[44] That is, athwart or across the waist of the vessel, called
a-beam, because it is in the same direction that her beams lay, or at
right angles with her keel. Her head is then eight points from the
wind.--The wind is said to be abaft the beam, or before the beam,
according as the vessel’s head is more or less than eight points from
the wind.
Supposing that you have not jibed, starboard the helm a little, and let
the vessel spring her luff[45] with her head to the northward. Slack
the boom guy, and haul in the main-sheet. Haul aft[46] the jib-sheet,
and bowline[47] the foresail.
[45] Sail nearer to the wind.
[46] That is, toward the hinder part or stern.
[47] A rope made fast to the foremost shroud, and passed through a
thimble in the after-leach of the foresail, then round the shroud
again, and round the sheet.
If she come up fast, port the helm[48] a little, and meet her, then
right[49] it when she lays her proper course.
[48] Always put the helm the contrary way to that which you want the
vessel’s head to turn.
[49] That is, bring it a-midships; the same with _steady_.
Hook and haul taut the lee runner and tackle. You will now find it
necessary to carry the helm a little a-port or a-weather.
* * * * *
If, instead of directing our course eastward, we had preferred doing so
westward, we must have jibed previous to bringing the wind on the beam,
and then the preceding operations would necessarily have been, to a
corresponding extent, reversed.