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.