Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-01

zlAAZ@[
1@--@s
THE SINGLE CAT.
But we can't all begin that way, and we
wouldn't want to IL we could, says The Detroit
News. A good way to learn to sail Is to go
along with some one who knows how, to obey
his orders promptly, and then, by observa-
ton, study and inquiry, find out why at one
time you had to haul in on line and at an
other to slack up on it, This can be done on
a large yacht, IL you have access to one, or on
a small saiboat; the principles in handling
ono are precisely the same as in handling the
other; and IL you once master the ideas-the
reasons why-you can apply them to a fore
and aft rugged vessel Of any size. But 1t is
not wise thing for any one to attempt to
handle ever 30 small craft under sail with
neither any experience nor any idea Of the
forces he has to contend with.
1t is doing this which causes the occasional
accidents on river and lake.
The various rigs in common use on fresh
water are:
The single cat.
Double cat.
Sloop.
Yawl
Schooner.
The single cat has only one mast and one
sail, and, because of the simplicity of rig, is
the best one for a beginner to start in with.
1t has a centerboard Tor a standing keel, as
should every boat propelled by sails because
without either Of these it is practically i'm
possible to beat to windward.
II a boat were made perfectly round like q
tub, and had no center board, it would only
60 in one direction, namely; before the wind,
o. in the direction towards which the wind is
blowing. A sail boat cannot be made to go
directly against the wind, but it is the
province of the designer, the builder, the sail
maker and the sailing master to make it go
as near the wind US possible.
Within four points of the compass is the
practical limit, though the Volunteer, the
most weatherly yacht in the world, points in
smooth water as high as three and half.
To get back to the cat boat. The mast is
stepped very close to the stem and according
to the size the sail may be stretched by means
Of a spirit leading up TO the upper and outer
corner-the peak-or by mesns Of a gaff to
hoist and lower. The tyro who essays to sail
the cat boat should steer and hold the sheet
rope in his hand; if he has companion, let
him act as ballast
Safety is tho first consideration, and the
beginners should learn to keep boat on her
bottom first and to get fast time out of her
afterwards.
So much for the cat boat, the sailing Of
which is almost simplicity itself
Then comes the double cat, the next
simplest rig. In this rig there are two masts
and two sails, each rugged like the sail in the
single cat. The foresail is generally larger
than the mansail IA missioner in this case)
and is the principal driving sail. Here there
are two forces at work, one in the fore and
the other in the after body of the boat. 1t
complicates things somewhat, but gives the
young sailor better control of the boat. If
the fore sheet is hauled in close and the main
sheet Stacked of the head Of the boat will
pay off from the wind and If the main sheet
is hauled in fiat and the fore sheet Stacked off,
the head Of the boat will be thrown up
towards the wind, and, with the helm down,
she will 60 in stays, maneuyer which will
be described in speaking of the sloop.
Getting towards larger boats, the double
cat is safer than the single cat They should
have two rigs, and the beginner should al
ways sail the boat with tho small rig, no
matter how light the wind or pleasant the
weather. In this, as in the single cat, the
sheets should never be made fast.
The sloop, when modified with the double
head canvas Of the cutter las is the case with
the modern compromise sloop cutter), makes
the most effective racing rig.
In speaking of the sloop, only one head sail
will be considered This is properly called
the jib, though sometimes misnamed the
staysail Here first comes into notice the
bowsprit, for which there is no use on the
single or double cat. Its purpose is to extend
the jib far enough outboard forward to bal
ance the mainsail, which extends outboard
aft
In small sloops the jib sheets should always
extend aft SO as to make the boat, il desira-
ble a single handler. For proper handling,
however, sloop should have a crew Of at
least four men-one to steer, one to tend
main sheet, one to trim jib sheets and another
to work forward clearing up.
NOW AS TO HANDLING THE sLooP.
II you are lying at anchor in place where
there is no current, make on your mainsail,
heave your anchor short, that is, SO that the
chain or rope holding it is up and down.
Make up your mind which way you want TO
"cast," that is, on which side you want the
yacht 10 fill away. Don't leave it to chance
or to luck, but choose sides and make it come
YOUR way. II you conclude to cast to port
that will bs taking the wind on the starboard
side put your helm ~ starboard, catch a
turn yourself with the starboard (weather)
jib sheet, have one man stand ready. to run
up tbs iib, another to break the anchor on
the word and have tho main sheet man push
the main boom over to port.
This will throw the stern OF the boat up TO
the wind somewhat, then break anchor and
up jill
As soon as she pays off and fills away trim
you Jib to leeward port side now, get some
OF your centerboard down aud you are ready
for the peasantest Of all sails-a beat 10 wind
ward.
iol are now on the starboard tack sails
trimmed To port Cnany yachtsmen " ho ought
TO know better get this mixed up and are
close hauled. IL the wind is down the river
and you are beating up, you go as close to
shore as the depth Of water will Justify aud
get ready TO so about ON the port tack
The order is "Ready about or Stand by
for stays according to the sweet will OF the
skipper The jib sheet man then gets down
To leeward, where the jb sheet is made fast,
the fOremast hand goes forward 10 clear up
and the main sheet man looks out to see that
that the main sheet does not foul as it comes
over, or 10 take in a little slack when the
strain is off If the skipper wants the mainsail
any flatter
When you spe TINT each one Is at his post
keep the boat avay tribe 10 give her good
headway going around, then sing out Hard
a-leen and down helm. Not hard down right
away, however, for that gives the boat an
unnecessary drag with the rudder across has