The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-21


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THE SINGLE CAT.
But we can't all begin that way, and we
wouldn't want to if 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 a line and at an
other to slack up on it. This can be done on
a large yacht, if you have access to one, or on
small sailboat; the principles in handling
one are precisely the same as in handling the
other; and if you once master the ideas-the
reasons why-you can apply them to fore
and aft rugged vessel OF any sic But it is
not wise thing for any one to attempt to
handle ever SO small craft under sail with
neither any experience nor any idea of the
forces he has to contend with.
It 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.
SIoop.
Cutter.
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 im-
possible to beat to windward.
If 4 boat were made perfectly round like a
3, l., - l.
50 in one direction, namely: before the wind,
or 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 as 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 b If.
To get back to the cat boat. The mast is
stepped very close to the stem, and according
20 the size the sail may be stretched by means
of q spirit leading up to the upper and outer
oaruer-the peak-or by means Of gaf 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 a companion, let
him act as ballast.
Safety is the 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 mainsail Ia misnomer 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 off the head of the boat Will
nav off from the wind; and if the main sheet
Is hauled in fat 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 go in stays, maneuver which Will
be described in speaking of the sloop.
Getting towards larger boats, the double
est is safer than the single cat. They should
have two rigs, and the beginner should al
ways sail the boat with the small rig, no
matter how light the wind or pleasant the
weather In this, as in the Gingle 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 lib, 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 lib far enough cupboard forward to bal
auce the mainsail, which extends cupboard
aft
In small sloops the jib sheets should always
extend aft so as to make the boat, II deslra-
BILE, a single handler. For proper handling,
however, sloop should have crew OF at
least four men-one to steer, one to tend
main sheet, one to trim jlb sheets and another
TO work forward clearing up.
NOW As TO HANDLING THE SLooP.
If you are lying at anchor in place where
there is no current, make on your malnsall,
Eeave 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
44cast," that is, on which side you want the
yacht to fill away. Don't leave 1t to chance
or TO luck, but choose sides and make 1t come
your way. If you conclude to cast to port
that viii be taking the wind on the starboard
side-put your helm to starboard, catch q
turn yourself with the starboard tweatherl
6ib sheet, have one man stand ready to run
Up the jib, another to break the anchor on
Che word, and have the main sheet man push
the main boom over TO port
This will throw the stern of the boat up TO
the wird somewhat, then break anchor ana
up jib.
As soon as she pays off and fills away trim
you jib to leeward port side now, get some
Of your eenterboard down and you are ready
for the pleasantest Of all saifs-a beat to wind
ward
You are now on the starboard tack, sails
trimmed to port (nany yachtsmen who ought
20 know better get this mixed up and are
aiose hauled If the wind is down the river
spd Won are beating uD. you go as close to