMEN'S WAGES, 214--220.
Wages affected by desertion or absence, 214;--by misconduct,
216;--by imprisonment, 217;--by capture, 218;--by loss of vessel or
interruption of voyage, 218. Wages on an illegal voyage, 220.
CHAP. XII.--SEAMEN--CONCLUDED, 220--223.
Recovery of wages, 220. Remedies, 221. Time for commencing suits,
222. Interest on wages, 222. Salvage, 222.
[Illustration: Plate I.]
PLATE I.
THE SPARS AND RIGGING OF A SHIP.
INDEX OF REFERENCES.
1 Head.
2 Head-boards.
3 Stem.
4 Bows.
5 Forecastle.
6 Waist.
7 Quarter-deck.
8 Gangway.
9 Counter.
10 Stern.
11 Tafferel.
12 Fore chains.
13 Main chains.
14 Mizzen chains.
15 Bowsprit.
16 Jib-boom.
17 Flying jib-boom.
18 Spritsail yard.
19 Martingale.
20 Bowsprit cap.
21 Foremast.
22 Fore topmast.
23 Fore topgallant mast.
24 Fore royal mast.
25 Fore skysail mast.
26 Main mast.
27 Main topmast.
28 Main topgallant mast.
29 Main royal mast.
30 Main skysail mast.
31 Mizzen mast.
32 Mizzen topmast.
33 Mizzen topgallant mast.
34 Mizzen royal mast.
35 Mizzen skysail mast.
36 Fore spencer gaff.
37 Main spencer gaff.
38 Spanker gaff.
39 Spanker boom.
40 Fore top.
41 Foremast cap.
42 Fore topmast cross-trees.
43 Main top.
44 Mainmast cap.
45 Main topmast cross-trees.
46 Mizzen top.
47 Mizzenmast cap.
48 Mizzen topmast cross-trees.
49 Fore yard.
50 Fore topsail yard.
51 Fore topgallant yard.
52 Fore royal yard.
53 Main yard.
54 Main topsail yard.
55 Main topgallant yard.
56 Main royal yard.
57 Cross-jack yard.
58 Mizzen topsail yard.
59 Mizzen topgallant yard.
60 Mizzen royal yard.
61 Fore truck.
62 Main truck.
63 Mizzen truck.
64 Fore stay.
65 Fore topmast stay.
66 Jib stay.
67 Fore topgallant stay.
68 Flying-jib stay.
69 Fore royal stay.
70 Fore skysail stay.
71 Jib guys.
72 Flying-jib guys.
73 Fore lifts.
74 Fore braces.
75 Fore topsail lifts.
76 Fore topsail braces.
77 Fore topgallant lifts.
78 Fore topgallant braces.
79 Fore royal lifts.
80 Fore royal braces.
81 Fore rigging.
82 Fore topmast rigging.
83 Fore topgallant shrouds.
84 Fore topmast backstays.
85 Fore topgallant backstays.
86 Fore royal backstays.
87 Main stay.
88 Main topmast stay.
89 Main topgallant stay.
90 Main royal stay.
91 Main lifts.
92 Main braces.
93 Main topsail lifts.
94 Main topsail braces.
95 Main topgallant lifts.
96 Main topgallant braces.
97 Main royal lifts.
98 Main royal braces.
99 Main rigging.
100 Main topmast rigging.
101 Main topgallant rigging.
102 Main topmast backstays.
103 Main topgallant backstays.
104 Main royal backstays.
105 Cross-jack lifts.
106 Cross-jack braces.
107 Mizzen topsail lifts.
108 Mizzen topsail braces.
109 Mizzen topgallant lifts.
110 Mizzen topgal't braces.
111 Mizzen royal lifts.
112 Mizzen royal braces.
113 Mizzen stay.
114 Mizzen topmast stay.
115 Mizzen topgallant stay.
116 Mizzen royal stay.
117 Mizzen skysail stay.
118 Mizzen rigging.
119 Mizzen topmast rigging.
120 Mizzen topgal. shrouds.
121 Mizzen topmast backstays.
122 Mizzen topgal'nt backstays.
123 Mizzen royal backstays.
124 Fore spencer vangs.
125 Main spencer vangs.
126 Spanker vangs.
127 Ensign halyards.
128 Spanker peak halyards.
129 Foot-rope to fore yard.
130 Foot-rope to main yard.
131 Foot-rope to cross-jack yard.
[Illustration: Plate II.]
PLATE II.
A SHIP'S SAILS.
INDEX OF REFERENCES.
1 Fore topmast staysail.
2 Jib.
3 Flying jib.
4 Fore spencer.
5 Main spencer.
6 Spanker.
7 Foresail.
8 Fore topsail.
9 Fore topgallant sail.
10 Fore royal.
11 Fore skysail.
12 Mainsail.
13 Main topsail.
14 Main topgallant sail.
15 Main royal.
16 Main skysail.
17 Mizzen topsail.
18 Mizzen topgallant sail.
19 Mizzen royal.
20 Mizzen skysail.
21 Lower studdingsail.
21a Lee ditto.
22 Fore topmast studdingsail.
22a Lee ditto.
23 Fore topgallant studdingsail.
23a Lee ditto.
24 Fore royal studdingsail.
24a Lee ditto.
25 Main topmast studdingsail.
25a Lee ditto.
26 Main topgallant studdingsail.
26a Lee ditto.
27 Main royal studdingsail.
27a Lee ditto.
[Illustration: Plate III.]
PLATE III.
THE FRAME OF A SHIP.
INDEX OF REFERENCES.
A. THE OUTSIDE.
1 Upper stem-piece.
2 Lower stem-piece.
3 Gripe.
4 Forward keel-piece.
5 Middle keel-piece.
6 After keel-piece.
7 False keel.
8 Stern knee.
9 Stern-post.
10 Rudder.
11 Bilge streaks.
12 First streak under the wales.
13 Apron.
14 Lower apron.
15 Fore frame.
16 After frame.
17 Wales.
18 Waist.
19 Plank-shear.
20 Timber-heads.
21 Stanchions.
22 Rail.
23 Knight-heads.
24 Cathead.
25 Fashion timbers.
26 Transoms.
27 Quarter pieces.
B. THE INSIDE OF THE STERN.
1 Keelson.
2 Pointers.
3 Chock.
4 Transoms.
5 Half transoms.
6 Main transom.
7 Quarter timbers.
8 Transom knees.
9 Horn timbers.
10 Counter-timber knee.
11 Stern-post.
12 Rudder-head.
13 Counter timbers.
14 Upper-deck clamp.
C. THE INSIDE OF THE BOWS.
1 Keelson.
2 Pointers.
3 Step for the mast.
4 Breast-hook.
5 Lower-deck breast-hook.
6 Forward beam.
7 Upper-deck clamp.
8 Knight-heads.
9 Hawse timbers.
10 Bow timbers.
11 Apron of the stem.
D. THE TIMBERS.
1 Keelson.
2 Floor timbers.
3 Naval timbers or ground futtocks.
4 Lower futtocks.
5 Middle futtocks.
6 Upper futtocks.
7 Top timbers.
8 Half timbers, or half top-timbers.
PLATE IV.
EXPLANATIONS.
SHIP.--A ship is square-rigged throughout; that is, she has tops, and
carries square sails on all three of her masts.
BARK.--A bark is square-rigged at her fore and main masts, and differs
from a ship in having no top, and carrying only fore-and-aft sails at
her mizzenmast.
BRIG.--A full-rigged brig is square-rigged at both her masts.
HERMAPHRODITE BRIG.--An hermaphrodite brig is square-rigged at her
foremast; but has no top, and only fore-and-aft sails at her main mast.
TOPSAIL SCHOONER.--A topsail schooner has no tops at her foremast, and
is fore-and-aft rigged at her mainmast. She differs from an
hermaphrodite brig in that she is not properly square-rigged at her
foremast, having no top, and carrying a fore-and-aft foresail, in stead
of a square foresail and a spencer.
FORE-AND-AFT SCHOONER.--A fore-and-aft schooner is fore-and-aft rigged
throughout, differing from a topsail schooner in that the latter
carries small square sails aloft at the fore.
SLOOP.--A sloop has one mast, fore-and-aft rigged.
HERMAPHRODITE BRIGS sometimes carry small square sails aloft at the
main; in which case they are called BRIGANTINES, and differ from a
FULL-RIGGED BRIG in that they have no top at the mainmast, and carry a
fore-and-aft mainsail instead of a square mainsail and trysail. Some
TOPSAIL SCHOONERS carry small square sails aloft at the main as well as
the fore; being in other respects fore-and-aft rigged. They are then
called MAIN TOPSAIL SCHOONERS.
[Illustration: Plate IV.
Ship
Bark
Full-rigged Brig
Hermaphrodite Brig
Top-sail Schooner
Fore & aft Schooner
Sloop]
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL RULES AND OBSERVATIONS.
Construction of vessels. Tonnage and carriage of merchant vessels.
Proportions of the spars. Placing the masts. Size of anchors and
cables. Lead-lines. Log-line. Ballast and lading.
CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS.--As merchant vessels of the larger class are
now built in the United States, the extreme length of deck, from the
after part of the stern-post to the fore part of the stem, is from four
and a half to four and three fourths that of the beam, at its widest
part. The Damascus, of 700 tons' measurement, built at Boston in 1839,
and considered a fair specimen of our best freighting vessels, had 150
feet from stem to stern-post, and 32 feet 6 inches extreme breadth. The
Rajah, of 530 tons, built at Boston in 1837, had 140 feet length, and
30 feet beam;--being each in length about four and six tenths their
beam.
A great contrast to this proportion is exhibited in the most recent
statistics (1841) of vessels of the same tonnage in the English navy;
as the following table will show.
Tons. Deck. Beam. Proportion.
{Dido 734 120 ft. 37 ft. 6 in. 3.20
English {Pilot 492 105 33 6 3.13
Navy. {Alert 358 95 30 4 3.16
American {Damascus 694 150 32 6 4.60
Merchantmen. {Rajah 531 140 30 0 4.66
These may, perhaps, be considered the extremes of ship-building; and
between these there is every grade of difference.
TONNAGE AND CARRIAGE OF MERCHANT VESSELS.--The amount a vessel will
carry in proportion to her tonnage, depends upon whether, and to what
extent, she is full or sharp built. A sharp-built vessel of 300 tons'
measurement, will carry just about her tonnage of measurement goods. A
sharp-built vessel of 200 tons or under would probably carry less than
her measurement; if over 400 tons, she would increase gradually to
fifty per cent. above her measurement. A sharp-built vessel of 600
tons, is generally rated at 900 tons carriage. A full-built vessel of
300 tons, after the latest model of American freighting vessels, will
carry 525 tons, or seventy-five per cent. above her measurement; and
one of 500 tons would carry full double her measurement.
The following table may give a pretty fair average.
TONS OF MEASUREMENT GOODS.
Tonnage. Full built. Sharp built.
300 (.75) 525 (.00) 300
400 (.80) 725 (.40) 560
500 (1.00) 1000 (.50) 750
600 (1.33) 1400 (.50) 900
PROPORTIONS OF SPARS.--There is no particular rule for sparring
merchant vessels; some being light, and others heavy sparred; and some
having long topmasts and short lower masts, and others the reverse. The
prevailing custom now is, to spar them lightly; the main yard being a
little less than double the beam; and the others proportioned by the
main. Most merchant vessels now have the yards at the fore and main of
the same size, for convenience in shifting sails; so that the same
topsail may be bent on either yard.
The following table, taken from the "Seamen's Manual," will show the
average proportions of the spars of merchant vessels of the largest
class, as formerly built.
Main-mast, two and a half times the ship's beam.
Fore-mast, eight ninths of the main-mast.
Mizzen-mast, five sixths of the main-mast.
Bowsprit, two thirds of the main-mast.
Topmasts, three fifths of the lower masts.
Topgallant masts, one half the length of their topmasts.
Jib-boom, the length of the bowsprit.
Main-yard, twice the beam.
Fore-yard, seven eighths of the main-yard.
Maintopsail-yard, two thirds of the main-yard.
Foretopsail-yard, two thirds of the fore-yard.
Crossjack-yard, the length of the maintopsail-yard.
Topgallant-yards, two thirds of the topsail-yards.
Mizzentopsail-yard, the length of the maintopgallant-yard.
Royal-yards, two thirds of the topgallant-yards.
Spritsail-yard, five sixths of the foretopsail-yard.
Spanker-boom, the length of the maintopsail-yard.
Spanker-gaff, two thirds of the boom.
For the thickness of the spars, the same book allows for the lower
masts one inch and a quarter diameter at the partners, for every three
feet of length; and nine tenths in the middle and two thirds under the
hounds, for every inch at the partners. For the yards, one inch at the
slings, and half an inch at the yard-arms, within the squares, for
every four feet of the length. For the breadth of the maintop, one half
of the beam, and of the foretop, eight ninths of the maintop.
The following are the proportions of the spars of the ship Damascus,
before mentioned, built in 1839.
Main-mast 74 ft. Head 11 ft. 6 in. Size 26 in.
Fore-mast 70 ft. Head 11 ft. 6 in. Size 25 in.
Mizzen-mast 68 ft. Head 8 ft. 6 in. Size 18 in.
Main and fore topmasts 41 ft. Head 6 ft. 6 in. Size 14-1/2 in.
Mizzen topmast 32 ft. Head 5 ft. Size 9-1/2 in.
Main topgallant-mast 23 ft. (15 ft. with 2 feet head.) Size 9-1/2 in.
Fore topgallant-mast 21 ft. 14 ft. with 2 feet head.) Size 9-1/2 in.
Mizzen topgallant-mast 17 ft. 11 ft. with 18 in. with 2 feet head.)
Main and fore yards 60 ft. yard-arms 2 ft. 6 in.
Main and fore topsail yards 48 ft. yard-arms 3 ft. 6 in.
Main topgallant yard 37 ft. yard-arms 2 ft.
Fore topgallant yard 34 ft. yard-arms 2 ft.
Main royal yard 27 ft. yard-arms 1 ft. 6 in.
Fore royal yard 24 ft. yard-arms 1 ft. 6 in.
Main skysail yard 17 ft.
Fore skysail yard 15 ft.
Cross-jack yard 44 ft. yard-arms 2 ft.
Mizzen topsail yard 35 ft. yard-arms 2 ft. 9 in.
Mizzen topgallant yard 25 ft. yard-arms 1 ft. 6 in.
Mizzen royal yard 16 ft.
Mizzen skysail yard 10 ft.
Bowsprit, out-board 27 ft. Size 26 in.
Jib-boom 42 ft. Head 3 ft. Size 14-1/2 in.
Flying jib-boom 40 ft. Head 3 ft. 6 in.
Main pole 12 ft., 10 above royal-mast, 5 in. in cap.
Fore pole 11 ft., 9 above royal-mast, 4-1/2 in. in cap.
Mizzen pole 9 ft., 7 above royal-mast
Spanker-boom 40 ft.
Spanker-gaff 30 ft.
Swinging-booms 40 ft.
Topmast studdingsail-booms 34 ft.
Topgallant studdingsail-booms 27 ft., yards for do. 17 ft.
PLACING THE MASTS.--For a full-built ship, take the ship's extreme
length and divide it into sevenths. Place the foremast one seventh of
this length from the stem; the mainmast three sevenths from the
foremast, and the mizzenmast two sevenths from the mainmast. If a
vessel is sharp-built, and her stem and stern-post rake, her foremast
should be further aft, and her mizzenmast further forward, than the
rule of sevenths would give. A common rule for placing the foremast, is
to deduct three fifths of a ship's beam from her length, for the
curvature of the keel forward, which is called the _keel-stroke_, and
place the mast next abaft the keel-stroke.
SIZE OF ANCHORS AND CABLES.--Various rules have been adopted for the
weight of a ship's anchors. A vessel of 100 tons will generally have a
best bower of 6 cwt. and a small bower of 5 cwt.; the weight of both
being eleven pounds to a ton of the vessel. As a vessel increases in
size, the proportion diminishes. A vessel of 700 tons will usually
carry a best bower of 27 cwt. and a small bower of 24 cwt.; the weight
of both being seven and a half pounds to a ton of the vessel. The
_stream_ should be a little more than one third the weight of the best
bower. The anchor-stock should be the length of the shank; its diameter
should be half that of the ring, and its thickness one inch at the
middle and half an inch at each end for every foot in length. Chain
cables are usually ninety fathoms in length, for large-sized vessels,
and sixty for small vessels, as schooners and sloops. The regulation of
the United States Navy for chain cables, is one inch and a half for a
sloop of war, and one and a quarter for brigs and schooners. In the
merchant service, a ship of 400 tons would probably have a best bower
cable of one and five sixths, and a working bower of one and a quarter
inches. A ship of 700 tons would have a best bower of one and five
eighths, and a working bower of one and a half inches. Chain cables
have a shackle at every fifteen fathoms, and one swivel at the first
shackle. Some have two swivels; and formerly they were made with a
swivel between each shackle.
LEAD-LINES.--The _hand-lead_ weighs usually seven pounds, and the
hand-line is from twenty to thirty fathoms in length. The
_deep-sea-lead_ (pro. dipsey) weighs from fourteen to eighteen or
twenty pounds; and the deep-sea-line is from ninety to one hundred and
ten fathoms. The proper way to mark a hand-line is, black leather at 2
and 3 fathoms; white rag at 5; red rag at 7; wide strip of leather,
with a hole in it, at 10; and 13, 15 and 17 marked like 3, 5 and 7; two
knots at 20; 3 at 30; and 4 at 40; with single pieces of cord at 25 and
35.
The deep-sea-line has one knot at 20 fathoms, and an additional knot at
every 10 fathoms, with single knots at each intermediate 5 fathoms. It
sometimes has a strip of leather at 10 fathoms, and from 3 to 10 is
marked like the hand-line.
LOG-LINE.--The rate of a ship's sailing is measured by a log-line and a
half-minute glass. The line is marked with a knot for each mile; the
real distance between each knot being, however, 1/120 of a mile, since
a half-minute is 1/120 of an hour. A knot being thus the same portion
of a mile that a half-minute is of an hour, the number of knots carried
off while the glass is running out will show the number of miles the
vessel goes in an hour. Many glasses, however, are made for
twenty-eight seconds, which, of course, reduces the number of feet for
a knot to forty-seven and six tenths. But as the line is liable to
stretch and the glass to be affected by the weather, in order to avoid
all danger of a vessel's overrunning her reckoning, and to be on the
safe side, it is recommended to mark forty-five feet to a knot for a
twenty-eight second glass. About ten fathoms is left unmarked next the
chip, called _stray-line_. The object of this is that the chip may get
out of the eddy under the stern, before the measuring begins. The end
of the stray-line is marked by a white rag, and the first knot is
forty-five or forty-seven feet from the rag. A single piece of cord or
twine is put into the line for the first knot, one knot for the second,
two for the fourth, three for the sixth, and so on, a single piece of
cord being put in at the intermediate knots.
BALLAST AND LADING.--A ship's behavior, as the phrase is, depends as
much upon the manner in which she is loaded and ballasted, as upon her
model. It is said that a vessel may be prevented from rolling heavily,
if, when the ballast is iron, it is stowed up to the floor-heads;
because this will bring the ship back, after she has inclined, with
less violence, and will act upon a point but little distant from the
centre of gravity, and not interfere with her stiff carrying of sail.
The cargo should be stowed with the weightier materials as near as
possible to the centre of gravity, and high or low, according to the
build of the vessel. If the vessel is full and low built, the heavy
articles should be stowed high up, that the centre of gravity may be
raised and the vessel kept from rolling too much, and from being too
laborsome. But a narrow, high-built vessel should have the heavy
articles stowed low and near the keelson, which will tend to keep her
from being crank, and enable her to carry sail to more advantage.
CHAPTER II.
CUTTING AND FITTING STANDING RIGGING.
Measuring and cutting lower rigging and lower fore-and-aft stays.
Fitting the same. Measuring, cutting, and fitting topmast rigging,
stays, and backstays. Jib, topgallant, and royal stays. Rattling down
rigging. Cutting and fitting lifts, foot-ropes, brace-block straps, and
pennants. Breast-backstays.
CUTTING LOWER RIGGING.--Draw a line from the side of the partners
abreast of the mast, on the deck, parallel to the channels, and to
extend as far aft as they do. On this line mark the places of each
dead-eye, corresponding to their places against the channels. Send a
line up to the mast-head, and fasten it to the mast by a nail above the
bibbs, in a range with the centre of the mast, and opposite to the side
the channel line is drawn upon. Then take the bight of the line around
the forward part of the mast, and fasten it to the mast by a nail,
opposite the first nail, so that the part between the nails will be
half the circumference of the mast-head; then take the line down to the
mark on the channel line for the forward dead-eye, and mark it as
before; and so on, until you have got the distance between the mast and
each mark on the channel line. Now cast off the line from the
mast-head, and the distance between the end of the line and each mark
will give you the length of each shroud from the lower part of the
mast-head. And, to make an allowance for one pair of shrouds overlaying
another, you may increase the length of the pair put on second, that
is, the larboard forward ones, by twice the diameter of the rigging;
the third pair by four times; and so on.
The size of the lower rigging should be as much as eight and a half
inches for vessels of seven or eight hundred tons, and from seven and a
half to eight for smaller vessels, over three hundred tons.
For the length of the fore, main, and mizzen stays and spring-stays,
take the distance from the after part of the mast-head to their hearts,
or to the place where they are set up, adding once the length of the
mast-head for the collar.
The standing stays should be once and half the circumference of the
shrouds.
FITTING LOWER RIGGING.--Get it on a stretch, and divide each pair of
shrouds into thirds, and mark the centre of the middle third. Tar,
worm, parcel and serve the middle third. Parcel _with_ the lay of the
rope, working toward the centre; and serve _against_ the lay, beginning
where you left off parcelling. Serve as taut as possible. In some
vessels the outer thirds of the swifters are served; but matting and
battens are neater and more generally used.
Formerly the middle third was parcelled over the service, below the
wake of the futtock staff. Mark an eye at the centre of the middle
third, by seizing the parts together with a round seizing. The eye of
the pair of shrouds that goes on first should be once and a quarter the
circumference of the mast-head; and make each of the others in
succession the breadth of a seizing larger than the one below it.
Parcel the score of the dead-eye, and heave the shroud taut round it,
turning in _with_ the sun, if right-hand-laid rope, and _against_ the
sun, if hawser-laid; then pass the throat seizing with nine or ten
turns, the outer turns being slacker than the middle ones. Pass the
quarter seizings half way to the end, and then the end seizings, and
cap the shroud, well tarred under the cap. Make a Matthew Walker knot
in one end of the lanyard, reeve the other end _out_ through the
dead-eye of the shroud, beginning at the side of the dead-eye upon
which the end of the shroud comes, and _in_ through the dead-eye in the
channels, so that the hauling part of the lanyard may come in-board and
on the same side with the standing part of the shroud. If the shroud is
right-hand-laid rope, the standing part of the shroud will be aft on
the starboard, and forward on the larboard side; and the reverse, if
hawser-laid.
The neatest way of setting up the lower fore-and-aft stays, is by
reeving them _down_ through a bull's eye, with tarred parcelling upon
the thimble, and setting them up on their ends, with three or four
seizings. The collar of the stay is the length of the mast-head, and is
leathered over the service. The service should go beyond the wake of
the foot of the topsail, and the main-stay should be served in the wake
of the foremast. The main and spring stays usually pass on different
sides of the foremast, and set up at the hawse-pieces.
The bolsters under the eyes of the rigging should always be covered
with tarred parcelling, marled on.
The starboard forward shroud goes on first; then the larboard; and so
on. The fore stay and spring stay go over the shrouds; and the head
stays always go over the backstays.
CUTTING AND FITTING TOPMAST RIGGING.--For the forward shroud, measure
from the hounds of the topmast down to the after part of the lower
trestle-trees, and add to that length half the circumference of the
mast-head at the hounds. The eye is once and a quarter the
circumference of the mast-head. The topmast rigging in size should be
three fifths of the lower rigging. For the topmast backstays, measure
the distance from the hounds of the mast down to the centre of the
deck, abreast of their dead-eyes in the channels, and add to this
length one half the circumference of the mast-head. Add to the length
of the larboard pair, which goes on last, twice the diameter of the
rope. The size of the fore and main topmast backstays is generally one
quarter less than that of the lower rigging; and that of the mizzen
topmast backstays the same as that of the main topmast rigging. The
size of the topmast stays should be once and a quarter that of the
rigging. The topmast rigging is fitted in the same manner as the lower.
The backstays should be leathered in the wake of the tops and lower
yards. The breast-backstays are turned in upon blocks instead of
dead-eyes, and set up with a luff purchase. The fore topmast stay sets
up on the starboard, and the spring stay on the larboard side of the
bowsprit.
All the fore-and-aft stays are now set up on their ends, and should be
leathered in their nips, as well as in their eyes.
The main topmast stay goes through a heart or thimble at the
foremast-head, or through a hole in the cap, and sets up on deck or in
the top; and the mizzen topmast stay sets up at the mainmast-head,
above the rigging.
JIB, TOPGALLANT, AND ROYAL RIGGING.--The jib stay sets up on its end on
the larboard side of the head, and is served ten feet from the boom,
and its collar is leathered like that of the topmast stay. The gaub
lines or back ropes go from the martingale in-board. The guys are
fitted in pairs, rove through straps or snatches on the spritsail yard,
and set up to eye-bolts inside of or abaft the cat-heads. The
foot-ropes are three quarters the length of the whole boom, and go over
the boom-end with a cut splice. Overhand knots or Turks-heads should be
taken in them at equal distances, to prevent the men from slipping,
when laying out upon them.
The most usual method of fitting topgallant rigging in merchantmen, is
to reeve it through holes in the horns of the cross-trees, then pass it
between the topmast shrouds over the futtock staff, and set it up at an
iron band round the topmast, just below the sheave-hole; or else down
into the top, and set it up there. To get the length of the starboard
forward shroud, measure from the topgallant mast-head to the heel of
the topmast, and add one half the circumference of the topgallant
mast-head. Its size should be about five sevenths of the topmast
rigging. Each pair of shrouds should be served below the futtock
staves. They are fitted like the topmast shrouds. The fore-and-aft
stays of long topgallant masts go with eyes, and are served and
leathered in the wake of the foot of the sails. The fore topgallant
stay leads in on the starboard side of the bowsprit, and sets up to a
bolt at the hawse-piece; the main leads through a chock on the after
part of the fore topmast cross-trees, and sets up in the top; and the
mizzen usually through a thimble on the main cap, and sets up on its
end.
The topgallant backstays set up on their end, or with lanyards in the
channels; and for their length, measure from the mast-head to the
centre of the deck, abreast the bolt in the channels.
The royal shrouds, backstays, and fore-and-aft stays, are fitted like
those of the topgallant masts, and bear the same proportion to them
that the topgallant bear to the topmast. The fore royal stay reeves
through the outer sheave-hole of the flying jib-boom, and comes in on
the larboard side; the main through a thimble at the fore
jack-cross-trees; and the mizzen through a thimble at the maintopmast
cap. The flying jib-stay goes in on the starboard side, and sets up
like the jib-stay. The gear of the flying jib-boom is fitted like that
of the jib-boom.
RATLING.--Swift the rigging well in, and lash handspikes or boat's oars
outside at convenient distances, parallel with the shear-pole. Splice a
small eye in the end of the ratlin, and seize it with yarns to the
after shroud on the starboard side and to the forward on the larboard,
so that the hitches may go _with_ the sun. Take a clove hitch round
each shroud, hauling well taut, and seize the eye of the other end to
the shroud. The ratlins of the lower rigging should be thirteen, and of
the topmast rigging eleven inches apart, and all square with the
shear-pole.
STANDING RIGGING OF THE YARDS.--The first thing to go upon the lower
yard-arm, next the shoulder, is the head-earing strap; the next, the
foot-ropes; next, the brace-block; and lastly, the lift. The foot-ropes
go with an eye over the yard-arm, are rove through thimbles in the end
of the stirrups, (sometimes with Turks-heads, to prevent their
slipping,) and are lashed to bolts or thimbles, but now usually to the
iron trusses. The stirrups fit to staples in the yard, with an
eye-splice. The lifts should be single, and fitted with an eye over the
yard-arm, and lead through a single block at the mast-head, and set up
by a gun or luff tackle purchase, with the double block hooked to a
thimble or turned in at the end, and the lower block to an eye-bolt in
the deck. Instead of brace-blocks on the fore and main yards,
brace-pennants fitted over the yard-arm with an eye are neater. The
latest and neatest style of rigging lower yards is to have a strong
iron band with eyes and thimbles round each yard-arm, close to the
shoulder; and then fit the lift, foot-rope, and brace-pennant, each to
one of these eyes, with an eye-splice round the thimble or with a hook.
The lower lifts now, for the most part, cross each other over a saddle
upon the cap, instead of going through blocks.
The inner ends of the foot-ropes to the topsail, topgallant and royal
yards, cross each other at the slings; and on the topsail yard there
are Flemish-horses, spliced round thimbles on the boom-iron, and the
other end seized to the yard, crossing the foot-rope. A neater mode is
to hook the outer end of the Flemish-horse, so that it may be unhooked
and furled in with the sails when in port. Next to the foot-ropes go on
the brace-blocks, and lastly, the lifts. The rigging to the topgallant
and royal yards is fitted similarly to that upon the topsail, except
that there is nothing over the yard-arms but foot-rope, brace and lift.
The brace to the royal yard fits with an eye. The reef-tackle,
studding-sail halyard, and other temporary blocks, are seized to the
lower and topsail yard-arms by open straps, so that they may be removed
without taking off the lift. The topgallant studding-sail halyard block
is often hooked to the boom-iron, under the yard.
The foot-ropes to the spanker-boom should be half the length of the
boom, going over the end with a splice, covered with canvass, and
coming in one third of the way to the jaws, and seized to the boom by a
rose-seizing through an eye-splice. The next to go over the boom-end
are the guys, which are fitted with a cut-splice covered with canvass,
and have a single block turned in at their other ends. To these single
blocks are luff or gun-tackle purchases, going to the main
brace-bumpkin. Their length should be two fifths that of the boom. The
topping-lifts are usually hooked into a band or spliced into bolts
about one quarter the distance from the outer end of the boom, and
reeve through single blocks under the top, with a double or single
block at their lower ends.
All the splices and seizings of the standing rigging should be covered
with canvass, if possible, except in the channels and about the head,
where they are too much exposed to the washing of water. A vessel looks
much neater for having the ends of the rigging, where eyes are spliced,
or where they are set up on their ends aloft or on deck, covered with
canvass, and painted white or black, according to the place where they
are. The lanyards and dead-eyes of the smaller rigging which sets up in
the top may also be covered with canvass. The lanyards, dead-eyes, and
turnings-in of the rigging in the channels, should always be protected
by scotchmen when at sea, and the forward shroud should be matted or
battened all the way up to the futtock staves.
In some smaller merchantmen the lower rigging is not infrequently set
up upon its end to bolts in the rail. This is very inconvenient on many
accounts, especially as all the seizings have to be come up with, and
the nip of the shroud altered, whenever it is at all necessary to set
them taut. This soon defaces and wears out the ends; while, with
dead-eyes, only the lanyards have to be come up with. Some vessels set
up their lower rigging with dead-eyes upon the rail. This is convenient
in setting them up in bad weather, but does not give so much spread as
when set up in the channels, and presents a more complicated surface to
the eye. If the rigging is fitted in this way, you must deduct the
height of the rail above the deck from the measure before given for
cutting it.
BREAST-BACKSTAYS.--It is not usual, now, for merchant vessels to carry
topmast breast-backstays. If they are carried, they are spread by
out-riggers from the top. Topgallant and royal breast-backstays are
used, and are of great assistance in sailing on the wind. There are
various ways of rigging them out, of which the following is suggested
as a neat and convenient one. Have a spar fitted for an out-rigger,
about the size of one of the horns of the cross-trees, with three holes
bored in it, two near to one end, and the third a little the other side
of the middle. Place it upon the after horn of the cross-tree, with the
last-mentioned hole over the hole in the end of the horn of the
cross-tree, and let the after topgallant shroud reeve through it. Reeve
the topgallant and royal breast-backstays through the outer holes, and
set them up by a gun-tackle purchase, in the channels.[1] The inner end
of the out-rigger should fit to a cleat, and be lashed to the
cross-tree by a lanyard. When the breast-backstays are to be rigged in,
cast off the lanyard, and let the out-rigger slue round the topgallant
shroud for a pivot, the inner end going aft, and the outer end, with
the backstays, resting against the forward shroud. One of these
out-riggers should be fitted on each side, and all trouble of shifting
over, and rigging out by purchase, will be avoided.
[1] The royal breast-backstay may be used as the fall of the
purchase.
CHAPTER III.
FITTING AND REEVING RUNNING RIGGING.
Fore braces. Main braces. Cross-jack braces. Fore, main, and mizzen
topsail braces. Fore, main, and mizzen topgallant and royal braces.
Trusses. Topsail tyes and halyards. Topgallant and royal halyards. Peak
and throat halyards. Spanker brails. Fore and main tacks and sheets.
Topsail, topgallant and royal sheets and clewlines. Reef-tackles.
Clew-garnets. Fore and main buntlines, leechlines, and slablines.
Topsail clewlines and buntlines. Bowlines.
To reeve a brace, begin on deck, and reeve to where the standing part
is made fast. The _fore braces_ reeve _up_ through a block on the
mainmast just below the rigging, _down_ or _in_ through the brace-block
on the yard or at the end of the pennant, and the standing part is
brought through the cheeks of the mast with a knot inside. The neatest
way for reeving the _main brace_ is _out_ through a single block on the
brace-bumpkin, _out_ through the brace-pennant-block, _in_ through an
outer block on the bumpkin, and seized to the strap of the pennant.
Another way is _out_ through the bumpkin block, _out_ or _down_ through
the pennant block, and secure the end to the bumpkin or to the
fashion-piece below.
The _cross-jack braces_ reeve _up_ through blocks on the after shroud
of the main rigging, _up_ through blocks on the yard, one third of the
way in from the yard-arm, and are seized to a bolt in the mainmast, or
to the after shroud again.
The _fore topsail braces_ reeve _up_ through the blocks secured to the
bibbs at the mainmast-head, _in_ through the span-block at the collar
of the main stay, _up_ through the block on the yard, and are seized to
the main topmast-head; or else _up_ through a block at the
topmast-head, down through the brace-block on the yard, and are seized
to the collar of the main stay. The last way is the best. The _main
topsail braces_ are rove through span-blocks at the mizzen-mast, below
the top, _up_ through the blocks on the yard, and are seized to the
mizzen topmast-head; or else _up_ through a block at the
mizzen-mast-head, _down_ through the block on the yard, and secured to
the mizzen-mast. The first way is the best. The _mizzen topsail braces_
reeve _up_ through the leading blocks or fair-leaders on the main
rigging, _up_ through blocks at the mainmast-head, or at the after part
of the top, _up_ through the yard blocks, and are seized to the cap.
The _fore_ and _main topgallant braces_ are rove _up_ through blocks
under the topmast cross-trees, _in_ through span-blocks on the topmast
stays, just below their collars, _up_ through the blocks on the yards,
and the main are usually seized to the head of the mizzen topgallant
mast, and the fore to the topmast stay, by the span-block. The _mizzen
topgallant braces_ generally go single, through a block at the after
part of the main top-mast cross-trees. The _royal braces_ go single:
the _fore_, through a block at the main topgallant mast-head; the
_main_, through one at the mizzen topgallant mast-head; and the
_mizzen_, through a block at the after part of the main topmast
cross-trees.
HALYARDS.--The _lower yards_ are now hung by patent iron trusses, which
allow the yard to be moved in any direction; topped up or braced. The
_topsail yards_ have chain tyes, which are hooked to the slings of the
yard, and rove through the sheave-hole at the mast-head. The other end
of the tye hooks to a block. Through this block a chain runner leads,
with its standing part hooked to an eye-bolt in the trestle-tree, and
with the upper halyard-block hooked to its other end. The halyards
should be a luff purchase, the fly-block being the double block, and
the single block being hooked in the channels. Sometimes they are a
gun-tackle purchase, with two large single blocks. The lower block of
the mizzen topsail halyards is usually in the mizzen-top, the fall
coming down on deck.
The _fore_ and _mizzen topsail halyards_ come down to port, and the
main to the starboard. The _topgallant halyards_ come down on opposite
sides from the topsail halyards; though the fore and main usually come
down by the side of the masts. The fore and main topgallant halyards
sometimes hoist with a gun-tackle purchase, but the mizzen and all the
royal halyards are single.
The _throat and peak halyards_ of the spanker are fitted in the
following manner. The outer peak halyard block is put on the gaff, one
third of its length from the outer end, or a very little, if any,
within the leech of the sail; and the inner one, two thirds in. The
blocks are fitted round the gaff with grommet straps, and are kept in
their places by cleats. The double block of the peak halyards is
strapped to the bolt in the after part of the mizzen cap, and the
halyards are rove _up_ through this, _in_ through the blocks on the
gaff, the inner one first, the standing part made fast to the double
block, and the fall coming on deck. The upper block of the throat
halyards is secured under the cap, and the lower block is hooked to an
eye-bolt on the jaws of the gaff. This is a two-fold tackle.
THE SPANKER BRAILS.--The _peak brails_ reeve through single blocks on
the gaff, two on each side, generally span-blocks, and then through the
throat brail blocks, as leaders, to the deck. The _throat brails_ reeve
through two triple blocks strapped to eye-bolts under the jaws of the
gaff, one on each side, through the two other sheaves of which the peak
brails lead. Each brail is a single rope, middled at the leech of the
sail.
TACKS, SHEETS, CLEWLINES, &C.--It is much more convenient to have the
tack and sheet blocks of the courses fastened to the clews of the
courses by hooks. Then they can be unhooked when the sail is furled,
and, in light weather, a single rope with a hook, called a _lazy
sheet_, can be used, instead of the heavy tacks and sheets with their
blocks. This is also much more convenient in clewing up. The _main
tack_ is rove _aft_ through the block in the waterways, _forward_
through the block on the sail, and the standing part hooks to the block
on deck. The _fore tack_ goes through a block on the bumpkin. The
_sheets_ of the courses have the after block hooked to an eye-bolt in
the side, abaft the channels, and the forward one hooked to the clew of
the sail, the running part reeving through a sheave-hole in the rail.
The sheets of all the square sails but the courses run from the clew of
the sail, through sheave-holes in the yard-arms, through the quarter
blocks, down on deck. The _topsail sheets_ are chain, are clasped to
the clews of the sail, and are fitted with a gun-tackle purchase at the
foot of the mast. The _topgallant_ and _royal sheets_ are single. The
_topsail_ and _topgallant clewlines_ reeve through the quarter-blocks.
The _royal clewlines_ are single, and the topsail and topgallant are a
gun-tackle purchase.
The _reef-tackles_ of the topsails reeve _up_ through blocks on the
lower rigging, or futtock shrouds, _down_ through the block on the
yard, down the leech of the sail and through the block on the leech,
and are made fast to the yard on their own parts, with a clinch,
outside of everything.
The _clew-garnets_ reeve _out_ through blocks under the quarters of the
yard, then _up_ through blocks at the clew, and the standing part is
made fast to the yard, to the block, or to a strap. The _buntlines_ of
the courses reeve through double or triple blocks under the forward
part of the top, down forward of the sail, sometimes through thimbles
in the first reef-band, and are clinched to the foot of the sail. The
_leechlines_ reeve through single blocks on the yard, and are clinched
to the leech of the sail. The _slabline_ is a small rope rove through a
block under the slings of the yard, and clinched to the foot of the
sail. This is not much used in merchant vessels. The _topsail
clewlines_ lead like the clew-garnets of the courses. The _topsail
buntlines_ reeve forward through single blocks at the topmast-head,
down through the thimbles of a lizard seized to the tye, just above the
yard, and are clinched to the foot of the sail. The handiest way of
reeving the _main bowline_ is to have a single rope with the standing
part hooked near the foremast, and reeve it _out_ through a heart in
the bridle. This will answer for both sides. The _fore bowline_ may be
rove through a single block at the heel of the jib-boom and hooked to
the bridle. The bowlines to the other sails are toggled to the bridles
and lead forward. Many vessels now dispense with all the bowlines
except to the courses. This saves trouble, makes a ship look neater,
and, if the sails are well cut, they will set taut enough in the leach,
without bowlines.
CHAPTER IV.
TO RIG MASTS AND YARDS.
Rigging the shears. Taking in lower masts and bowsprit. To rig a
bowsprit. Getting the tops over the mast-heads. To send up a top-mast.
To get on a top-mast cap. To rig a jib-boom. To cross a lower yard. To
cross a topgallant yard. To send up a topgallant mast. Long, short, and
stump topgallant masts. To rig out a flying jib-boom. To cross
topgallant and royal yards. Skysail yards.
TAKING IN LOWER MASTS AND BOWSPRIT.--Shore up the beams upon which the
heels of the shears will rest, if necessary, from the keelson.
Parbuckle the shears aboard, with their heads aft. Raise their heads
upon the taffrail, cross them, and pass the shear-lashing. Lash the
upper block of a three-fold tackle under the cross, and secure the
lower block to the breast-hooks, or to a toggle in the hawse-hole. You
may also reeve and secure, in the same manner, a smaller purchase,
which shall work clear of the first. Have two forward and two after
guys clove-hitched to the shear-head, with cleats to prevent their
slipping. Get a girt-line on one shear-head and a small tackle on the
other, to slue and cant the mast. Let the fall of the main tackle come
through the middle sheave, to prevent the block's sluing in its strap.
Reeve large heel tackles to rouse the shears aft with. Put long oak
plank shoes under the heels; and, if it be necessary, clap a
thwart-ship tackle upon the two heels, or reeve a lashing, and put a
stout plank between them, and bowse taut; which will prevent too great
a strain coming upon the water-ways. Take the main tackle fall to the
capstan; heave round, haul on the forward guy and after heel tackles,
and raise the shear to an angle of about eighty degrees with the deck,
and so that the main purchase will hang plumb with the partners of the
mizzen-mast. Lash a garland to the forward part of the mast, above the
centre, and toggle the purchase to it. Heave the mast in over the
bulwarks; fit the trestle-trees and after chock; reeve girt-lines by
which men may be hoisted when the mast is in; point the mast in, and
lower away. Always take in the mizzen-mast first. Get in the main and
then the foremast in the same manner, rousing the shears forward, with
their shoes, by means of the heel tackles. Having stepped and secured
the foremast, carry the forward guys aft and rake the shears over the
bows; toggle the lower block of the main tackle to a garland lashed to
the upper part of the bowsprit inside of the centre. Put on the cap,
and carry tackles or guys from the bowsprit-head to each cat-head, and
clap on a heel tackle or guy. Heave the bowsprit, and direct it by the
small tackles and guys.
TO RIG A BOWSPRIT.--Lash collars for the fore stay, bobstays, and
bowsprit shrouds, then for the spring stay, and put on the bees for the
topmast stays; fit the man-ropes, pass the gammoning, and set up
bobstays and shrouds.
TO GET THE TOPS OVER THE MAST-HEADS.--Place the top on deck abaft the
mast; get a girt-line on each side of the mast-head, and pass the end
of each under the top, through the holes in the after part; clinch them
to their own parts, and stop them to the fore part of the top with
slip-stops. Have a guy to the fore and another to the after part of the
top. Make the ends of a span fast to the after corners of the top, and
bend a girt-line from the mast-head to the bight of the span, and stop
it to the forward part of the top. Sway away on the girt-lines. When
the fore part of the top is above the trestle-trees, cut the
span-stops, and when the after part is above them, cast off the
slip-stops. When the lubber-hole is high enough to clear the mast-head,
haul on the forward guy, and let the top hang horizontally by the
girt-lines. Lower away, place and bolt it.
The fore and main tops are sent up from abaft, and the mizzen from
forward. The tops may be got over without the span and girt-line, by
stopping the two girt-lines first rove to the middle as well as to the
fore part of the top, and cutting the upper stops first.
TO SEND UP A TOPMAST.--Get the topmast alongside, with its head
forward. Lash a top-block to the head of the lower-mast; reeve a
mast-rope through it, from aft forward, and bring the end down and
reeve it through the sheave-hole of the topmast, hitching it to its own
part a little below the topmast-head, and stopping both parts to the
mast, at intervals. Snatch the rope and sway away. As soon as the head
is through the lower cap, cast off the end of the mast-rope, letting
the mast hang by the stops, and hitch it to the staple in the other end
of the cap. Cast off the stops and sway away. Point the head of the
mast between the trestle-trees and through the hole in the lower cap,
the round hole of which must be put over the square hole of the
trestle-trees. Lash the cap to the mast, hoist away, and when high
enough, lower a little and secure the cap to the lower mast-head. (This
is when it cannot be put on by hand.) If the cross-trees are heavy,
they may be placed in the following manner. Sway away until the
topmast-head is a few feet above the lower cap. Send up the cross-trees
by girt-lines, and let the after part rest on the lower cap and the
forward part against the topmast. Lower away the topmast until the
cross-trees fall into their place, and then hoist until they rest on
the shoulders. Lash on the bolsters, get girt-lines on the cross-trees
to send up the rigging, and then put it over the mast-head, first the
shrouds, then the backstays, and lastly the head-stays. Sway the
topmast on end, fid it, and set up the rigging.
TO GET ON A TOPMAST-CAP.--In vessels of the largest class, it may be
necessary to send up the cap in the following manner, but it can
usually be got up by hand. Or it may be fitted and the rigging put on
over it. Send the cap up to the cross-trees by girt-lines, and place
the round hole of the cap over the forward hole of the cross-trees;
send aloft a topgallant studdingsail boom, and point its upper end
through the holes in the cross-trees and cap, and lash the cap to it.
Hook a tackle or girt-line to a strap on the lower end of the spar, and
sway away until the cap is over the mast-head. Slue the spar so that
the cap may come fair, lower away, and place the cap upon the
mast-head. Unlash the spar and send it down.
TO RIG OUT A JIB-BOOM.--Point the outer end through the collars of the
stays. Reeve the heel-rope through a block at the bowsprit cap, through
the sheave-hole at the heel of the boom, and secure the end to an
eye-bolt in the cap on the opposite side. Rig the boom out until the
inner sheave-hole is clear of the cap. Tar the boom-end, put on the
foot-ropes and guys, and reeve the jib stay. Hoist up the martingale
and rig it, and reeve the martingale stay and gaub-line. Rig the boom
out to its place, and set up the jib and martingale stays.
TO CROSS A LOWER YARD.--If the yard is alongside, reeve the yard rope
through the jear block at the mast-head, make it fast to the slings of
the yard, and stop it out to the yard-arm. Sway away, and cast off the
stops as the yard comes over the side, and get the yard across the
bulwarks. Lower yards are rigged now with iron trusses and
quarter-blocks, which would be fitted before rigging the yard. Seize on
the clew-garnet block, and put the rigging over the yard-arm; first the
straps for the head-earings, then the foot-ropes, then the brace blocks
or pennants, and last the eye of the lift. (The lifts, brace pennants,
and foot-ropes are now spliced or hooked into rings with thimbles on an
iron band, round the yard-arm, next the shoulders. In this way, there
is no rope of any kind round the yard-arm.) Reeve the lifts and braces,
get two large tackles from the mast-head to the quarters of the yard,
and sway away on them and on the lifts, bearing off and sluing the yard
by means of guys. Secure the yard by the iron trusses, and haul taut
lifts and braces.
TO CROSS A TOPSAIL YARD.--As topsail yards now have chain tyes, there
are no tye-blocks to seize on. The quarter-blocks are first seized on,
and the parral secured at one end, ready to be passed. A single parral
has an eye in each end, and one end is passed under the yard and over,
and the eye seized to the standing part, close to the yard. After the
yard is crossed, the other end is passed round the mast, then round the
yard, and seized in the same manner. To pass a double parral, proceed
in the same manner, except that the seizings are passed so as to leave
the eyes clear and above the standing part, and then take a short rope
with an eye in each end, pass it round the mast, and seize the eyes to
the eyes of the first long rope. The parral is wormed, served and
leathered. The parral being seized at one end, put on the head-earing
straps, the foot-ropes, Flemish horses, and brace blocks. Bend the
yard-rope to the slings, stop it out to the yard-arm, and sway away
until the yard is up and down; then put on the upper lift in the top
and the lower lift on deck, and reeve the braces. Sway away, cast off
the stops, and take in upon the lower lift as the yard rises, till the
yard is square; then haul taut lifts and braces and pass the parral.
TO SEND UP A TOPGALLANT MAST.--Most merchantmen carry _long topgallant
masts_. In these, the topgallant, royal and skysail masts are all one
stick. _A short topgallant mast_ is one which has cross-trees, and
above which a fidded royal-mast may be rigged. _A stump topgallant
mast_ has no cross-trees, or means for setting a mast above it, and is
carried only in bad weather. Some short topgallant masts are rigged
with a _withe_ on the after part of the mast-head, through which a
sliding-gunter royal-mast is run up, with its heel resting in a step on
the topmast cap.
To send up a long topgallant mast, put the jack over the topmast cap,
with a grommet upon its funnel for the eyes of the rigging to rest
upon; send up the rigging by girtlines, and put the eyes over the jack,
first the topgallant shrouds, backstays and stays, then the royal
rigging in the same order, with a grommet, then the skysail stay and
backstay, and lastly the truck. Reeve a top-rope forward through a
block at the topmast-head, through the hole in the cross-trees; through
the sheave-hole at the foot of the topgallant mast; carry it up the
other side, and make it fast to its own part at the mast-head; stop it
along the mast, and bend a guy to the heel. Sway away, and point
through the jack; put on the truck, and the skysail, royal and
topgallant rigging in their order; slue the mast so as to bring the
sheaves of the tyes fore-and-aft; cast off the end of the top-rope, the
mast hanging by the stops; make it fast to an eye-bolt on the starboard
side of the cap, and sway away. When high enough, fid the mast and set
up the rigging.
A short topgallant mast is sent up like a topmast, the cross-trees got
over in the same manner; and the fidded royal-mast is sent up like a
long topgallant mast.
TO RIG OUT A FLYING JIB-BOOM.--Ship the withe on the jib-boom end,
reeve a heel-rope through a block at the jib-boom end, and bend it to
the heel of the flying jib-boom, and stop it along, out to the end.
Haul out on the heel-rope, point through the withe, put on the rigging,
in the same order with that of the jib-boom; reeve the guys,
martingale, flying jib, royal and skysail stays; rig out, and set up
the rigging. The heel of the boom rests against the bowsprit cap, and
is lashed to the jib-boom.
The flying jib-boom should be rigged fully out before the fore
topgallant mast is swayed on end.
TO CROSS A TOPGALLANT YARD.--Seize on the parral and quarter-blocks;
reeve the yard-rope through the sheave-hole of the topgallant mast,
make it fast to the slings of the yard, and stop it out to the upper
end. Sway away, and when the upper yard-arm has reached the
topmast-head, put on the upper lift and brace; sway away again, put on
the lower lift and brace, cast off all the stops, settle the yard down
square by lifts and braces, and pass the parral lashing.
TO CROSS ROYAL YARDS.--The royal yards are crossed in the same manner
as the topgallant yards, except that in most merchantmen they would be
sent up by the halyards instead of a yard-rope. If there is not a
standing skysail, the quarter-blocks on the royal yard will be single.
SKYSAIL YARDS.--If the skysail is a standing sail, the yard is rigged
like the royal yard, with lifts and braces, and the sail is fitted with
sheets and clewlines; but if it is a flying skysail, the yard has
neither lifts nor braces, and the clews of the sail are seized out to
the royal yard-arms. There are various ways of rigging a flying
skysail, of which the following is believed to be as convenient as any.
Let the royal stay go round the mast-head, with a traveller, above the
yard, so that the stay may travel up and down the skysail mast. Seize a
thimble into the stay, close against the forward part of the grommet;
lead the skysail halyards through the thimble, and make them fast to
the centre of the yard, which will need no parral, underneath the royal
stay. Make fast the ends of two small ropes for downhauls, to the
skysail yard, about half way out on each yard-arm, and reeve them
through small cleats on the after part of the royal yard, the same
distance out on each yard-arm. These may be spliced into a single rope
below the yard, which will go through a fair-leader in the cross-trees
to the deck. By this means the skysail may be taken in or set without
the necessity of sending a man aloft. Let go the halyards and haul on
the downhaul, and the yard will be brought close down to the royal
yard. To hoist it, let go the downhaul and royal stay, and haul on the
halyards. When the royal is taken in, haul the skysail yard down with
the royal yard, and furl the sail in with the royal.
CHAPTER V.
TO SEND DOWN MASTS AND YARDS.
To send down a royal yard--a topgallant yard--a topgallant mast. To
house a topgallant mast. To send down a topmast. To rig in a jib boom.
TO SEND DOWN A ROYAL YARD.--If the sail is bent to the yard, furl it,
making the gaskets fast to the tye. Cast off the sheets and clewlines,
and make them fast to the jack. Be careful to unreeve the clewlines
through the quarter-blocks. Cast off the parral-lashing. Overhaul the
tye a little, and stop it to the yard, just outside of the
quarter-block. If stopped too far out, the yard will not hoist high
enough to get the lower lift off. Sway away on the halyards, which will
cant the yard and hoist it. When high enough, cast off the lower lift
and brace, (being careful not to let the brace go,) and make them fast
to the jack. Lower away, and as the upper yard-arm comes abreast of the
jack, clap a stop round the yard and tye, near the yard-arm, and cast
off the lift and brace, making them fast to the jack. Lower away to the
deck.
If the halyards are not single, the yard must be sent down by a
yard-rope, like the topgallant yard. In some vessels, instead of making
the sheets and clewlines fast to the jack, overhand knots are taken in
their ends, and they are let go. The sheets will run out to the
topgallant yard-arms, and the clewlines will run to the fair-leaders in
the cross-trees. In port, the main royal yard is sent down on the
starboard side, and the fore and mizzen on the larboard; but at sea,
the tye is stopped out on the lee side, and the yard sent down in any
way that is the most convenient.
TO SEND DOWN A TOPGALLANT YARD.--Cast off the sheets, bowlines,
buntlines and clewlines, and make them fast to the cross-trees. Reeve a
yard-rope through a jack-block at the mast-head, unhook the tye, cast
off the parral-lashing, bend the yard-rope to the slings of the yard by
a fisherman's bend, and stop it to the quarters of the yard. Sway away,
and take off the lifts and braces, as with the royal yard.
TO SEND DOWN A TOPGALLANT MAST.--Hook the top-block to the eye-bolt at
the larboard side of the topmast cap; reeve the mast-rope through it,
then through the sheave-hole in the foot of the topgallant mast, and
hitch its end to the eye-bolt on the starboard side of the cap. Come up
the rigging, stays and backstays, and guy the mast-head by them. Hoist
a little on the mast-rope, and take out the fid. (The fid should always
be fastened to the cross-trees or trestle-trees, by a lanyard.) Lower
away until the mast is a little short of being through the cap. Then
seize or rack together both parts of the mast-rope just above the
sheave-hole; cast off the end of the mast-rope, letting the mast hang
by the stops, and hitch it round the mast-head to its own part, below
the cap. Then lower away to the deck. If the rigging is to come on
deck, round up the mast-rope for a girtline; if it is to remain aloft,
lash it to the topmast cap, render the shrouds through the cross-trees,
and stop them up and down the topgallant rigging. Sheep-shank the stays
and backstays, and set them hand-taut. If the top-mast is also to be
sent down, take off the topmast cap and send it on deck.
TO HOUSE A TOPGALLANT MAST.--Proceed in the same manner, except that
when the mast is low enough, belay the mast-rope, pass a heel-lashing
through the fid-hole and round the topmast.
TO SEND DOWN A TOPMAST.--Hook the top-block, reeve the mast-rope
through it and through the sheave-hole in the foot of the mast, and
hitch it to the staple at the other side of the cap. Lead the fall
through a snatch-block, to the capstan. Sling the lower yard, if it is
to remain aloft, and unshackle the trusses, if they are of iron. Come
up the rigging, stays and backstays, weigh the mast, take out the fid,
and lower away. If the rigging is to remain aloft, lash the cross-trees
to the lower cap. The rigging should be stowed away snugly in the top,
and the backstays be snaked up and down the lower rigging.
TO RIG IN A JIB-BOOM.--Reeve the heel-rope (if necessary,) come up the
stay, martingale stay and guys; unreeve the jib-stay, station hands at
each guy, clear away the heel-lashing, haul in upon the guys, and light
the boom on board. In most cases the boom will come in without a
heel-rope. Make fast the eyes of the rigging to the bowsprit cap, and
haul all taut.
CHAPTER VI.
BENDING AND UNBENDING SAILS.
To bend a course. To send up a topsail by the halyards--by the
bunt-lines. To bend a topgallant sail--a royal--a jib--a spanker--a
spencer. To unbend a course--a topsail--a topgallant sail or royal--a
jib. To send down a topsail or course in a gale of wind. To bend a
topsail in a gale of wind. To bend one topsail or course, and send down
the other at the same time.
TO BEND A COURSE.--Stretch the sail across the deck, forward of the
mast and under the yard; being careful to have the after part of the
sail aft. Seize the clew-garnet blocks to the clews; also the tack and
sheet blocks, unless they go with hooks or clasps. Reeve the buntlines
through the thimbles of the first reef-band forward, if they are made
to go so, and toggle their ends to the foot of the sail, or carry them
through the eyelet-holes and clinch them to their own parts. Reeve the
clew-garnets and leechlines; carry the bights of the buntlines under
the sail, and rack them to their own parts; stop the head of the sail
to the buntlines below the rackings; put robands to each eyelet-hole in
the head of the sail; fasten the head and reef earings to their
cringles, reeving the end of the reef-earings through the head-cringle
and taking a bowline with them to their standing parts, and hitching
the head-earings to the buntlines. Sway away on the buntlines,
leechlines and clew-garnets; when the sail is up, pass the
head-earings, reeving _aft_ through the straps on the yard, and
_forward_ through the head cringle. Haul out on the earings, making the
sail square by the glut, and pass the earings round the yard, over and
under, through the head-cringle at each turn, and make the end fast
around the first turns. If the sail is new, ride down the head rope on
the yard, and freshen the earings. Make fast the head of the sail to
the jack-stay by robands, and cast the stops off the buntlines.
TO BEND A TOPSAIL.--Make fast the head and reef-earings to their
cringles, passing the end of each reef-earing through the cringle above
its own and making it fast by a bowline to its own part. Put robands to
each eyelet-hole in the head. If the sail is to be sent up by the
topsail halyards, lay it on deck abaft the foot of the mast, make it up
with its head and foot together, having the head and first reef
cringles together and out, and also the bowline cringle and the clews
out. Bight the sail in three parts on a pair of slings, having the end
of the sail that belongs on the opposite yard-arm on top. Have the
fly-block of the topsail halyards above the top, and rack the runner to
the topmast backstay or after shroud. Hook the lower block to the
slings around the sail, hoist the sail up into the top, cast off the
slings, unhook the halyards, and pass the upper end of the sail round
forward of the mast, ready for bending. (If the vessel is rolling or
pitching, with a stiff breeze, the sail may be guyed and steadied as it
goes up, by hooking a snatch-block, moused, to the slings around the
sail, passing the hauling part of the halyards through it, and through
another snatch-block on deck.) Get the clewlines, buntlines, sheets,
bowlines, and reef-tackles ready for bending, the clove hooks of the
sheets being stopped to the topmast rigging. Hook or clasp the sheets
to the clews, reeve the clewlines and reef-tackles, toggle the
bowlines, clinch or toggle the buntlines to the foot of the sail, and
stop the head to the buntlines. Hoist on the buntlines and haul out on
the reef-tackles, bringing the sail to the yard, and then pass the
head-earings and make fast the robands as for a course. If the sail is
to be sent up by the buntlines, lay the sail on the deck and forward of
the mast, overhaul the buntlines down forward of the yard, on each side
of the topmast stay and on the same side of the lower stay. Clinch the
ends to the foot of the sail, bight them around under the sail and rack
the bights to their standing parts, and stop the head of the sail to
the standing parts below the rackings. Bend one bowline to the centre
of the sail, to guy it in going aloft. Have the earings bent and
secured as before described, and the bights of the head-earings hitched
to the buntlines. Sway it up to the top, and haul the ends in on each
side of the mast; reeve the clewlines and reef-tackles, make fast the
bowlines and sheets, the ends of which, if chain, should be racked to
the topmast rigging, ready to be made fast to the clews. The gear being
bent, hoist on the buntlines, haul out on the reef-tackles, pass the
head-earings, cut the stops of the buntlines, and make fast the
robands. Middle the sail on the yard by the glut, or by the centre
cringle.
TO BEND TOPGALLANT SAILS AND ROYALS.--These are generally bent to their
yards on deck; the royals always. After being bent to the yard, they
are furled, with their clews out, ready for sending aloft. If the
topgallant sail is to be bent aloft, send it up to the topmast
cross-trees by the clewlines, or by the royal halyards; and there bend
on the sheets, clewlines, buntlines and bowlines, and bring the sail to
the yard as with a topsail.
TO BEND A JIB.--Bend the jib halyards round the body of the sail, and
the downhaul to the tack. Haul out on the downhaul, hoisting and
lowering on the halyards. Seize the tack to the boom, the hanks to the
luff of the sail, and the halyards to its head. Reeve the downhaul up
through the hanks and make it fast to the head of the sail. Seize the
middle of the sheet-pennant to the clew.
In some vessels the hanks are first seized to the sail, and the
jib-stay unrove, brought in-board, and passed down through the hanks,
as the sail is sent out, rove in its place and set up. This is more
troublesome, and wears out the jib-stay.
TO BEND A SPANKER.--Lower the gaff, and reeve the throat-rope through
the hole in the gaff under the jaws, and secure it. Sometimes the head
of the luff fits with a hook. Then haul out the head of the sail by the
peak-earing, which is passed like the head-earing of a topsail. When
the head-rope is taut, pass the lacings through the eyelet-holes, and
round the jack-stay. Seize the bights of the throat and peak brails to
the leech, at distances from the peak which will admit of the sail's
being brailed up taut along the gaff, and reeve them through their
blocks on the gaff, and at the jaws, on each side of the sail. The foot
brail is seized to the leech just above the clew. Seize the luff of the
sail to the hoops or hanks around the spanker mast, beginning with the
upper hoop and hoisting the gaff as they are secured. The tack is
hooked or seized to the boom or to the mast. Hook on the outhaul
tackle. This is usually fitted with an eye round the boom, rove through
a single block at the clew, and then through a sheave-hole in the boom.
Some spankers are bent with a peak outhaul; the head traversing on the
jack-stay of the gaff.
THE FORE AND MAIN SPENCERS are bent like the spanker, except that they
have no boom, the clew being hauled aft by a sheet, which is generally
a gun-tackle purchase, hooked to an eye-bolt in the deck.
TO UNBEND A COURSE.--Haul it up, cast off the robands, and make the
buntlines fast round the sail. Ease the earings off together, and lower
away by the buntlines and clew-garnets. At sea, the lee earing is cast
off first, rousing in the lee body of the sail, and securing it by the
earing to the buntlines.
TO UNBEND A TOPSAIL.--Clew it up, cast off the robands, secure the
buntlines round the sail, unhook the sheets, and unreeve the clewlines
and reef-tackles; ease off the earings, and lower by the buntlines.
A _top gallant sail_ is unbent in the same manner, and sent down by the
buntlines. A _royal_ is usually sent down with the yard.
TO UNBEND A JIB.--Haul it down, cast off the hank seizings and the
tack-lashing, cast off and unreeve the downhaul and make it fast round
the sail, and cast off the sheet-pennant lashings. Haul aboard by the
downhaul, hoisting clear by the halyards.
The rules above given are for a vessel in port, with squared yards. If
you are at sea and it is blowing fresh, and the topsail or course is
reefed, to send it down, you must cast off a few robands and
reef-points, and pass good stops around the sail; then secure the
buntlines also around it, and cast off all the robands, reef-points and
reef-earings. Bend a line to the lee head-earing and let it go, haul
the sail well up to windward, and make fast the lee earing to the
buntlines. Get a hauling line to the deck, forward; ease off the
weather earing, and lower away.
To bend a new topsail in a gale of wind, it has been found convenient
to make the sail up with the reef-bands together, the points all being
out fair, to pass several good stops round the sail, and send up as
before. This will present less surface to the wind. One course may be
sent up as the other goes down, by unbending the buntlines from the
foot of the old sail, passing them down between the head of the sail
and the yard, bending them to the foot of the new sail, and making the
new sail up to be sent aloft by them, as before directed. Run the new
sail up to the yard abaft the old one, and send the old one down by the
leechlines and the head-earings, bent to the topmast studdingsail
halyards, or some other convenient rope.
One topsail may be sent up by the topsail halyards, got ready for
bending, and brought to the yard, while the old one is sent down by the
buntlines.
[Illustration: PLATE V.]
CHAPTER VII.
WORK UPON RIGGING.--ROPE, KNOTS, SPLICES, BENDS AND HITCHES.
Kinds of rope. Spunyarn. Worming. Parcelling. Service. Short splice.
Long splice. Eye splice. Flemish eye. Spindle eye. Cut splice. Grommet.
Single and double wall. Matthew Walker. Single and double diamond.
Spritsail sheet knot. Stopper knot. Shroud knot. French shroud knot.
Buoy-rope knot. Half-hitches. Clove hitch. Overhand knot.
Figure-of-eight. Bowline. Running bowline. Bowline-upon-a-bight. Square
knot. Timber hitch. Rolling hitch. Blackwall hitch. Cat's paw. Sheet
bend. Fisherman's bend. Carrick bend. Bowline bend. Sheep-shank.
Selvagee. Marlin-spike hitch. Round seizing. Throat seizing. Stopping.
Nippering. Racking. Pointing. Snaking. Grafting. Foxes. Spanish foxes.
Gaskets. Sennit. To bend a buoy-rope. To pass a shear-lashing.
Those ropes in a ship which are stationary are called _standing
rigging_, as shrouds, stays, backstays, &c. Those which reeve through
blocks or sheave-holes, and are hauled and let go, are called the
_running rigging_, as braces, halyards, buntlines, clewlines, &c.
A rope is composed of threads of hemp, or other stuff. These threads
are called _yarns_. A number of these yarns twisted together form a
_strand_, and three or more strands twisted together form the rope.
The ropes in ordinary use on board a vessel are composed of three
strands, laid RIGHT HANDED, (1.) or, as it is called, _with the sun_.
Occasionally a piece of large rope will be found laid up in four
strands, also _with_ the sun. This is generally used for standing
rigging, tacks, sheets, &c., and is sometimes called _shroud-laid_.
A CABLE-LAID ROPE (2.) is composed of nine strands, and is made by
first laying them into three ropes of three strands each, _with_ the
sun, and then laying the three ropes up together into one, left-handed,
or _against_ the sun. Thus, cable-laid rope is like three small common
ropes laid up into one large one. Formerly, the ordinary three-stranded
right-hand rope was called _hawser-laid_, and the latter _cable-laid_,
and they will be found so distinguished in the books; but among
sea-faring men now, the terms _hawser-laid_ and _cable-laid_ are
applied indiscriminately to nine-strand rope, and the three stranded,
being the usual and ordinary kind of rope, has no particular name, or
is called right-hand rope.
Right-hand rope must be coiled _with_ the sun, and cable-laid rope
_against_ the sun.
SPUNYARN is made by twisting together two or more yarns taken from old
standing rigging, and is called two-yarn or three-yarn spunyarn,
according to the number of yarns of which it is composed. Junk, or old
rigging, is first unlaid into strands, and then into yarns, and the
best of these yarns made up into spunyarn, which is used for worming,
serving, seizing, &c. Every merchant vessel carries a spunyarn-winch,
for the manufacturing of this stuff, and in making it, the wheel is
turned _against_ the sun, which lays the stuff up with the sun.
WORMING a rope, is filling up the divisions between the strands, by
passing spunyarn along them, to render the surface smooth for
parcelling and serving.
PARCELLING a rope is wrapping narrow strips of canvass about it, well
tarred, in order to secure it from being injured by rain-water lodging
between the parts of the service when worn. The parcelling is put on
_with_ the lay of the rope.
SERVICE is the laying on of spunyarn, or other small stuff, in turns
round the rope, close together, and hove taut by the use of a
serving-board for small rope, and serving-mallet for large rope. Small
ropes are sometimes served without being wormed, as the crevices
between the strands are not large enough to make the surface very
uneven; but a large rope is always wormed and parcelled before being
served. The service is put on _against_ the lay of the rope.
SPLICING, is putting the ends of ropes together by opening the strands
and placing them into one another, or by putting the strands of the
ends of a rope between those of the bight.
A SHORT SPLICE. (3.) Unlay the strands for a convenient length; then
take an end in each hand, place them one within the other, and draw
them close. Hold the end of one rope and the three strands which come
from the opposite rope fast in the left hand, or, if the rope be large,
stop them down to it with a rope-yarn. Take the middle strand, which is
free, pass it _over_ the strand which is first next to it, and through
_under_ the second, and out between the second and third from it, and
haul it taut. Pass each of the six strands in the same manner; first
those on one side, and then those on the other. The same operation may
be repeated with each strand, passing each _over_ the third from it,
and _under_ the fourth, and through; or, as is more usual, after the
ends have been stuck once, untwist each strand, divide the yarns, pass
one half as above described, and cut off the other half. This tapers
the splice.
A LONG SPLICE. (4.) Unlay the ends of two ropes to a distance three or
four times greater than for a short splice, and place them within one
another as for a short splice. Unlay one strand for a considerable
distance, and fill up the interval which it leaves with the opposite
strand from the other rope, and twist the ends of these two together.
Then do the same with two more strands. The two remaining strands are
twisted together in the place where they were first crossed. Open the
two last named strands, divide in two, take an overhand knot with the
opposite halves, and lead the ends over the next strand and through the
second, as the whole strands were passed for the short splice. Cut off
the other two halves. Do the same with the others that are placed
together, dividing, knotting, and passing them in the same manner.
Before cutting off any of the half strands, the rope should be got well
upon a stretch. Sometimes the whole strands are knotted then divided,
and the half strands passed as above described.
AN EYE SPLICE. (5.) Unlay the end of a rope for a short distance, and
lay the three strands upon the standing part, so as to form an eye. Put
one end through the strand next to it. Put the next end over that
strand and through the second; and put the remaining end through the
third strand, on the other side of the rope. Taper them, as in the
short splice, by dividing the strands and sticking them again.
A FLEMISH EYE. (6.) Take the end of a rope and unlay one strand. Form
an eye by placing the two remaining ends against the standing part.
Pass the strand which has been unlaid over the end and in the intervals
round the eye, until it returns down the standing part, and lies under
the eye with the strands. The ends are then scraped down, tapered,
marled, and served over with spunyarn.
AN ARTIFICIAL OR SPINDLE EYE.--Unlay the end of a rope and open the
strands, separating each rope yarn. Take a piece of wood, the size of
the intended eye, and hitch the yarns round it. Scrape them down, marl,
parcel, and serve them. This is now usually called a FLEMISH EYE.
A CUT SPLICE. (7.) Cut a rope in two, unlay each end as for a short
splice, and place the ends of each rope against the standing part of
the other, forming an oblong eye, of the size you wish. Then pass the
ends through the strands of the standing parts, as for a short splice.
A GROMMET. (8.) Take a strand just unlaid from a rope, with all its
turns in it, and form a ring of the size you wish, by putting the end
over the standing part. Then take the long end and carry it twice round
the ring, in the crevices, following the lay, until the ring is
complete. Then take an overhand knot with the two ends, divide the
yarns, and stick them as in a long splice.
A SINGLE WALL KNOT. (9.) Unlay the end of a rope. Form a bight with one
strand, holding its end down to the standing part in your left hand.
Pass the end of the next strand round this strand. Pass the remaining
strand round the end of the second strand, and up through the bight
which was made by the first strand. Haul the ends taut carefully, one
by one.
A SINGLE WALL, CROWNED. (10.) Make the single wall as before, and lay
one end over the top of the knot. Lay the second end over the first,
and the third over the second and through the bight of the first.
A DOUBLE WALL. (11.) Make the single wall slack, and crown it, as
above. Then take one end, bring it underneath the part of the first
walling next to it, and push it up through the same bight. Do the same
with the other strands, pushing them up through two bights. Thus made,
it has a double wall and a single crown.
A DOUBLE WALL, DOUBLE CROWNED. (12.) Make the double wall, single
crowned, as above. Then lay the strands by the sides of those in the
single crown, pushing them through the same bight in the single crown,
and down through the double walling. This is sometimes called a TACK
KNOT, or a TOPSAIL SHEET KNOT.
A MATTHEW WALKER KNOT. (13.) Unlay the end of a rope. Take one strand
round the rope and through its own bight; then the next strand
underneath, through the bight of the first, and through its own bight;
and the third strand underneath, through both the other bights, and
through its own bight.
A SINGLE DIAMOND KNOT. (14.) Unlay the end of a rope for a considerable
distance, and with the strands form three bights down the side of the
rope, holding them fast with the left hand. Take the end of one strand
and pass it with the lay of the rope over the strand next to it, and up
through the bight of the third. Take the end of the second strand over
the third and up through the bight of the first. Take the end of the
third strand over the first and up through the bight of the second.
Haul taut, and lay the ends up together.
A DOUBLE DIAMOND KNOT. (15.) Make a single diamond, as above, without
laying the ends up. Follow the lead of the single knot through two
single bights, the ends coming out at the top of the knot. Lead the
last strand through two double bights. Haul taut, and lay the ends up.
A SPRITSAIL SHEET KNOT. (16.) Unlay two ends of a rope, and place the
two parts together. Make a bight with one strand. Wall the six strands
together, like a single walling made with three strands; putting the
second over the first, and the third over the second, and so on, the
sixth being passed over the fifth and through the bight of the first.
Then haul taut. It may be _crowned_ by taking two strands and laying
them over the top of the knot, and passing the other strands
alternately over and under those two, hauling them taut. It may be
_double walled_ by next passing the strands under the wallings on the
left of them, and through the small bights, when the ends will come up
for the second crowning; which is done by following the lead of the
single crowning, and pushing the ends through the single walling, as
with three strands, before described. This is often used for a _stopper
knot_.
A STOPPER KNOT.--Single wall and double wall, without crowning, and
stop the ends together.
A SHROUD KNOT.--Unlay the ends of two ropes, and place the strands in
one another, as for a short splice. Single wall the strands of one rope
round the standing part of the other, against the lay. Open the ends,
taper, marl, and serve them.
A FRENCH SHROUD KNOT.--Place the ends of two ropes as before. Lay the
ends of one rope back upon their own part, and single wall the other
three strands round the bights of the first three and the standing
part. Taper the ends, as before.
A BUOY-ROPE KNOT.--Unlay the strands of a cable-laid rope, and also the
small strands of each large strand. Lay the large ones again as before,
leaving the small ones out. Single and double wall the small strands
(as for a stopper knot) round the rope, worm them along the divisions,
and stop their ends with spunyarn.
A TURKS-HEAD. (17.) This is worked upon a rope with a piece of small
line. Take a clove-hitch slack with the line round the rope. Then take
one of the bights formed by the clove-hitch and put it over the other.
Pass the end under, and up through the bight which is underneath. Then
cross the bights again, and put the end round again, under, and up
through the bight which is underneath. After this, follow the lead, and
it will make a turban, of three parts to each cross.
TWO HALF-HITCHES. (18.) Pass the end of a rope round the standing part
and bring it up through the bight. This is a half-hitch. Take it round
again in the same manner for two half-hitches.
A CLOVE-HITCH (19.) is made by passing the end of a rope round a spar,
over, and bringing it under and round behind its standing part, over
the spar again, and up through its own part. It may then, if necessary,
be stopped or hitched to its own part: the only difference between two
half-hitches and a clove-hitch being that one is hitched round its own
standing part, and the other is hitched round a spar or another rope.
AN OVERHAND KNOT. (20.) Pass the end of a rope over the standing part,
and through the bight.
A FIGURE-OF-EIGHT. (21.) Pass the end of a rope over and round the
standing part, up over its own part, and down through the bight.
A BOWLINE KNOT. (22.) Take the end of a rope in your right hand, and
the standing part in your left. Lay the end over the standing part, and
with the left hand make a bight of the standing part over it. Take the
end under the lower standing part, up over the cross, and down through
the bight.
A RUNNING BOWLINE.--Take the end round the standing part, and make a
bowline upon its own part.
A BOWLINE UPON A BIGHT. (23.) Middle a rope, taking the two ends in
your left hand, and the bight in your right. Lay the bight over the
ends, and proceed as in making a bowline, making a small bight with
your left hand of the ends, which are kept together, over the bight
which you hold in your right hand. Pass the bight in your right hand
round under the ends and up over the cross. So far, it is like a common
bowline, only made with double rope instead of single. Then open the
bight in your right hand and carry it over the large bights, letting
them go through it, and bring it up to the cross and haul taut.
A SQUARE KNOT. (24.) Take an overhand knot round a spar. Take an end in
each hand and cross them on the same side of the standing part upon
which they came up. Pass one end round the other, and bring it up
through the bight. This is sometimes called a REEF-KNOT. If the ends
are crossed the wrong way, sailors call it a GRANNY-KNOT.
A TIMBER HITCH. (25.) Take the end of a rope round a spar, lead it
under and over the standing part, and pass two or more round-turns
round its own part.
A ROLLING HITCH.--Pass the end of a rope round a spar. Take it round a
second time, nearer to the standing part. Then carry it across the
standing part, over and round the spar, and up through the bight. A
strap or a tail-block is fastened to a rope by this hitch.
A bend, sometimes called a _rolling hitch_, is made by two round-turns
round a spar and two half-hitches round the standing part; but the name
is commonly applied to the former hitch.
A BLACKWALL HITCH. (26.) Form a bight by putting the end of a rope
across and under the standing part. Put the bight over the hook of a
tackle, letting the hook go through it, the centre of the bight resting
against the back of the hook, and the end jammed in the bight of the
hook, by the standing part of the rope.
A CAT'S PAW. (27.) Make a large bight in a rope, and spread it open,
putting one hand at one part of the bight and the other at the other,
and letting the standing part and end come together. Turn the bight
over from you, three times, and a small bight will be formed in each
hand. Bring the two small bights together, and put the hook of a tackle
through them both.
A SHEET BEND. (28.) Pass the end of a rope up through the bight of
another, round both parts of the other, and under its own part.
A FISHERMAN'S BEND. (29.) Used for bending studdingsail halyards to the
yard. Take two turns round the yard with the end. Hitch it round the
standing part and both the turns. Then hitch it round the standing part
alone.
A CARRICK BEND. (30.) Form a bight by putting the end of a rope over
its standing part. Take the end of a second rope and pass it _under_
the standing part of the first, _over_ the end, and _up_ through the
bight, _over_ its own standing part, and _down_ through the bight
again.
A BOWLINE BEND.--This is the most usual mode of bending warps, and
other long ropes or cables, together. Take a bowline in the end of one
rope, pass the end of the other through the bight, and take a bowline
with it upon its own standing part. Long lines are sometimes bent
together with half-hitches on their own standing parts, instead of
bowlines, and the ends seized strongly down.
A SHEEP-SHANK. (31.) Make two long bights in a rope, which shall
overlay one another. Take a half-hitch over the end of each bight with
the standing part which is next to it.
A SELVAGEE.--Lay rope yarns round and round in a bight, and marl them
down with spunyarn. These are used for neat block-straps, and as straps
to go round a spar for a tackle to hook into, for hoisting.
A MARLINSPIKE HITCH--Lay the marlinspike upon the seizing-stuff, and
bring the end over the standing part so as to form a bight. Lay this
bight back over the standing part, putting the marlinspike down through
the bight, under the standing part, and up through the bight again.
TO PASS A ROUND SEIZING.--Splice a small eye in the end of the stuff,
take the other end round both parts of the rope, and reeve it through
the eye. Pass a couple of turns, then take a marlinspike-hitch, and
heave them taut. Pass six, eight or ten turns in the same manner, and
heave them taut. Put the end through under these turns and bring it out
between the two last turns, or through the eye, and pass five, seven or
nine turns (one less than the lower ones) directly over these, as
riders. The riders are not hove so taut. Pass the end up through the
seizings, and take two cross turns round the whole seizing between the
two, passing the end through the last turn, and heaving taut. If the
seizing is small cordage, take a wall-knot in the end; if spunyarn, an
overhand knot. The cross turns are given up now in nearly all vessels.
After the riding turns are passed, the end is carried under the turns,
brought out at the other end, and made fast snugly to the standing part
of the rigging.
A THROAT SEIZING, where rigging is turned in, is passed and made fast
like the preceding, there being no cross turns. A neat way to pass a
throat seizing is to pass the turns rather slack, put a strap upon the
end of the rigging, take a handspike or heaver to it and bear it down,
driving home the seizing with a mallet and small fid.
STOPPING, is fastening two parts of a rope together as for a round
seizing, without a crossing.
NIPPERING, is fastening them by taking turns crosswise between the
parts, to jam them; and sometimes with a round turn before each cross.
These are called _racking turns_. Pass _riders_ over these and fasten
the end.
POINTING.--Unlay the end of a rope and stop it. Take out as many yarns
as are necessary, and split each yarn in two, and take two parts of
different yarns and twist them up taut into _nettles_. The rest of the
yarns are combed down with a knife. Lay half the nettles down upon the
scraped part, the rest back upon the rope, and pass three turns of
twine taut round the part where the nettles separate, and hitch the
twine, which is called the _warp_. Lay the nettles backwards and
forwards as before, passing the warp, each time. The ends may be
whipped and snaked with twine, or the nettles hitched over the warp and
hauled taut. The upper seizing must be snaked. If the upper part is too
weak for pointing, put in a piece of stick.
SNAKING a seizing, is done by taking the end under and over the outer
turns of the seizing alternately, passing over the whole. There should
be a marline-hitch at each turn.
GRAFTING.--Unlay the ends of two ropes and put them together as for a
short splice. Make nettles of the strands as before. Pass the warp and
nettles belonging to the lower strands along the rope, as in pointing;
then the nettles of the upper strands in the same manner. Snake the
seizing at each end.
FOXES are made by twisting together three or more rope-yarns by hand,
and rubbing them hard with tarred canvass. _Spanish foxes_ are made of
one rope-yarn, by unlaying it and laying it up the other way.
GASKETS.--Take three or four foxes, middle them, and plait them
together into _sennit_. This is done by bringing the two outside foxes
alternately over to the middle. The outside ones are laid with the
right hand, and the remainder are held and steadied with the left.
Having plaited enough for an eye, bring all the parts together, and
work them all into one piece, in the same manner. Take out foxes at
proper intervals. When finished, one end must be laid up, the other
plaited, and the first hauled through. The name _sennit_ is generally
given to rope yarns plaited in the same manner with these foxes. Sennit
made in this way must have an odd number of parts. FRENCH SENNIT is
made with an even number, taken over and under every other time.
TO BEND A BUOY-ROPE. Reeve the end through the eye in the other end,
put it over one arm of the anchor, and haul taut. Take a hitch over the
other arm. Or, take a clove-hitch over the crown, stopping the end to
its own part, or to the shank.
TO PASS A SHEAR-LASHING.--Middle the lashing and take a good turn round
both legs, at the cross. Pass one end up and the other down, around and
over the cross, until half of the lashing is expended. Then ride both
ends back again on their own parts and knot them in the middle. Frap
the first and riding turns together on each side with sennit.
CHAPTER VIII.
BLOCKS AND PURCHASES.
Parts of a block. Made and morticed blocks. Bull's-eye. Dead-eye.
Sister-block. Snatch-block. Tail-block. Whip. Gun-tackle. Luff-tackle.
Whip-upon-whip. Luff-upon-luff. Watch or tail-tackle. Runner-tackle.
Blocks are of two kinds, _made_ and _morticed_. A _made block_ consists
of four parts,--the _shell_, or outside; the _sheave_, or wheel on
which the rope turns; the _pin_, or axle on which the wheel turns; and
the _strap_, either of rope or iron, which encircles the whole, and
keeps it in its place. The sheave is generally strengthened by letting
in a piece of iron or brass at the centre, called a _bush_.
A MORTICED BLOCK is made of a single block of wood, morticed out to
receive a sheave.
All blocks are single, double, or three-fold, according to the number
of sheaves in them.
There are some blocks that have no sheaves; as follows: a _bull's-eye_,
which is a wooden thimble without a sheave, having a hole through the
centre and a groove round it; and a _dead-eye_, which is a solid block
of wood made in a circular form, with a groove round it, and three
holes bored through it, for the lanyards to reeve through.
A SISTER-BLOCK is formed of one solid piece of wood, with two sheaves,
one above the other, and between the sheaves a score for the middle
seizing. These are oftener without sheaves than with.
SNATCH-BLOCKS are single blocks, with a notch cut in one cheek, just
below the sheave, so as to receive the bight of a fall, without the
trouble of reeving and unreeving the whole. They are generally
iron-bound, and have a hook at one end.
A TAIL-BLOCK is a single block, strapped with an eye-splice, and having
a long end left, by which to make the block fast temporarily to the
rigging. This tail is usually selvageed, or else the strands are opened
and laid up into sennit, as for a gasket.
A TACKLE is a purchase formed by reeving a rope through two or more
blocks, for the purpose of hoisting.
A WHIP is the smallest purchase, and is made by a rope rove through one
single block.
A GUN-TACKLE PURCHASE is a rope rove through two single blocks and made
fast to the strap of the upper block. The parts of all tackles between
the fasts and a sheave, are called the _standing parts_; the parts
between sheaves are called _running parts_; and the part upon which you
take hold in hoisting is called the _fall_.
A WHIP-UPON-WHIP is where the block of one whip is made fast to the
fall of another.
A LUFF-TACKLE PURCHASE is a single and a double block; the end of the
rope being fast to the upper part of the single block, and the fall
coming from the double block. A luff-tackle upon the fall of another
luff-tackle is called _luff-upon-luff_.
A WATCH-TACKLE or TAIL-TACKLE is a luff-tackle purchase, with a hook in
the end of the single block, and a tail to the upper end of the double
block. One of these purchases, with a short fall, is kept on deck, at
hand, in merchant vessels, and is used to clap upon standing and
running rigging, and to get a strain upon ropes.
A RUNNER-TACKLE is a luff applied to a runner, which is a single rope
rove through a single block, hooked to a thimble in the eye of a
pennant.
A SINGLE BURTON is composed of two single blocks, with a hook in the
bight of the running part. Reeve the end of your rope through the upper
block, and make it fast to the strap of the fly-block. Then make fast
your hook to the bight of the rope, and reeve the other end through the
fly-block for a fall. The hook is made fast by passing the bight of the
rope through the eye of the hook and over the whole.
CHAPTER IX.
MAKING AND TAKING IN SAIL.
To loose a sail. To set a course--Topsail--Topgallant
sail--Royal--Skysail--Jib--Spanker--Spencer. To take in a
course--Topsail--Topgallant sail or royal--Skysail--Jib--Spanker. To
furl a royal--Topgallant sail--Topsail--Course--Jib. To stow a jib in
cloth. To reef a topsail--Course. To turn out reefs. To set a
topgallant studdingsail. To take in do. To set a topmast studdingsail.
To take in do. To set a lower studdingsail. To take in do.
TO LOOSE A SAIL.--Lay out to the yard-arms and cast off the gaskets,
beginning at the outermost and coming in.[2] When the gaskets are cast
off from both yard-arms, then let go the bunt gasket, (and jigger, if
there be one,) and overhaul the buntlines and leechlines. In loosing a
topsail in a gale of wind, it is better to cast off the
quarter-gaskets, (except the one which confines the clew,) before those
at the yard-arms. Royals and topgallant sails generally have one long
gasket to each yard-arm; in which case it is not necessary to go out
upon the yard, but the gaskets, after being cast off, should be
fastened to the tye by a bowline.
[2] If only one yard-arm is loosed at a time, let the lee one
be loosed first.
TO SET A COURSE.--Loose the sail and overhaul the buntlines and
leechlines. Let go the clew-garnets and overhaul them, and haul down on
the sheets and tacks. If the ship is close-hauled, ease off the lee
brace, slack the weather lift and clew-garnet, and get the tack well
down to the water-ways. If it is blowing fresh and the ship
light-handed, take it to the windlass. When the tack is well down,
sharpen the yard up again by the brace, top it well up by the lift,
reeve and haul out the bowline, and haul the sheet aft.
If the wind is quartering, the mainsail is carried with the weather
clew hauled up and the sheet taken aft. With yards squared, the
mainsail is never carried, but the foresail may be to advantage,
especially if the swinging booms are out; in which case the heavy tack
and sheet-blocks may be unhooked, and the _lazy sheets_ hooked on and
rove through a single tail-block, made fast out on the boom. This
serves to extend the clews, and is called a _pazaree_ to the foresail.
TO SET A TOPSAIL.--Loose the sail, and keep one hand in the top to
overhaul the rigging. Overhaul well the buntlines, clewlines, and
reef-tackles, let go the topgallant sheets and topsail braces, and haul
home on the sheets. Merchant vessels usually hoist a little on the
halyards, so as to clear the sail from the top, then belay them and get
the lee sheet chock home; then haul home the weather sheet, shivering
the sail by the braces to help it home, and hoist on the halyards until
the leeches are well taut, taking a turn with the braces, if the wind
is fresh, and slacking them as the yard goes up.
After the sail is set, it is sometimes necessary to get the sheets
closer home. Slack the halyards, lee brace, and weather bowline, clap
the watch-tackle upon the lee sheet first, and then the weather one,
shivering the sail by the braces if necessary. Overhaul the clewlines
and reef-tackles, slack the topgallant sheets, and hoist the sail up,
taut leech, by the halyards.
TO SET A TOPGALLANT SAIL OR ROYAL.--Haul home the lee sheet, having one
hand aloft to overhaul the clewlines, then the weather sheet, and hoist
up, taut leech, by the halyards. While hauling the sheets home, if on
the wind, brace up a little to shake the sail, take a turn with the
weather brace, and let go the lee one; if before the wind, let go both
braces; and if the wind is quartering, the lee one.
TO SET A FLYING SKYSAIL.--If bent in the manner described in this book,
let go the brails and royal stay, and hoist on the halyards.
TO SET A JIB, FLYING-JIB, OR FORE TOPMAST STAYSAIL.--Cast off the
gasket, hoist on the halyards, and trim down the sheet.
TO SET A SPANKER.--Hoist on the topping-lifts, make fast the weather
one, and overhaul the lee one. Let go the brails, and haul out on the
outhaul. Be careful not to let the throat brail go before the head and
foot. Trim the boom by the sheets and guys, and the gaff by the vangs.
TO SET A SPENCER.--Take the sheet to the deck on the lee side of the
stay, let go the brails, haul on the sheet, and trim the gaff by the
vangs.
TO TAKE IN A COURSE.--If the wind is light and there are hands enough,
let go the tack, sheet, and bowline, and haul up on the clew-garnets,
buntlines, and leechlines, being careful not to haul the buntlines taut
until the clews are well up. If light-handed, or the wind fresh, let go
the bowline and ease off the tack, (being careful to let the bowline go
before the tack,) and haul up the weather clew. Then ease off the sheet
and haul up on the lee clew-garnet, and the buntlines and leechlines.
TO TAKE IN A TOPSAIL.--The usual mode of taking in a topsail when
coming to anchor in light winds, is to lower away on the halyards and
haul down on the clewlines and reef-tackles, (if the latter run in the
way described in this book,) until the yard is down by the lifts,
rounding in on the weather brace, and hauling taut to leeward, when the
yard is square. Then let go the sheets and haul up on the clewlines and
buntlines. A better way is to start the sheets, clew about one third
up, then let go the halyards and take the slack in.
If the wind is fresh, and the yard braced up, lower away handsomely on
the halyards, get the yard down by the clewlines and reef-tackles,
rounding in on the weather brace, and steadying the yard by both
braces. Then let go the weather sheet and haul up to windward first.
The weather clew being up, let go the lee sheet and haul up by the
clewline and buntlines, keeping the clew in advance of the body of the
sail.
Sometimes, if the weather brace cannot be well rounded in, as if a ship
is weak-handed, the sail may be clewed up to leeward a little, first.
In which case, ease off the lee sheet, and haul up on the clewline;
ease off the lee brace and round the yard in; and when the lee clew is
about half up, ease off the weather sheet and haul the weather clew
chock up. Haul the buntlines up after the weather clew, and steady the
yard by the braces. There is danger in clewing up to leeward first that
the sail may be shaken and jerked so as to split, before the weather
clew is up; whereas, if clewed up to windward first, the lee clew will
keep full, until the lee sheet is started.
When coming to anchor, it is the best plan to haul the clews about half
up before the halyards are let go.
In taking in a close-reefed topsail in a gale of wind, the most general
practice is to clew up to windward, keeping the sail full; then lower
away the halyards, and ease off the lee sheet; clew the yard down, and
haul up briskly on the lee clewline and the buntlines, bracing to the
wind the moment the lee sheet is started.
TO TAKE IN A TOPGALLANT SAIL OR ROYAL.--If the wind is light, and from
aft or quartering, let go the halyards and clew down, squaring the yard
by the braces. Then start the sheets and clew up, and haul up the
buntlines. If the yard is braced up, the old style was to let go the
halyards, clew down and round in on the weather brace; clewing up to
windward first, then start the lee clew, and haul up the lee clewline
and the buntlines. But the practice now is to clew up to leeward first,
which prevents the slack of the sail getting too much over to leeward,
or foul of the clewline block under the yard, as it is apt to, if the
weather clew is hauled up first.
If the wind is very fresh, and the vessel close-hauled, a good practice
is to let go the lee sheet and halyards, and clew down, rounding in at
the same time on the weather brace. Then start the weather sheet, and
haul the weather clew chock up. Haul up the buntlines and steady the
yard by the braces.
TO TAKE IN A SKYSAIL.--If bent in the way described in this book, which
is believed to be the most convenient, let go the halyards, haul down
on the brails, and haul taut the royal stay.
TO TAKE IN A JIB.--Let go the halyards, haul on the downhaul, easing
off the sheet as the halyards are let go.
TO TAKE IN A SPANKER.--Ease off the outhaul, and haul well up on the
lee brails, taking in the slack of the weather ones. Mind particularly
the lee throat-brail. Haul the boom amidships and steady it by the
guys, lower the topping lifts, and square the gaff by the vangs.
TO FURL A ROYAL.--This sail is usually furled by one person, and is
that upon which green hands are practised. For the benefit of
beginners, I will give particular directions. When you have got aloft
to the topgallant mast-head, see, in the first place, that the yard is
well down by the lifts, and steadied by the braces; then see that both
clews are hauled chock up to the blocks, and if they are not, call out
to the officer of the deck, and have it done. Then see your yard-arm
gaskets clear. The best way is to cast them off from the tye, and lay
them across, between the tye and the mast. This done, stretch out on
the weather yard-arm, get hold of the weather leech, and bring it in to
the slings taut along the yard. Hold the clew up with one hand, and
with the other haul all the sail through the clew, letting it fall in
the bunt. Bring the weather clew a little over abaft the yard, and put
your knee upon it. Then stretch out to leeward and bring in the lee
leech in the same manner, hauling all the sail through the clew, and
putting the clew upon the yard in the same way, and holding it there by
your other knee. Then prepare to make up your bunt. First get hold of
the foot-rope and lay it on the yard and abaft; then take up the body
of the sail, and lay it on the yard, seeing that it is all fairly
through the clews. Having got all the sail upon the yard, make a _skin_
of the upper part of the body of the sail, large enough to come well
down abaft and cover the whole bunt when the sail is furled. Lift the
skin up, and put into the bunt the slack of the clews (not too taut,)
the leech and foot-rope, and the body of the sail; being careful not to
let it get forward under the yard or hang down abaft. Then haul your
bunt well upon the yard, smoothing the skin, and bringing it down well
abaft, and make fast the bunt-gasket round the mast, and the jigger, if
there be one, to the tye. The glut will always come in the middle of
the bunt, if it is properly made up. Now take your weather yard-arm
gasket and pass it round the yard, three or four times, haul taut, and
make it fast to the mast; then the lee one in the same manner. Never
make a long gasket fast to its own part round the yard, for it may work
loose and slip out to the yard-arm. Always pass a gasket _over_ the
yard and down abaft, which will help to bring the sail upon the yard.
A TOPGALLANT SAIL is furled in the same manner, except that it usually
requires two men, in a large vessel; in which case, each man takes a
yard-arm, and they make the bunt up together. If there are buntlines
and a jigger, the bunt may be triced well up, by bending the jigger to
the bight of a buntline, and having it hauled taut on deck.
TO FURL A TOPSAIL OR COURSE.--The sail being hauled up, lay out on the
yard, the two most experienced men standing in the slings, one on each
side of the mast, to make the bunt up. The light hands lay out to the
yard-arms, and take the leech up and bring it taut along the yard. In
this way the clews are reached and handed to the men in the bunt, and
the slack of the sail hauled through them and stowed away on and abaft
the yard. The bunt being made up fairly on the yard against the mast,
and the skin prepared, let it fall a little forward, and stow all the
body of the sail, the clews, bolt-rope, and blocks, away in it; then,
as many as can get hold, lend a hand to haul it well upon the yard.
Overhaul a buntline a little, bend the jigger to it, and trice up on
deck. Bring the skin down well abaft, see that the clews are not too
taut, pass the bunt gasket, cast the jigger off, and make it fast slack
to the tye. Then pass the yard-arm gaskets, hauling the sail well upon
the yard, and passing the turns over the yard, and down abaft. If the
sail has long gaskets, make them fast to the tye; if short, pass them
in turns close together, and make them fast to their own parts, jammed
as well as possible.
TO FURL A JIB.--Go out upon the weather side of the boom. See your
gasket clear for passing. The handiest way usually is, to make it up on
its end, take a hitch over the whole with the standing part, and let it
hang. Haul the sail well upon the boom, getting the clew, and having
the sheet pennant hauled amidships. Cast the hitch off the gasket, take
it in your hand, and pass two or three turns, beginning at the head;
haul them taut; and so on to the clew. Pass the turns over and to
windward. This will help to bring the sail upon the boom and to
windward. Make the end fast to the stay, to the withe, or to the boom
inside the cap, in any way that shall keep it from slipping back, which
it might do if made fast to its own part round the boom. If there is
but one hand on the boom, the first turns may be hauled taut enough to
keep the sail up for the time; then, after the gasket is fast, go out
to the head, and haul each turn well taut, beating the sail down with
the hand. Be careful to confine the clew well.
TO STOW A JIB IN CLOTH.--Haul the jib down snugly, and get it fairly up
on the boom. Overhaul the after leech until you come to the first
straight cloth. Gather this cloth over the rest of the sail on the
boom, stopping the outer end of the cloth with a rope-yarn round the
jib stay. If the jib halyards are double, stop the block inside the
sail. Cover the sail well up with the cloth, stopping it at every two
feet with rope-yarns round the sail and boom. If you are to lie in port
for a long time, cast off the pennant, stow the clew on the boom,
snugly under the cloth, which will be stopped as before with
rope-yarns.
TO REEF A TOPSAIL.--Round in on the weather brace, ease off the
halyards, and clew the yard down by the clewlines and reef-tackles.
Brace the yard in nearly to the wind, and haul taut both braces. Haul
out the reef-tackles, make fast, and haul taut the buntlines. Before
going upon the yard, see that it is well down by the lifts. Let the
best men go to the yard-arms, and the light hands remain in the slings.
Cast adrift the weather earing, pass it _over_ the yard-arm outside the
lift, down abaft and under the yard, and _up_ through the reef-cringle.
Haul well out, and take a round-turn with the earing round the cringle.
Then pass several turns round the yard and through the cringle, hauling
them well taut, passing the turns _over_ the yard, down abaft and
under, and _up_ through the cringle.[3] Having expended nearly all the
earing, hitch the remainder round the two first parts, that go outside
the lift, jamming them together and passing several turns round them
both to expend the rope. The bare end may be hitched to these two parts
or to the lift. The men on the yard light the sail out to windward by
the reef-points, to help the man at the weather yard-arm in hauling out
his earing. As soon as the weather earing is hauled out and made secure
by a turn or two, the word is passed--"Haul out to leeward," and the
lee earing is hauled out till the band is taut along the yard, and made
fast in the same manner. Then the men on the yard tie the reef-points
with square knots, being careful to take the after points clear of the
topgallant sheets.
[3] Be careful to pass the turns clear of the topgallant
sheets.
In reefing, a good deal depends upon the way in which the yard is laid.
If the yard is braced too much in, the sail catches flat aback and
cannot be hauled out, besides the danger of knocking the men off the
foot-ropes. The best way is to shiver the sail well till the yard is
down, then brace it in with a slight full, make the braces fast, and
luff up occasionally and shake the sail while the men are reefing. If
you are going before the wind, you may, by putting your helm either
way, and bringing the wind abeam, clew the yard down as the sail lifts,
and keep her in this position, with the yard braced sharp up, until the
sail is reefed; or, if you are not willing to keep off from your
course, and the wind is very fresh, clew down and clew up, and reef as
before directed.
All the reefs are taken in the same way except the _close reef_. In
close reefing, pass your earing _under_ the yard, up abaft and over,
and _down_ through the cringle. Pass all your turns in the same manner;
and bring the reef-band well under the yard in knotting, so as to cover
the other reefs.
As soon as the men are off the yard, let go the reef-tackles,
clewlines, buntlines, and topgallant sheets; man the halyards, let go
the lee brace, slack off the weather one, and hoist away. When well up,
trim the yard by the braces, and haul out the bowlines. A reefed sail
should never be braced quite sharp up, and if there is a heavy sea and
the vessel pitches badly, ease the braces a little, that the yard may
play freely, and do not haul the leech too taut.
TO REEF A COURSE.--As a course generally has no reef-tackle, you must
clew it up as for furling, according to the directions before given,
except that the clews are not hauled chock up. Lay out on the yard and
haul out the earings, and knot the points as for the first reef of a
topsail, seeing them clear of the topsail sheets. If a long course of
bad weather is anticipated, as in doubling the southern capes, or
crossing the Atlantic in winter, reef-tackles are rove for the courses.
If there are any studdingsail booms on the lower or topsail yards, they
must be triced up before reefing.
TO TURN OUT REEFS.--For a topsail, haul taut the reef-tackles and
buntlines, settle a little on the halyards, if necessary; lay aloft,
and cast off all the reef-points, beginning at the bunt and laying out.
Be careful to cast all off before slacking up the earing; for, when
there is more than one reef, a point may be easily left, if care is not
taken. Have one hand at each earing, cast off all the turns but enough
to hold it, and when both earings are ready, ease off both together.
Pass the end of the earing through the cringle next above its own, and
make it fast slack to its own part by a bowline knot. Lay in off the
yard, let go reef-tackles, clewlines, buntlines, and topgallant sheets;
overhaul them in the top and hoist away, slacking the braces and
trimming the yard. The reefs of a course are turned out a good deal in
the same manner; slacking up the sheet and tack, if necessary, and,
when the earings are cast off, let go clew-garnets, buntlines and
leechlines, board the tack, and haul aft the sheet.
TO SET A TOPGALLANT STUDDINGSAIL.--This sail is always set from the
top; the sail, together with the tack and halyards in two coils, being
kept in the top. If there is but one hand aloft, take the end of the
halyards aloft, _abaft_ everything, and reeve it _up_ through the block
at the topgallant mast-head, and _down_ through the sheave-hole or
block at the topgallant yard-arm, _abaft_ the sheet, and bring it into
the top, forward of the rigging, and make it fast to the forward
shroud. Take the end of your tack out on the topsail yard, _under_ the
brace, reeve it _up_ through the block at the end of the topgallant
studdingsail boom, bring it in _over_ the brace, overhauling a plenty
of it so as to let the boom go out, and hitch it to the topmast rigging
while you rig your boom out. Cast off the heel-lashing and rig your
boom out to the mark, slue the boom with the block up and make fast
round the yard. (The easiest way of passing the boom-lashing is to take
it over the yard and put a bight up between the head-rope and yard;
then take the end back over the yard and boom and through the bight,
and haul taut. This may be done twice, if necessary, and then hitch it
round all parts, between the boom and the yard.) The boom being rigged
out and fast, take the end of your tack down into the top and hitch it
to the forward shroud. Then take the coil of the tack and throw the
other end down on deck, outside of the rigging and backstays. (It is
well, in throwing the coil down, to keep hold of the bight with one
hand, for otherwise, if they should miss it on deck, you will have to
rig in your boom.) Throw down the hauling end of your halyards abaft
and inside everything. Now get your sail clear for sending out. Lay the
yard across the top, forward of the rigging, with the outer end out.
Bend your halyards to the yard by a fisherman's bend, about one third
of the way out. Take your tack under the yard and bend it by a
sheet-bend to the outer clew, and pay down the sheet and downhaul
through the lubber-hole. All being clear for hoisting, sway away on the
halyards on deck, the men in the top guying the sail by the sheet and
downhaul, the latter being hauled taut enough to keep the outer clew up
to the inner yard-arm. (Sometimes it is well to make up the downhaul as
is done with the downhaul of the topmast studdingsail.) When the sail is
above the brace, haul out on the tack, sway the yard chock up by the
halyards, and trim the sheet down. Make the end of the downhaul fast
slack.
A weather topgallant or topmast studdingsail should be set abaft the
sail, and a lee one forward of the sail. Therefore, in setting a lee
topgallant studdingsail, it is well to send it out of the top with a
turn in it, that is, with the inner yard-arm slued forward and out, so
that when the tack and sheet are hauled upon, the inner yard-arm will
swing forward of the topgallant sail.[4]
[4] It will assist this operation to keep hold of the outer
leech until the sail is clear of the top.
Small sized vessels have no downhaul to the topgallant studdingsails.
This saves confusion, and is very well if the sail is small.
TO TAKE IN A TOPGALLANT STUDDINGSAIL.--Let go the tack and clew up the
downhaul, dipping the yard abaft the leech of the topgallant sail, if
it is forward. Lower away handsomely on the halyards, hauling down on
the sheet and downhaul. When the yard is below the topsail brace, lower
roundly and haul into the top, forward of the rigging.
If the sail is taken in temporarily, stand the yard up and down and
becket it to the middle topmast shroud; make the sail up, hitch the
bight of the tack and halyards to the forward shroud, and haul up the
sheet and downhaul. If everything is to be stowed away, unreeve the
tack and halyards, and coil them away separately in the top; also coil
away the sheets and downhaul, and stop all the coils down by hitches
passed through the slats of the top. Rig the boom in and make it fast
to the tye. Sometimes the halyards are unrove from the yard-arm and
rounded up to the span-block, with a knot in their end.
TO SET A TOPMAST STUDDINGSAIL.--The topmast studdingsail halyards are
generally kept coiled away in the top. Take the end up, reeve it _up_
through the span-block at the cap, and _out_ through the block at the
topsail yard-arm, and pay the end down to the forecastle, forward of
the yard and outside the bowline. Pay the hauling end down through the
lubber-hole. Reeve your lower halyards. These are usually kept coiled
away in the top, with the pennant, which hooks to the cap of the lower
mast. Hook the pennant, reeve the halyards _up_ through the pennant
block, _out_ through the block on the boom-end, and pay the end down to
the forecastle. Pay the hauling end down _forward_ of the top. (Some
vessels keep their top-mast studdingsail tacks coiled away at the
yard-arm, and hitched down to the boom and yard. This is a clumsy
practice, and saves no time or trouble. The best way is to unreeve them
whenever the boom is to be rigged in, and coil them away in the bow of
the long-boat, or elsewhere. There is no more trouble, and less
liability to confusion, in reeving them afresh, than in coiling them
away and clearing again on the yard-arms.) Carry your tack outside the
backstays and lower rigging, clear of everything, out upon the lower
yard under the brace; reeve it _forward_ through the tack-block at the
boom-end, first sluing the block up, and pay the end down forward of
the yard. Rig the boom out to the mark and lash it. Get the
studdingsail on the forecastle clear for setting. Bend the halyards to
the yard, about one half of the way out. Hitch the end of the downhaul
over the inner yard-arm by the eye in its end, reeve it through the
lizard on the outer leech, and through the block at the outer clew
abaft the sail. Bend the tack to the outer clew, and take a turn with
the sheet. Clew the yard down by the downhaul, and make the downhaul up
just clear of the block, by a catspaw doubled and the bight of the
running part shoved through the bight of all the parts, so that hauling
on it may clear it and let the yard go up. Hoist on the halyards until
the sail is above the lower yard, guying it by the sheet and downhaul,
then haul out on the tack until the clew is chock out to the boom-end,
hoist on the halyards, jerking the downhaul clear, and trim down the
sheet.
TO TAKE IN A TOPMAST STUDDINGSAIL.--Lower away handsomely on the
halyards, clewing the yard down to the outer clew by the downhaul.
Slack up the tack, and lower away on the halyards, hauling down well on
the sheet and downhaul, till the sail is in upon the forecastle. The
sail may be made up on the forecastle, and the end of the tack and
halyards made fast forward, if it is to be soon set again. If not, cast
off all, unreeve your tack, hauling from aft, and coil it away. Unreeve
the halyards, or round them up to the block at the mast-head with a
knot in their end. Rig the boom in, and lash it to the slings.
TO SET A LOWER STUDDINGSAIL.--Before rigging out the top-mast
studdingsail boom, the lower halyards should always be rove, as before
directed. Reeve the inner halyards _out_ through a small single block
under the slings of the lower yard, and through another about two
thirds of the way out, and pay the end down upon the forecastle for
bending. Get the studdingsail clear, bend the outer halyards to the
yard, and the inner halyards to the inner cringle at the head of the
sail. Reeve the outhaul through the block at the swinging-boom-end, and
bend the forward end to the outer clew of the sail. Hook the
topping-lift and forward guy to the boom, and top up on it. Haul on the
forward guy, and ease off the after one, slacking away a little on the
topping-lift, until the boom is trimmed by the lower yard; then make
fast the guys and lift. Haul well taut the fore lift and brace, and
belay. Take a turn with one sheet, hoist away on the outer halyards,
and when about one third up, clear the downhaul, haul chock out on the
outhaul, and hoist well up by the halyards, which will serve as a lift
to the topmast studdingsail boom; and then set taut on the inner
halyards and trim down the sheet. The practice now is, and it is found
most convenient, to set the sail before rigging out the boom; then clap
on the outhaul and forward guy, and trim the boom by the lower yard.
TO TAKE IN A LOWER STUDDINGSAIL.--Let go the outhaul, and haul on the
clewline till the outer clew is up to the yard. Then lower away the
outer halyards, and haul in on the sheet and clewline. When the sail is
in over the rail, lower away the inner halyards. If the booms are to be
rigged in, cast off all the gear; making the bending end of the outhaul
fast in-board, and unreeving the outer and inner halyards, or running
the outer up to the pennant block, and the inner up to the yard block,
with knots in their ends. Ease off the forward guy with a turn, haul in
on the after guy, topping well up by the lift, and get the boom
alongside. Rig in the topmast studdingsail boom before unreeving the
outer halyards. It is a convenient practice, when the swinging boom is
alongside, to hook the topping-lift to a becket or thimble at the
turning in of the fore swifter, and the forward guy to a strap and
thimble on the spritsail yard.
In strong winds it is well to have a boom-brace-pennant fitted to the
topmast studdingsail boom-end with a single block, making a whip
purchase, the hauling part leading to the gangway, and belaying at the
same pin with the tack; or else, the brace may lead to the gangway, and
the tack be brought in through blocks on the yard, and lead down on
deck, beside the mast. The former mode is more usual.
The topmast studdingsail is sometimes made with a reef in it, to be
carried with a single reefed topsail; in which case it is reefed on
deck to the yard and sent out as before.
CHAPTER X.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF WORKING A SHIP.
Action of the water upon the rudder. Headway. Sternway. Action of the
wind upon the sails. Head-sails. After-sails. Centre of gravity or
rotation. Turning a ship to or from the wind.
A ship is acted upon principally by the rudder and sails. When the
rudder is fore-and-aft, that is, on a line with the keel, the water
runs by it, and it has no effect upon the ship's direction. When it is
changed from a right line to one side or the other, the water strikes
against it, and forces the stern in an opposite direction. For
instance, if the helm is put to the starboard, the rudder is put off
the line of the keel, to port. This sends the stern off to the
starboard, and, of course, the ship turning on her centre of gravity,
her head goes in an opposite direction, to port. If the helm is put to
port, the reverse will follow, and the ship's head will turn off her
course to starboard. Therefore the helm is always put in the opposite
direction from that in which the ship's head is to be moved.
Moving the rudder from a right line has the effect of deadening the
ship's way more or less, according as it is put at a greater or less
angle with the keel. A ship should therefore be so balanced by her
sails that a slight change of her helm may answer the purpose.
If a vessel is going astern, and the rudder is turned off from the line
of the keel, the water, striking against the back of the rudder, pushes
the stern off in the same direction in which the rudder is turned. For
instance, if sternway is on her, and the helm is put to the starboard,
the rudder turns to port, the water forces the stern in the same
direction, and the ship's head goes off to the starboard. Therefore,
when sternway is on a vessel, put the helm in the same direction in
which the head is to be turned.
A current or tide running astern, that is, when the ship's head is
toward it, will have the same effect on the rudder as if the ship were
going ahead; and when it runs forward, it will be the same as though
the ship were going astern.
It will now be well to show how the sails act upon a ship, with
reference to her centre of rotation. Suppose a vessel to be rigged with
three sails, one in the forward part, one at the centre, and the third
at the after part, and her left or larboard side to be presented to the
wind, which we will suppose to be abeam, or at right angles with the
keel. If the head sail only were set, the effect would be that the wind
would send the vessel a little ahead and off to the starboard on her
centre of rotation, so as to bring her stern slowly round to the wind.
If the after sail only were set, the vessel would shoot ahead a little,
her stern would go off to the starboard and her head come up into the
wind. If only the centre sail were set, the effect would be the same as
if all three of the sails were set, and she would go ahead in a
straight line. So far, we have supposed the sails to be set _full_;
that is, with their tacks forward and their sheets aft. If they were
all set _aback_, the vessel would go astern nearly, if the rudder were
kept steady, in a straight line. If the head sail only is set and
aback, she will go astern and round upon her axis, with her head from
the wind, much quicker than if full. So, if the after sail alone were
set and aback, she would go astern, and her head would come suddenly
into the wind.
These principles of the wind acting upon the sails, and the water upon
the rudder, are the foundation of the whole science of working a ship.
In large vessels the sails are numerous, but they may all be reduced to
three classes, viz., head sails, or those which are forward of the
centre of gravity or rotation, having a tendency to send the ship's
head off from the wind; after sails, or those abaft the centre of
rotation, and which send the stern off and the head toward the wind;
and lastly, centre sails, which act equally on each side the centre of
rotation, and do not turn the ship off her course one way or the other.
These classes of sails, if set aback, tend to stop the headway and send
the ship astern, and also to turn her off her course in the same
direction as when set full, but with more rapidity. The further a sail
is from the centre of rotation, the greater is its tendency to send the
ship off from the line of her keel. Accordingly, a jib is the strongest
head sail, and a spanker the strongest after sail.
The centre of rotation is not necessarily at the centre of the ship. On
the contrary, as vessels are now built, it may not be much abaft that
part of the deck to which the main tack is boarded. For the main
breadth, or dead-flat, being there, the greatest cavity will also be
there, and of course the principal weight of the cargo should centre
there, as being the strongest part. Therefore the centre of rotation
will greatly depend upon proper stowage. If the ship is much by the
stern, the centre of rotation will be carried aft, and if by the head,
it will be carried forward. The cause of this is, that when loaded down
by the stern, her after sails have but little effect to move her stern
against the water, and a very slight action upon the forward sails will
send her head off to leeward, as she is there light and high in the
air. Accordingly, to keep her in a straight line, the press of sail is
required to be further aft, or, in other words, the centre of rotation
is further aft. If a ship is loaded down by the head, the opposite
results follow, and more head and less after sail is necessary.
A ship should be so stowed, and have her sails so trimmed, that she may
be balanced as much as possible, and not be obliged to carry her helm
much off the line of her keel, which tends to deaden her way. If a ship
is stowed in her best sailing trim, and it is found, when on a wind,
that her head tends to windward, obliging her to carry a strong weather
helm, it may be remedied by taking in some after sail, or adding head
sail. So, if she carries a lee helm, that is, if her head tends to fly
off from the wind, it is remedied by taking in head or adding after
sail. Sometimes a ship is made to carry a weather helm by having too
much head sail set aloft. For, if she lies much over on a wind, the
square sails forward have a tendency to press her downwards and raise
her proportionally abaft, so that she meets great resistance from the
water to leeward under her bows, while her stern, being light, is
easily carried off; which, of course, requires her to carry a weather
helm.
The general rules, then, for turning a ship, are these: to bring her
head to the wind,--put the helm to leeward, and bring the wind to act
as much as possible on the after sails, and as little as possible on
the head sails. This may be done without taking in any sail, by letting
go the head sheets, so that those sails may lose their wind, and by
pointing the head yards to the wind, so as to keep the head sails
shaking. At the same time keep the after sails full, and flatten in the
spanker sheet; or, if this is not sufficient, the after sails may be
braced aback, which will send the stern off and the head to windward.
But as this makes back sails of them, and tends to send the vessel
astern, there should be either head or centre sails enough filled to
counteract this and keep headway upon her. On the other hand, to turn
the head off from the wind, put the helm to windward, shiver the after
sails, and flatten in the head sheets. Brace the head yards aback if
necessary, being careful not to let her lose headway if it can be
avoided.
The vessel may be assisted very much in going off or coming to, by
setting or taking in the jib and spanker; which, if the latter is
fitted with brails, are easily handled.
CHAPTER XI.
TACKING, WEARING, BOXING, &C.
Tacking without fore-reaching. Tacking against a heavy sea. Hauling off
all. To trim the yards. Flattening in. Missing stays. Wearing--under
courses--under a mainsail--under bare poles. Box-hauling--short round.
Club-hauling. Drifting in a tide-way. Backing and filling in do.
Clubbing in do.
TACKING.--Have the ship so suited with sails that she may steer herself
as nearly as possible, and come to with a small helm. Keep her a good
full, so that she may have plenty of headway. _Ready, About!_ Send all
hands to their stations. The chief mate and one, two, or more of the
best men, according to the size of the vessel, on the forecastle, to
work the head sheets and bowlines and the fore tack; two or more good
men (one usually a petty officer, or an older and trusty seaman) to
work the main tack and bowline. The second mate sees the lee fore and
main braces clear and ready for letting go, and stands by to let go the
lee main braces, which may all be belayed to one pin. Put one hand to
let go the weather cross-jack braces, and others to haul in to leeward;
the cook works the fore sheet, and the steward the main; station one or
more at the spanker sheet and guys; and the rest at the weather main
braces.
Ease the helm down gradually; _Helm's a-lee!_ and let go the jib sheet
and fore sheets. As soon as the wind is parallel with the yards,
blowing directly upon the leeches of the square sails, so that all is
shaking, _Raise tacks and sheets!_ and let go the fore and main tacks
and main sheet, keeping the fore and main bowline fast. As soon as her
head is within a point or a point and a half of the wind, _Mainsail
haul!_ let go the lee main and weather cross-jack braces, and swing the
after yards round. While she is head to the wind, and the after sails
are becalmed by the head sails, get the main tack down and sheet aft,
and right your helm, using it afterwards as her coming to or falling
off requires. As soon as she passes the direction of the wind, shift
your jib sheets over the stays, and when the after sails take full, or
when she brings the wind four points on the other bow, and you are sure
of paying off sufficiently, _Let go and haul!_ brace round the head
yards briskly, down fore tack and aft the sheet, brace sharp up and
haul your bowlines out, and trim down your head sheets.
It is best to haul the mainsail just before you get the wind right
ahead, for then the wind, striking the weather leeches of the after
sails, forces them round almost without the braces, and you will have
time to brace up and get your tack down and sheet aft, when she has
payed off on the other side.
If she falls off too rapidly while swinging your head yards, so as to
bring the wind abeam or abaft, _'Vast bracing!_ Ease off head sheets
and put your helm a-lee; and as she comes up, meet her and brace sharp
up. If, on the other hand, (as sometimes happens with vessels which
carry a strong weather helm,) she does not fall off after the after
sails take, be careful not to haul your head yards until she is fully
round; and if she should fly up into the wind, let go the main sheet,
and, if necessary, brail up the spanker and shiver the cross-jack
yards.
In staying, be careful to right your helm before she loses headway.
TO TACK WITHOUT FORE-REACHING, as in a narrow channel, when you are
afraid to keep headway. If she comes slowly up to windward, haul down
the jib and get your spanker-boom well over to windward. As you raise
tacks and sheets, let go the lee fore topsail brace, being careful to
brace up again as soon as she takes aback. Also, hoist the jib, and
trim down, if necessary, as soon as she takes on the other side.
TACKING AGAINST A HEAVY HEAD SEA.--You are under short sail, there is a
heavy head sea, and you doubt whether she will stay against it. Haul
down the fore topmast staysail, ease down the helm, and raise fore
sheet. When within about a point of the wind's eye, let go main tack
and sheet, lee braces and after bowlines, and _Mainsail haul!_ If she
loses her headway at this time, shift your helm. As soon as she brings
the wind on the other bow, she will fall off rapidly by reason of her
sternway, therefore shift your helm again to meet her, and _Let go and
haul!_ at once. Brace about the head yards, but keep the weather braces
in, to moderate her falling off. When she gets headway, right the helm,
and as she comes up to the wind, brace up and haul aft.
TACKING BY HAULING OFF ALL.--This can be done only in a smooth sea,
with a light working breeze, a smart vessel and strong crew. Man all
the braces. Let her come up head to the wind, and fall off on the other
tack, shifting the helm if she gathers sternway. When you get the wind
about five points on the other bow, _Haul off all!_ let go all the
braces and bowlines and swing all the yards at once. Right the helm,
board tacks and haul aft sheets, brace up and haul out.
TO TRIM THE YARDS WHEN CLOSE-HAULED.--In smooth water, with a light
breeze, brace the lower yards sharp up, and trim the upper yards each a
trifle in abaft the one below it. If you have a pretty stiff breeze,
brace the topsail yard in about half a point more than the lower yard,
and the topgallant yard half a point more than the topsail yard, and so
on. If you have a strong breeze and a topping sea, and especially if
reduced to short sail, brace in your lower yards a little, and the
others proportionally. This will prevent the vessel going off bodily to
leeward; and if she labors heavily, the play of the mast would
otherwise carry away the braces and sheets, or spring the yards.
MISSING STAYS.--If after getting head to the wind she comes to a stand
and begins to fall off before you have hauled your main yard, flatten
in your jib sheets, board fore tack, and haul aft fore sheet; also ease
off spanker sheet, or brail up the spanker, if necessary. When she is
full again, trim the jib and spanker sheets, and when she has recovered
sufficient headway, try it again. If, after coming head to the wind,
and after the after yards are swung, she loses headway and refuses to
go round, or begins to fall off on the same tack on which she was
before, and you have shifted the helm without effect, haul up the
mainsail and spanker, square the after yards, shift your helm again
a-lee, so as to assist her in falling off, and brace round the head
yards so as to box her off. As she fills on her former tack, brace up
the after yards, brace round the head yards, sharp up all, board tacks,
haul out and haul aft.
WEARING.--Haul up the mainsail and spanker, put the helm up, and, as
she goes off, brace in the after yards. If there is a light breeze, the
rule is to keep the mizzen topsail lifting, and the main topsail full.
This will keep sufficient headway on her, and at the same time enable
her to fall off. But if you have a good breeze and she goes off fast,
keep both the main and mizzen topsails lifting. As she goes round,
bringing the wind on her quarter and aft, follow the wind with your
after yards, keeping the mizzen topsail lifting, and the main either
lifting or full, as is best. After a vessel has fallen off much, the
less headway she has the better, provided she has enough to give her
steerage. When you have the wind aft, raise fore tack and sheet, square
in the head yards, and haul down the jib. As she brings the wind on the
other quarter, brace sharp up the after yards, haul out the spanker,
and set the mainsail. As she comes to on the other tack, brace up the
head yards, keeping the sails full, board fore tack and aft the sheet,
hoist the jib, and meet her with the helm.
TO WEAR UNDER COURSES.--Square the cross-jack yards, ease off main
bowline and tack, and haul up the weather clew of the mainsail. Ease
off the main sheet, and haul up the lee clew, and the buntlines and
leechlines. Square the main yards and put the helm a-weather. As she
falls off, let go the fore bowline, ease off the fore sheet, and brace
in the fore yard. When she gets before the wind, board the fore and
main tacks on the other side, and haul aft the main sheet, but keep the
weather braces in. As she comes to on the other side, ease the helm,
trim down the fore sheet, brace up and haul out.
TO WEAR UNDER A MAINSAIL.--Vessels lying-to under this sail generally
wear by hoisting the fore topmast staysail, or some other head sail. If
this cannot be done, brace the cross-jack yards to the wind, and, if
necessary, send down the mizzen topmast and the cross-jack yard. Brace
the head yards full. Take an opportunity when she has headway, and will
fall off, to put the helm up. Ease off the main sheet, and, as she
falls off, brace in the main yard a little. When the wind is abaft the
beam, raise the main tack. When she is dead before it, get the other
main tack down as far as possible; and when she has the wind on the
other quarter, ease the helm, haul aft the sheet, and brace up.
TO WEAR UNDER BARE POLES.--Some vessels, which are well down by the
stern, will wear in this situation, by merely pointing the after yards
to the wind, or sending down the mizzen topmast and the cross-jack
yard, and filling the head yards; but vessels in good trim will not do
this. To assist the vessel, veer a good scope of hawser out of the lee
quarter, with a buoy, or something for a stop-water, attached to the
end. As the ship sags off to leeward, the buoy will be to windward, and
will tend to bring the stern round to the wind. When she is before it,
haul the hawser aboard.
BOX-HAULING.--Put the helm down, light up the head sheets and slack the
lee braces, to deaden her way. As she comes to the wind, raise tacks
and sheets, and haul up the mainsail and spanker. As soon as she comes
head to the wind and loses her headway, square the after yards, brace
the head yards sharp aback, and flatten in the head sheets. The helm,
being put down to bring her up, will now pay her off, as she has
sternway on. As she goes off, keep the after sails lifting, and square
in the head yards. As soon as the sails on the foremast give her
headway, shift the helm. When she gets the wind on the other quarter,
haul down the jib, haul out the spanker, set the mainsail, and brace
the after yards sharp up. As she comes to on the other tack, brace up
the head yards, meet her with the helm, and set the jib.
BOX-HAULING SHORT ROUND; sometimes called _wearing short round._--Haul
up the mainsail and spanker, put the helm hard a-weather, square the
after yards, brace the head yards sharp aback, and flatten in the head
sheets. As she gathers sternway, shift the helm. After this, proceed as
in box-hauling by the former method. The first mode is preferable when
you wish to stop headway as soon as possible; as a vessel under good
way will range ahead some distance after the sails are all thrown flat
aback.
Few merchant vessels are strongly enough manned to perform these
evolutions; but they are often of service, as they turn a vessel round
quicker on her heel, and will stop her from fore-reaching when near in
shore or when close aboard another vessel.
CLUB-HAULING.--This method of going about is resorted to when on a lee
shore, and the vessel can neither be tacked nor box-hauled. Cock-bill
your lee anchor, get a hawser on it for a spring, and lead it to the
lee quarter; range your cable, and unshackle it abaft the windlass.
_Helm's a-lee!_ and _Raise tacks and sheets!_ as for going in stays.
The moment she loses headway, let go the anchor and _Mainsail haul!_ As
soon as the anchor brings her head to the wind, let the chain cable go,
holding on to the spring; and when the after sails take full, cast off
or cut the spring, and _Let go and haul!_
DRIFTING IN A TIDE-WAY.--As a vessel is deeper aft than forward, her
stern will always tend to drift faster than her head. If the current is
setting out of a river or harbor, and the wind the opposite way, or
only partly across the current, you may work out by tacking from shore
to shore; or you may let her drift out, broadside to the current; or,
keeping her head to the current by sufficient sail, you may let her
drift out stern first; or, lastly, you may _club_ her down. If the wind
is partly across the current, cast to windward. If you work down by
tacking, and the wind is at all across the current, be careful of the
lee shore, and stay in season, since, if you miss stays, you may not be
able to save yourself by wearing or box-hauling, as you might on the
weather shore. If the channel is very narrow, or there are many vessels
at anchor, the safest way is to bring her head to the current, brace
the yards full, and keep only sail enough to give her steerage, that
you may sheer from side to side. If there is room enough, you will
drift more rapidly by bringing her broadside to the current, keeping
the topsails shaking, and counteract the force of the current upon the
stern by having the spanker full and the helm a-lee. You can at any
time shoot her ahead, back her astern, or bring her head to the
current, by filling the head yards, taking in the spanker, and setting
the jib; filling the after yards, taking in the jib, and setting the
spanker; or by bracing all aback.
BACKING AND FILLING IN A TIDE-WAY.--Counter-brace your yards as in
lying-to, and drift down broadside to the current. Fill away and shoot
ahead, or throw all aback and force her astern, as occasion may
require. When you approach the shore on either side, fill away till she
gets sufficient headway, and put her in stays or wear her round.
CLUBBING IN A TIDE-WAY.--Drift down with your anchor under your foot,
heaving in or paying out on your cable as you wish to increase or
deaden her way. Have a spring on your cable, so as to present a
broadside to the current. This method is a troublesome and dangerous
one, and rarely resorted to. An anchor will seldom drag clear, through
the whole operation.
CHAPTER XII.
GALES OF WIND, LYING-TO, GETTING ABACK, BY THE LEE, &C.
Lying-to.--choice of sails. Scudding. Heave-to after scudding. Taken
aback. Chappelling. Broaching-to. By the lee.
LYING-TO.--The best single sail to lie-to under, is generally thought
to be a close-reefed maintopsail. The fore or the main spencer (sails
which are used very much now instead of main and mizzen staysails) may
be used to advantage, according as a ship requires sail more before or
abaft the centre of gravity. If a ship will bear more than one sail, it
is thought best to separate the pressure. Then set the fore and main
spencers; or (if she carries staysails instead) the main and mizzen
staysail; or, if she is easier under lofty sail, the fore and main
topsails close-reefed. A close-reefed main topsail, with three lower
storm staysails; or, with the two spencers, fore topmast staysail, and
reefed spanker, is considered a good arrangement for lying-to. If the
fore topmast staysail and balance-reefed spanker can be added to the
two close-reefed topsails, she will keep some way, will go less to
leeward, and can be easily wore round. Close-reefed topsails are used
much more now for lying-to than the courses. As ships are now built,
with the centre of gravity farther forward, and the foremast stepped
more aft, they will lie-to under head sail better than formerly. Some
vessels, which are well down by the stern, will lie-to under a reefed
foresail, as this tends to press her down forward; whereas, if she had
much after sail, she would have all the lateral resistance of the water
aft, and would come up to the wind. In carrying most head or after
sail, you must be determined by the trim of the vessel, her tendency to
come to or go off, and as to whether the sail you use will act as a
lifting or a burying sail.
A topsail has an advantage over a spencer or lower staysail for
lying-to, since it steadies the ship better, and counteracts the heavy
weather roll, which a vessel will give under low and small fore-and-aft
sails.
SCUDDING.--The most approved sail for scudding is the close-reefed
maintopsail, with a reefed foresail. The course alone might get
becalmed under the lee of a high sea, and the vessel, losing her way,
would be overtaken by the sea from aft; whereas the topsail will always
give her way enough and lift her. The foresail is of use in case she
should be brought by the lee. Many officers recommend that the fore
topmast staysail, or fore storm staysail, should always be set in
scudding, to pay her off if she should broach-to, and with the sheets
hauled flat aft.
It has been thought that with the wind quartering and a heavy sea, a
vessel is more under command with a close-reefed foretopsail and
maintopmast staysail. The foretopmast staysail may also be hoisted. If
the ship flies off and gets by the lee, the foretopsail is soon braced
about, and, with the maintopmast staysail sheet shifted to the other
side, the headway is not lost.
TO HEAVE-TO AFTER SCUDDING.--Secure everything about decks, and watch a
smooth time. Suppose her to be scudding under a close-reefed
maintopsail and reefed foresail; haul up the foresail, put the helm
down, brace up the after yards, and set the mizzen staysail. As she
comes to, set the main staysail, meet her with the helm, brace up the
head-yards, and set the fore or foretopmast staysail.
If your vessel labors much, ease the lee braces and the halyards, that
everything may work fairly aloft, and let her have a plenty of helm, to
come to and fall off freely with the sea. The helmsman will often let
the wheel fly off to leeward, taking care to meet her easily and in
season. The sails should be so arranged as to require little of the
rudder.
TAKEN ABACK.--It will frequently happen, when sailing close-hauled,
especially in light winds, from a shift of wind, from its dying away,
or from inattention, that the ship will come up into the wind, shaking
the square sails forward. In this case, it will often be sufficient to
put the helm hard up, flatten in the head sheets, or haul their bights
to windward, and haul up the spanker. If this will not recover her, and
she continues to come to, box her off. Raise fore tack and sheet, haul
up the spanker and mainsail, brace the head-yards aback, haul the jib
sheets to windward, and haul out the lee bowlines. When the after sails
fill, _Let go and haul!_ This manoeuvre of boxing can only be
performed in good weather and light winds, as it usually gives a vessel
sternway.
If the wind has got round upon the other bow, and it is too late for
box-hauling, square the yards fore and aft, keeping your helm so as to
pay her off under sternway; and, as the sails fill, keep the after
yards shaking, and haul up the spanker and mainsail, squaring the
head-yards, and shifting your helm as she gathers headway.
CHAPPELLING.--This operation is performed when, instead of coming to,
you are taken aback in light winds. Put the helm up, if she has
headway, haul up the mainsail and spanker, and square the after yards.
Shift the helm as she gathers sternway, and when the after sails fill,
and she gathers headway, shift your helm again. When she brings the
wind aft, brace up the after yards, get the main tack down and sheet
aft, and haul out the spanker as soon as it will take. The head braces
are not touched, but the yards remain braced as before. The former mode
of wearing, by squaring the head-yards when the after sails are full,
has great advantages over chappelling, as the vessel will go off faster
when the wind is abeam and abaft, and will come to quicker when the
wind gets on the other side.
BROACHING-TO.--This is when a vessel is scudding, and comes up into the
wind and gets aback. For such an accident, the foretopmast staysail is
set, which will act as an off-sail, so that by keeping the helm up,
with the maintopsail (if set) braced into the wind, she will pay off
again without getting sternway. If the close-reefed foretopsail is
carried instead of the main, it can be easily filled.
BROUGHT BY THE LEE.--This is when a vessel is scudding with the wind
quartering, and falls off so as to bring the wind on the other side,
laying the sails aback. This is more likely to occur than broaching-to,
especially in a heavy sea. Suppose the vessel to be scudding under a
close-reefed maintopsail and reefed foresail, with the wind on her
larboard quarter. She falls off suddenly and brings the wind on the
starboard quarter, laying all aback. Put your helm hard a-starboard,
raise fore tack and sheet, and fill the foresail, shivering the
maintopsail. When she brings the wind aft again, meet her with the
helm, and trim the yards for her course.
CHAPTER XIII.
ACCIDENTS.
On beam-ends. Losing a rudder. A squall. A man overboard. Collision.
Rules for vessels passing one another.
ON BEAM-ENDS.--A vessel is usually thrown upon her beam-ends by a
sudden squall taking her, when under a press of sail, and shifting the
ballast. She must be righted, if possible, without cutting away the
masts. For, beside sacrificing them, the object can seldom be
accomplished in that way, if the ballast and cargo have shifted. Carry
a hawser from the lee quarter, with spars and other good stop-waters
bent to it. As the ship drifts well to leeward, the hawser will bring
her stern to the wind; but it may not cast her on the other side. If a
spring can be got upon the hawser from the lee bow, and hauled upon,
and the stern fast let go, this will bring the wind to act upon the
flat part of the deck and pay her stern off, and assist the spring,
when the sails may be trimmed to help her in righting. If she can be
brought head to the wind, and the sails be taken aback, she may cast on
the other tack. When there is anchoring ground, the practice is to let
go the lee anchor, which may take the sails aback and cast her. Then
the ballast and cargo may be righted.
If there is no anchoring ground, a vessel may still be kept head to the
wind, by paying a chain cable out of the lee hawse-hole; or by bending
a hawser to a large spar, which may be kept broadside-to by a span, to
the centre of which the hawser is bent. The same operation may be
applied to a vessel overset, and is preferable to wearing by a hawser.
Make fast the hawser forward to the lee bow, carry the other end aft to
windward and bend it to the spar, and launch the spar overboard. By
this means, or by letting go an anchor, though there be no bottom to be
reached, a vessel may often be recovered.
LOSING A RUDDER.--The first thing to be done on losing a rudder, is to
bring the ship to the wind by bracing up the after yards. Meet her with
the head yards, as she comes to. Take in sail forward and aft, and keep
her hove-to by her sails. A vessel may be made to steer herself for a
long time, by carefully trimming the yards and slacking up the jib
sheets or the spanker sheet a little, as may be required.
Having got the ship by the wind, get up a hawser, middle it, and take a
slack clove-hitch at the centre. Get up a cable, reeve its end through
this hitch, and pay the cable out over the taffrail. Having payed out
about fifty fathoms, jam the hitch and rack it well, so that it cannot
slip; pay out on the cable until the hitch takes the water; then lash
the cable to the centre of the taffrail; lash a spare spar under it
across the stern, with a block well secured at each end, through which
reeve the ends of the hawser, one on each quarter, and reeve them again
through blocks at the sides, abreast of the wheel. By this, a ship may
be steered until a temporary rudder can be constructed.
A rudder may be fitted by taking a spare topmast, or other large spar,
and cutting it flat in the form of a stern-post. Bore holes at proper
distances in that part which is to be the fore part of the preventer or
additional stern-post; then take the thickest plank on board, and make
it as near as possible into the form of a rudder; bore holes at proper
distances in the fore part of it and in the after part of the preventer
stern-post, to correspond with each other, and reeve rope grommets
through those holes in the rudder and after part of the stern-post, for
the rudder to play upon. Through the preventer stern-post, reeve guys,
and at the fore part of them fix tackles, and then put the machine
overboard. When it is in a proper position, or in a line with the
ship's stern-post, lash the upper part of the preventer post to the
upper part of the ship's stern-post; then hook tackles at or near the
main chains, and bowse taut on the guys to confine it to the lower part
of the preventer stern-post. Having holes bored through the preventer
and proper stern-post, run an iron bolt through both, (taking care not
to touch the rudder,) which will prevent the false stern-post from
rising or falling. By the guys on the after part of the rudder and
tackles affixed to them, the ship may be steered, taking care to bowse
taut the tackles on the preventer stern-post, to keep it close to the
proper stern-post.
A SQUALL.--If you see a squall approaching, take in the light sails,
stand by to clew down, and keep her off a little, if necessary. If you
are taken by one, unprepared, with all sail set and close-hauled, put
the helm hard up, let go the spanker sheet and outhaul, and the main
sheet. Clew up royals and topgallant sails, haul down flying-jib, haul
up the mainsail, and clew down the mizzen topsail. When you are before
the wind, clew down the topsail yards, and haul out the reef-tackles.
You may run before the squall until it moderates, or furl the light
sails, bring by the wind, and reef.
A MAN OVERBOARD.[5]--The moment the cry is heard, put the helm down and
bring her up into the wind, whether she is on the wind or free, and
deaden her headway. Throw overboard instantly life buoys, or, if there
are none at hand, take a grating, the carpenter's bench, or any pieces
of plank or loose spars there may be about decks; and let two or three
hands clear away a quarter boat. The best plan is, if the vessel was on
the wind, to haul the mainsail up and brace aback the after yards and
raise the head sheets; then, having her main yard aback, she will drift
down directly toward the man. Keep your head sails full to steady her,
while the after ones stop her headway.
[5] See Totten's Naval Text Book, Letter XX.
If you are sailing free, with studdingsails set, clew up the lower
studdingsail, brace up the head yards, haul forward the fore tack, and
keep the head yards full, while you luff up to back the after ones.
Lower away the boat as soon as it is safe, and, as the vessel will have
turned nearly round, direct the boat with reference to her position
when the accident happened and her progress since.
COLLISION.--If two vessels approach one another, both having a free
wind, each keeps to the right. That is, the one with her starboard
tacks aboard keeps on or luffs; and the other, if it is necessary to
alter her course, keeps off. So, if two vessels approach one another
close-hauled on different tacks, and it is doubtful which is to
windward, the vessel on the starboard tack keeps on her course, and the
other gives way and keeps off. That is, each goes to the right, and the
vessel with her starboard tacks aboard has the preference. The only
exception to this is, that if the vessel on the larboard tack is so
much to windward that in case both persist the vessel on the starboard
tack will strike her to leeward and abaft the beam; then the vessel on
the starboard tack must give way, as she can do it more easily than the
other.
Another rule is that if one vessel is going dead before the wind and
the other going free on the starboard tack, the latter must luff and go
under the stern of the former.
CHAPTER XIV.
HEAVING-TO BY COUNTER-BRACING. SPEAKING. SOUNDING. HEAVING THE LOG.
COUNTER-BRACING.--This is done whenever, with a breeze, a vessel wishes
to remain stationary, for the purpose of speaking another vessel,
sounding, lowering a boat, or the like. If you do not wish to stop your
way entirely, haul up the mainsail, square the main yards aback,
keeping the fore and cross-jack yards full, and the foresail, spanker
and jib set. If you wish to stop her way still more, back the
cross-jack yards also, haul up the foresail, and put the helm a-lee.
She will then fall off and come to, which you may regulate by the jib
and spanker sheets; and she may be ranged a little ahead, or deadened,
by filling or backing the cross-jack yards.
You may, on the other hand, back the head yards and fill the after
yards. The former method is called heaving-to with the maintopsail to
the mast, and the latter, with the foretopsail to the mast.
SPEAKING.--When two vessels speak at sea, the one to windward heaves
her maintopsail to the mast, and the one to leeward her fore. This is
in order that the weather one may the more readily fill without falling
off so as to run afoul of the other, and that the lee one may box her
head off and keep clear of the ship to windward. The weather one either
throws all aback and drops astern, or fills her after yards and shoots
ahead. The lee one shivers her after yards and boxes off.
If the weather ship comes too near the lee one, before the latter has
time to wear, the weather ship squares her head yards, drops her
mainsail, braces her cross-jack yards sharp aback, and puts her helm
a-weather. This gives her sternway, and the after sails and helm keep
her to the wind.
If three vessels communicate at sea, the weather and middle ones back
their main topsails, and the lee one her fore; then, in case of
necessity, the weather one fills her after yards and shoots ahead, the
middle one throws all aback and drops astern, and the lee one shivers
her after sails and falls off.
SOUNDING.--The marks upon the lead-lines have been given previously, at
page 17. To sound with the hand-lead, a man stands in the weather main
channels with a breast-rope secured to the rigging, and throws the lead
forward, while the vessel has headway on. If the depth corresponds with
the marks upon the line, as if it is 5, 7, or 10 fathoms, he calls out,
"By the _mark five_!" &c. If it is a depth the fathoms of which have no
mark upon the line, as 6, 8, or 9, he calls out, "By the _deep six_!"
&c. If he judges the depth to be a quarter or a half more than a
particular fathom, as, for instance, 5, he calls out, "And a quarter,"
or, "And a half, five!" &c. If it is 5 and three quarters, he would
say, "Quarter less six!" and so on.
TO SOUND BY THE DEEP-SEA-LEAD.--Have the line coiled down in a tub or
rack, clear for running, abreast of the main rigging. Carry the end of
the line forward on the weather side, outside of everything, to the
cat-head or the spritsail yard-arm, and bend it to the lead, which must
be armed with tallow. One man holds the lead for heaving, and the
others range themselves along the side, at intervals, each with a coil
of the line in his hand. An officer, generally the chief mate, should
stand by to get the depth. All being ready, the word is given, "_Stand
by! Heave!_" As soon as the man heaves the lead, he calls out, "_Watch,
ho! Watch!_" and each man, as the last fake of the coil goes out of his
hand, repeats, "_Watch, ho! Watch!_" The line then runs out until it
brings up by the lead's being on bottom, or until there is enough out
to show that there is no bottom to be reached. The officer notes the
depth by the line, which is then snatched, and the men haul it aboard,
and coil it away fair. If the lead has been on the bottom, the arming
of tallow will bring up some of it; by which the character of the
soundings may be ascertained.
The soundings, however, cannot be taken until the vessel's way has been
stopped or deadened. For this purpose, before heaving the lead, either
luff up and keep all shaking, or brace aback the main or mizzen
topsail, or both, according to your headway, keeping the head yards
full. If you are going free with studdingsails set, you may clew up the
lower and boom-end the topmast studdingsails, bring her up to the wind,
and keep the sails lifting, without getting them aback.
It has been laid down as a rule, that if the vessel sags much to
leeward, as when under short sail in a gale of wind, pass the line from
the weather side round the stern, clear of everything, and heave the
lead from the lee side; otherwise she would leave the lead too far to
windward for measurement, or for recovering it again. But in this mode
there is great danger of the line getting caught on the bottom or at
the rudder-heel. It must be very deep water if a vessel cannot be
managed so as to get soundings to windward.
HEAVING THE LOG.--One man holds the log-reel, upon which the log-line
is wound, another holds the glass, and the officer squares the chip;
and, having coiled up a little of the stray line, he throws the chip
overboard astern, or from the lee quarter. As he throws the chip, he
calls out, "Watch!" To which the man with the glass answers, "Watch."
As soon as the mark for the stray-line goes off the reel, he calls out,
"Turn!" and the man turns the glass, answering, "Turn," or "Done." The
instant the sand has run out, he calls, "Out!" or "Stop!" and the
officer stops the line and notes the marks. It is then wound up again
on the reel.
CHAPTER XV.
COMING TO ANCHOR.
Getting ready for port. Coming to anchor,--close-hauled--free. Mooring.
Flying moor. Clearing hawse. To anchor with a slip-rope. Slipping a
cable. Coming-to at a slipped cable.
GETTING READY FOR PORT.--Get your anchors off the bows, and let them
hang by the cat-stoppers and shank-painters. Bend your cables and
overhaul a few ranges forward of the windlass, according to the depth
of the anchorage and the strength of the tide or wind, and range the
remainder that you expect to use along the decks, abaft the windlass.
Have the boats ready for lowering, and a spare hawser, with some stout
rope for kedging or warping, at hand, coiled on the hatches.
COMING TO ANCHOR.--If you have the wind free and all sail set, take in
your studdingsails, make them up and stow them away, rig in the booms
and coil away the gear, and have all ready in good season. You may
then, as you draw in toward the anchorage, take in your royals and
flying jib, furling the royals if you have time. The topgallant sails
are next taken in, and the foresail hauled up. The topgallant sails may
be furled or not, according to the strength of the wind and the number
of hands. If you are before the wind, your mainsail will be hauled up,
or, if the sheet is aft, haul up the lee clew-garnet. Get your ship
under her topsails, jib and spanker. When near the ground, clew up the
fore and main topsails, put the helm down, haul down the jib and
flatten in the spanker. If you have too much headway, back the mizzen
topsail. Cock-bill your anchor and stream the buoy. When she has lost
her headway, let go the anchor. Let hands stand by to give her chain,
as she needs it.
If you come into anchoring ground close-hauled, haul in the weather
fore and main braces, and clew up. If the wind is light, you may square
the fore and main yards before clewing up. This will deaden her way. If
the wind is fresh, it would make it difficult to clew up the sails.
Haul down the jib, and come to by the spanker, or mizzen topsail and
spanker. If the wind is light, she may need the mizzen topsail; if not,
it may be taken in, and she may be brought to by the spanker. If she
has too much headway or there is a tide setting her in, throw all
aback.
MOORING.--A vessel is said to be moored when she rides with more than
one anchor, in different directions. The common method of mooring is,
when you have come to with one anchor, to pay out chain and let her
drop astern until you have out double the scope you intend to ride by.
Then let go your other anchor. Slack up the cable of the latter anchor,
and heave in on that of the first, until you have the same scope to
each anchor. You may also moor by lowering the anchor and lashing it to
the stern of the long boat, and coiling away the full scope in the
bottom of the boat. You may then pull off and pick out your own berth,
and let go.
If you wish to drop your second anchor in any other place than directly
to leeward of the first, you may, without using your long boat, warp
the vessel over the berth intended for your second anchor.
You should always moor so that you may ride with an open hawse in the
direction from which you are liable to the strongest winds. If you have
chain cables, you may moor with both cables bent to a swivel just clear
of the hawse hole, one chain coming in-board. In moderate weather, and
where you are not in a strong tide-way, it will generally be sufficient
to let go one anchor, since, if you have out a good scope of chain, you
will ride by the bight of it, and it will require a very heavy blow to
bring a strain upon the anchor.
In mooring, you should always have a shackle near the hawse-hole, for
clearing hawse. If it is just abaft the windlass, it will be convenient
in case you wish to slip your cable.
A FLYING MOOR--sometimes called a RUNNING MOOR.--Have both anchors
ready for letting go, with double the scope of chain you intend to ride
by ranged for the weather anchor, and the riding scope of the lee
chain. There are two ways of making a flying moor. One is to clew up
everything and let go the first anchor while she has sufficient headway
to run out the whole double range. When it is all out, or just before,
luff sharp up, brace aback to stop her way, and let go the other
anchor. Then heave in on the first and light out on the second, until
there is the same scope to each. This mode is almost impracticable in a
merchant vessel, where there is but one deck, and where the chain may
have to be paid out over a windlass, since the headway would in most
cases be soon stopped.
The other mode is, to lay all flat aback, and the moment the headway
ceases, let go your first anchor, paying out chain as she drops astern,
until double your riding scope is out. Then let go your second anchor
and heave in on the first.
CLEARING HAWSE.--When a vessel is moored she may swing so as to get a
_foul hawse_; that is, so as to bring one cable across the other. If
one cable lies over the other, it is called _a cross_. When they make
another cross, it is called an _elbow_. Three crosses make a _round
turn_. The turns may be kept out of a cable by tending the vessel when
she swings, and casting her stern one side or the other, by the helm,
jib and spanker. To clear hawse, trice the slack cable up by a line or
a whip purchase and hook, below the turns. Lash the two cables together
just below the lowest turn. Pass a line round the cable from outside,
following each turn, and in through the hawse-hole of the slack cable,
and bend it to the shackle. Unshackle and bend a line to the end. Rouse
the cable out through the hawse-hole, slacking up on the end line, and
tricing up if necessary. Take out the turns by the first line passed
in, and haul in again on the end line. Shackle the chain again, heave
taut, and cast off the lashings.
TO ANCHOR WITH A SLIP-ROPE.--This is necessary when you are lying in an
open road-stead, where you must stand out to sea upon a gale coming up,
without taking time to get your anchor. You must ride at one anchor.
Having come to, take a hawser round from the quarter on the same side
with your anchor, outside of everything, and bend its end to the cable
just below the hawse-hole. Have a buoy triced up forward, clear of
everything and carry the buoy-rope in through the hawse-hole, and round
the windlass, with three turns, (the first turn being _outside_ the
others,) and bend it to the shackle which is to be cast off when the
cable is slipped. Have another buoy bent to the end of the hawser which
is to be used for the slip-rope.
TO SLIP A CABLE.--When ready to slip, everything having been prepared
as above, unshackle the chain abaft the windlass, and hoist the
topsails, reefed, if necessary. Stream the buoy for the end of the
chain, and that at the end of the slip-rope aft. Take good turns with
the slip-rope round the timber-heads, at the quarter. Hoist the fore
topmast staysail and back the fore topsail, hauling in the braces on
the same side with the cable, so that she may cast to the opposite
side. Fill the after yards, and let go the end of the cable. Hold on to
the slip-rope aft, until her head is fairly off; then let go, brace
full the head yards, and set the spanker.
COMING-TO AT A SLIPPED CABLE.--Keep a lookout for your buoys. Having
found them, heave-to to windward of them, send a boat with a strong
warp and bend it to the slip-rope buoy, take the other end to the
capstan and walk the ship up to the buoy. Take the slip-rope through
the chock, forward, and heave on it until you get the chain, where the
slip-rope was bent to it, under foot. Make well fast the slip-rope,
then fish the buoy at the end of the chain, haul up on that buoy-rope,
and get the end of the chain. Rouse it in through the hawse-hole and
shackle it. Heave taut, until the bend of the slip-rope is above the
water, then take the other end round aft and make it fast at the
quarter-port again. Pass in the buoy-rope for the end of the chain, and
you are all ready for slipping again.
CHAPTER XVI.
GETTING UNDER WAY.
To unmoor. Getting under way from a single anchor. To cat and fish. To
get under way with a wind blowing directly out, and riding head to
it;--with a rock or shoal close astern;--when riding head to wind and
tide, and to stand out close-hauled;--wind-rode, with a weather
tide;--tide-rode, casting to windward;--tide-rode, wearing round.
UNMOOR.--Pay out on your riding cable, heaving in the slack of the
other. When the other is short, trip it, cat and fish, and heave in on
your riding cable. Instead of this method, the anchor which you are not
riding by may be weighed, if it is a small one, by the long boat. Send
the long boat out over the anchor, take aboard the buoy-rope, carrying
it over the roller in the boat's stern, or through the end of a davit,
clap the watch-tackle to it, and weigh it out of the ground. This done,
and the buoy-rope and tackle secured to the boat, heave in on the chain
on board, which will bring the anchor alongside, the boat approaching
at the same time. When under the bow, cast off the fasts to the boat,
heave up the anchor, cat and fish.
GETTING UNDER WAY FROM A SINGLE ANCHOR.--It is the duty of the chief
mate to see all ready forward for getting under way; the rigging fair
for making sail, the cat and fish-tackles rove, and the fish-davit at
hand. Heave short on your chain and pawl the windlass. Loose all the
sails, if the wind is light, and sheet home and hoist up topsails,
topgallant sails, and royals. If there is a stiff breeze, set topsails
alone, whole or reefed. You should always, if it will answer, cast on
the opposite side from your anchor; that is, if you are riding by your
starboard anchor, cast to port. Brace your head yards aback and your
after yards full, for the tack you mean to cast upon. The sails being
set, man the windlass again, give her a sheer with the helm, and trip
your anchor. The mate reports when it is away. As soon as it is away,
hoist the jib. The fore topsail aback will pay her head off. Put the
helm for stern-board. When her head is off enough, fill away the head
yards and haul out the spanker, shifting the helm for headway. Trim the
yards for your course, and make sail on her. If the wind is light and
the sea smooth, you may cat and fish your anchor after you get under
way; but it is best in a rough sea to keep the vessel hove-to until the
anchor is catted and fished.
TO CAT AND FISH AN ANCHOR.--When the anchor is lifted and brought under
foot, pawl the windlass, keeping a good hold on the chain. Overhaul
down the cat-block and hook it to the ring of the anchor. Stretch along
the cat-fall and let all hands tally on. Set taut on the cat-tackle and
pay out a little chain. Hoist away the anchor to the cat-head, and
belay the fall. Pass the cat-stopper through the ring of the anchor,
through the chock, belay it to the cat-tail, and seize it to its own
part. Overhaul down the fish-tackle, hook the lower block to the
pennant, and hook the fish-hook to the inner fluke of the anchor. Rig
out your fish-davit across the forecastle, and put the bight of the
pennant into the sheave-hole. Get a guy over it, near the outer end, to
keep it down, and another at the inner end, to keep it out. Get the
shoe over the side, to fend off the bill of the anchor. Hoist the fluke
well up, pass the shank-painter under the inner arm and shank, bring it
inboard, and belay and stop it to the timber-heads. Rig in the davit,
unreeve the cat-fall and fish-tackle.
A vessel may sometimes be got under way to advantage with the jib and
spanker; particularly if the wind is blowing directly out of the
harbor. Heave the anchor up at once. When it has broken ground, hoist
the jib, and, as she pays off, haul out the spanker. Keep her under
this sail until the anchor is catted and fished, then make sail and
stand out.
TO GET UNDER WAY, WITH A WIND BLOWING DIRECTLY OUT, AND RIDING HEAD TO
IT.--Suppose the ship to have her starboard anchor down. Heave short
and clear away the jib, and put the helm to port. Heave again until the
anchor is up to the bows. Cat and fish. When the anchor is a-weigh,
hoist the jib. Let her pay off under the jib. When she gathers headway,
shift the helm, and let fall the sails. When she gets before it, sheet
home and hoist the topsails, set the foresail, and haul down the jib.
Make sail aloft.
TO GET UNDER WAY, RIDING HEAD TO THE WIND, WITH A ROCK OR SHOAL CLOSE
ASTERN.--Suppose you wish to cast the ship on the starboard tack. Heave
in a safe scope on the chain, and run out a kedge with a hawser from
the starboard bow. Cast off the yard-arm gaskets and mast-head the
topsails, keeping the bunts fast. Heave taut on the hawser, and brace
the yards up for the starboard tack fore and aft, hauling the jib sheet
to windward. Heave up the anchor, taking in the slack of the hawser,
cat it, pass the stopper, and have all ready for letting go. Haul ahead
on the hawser, and as soon as the kedge is short a-peak or comes home,
sheet home the topsails, run up the jib, and put the helm a-starboard.
As soon as the jib fills, run the kedge up and take it in. When the
topsails take and she gathers headway, draw the jib, set the spanker,
board fore and main tacks, haul aft sheets, and right the helm. If she
falls off too rapidly when the topsails take, give her the spanker and
mainsail, easing off the jib sheet. When she comes to, haul aft the jib
sheet and board the fore tack. If, when the kedge is a-weigh, she falls
off on the wrong side, let go the anchor.
TO GET UNDER WAY, RIDING HEAD TO WIND AND TIDE, AND TO STAND OUT
CLOSE-HAULED.--Suppose you wish to cast to port. Heave short, keeping
the helm a-starboard. Set the topsails. Brace up the after yards for
the starboard tack, and back the head yards. Man the windlass and heave
up the anchor. When the anchor is a-weigh, hoist the jib. When she has
payed off sufficiently, fill away the head yards, shift the helm for
headway, set the spanker, and make sail. Cat and fish, either before or
after filling away.
If you have no room to cast on either side, but have a vessel on each
quarter, heave short, set the topsails, jib, and spanker, brace all the
yards half up for the starboard tack, weigh the anchor, and put the
helm to port. The tide acting on the rudder will sheer her head to
starboard. When the sails take aback and give her sternway, the rudder
and after sails will act against the head sails, and she will drift
fairly down between the two vessels. Keep her off or to, by the spanker
and jib. When you are clear, cast to port; or, haul up the spanker,
shiver the after yards, and let her go off before it.
TO GET UNDER WAY WIND-RODE, WITH A WEATHER TIDE; that is, a tide
setting to windward.--Suppose you wish to cast to port. Heave short,
loose the sails, and set the topsails. Square the after yards, and haul
in the starboard head-braces. Heave again, and, when you are a-weigh,
put the helm to port and hoist the jib. When she has payed off enough,
fill away the head yards and shift the helm for headway.
TO GET UNDER WAY, TIDE-RODE, CASTING TO WINDWARD.--Suppose the wind to
be a little on the starboard bow, and you wish to cast to starboard,
standing out on the larboard tack. Having hove short and set the
topsails, brace up the after yards for the larboard tack, and brace the
head yards aback. Weigh the anchor, keeping your helm to port, and
hauling the spanker boom well over to starboard. When she comes head to
the wind, hoist the jib, with the sheet to port. Shift the helm for
sternway. As she falls off, draw the jib, fill the head yards, and
shift the helm for headway.
TO GET UNDER WAY, TIDE-RODE, WEARING ROUND.--Suppose you have the wind
on your starboard quarter, and are obliged to wear her round and stand
out on the larboard tack. Set the topsails, square the head yards, and
shiver the after yards. When the anchor is a-weigh, put the helm hard
a-starboard, and give her the foresail, if necessary. Having headway,
she will go round on her keel, and you may proceed as in wearing.
If a vessel is in a confined situation, without room to cast by her
sails or by the tide, she may be cast by a spring upon her cable,
leading in at that which will be the weather quarter. The spring may be
bent to the ring of the anchor before it is let go, or it may be seized
to the cable just outside the hawse-hole.
It will be remembered that when a vessel is riding head to the tide,
the helm is to be put as though she had headway; and when the tide sets
from astern, as though she had sternway. But you should be reminded
that when you have the wind and tide both ahead, if the vessel, after
you weigh your anchor, goes astern faster than the current, the helm
must be used as for stern-board.
DICTIONARY OF SEA TERMS.
ABACK. The situation of the sails when the wind presses their surfaces
against the mast, and tends to force the vessel astern.
ABAFT. Toward the stern of a vessel.
ABOARD. Within a vessel.
ABOUT. On the other tack.
ABREAST. Alongside of. Side by side.
ACCOMMODATION. (See LADDER.)
A-COCK-BILL. The situation of the yards when they are topped up at an
angle with the deck. The situation of an anchor when it hangs to the
cathead by the ring only.
ADRIFT. Broken from moorings or fasts. Without fasts.
AFLOAT. Resting on the surface of the water.
AFORE. Forward. The opposite of abaft.
AFT--AFTER. Near the stern.
AGROUND. Touching the bottom.
AHEAD. In the direction of the vessel's head. _Wind ahead_ is from the
direction toward which the vessel's head points.
A-HULL. The situation of a vessel when she lies with all her sails
furled and her helm lashed a-lee.
A-LEE. The situation of the helm when it is put in the opposite
direction from that in which the wind blows.
ALL-ABACK. When all the sails are aback.
ALL HANDS. The whole crew.
ALL IN THE WIND. When all the sails are shaking.
ALOFT. Above the deck.
ALOOF. At a distance.
AMAIN. Suddenly. At once.
AMIDSHIPS. In the centre of the vessel; either with reference to her
length or to her breadth.
ANCHOR. The machine by which, when dropped to the bottom, the vessel is
held fast.
ANCHOR-WATCH. (See WATCH.)
AN-END. When a mast is perpendicular to the deck.
A-PEEK. When the cable is hove taut so as to bring the vessel nearly
over her anchor. The _yards_ are _a-peek_ when they are topped up by
contrary lifts.
APRON. A piece of timber fixed behind the lower part of the stem, just
above the fore end of the keel. A covering to the vent or lock of a
cannon.
ARM. YARD-ARM. The extremity of a yard. Also, the lower part of an
anchor, crossing the shank and terminating in the flukes.
ARMING. A piece of tallow put in the cavity and over the bottom of a
lead-line.
A-STERN. In the direction of the stern. The opposite of ahead.
A-TAUNT. (See TAUNT.)
ATHWART. Across.
_Athwart-ships._ Across the line of the vessel's keel.
_Athwart-hawse._ Across the direction of a vessel's head. Across her
cable.
ATHWART-SHIPS. Across the length of a vessel. In opposition to
fore-and-aft.
A-TRIP. The situation of the anchor when it is raised clear of the
ground. The same as a-weigh.
AVAST, or 'VAST. An order to stop; as, "Avast heaving!"
A-WEATHER. The situation of the helm when it is put in the direction
from which the wind blows.
A-WEIGH. The same as a-trip.
AWNING. A covering of canvass over a vessel's deck, or over a boat, to
keep off sun or rain.
BACK. _To back an anchor_, is to carry out a smaller one ahead of the
one by which the vessel rides, to take off some of the strain.
_To back a sail_, is to throw it aback.
_To back and fill_, is alternately to back and fill the sails.
BACKSTAYS. Stays running from a masthead to the vessel's side, slanting
a little aft. (See STAYS.)
BAGPIPE. _To bagpipe the mizzen_, is to lay it aback by bringing the
sheet to the weather mizzen rigging.
BALANCE-REEF. A reef in a spanker or fore-and-aft mainsail, which runs
from the outer head-earing, diagonally, to the tack. It is the closest
reef, and makes the sail triangular, or nearly so.
BALE. _To bale a boat_, is to throw water out of her.
BALLAST. Heavy material, as iron, lead, or stone, placed in the bottom
of the hold, to keep a vessel from upsetting.
_To freshen ballast_, is to shift it. Coarse gravel is called _shingle
ballast_.
BANK. A boat is _double banked_ when two oars, one opposite the other,
are pulled by men seated on the same thwart.
BAR. A bank or shoal at the entrance of a harbor.
_Capstan-bars_ are heavy pieces of wood by which the capstan is hove
round.
BARE-POLES. The condition of a ship when she has no sail set.
BARGE. A large double-banked boat, used by the commander of a vessel,
in the navy.
BARK, OR BARQUE. (See PLATE 4.) A three-masted vessel, having her
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