Signal-Lights.--The United States Regulations for Steering and Sailing,
and the Rules of the Road.--Fog-Signals.--Salutes.--Dipping
Colors.--Coming alongside.--Quarterdeck Etiquette.--Useful Articles of
Cabin Furniture.--Anchor Watch.--Method and System _versus_ Disorder.
SIGNAL-LIGHTS.
In all night sailing it is important to know the direction in which any
passing vessel is proceeding, and also to be able to give notice of the
direction in which one's own yacht is sailing, or, if she be at anchor,
to so denote, so as to avoid collisions; and, for this purpose, law and
custom have made certain fixed rules, the most important of which, and
those that are necessary for usual contingencies, are here appended.
RULES OF THE ROAD; OR, STEERING AND SAILING RULES OF THE UNITED STATES.
ARTICLE 2.--The lights mentioned in the following articles, and no
others, shall be carried in all weathers between sunset and sunrise.
LIGHTS FOR STEAMSHIPS.
ART. 3.--All steam vessels, when under way, shall carry
(_a._) At the foremast head a bright white light, so fixed as to show a
uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points
of the compass; so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side
of the ship, viz., from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on
either side; and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night,
with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least five miles.
(_b._) On the starboard side a green light, so constructed as to throw a
uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of
the compass; so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two
points abaft the beam on the starboard side; and of such a character as
to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of
at least two miles.
(_c._) On the port side a red light, so constructed as to show a
uniform, unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the
compass; so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points
abaft the beam on the port side; and of such a character as to be
visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at
least two miles.
NOTE._To fix firmly in the mind the side of the vessel on which the
lights belong, the following, although original, is recommended_: PORT
WINE _is red, and the_ RED LIGHT _is always on the_ PORT SIDE.
(_d._) The said green and red side-lights shall be fitted with inboard
screens, projecting at least three feet forward from the light, so as to
prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.
LIGHTS FOR STEAM-TUGS.
ART. 4.--Steamships, when towing other ships, shall carry two bright
white masthead lights vertically, in addition to their side-lights, so
as to distinguish them from other steamships.
LIGHTS FOR SAILING-VESSELS.
ART. 5.--Sailing-vessels under way, or being towed, shall carry the same
lights as steamships under way, with the exception of the white masthead
lights, which they shall never carry.
EXCEPTIONAL LIGHTS FOR SMALL SAILING-VESSELS.
ART. 6.--Whenever, as in the case of small vessels during bad weather,
the green and red lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept on
deck, on their respective sides of the vessel, ready for instant
exhibition; and shall, on the approach of or to other vessels, be
exhibited on their respective sides in sufficient time to prevent
collision, in such manner as to make them most visible, and so that the
green light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the red light on the
starboard side. To make the use of these portable lights more certain
and easy, they shall each be painted outside with the color of the light
they respectively contain, and shall be provided with suitable screens.
LIGHTS FOR SHIPS AT ANCHOR.
ART. 7.--Ships, whether steamships or sailing-ships, when at anchor in
roadsteads or fairways, shall, between sunset and sunrise, exhibit where
it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding twenty feet above the
hull, a white light in a globular lantern of eight inches in diameter,
and so constructed as to show a clear, uniform, and unbroken light
visible all around the horizon, and at a distance of at least one mile.
LIGHTS FOR PILOT-VESSELS.
ART. 8.--Sailing pilot-vessels shall not carry the lights required for
other sailing-vessels, but shall carry a white light at the masthead,
visible all around the horizon; and shall also exhibit a flare-up light
every fifteen minutes.
LIGHTS FOR FISHING-VESSELS AND BOATS.
ART. 9.--Open fishing-boats and other open boats shall not be required
to carry side-lights required for other vessels, but shall, if they do
not carry such lights, carry a lantern having a green slide on the one
side, and a red slide on the other side; and, on the approach of or to
other vessels, such lantern shall be exhibited in sufficient time to
prevent collision; so that the green light shall not be seen on the port
side, nor the red light on the starboard side. Fishing-vessels and open
boats when at anchor, or attached to their nets, and stationary, shall
exhibit a bright white light. Fishing-vessels and open boats shall,
however, not be prevented from using a flare-up light in addition, if
considered expedient.
RULES GOVERNING FOG-SIGNALS.
FOG-SIGNALS.
ART. 10.--Whenever there is a fog, whether by day or night, the
fog-signals described below shall be carried and used, and shall be
sounded at least every five minutes, viz.:--
(_a._) Steamships under way shall use a steam-whistle placed before the
funnel, and not less than eight feet from the deck.
(_b._) Sailing-vessels under way shall use a fog-horn.
(_c._) Steamships and sailing-ships, when not under way shall use a
bell.
STEERING AND SAILING RULES.
TWO SAILING-SHIPS MEETING.
ART. 11.--If two sailing-ships are meeting end on, or nearly end on, so
as to involve risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port,
so that each may pass on the port side of the other.
TWO SAILING-SHIPS CROSSING.
ART. 12.--When two sailing-ships are crossing so as to involve risk of
collision, then, if they have the wind on different sides, the ship with
the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the ship with the
wind on the starboard side, _except_ in the case in which the ship with
the wind on the port side is close-hauled, and the other ship free, in
which case the latter ship shall keep out of the way. But if they have
the wind on the same side, or if one of them has the wind aft, the ship
which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the ship which is to
leeward.
* * * * *
SAILING-SHIP AND SHIP UNDER STEAM.
ART. 15.--If two ships, one of which is a sailing-ship and the other a
steamship, are proceeding in such directions as to involve risk of
collision, the steamship shall keep out of the way of the sailing-ship.
SHIPS UNDER STEAM TO SLACK SPEED.
ART. 16.--Every steamship, when approaching another ship so as to
involve risk of collision, shall slacken her speed, or, if necessary,
stop and reverse; and every steamship shall, when in a fog, go at a
moderate speed.
VESSELS OVERTAKING OTHER VESSELS.
ART. 17.--Every vessel overtaking any other vessel shall keep out of the
way of the said last-mentioned vessel.
CONSTRUCTION OF ARTICLES 12, 15, AND 17.
ART. 18.--When, by the above rules, one of two ships is to keep out of
the way, the other shall keep her course, subject to the qualifications
contained in the following article:--
PROVISO TO SAVE SPECIAL CASES.
ART. 19.--In obeying and construing these rules, due regard must be had
to all dangers of navigation, and due regard must also be had to any
special circumstances which may exist in any particular case, rendering
a departure from the above rules necessary in order to avoid immediate
danger.
NO SHIP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TO NEGLECT PROPER PRECAUTIONS.
ART. 20.--Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any ship, or the owner
or master, or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to
carry lights or signals, or of any neglect to keep a proper lookout, or
of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary
practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.
The following diagrams are designed to illustrate the use of the lights
carried by vessels at sea as prescribed in the Regulations above, and
the manner in which they indicate to each vessel the position and course
of the other.
[Illustration: vessels approaching]
FIG. 1 (when the _red_ and _green lights_ are both seen).--A sees a
_red_ and _green_ light ahead. A knows that a vessel is approaching him
on a course directly opposite to the one he is steering, as B. If A sees
a _white masthead light_ above the _red_ and _green lights_, he knows
that the vessel B is a steamer. A should put his helm to port; and B,
seeing the same lights on board of A, should by the same rule put his
helm to port also.
FIG. 2 (when the _red light_ only is seen).--A sees a _red light_ ahead
or on the port bow. A knows that either, first, a vessel is
approaching him on his port bow, as B, or, second, a vessel is crossing
his bows to port in some direction, as D D' D" (Fig. 3). If A sees a
_white masthead light_ above the _red light_, he knows that the vessel
is a steamer, and is either approaching in the same direction as B (Fig
2), or is crossing to port in the same direction as D D' D" (Fig. 3).
In the first position (Fig. 2) A sees B a little on the port bow, B's
_red light_ exposed, and, by the diagrams, B should see A's _red light_
as well; in which case both vessels should put their helms to port.
In the second position (Fig. 3) A sees D on his starboard bow, and, from
the fact that he only sees D's _red light_, he knows that D must be
steering in some direction, as at D D' D"; at the same time, D D' D"
will see A's _green light on his port bow_.
In this case, A, having D clearly on his starboard bow, should put his
helm to starboard to turn from D, and D, having A clearly on his port
bow, should put his helm to port to turn to starboard from A.
FIG. 4 (when the _green light_ is seen, and the _red light_ is not
seen).--A sees a _green light_ ahead, or on his bow. A knows that
either, first, a vessel is approaching him on his starboard bow, as B,
or, second, that a vessel is crossing his bow in some direction to
starboard, as D D' D" (Fig. 5).
If A sees a _white masthead light_ above the _green light_, A knows
that the vessel is a steamer, and is either approaching him in the same
direction as B, or is crossing to starboard in some direction, as D D'
D".
In the _first position_ A sees B on his starboard bow, B's _green light_
exposed, and, by the diagram, B should see A's _green light_ as well; in
which case both vessels should put their helms to starboard.
In the _second position_ A sees D on his port bow, and, from the fact
that he only sees D's _green light_, he knows that D must be steering in
some direction, as D D' D"; at the same time D will see A's _red light_
on his starboard bow. In this case A, having D clearly on his port bow,
should put his helm to port to turn from D; and D, having A clearly on
his starboard bow, should put his helm to starboard to turn to port from
A.
SALUTES.
When lying in harbor in a well-ordered and disciplined yacht,
considerable ceremony is made in hauling down the colors at sunset,
and hoisting them at sunrise. It is customary to have this done with
great exactness, and to the very minute often, at which the sun rises
or sets, as ascertained by the nautical almanac, at the discharge of
a swivel or small cannon; when all the colors aloft, including the
ensign and private signal, should commence to descend towards the
deck together, and at the same rate of speed. To execute this graceful
ceremony it becomes necessary to post two hands at each of the
signal-halliards,--one to haul down the color, the other to check it on
its descent, so as to have it move with the same speed as the ensign, by
which all other colors are regulated; then, with two hands to each flag,
with the signal-halliards cast off, and every thing clear, and ready to
lower away, another hand is placed at the swivel, and when the
second-hand of one's watch touches the minute of sunset, the command
"Fire!" is given, and down drop gracefully and slowly all the colors
that are aloft. They may be set in the morning in the same way, or may
be made up in a bundle on deck, and hoisted to their position aloft,
when at a given signal, or discharge of a cannon, the stop is jerked
asunder, and they are unfolded to the breeze at the same instant of
time. This is a more graceful method than hoisting them up from deck,
which, at the best, causes a jerky movement of the bunting.
In a sloop-yacht the ensign is carried always at the end of the gaff,
when hoisted; and the burgee, or private signal, at the topmast head.
When passing a vessel at sea that has her colors set, it is always
courtesy to bend on one's own, and, as the nearest point is reached,
lower the ensign half way towards the deck, and then hoist it back again
to its position at the peak. This is called "dipping the colors;" and
the smaller vessel should always be the one to offer the courtesy
first.
If a man-of-war is met, care should be taken to be always the first; and
here it is proper to dip one's ensign three times, as is it also to any
large and important vessel, such as an European steamer moving along in
all her majesty: she will not neglect to answer the politeness.
In entering harbor, especially if there are other yachts lying at
anchor, it has become customary, at the same moment that the anchor is
dropped, to discharge a gun announcing one's arrival; and, if there are
other yachts present to whom the yacht is known, she will receive
probably a salute from each in return.
In coming alongside of a yacht at anchor, all persons who are not guests
of the captain, or especially invited, or of some rank or consequence,
should come to the port gangway. The starboard side of a vessel at
anchor is the captain's side, as is that side of the deck which is the
windward-side when she is under way. Ladies always come on board on the
starboard side, if the yacht be large enough to enter into all these
niceties of quarterdeck etiquette.
Every yacht that is large enough to admit of it should be fitted with a
ship's clock with watch movement, a swinging-lamp, and an aneroid
barometer; all of which are of great use,--the clock to give the time
which courses have been sailed; the lamp, light to the chart upon the
table; and the barometer, admonition of a change in the weather.
It is of great importance that an "anchor-watch," as it is called,
should be kept on all yachts, for many reasons. For instance, to see
that none of the sails get adrift in the night, should it come on to
blow; and to see that the anchor holds well, or to pay out more cable,
if necessary; to watch the lantern in the fore-rigging, and take care
that it does not go out, leaving the yacht at the mercy of the first
lumber-man that may come pitching into her.
Do not anchor too near the shore, so that good sea-room cannot be
obtained, should it be desired to get under way, to run out of the
harbor, or to pay out cable to hold on.
It is very easy to row to the shore in a tender, with the yacht well
out, but very hard to make an inch sometimes, when it becomes a
lee-shore.
These may seem trivial matters to be so careful about; but it is looking
out for all contingencies, and yet being without a particle of fear,
that makes the true yachtman,--always ready, and every thing always on
hand. It is for this very reason of being prepared, that fear is driven
out; whilst, with the careless one, in times of emergency the ropes
foul, the gaskets are missing, the anchor is not bent on, the lamp wants
oil, the lead-line can't be found, and the jib-halliards, not being
properly belayed and coiled down, unreve from the masthead block, and
every thing is "at sixes and at sevens."