The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-13
TACKING A VESSEL.
AN EVOLUTION THAT REQUIRES
SNLLFUl SEAMANSHiP.

SkiDlf u SEANaRiNSr1tHs
How a Ship L. Sailed in an Opposite
Wind Is BIowins-A Critical Moment
ON Board a Sailing Vessel.
A western youth who had come TO the
metropolis to see the sights. carried his in
vestigations TO Fort Hamilton. where a
view of the ocean can he obtained He
gazed with absorbed interest at the mighty
exoanse of waters, and, after becoming
stated with the spectacle, turned his atten-
ton TO other objects.
Out in the bay full rugged sailing ship
was beating her way up the channel. max
ing short reaches gairst the adverse wind.
On the hotel pavilion ne.sr the westerner
stood a man with TELESCOPES under his arm
converSing with an aged boatBan.
The youth listened TO the conversation
ami. looking at the object of it, saw what
was to him very strange thing. First
one set of yards on the vessel were swung
around, then another pyramid of canvas
braced a new way, ami finally, when the
course of the ship was altered 10 an almost
opposite direction TO the course she had
the better OF him and he asked what it
meant
The boatnan gave the inquirer plying
glance and calculated the single word.
'Tacking!'
But ! don't know what that means"
protested the seeker after information.
The man with the glass laughed and said
the majority of people didn't. He then
ol, fb.aa
luton is performed ard the method by
which it is done. For the benefit of the
many who have never given the subject
thought, as we'll as for those who in a dim
way realize that winds are not always fair,
without understanding what seamen do
or such occasions, his explanation is here
given.
THEORY OF TACKING.
When a square rugged vessel Is headed
off from her course-that is, when the
wind blows from the point in which her
destination lies-the nearest she can steer
to her true course is from five and half
to six compass points. Thus. if ships
port lies due north and the wind is from
that direction. the vessel braces her yards
sharp up and sails as close to the wind as
her rig will permit Under these condi-
tons her course viii be alternately east
northeast and wcstnorthwest, and the ship
will obliquely approach her destination,
nearing it continually in the proportion Of
about one-third of the distance traversed.
If slanting toward her destination on the
easterly course, the vessel will be what is
technically known as on the port tack
There are several methods by which it can
be altered to the opposite one, but the op
a
resorted TO-
To tack successfully requires consider
able Judgment and skill, as well as u thor
ough knowledge of the qualities of the
vessel as some work quicker and some
slower than others. Some viii gain several
times their length directly to windward
while in stays, while others will gather
sternboard and lose ground before standing
away on either tack
When the vessel is headed off her course
by an adverse wind, the compass is ignored
by the helmsman. who watches the leach
of the mainsail instead, that being farthest
to windward and the first to SILVER when
the ship comes too near the wind.
THE CRITICAL MOMENT.
The boatswain's call, Ready, aboutl
Stations for stays" summons every man
about on the opposite tack. At the call
every one repairs to his allotted station,
some aloft to overhaul the lifts and some
to the gear for chewing up the mainsail.
The majority of the force is distributed
upon the weather main and the lee cross
jack braces.
The best be.msman is sent TO the wheel,
and when he taxes it, the previous order,
LNv,Il I--pf II 70 full
for staysr' In obedience to it the helm is
put up, and, as the ship lays her broad
side to the wind and springs forward with
increased speed, the officer in charge gives
the command, Helms a-leer'
Answering her helm the ship sweeps up
into the wind, and as the sails begin to
shiver, the order Rise tacks and sheets"
is given, followed by the tramp of feet on
deck As the men walk away with the clew
garnets. AS soon as the heavy mainsal is
clewed up to the yard the men spring to
the weather braces. The ship continues
to swing until she brings the wind directly
ahead, and every sail is fat aback.
This is the critical moment. and very fire.
quently q vessel misses stays, owing TO the
after yards being swung too soon or too
late Watching the weather vane, the Of
and the pyramids of canvas are swung
around until the yards are pointed at an
opposite angle to that TO which they pre-
viously pointed. The ships head pays of
rapidly under the pressure upon the fore
mast sails, which with the head sails, are
still aback As the after sails FILL the last
command, Haul well tauti Let go and
haul?' is given. The head yards are braced
smartly about. and if the operation has
been successful the vessel stands away on
the other tack
OTHER METHODS.
wearing ship is another method OF go
ing from one tack 10 another, and is usual
Iy resorted to when the wind is too heavy
70 make the operation OF lacking practi-
cable 1t is the exact reverse of lacking,
inasmuch as the ship is allowed to run oil
from her course and make q sweep OF the
horizon before coming back 70 the wind
again on the opposite tack.
1t sometimes becomes necessary for ship
to go on another tack when the wind Is
blowing with such force that no sail what
ever can be carried. Under such cirCum-
stances the vessel has 10 wear under bare
poles" ard 70 accomplish it in safety taxes
every resource Of the SEAMAN and requires
ali MS skill To max. the ships head pay
on when no canvas can be shown, t2rpau-
Inns are spread on the forward rigging.
Should these blow into ribbons, a. they
sometimes DO in very heavy gales. a body
Of seauen are ordered into the forward
shrouds. II ali else fails and the neces-
cities Of the case warrant il. the miZzen-