Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-11-18
TACKING A VESSEL.
AN EVOLUTION THAT NEoulREs
skIlLFuL sEAMANsAIp.


Direction from Tha, from which the
wind Ia Biewiag-A Critical Moment |
on Hoard - sailing Vessel.
A western youth who had come to the
metropolis To see the sights, carried his In.
seStigations 10 Fort Hamilton, where
view of the ocean can he obtained He
gaxed with absorbed interest ut the mighty
expanSe OF waters. and. after becoming
a,ted with the spectacle. turned his atten
tion to other objects
| tut In the hay full rugged sailing ship
/ wins beating her way up the CHANNEL max
| INK short reaches against the adverse wind
| TN the hotel pavilion near the weSterner
| rtooi n man with telescope under hts arm
converting with AN aged boatman.
The youth listened to the conversation
and look ing ut the object OF IL, saw what
wa- to him n very strange thing. First
one set OF ysrls on the vessel were swung
around. then another pyramid OF canvas
brssret n new way and finally, when the
course Of the ship was altered To an almost
Opposite dirrction TO the course she had
leen sailing the young mans curiosity got
the hetter OF him aud he asked what II
meant
The boatman gave the inquirer n pitying
glance and eiaculsted the single word,
'Tackingh
'Rut | don't know what that means
protested the seeker after information
The man with the glass laughed and said
the majority Of people didnL He then
drew up chair and explained why the evo
luton In performed and the method by
which IL II done For the benefit Of the
many who have never given the subject n
thought, a- well as for those who In a dim
way realixe that winds are not always fair.
. without understanding what seamen do
. on such occasions his explanation is here
given.
THEORY on rAcKIso.
When n square rugged vessel In headed
OF from her course-thHt is, when the
, wind blows from the point In which her
: de~t ination lies-the nearest she can steer
70 her true course In from five and hall
|, 10 ak compass points Thus. II n ships
Z port lies due north and the wind In from
Z that direction. the vessel braces her yards
1 sharp up and sails AN close To the wind n
G her rig will permit. Under these condi
a tions her course will be alternately east
I northeast and weHtnorthwest, and the shiI
will obiquely approach her destination
b nearing II continually In the proportion o.
. about one thir,i OF the distance traversed
n sl,nting toward her destination on th,
q CftNtcFtl GOufT tUt NF%Ttft VIII wv W hht y
n technically known as on the port tack
- There ARE several methods by which IL car
e be altered To the opposite one. but the op
eration known lacking" n usual!
4 rssorted TO.
o. To tack successfully requires consider
10 able Judgment and skill. as we'll ~ "A thoi
ough knowledge OF the qualities OF th
W vessel Ms some work quicker and som
~ slower than others Some will gain sewers
times their length directly to windwar
o while In stays, while others will gHthe
n sIernboari and lose ground before standin
r away on either tack.
IN When the vessel is headed of her cours
= by an adverse wind. the compass Is ignore
by the helmsman. who watches the leac
Of the niainsail instead. that being farthes
TO windward and the first to shiver whe
the ship comes too near the wind.
THR CRITICAL MOMENT
nc The boatswain's call. Ready. abou
nv Stations for staysf" summons every ina
ON deck when II Is thought necessary 10 |
about on the opposite tack. AZ the ca
- every one repairs 10 his allotted static
''e some aioft TO overhaul the lifts and son
~ 20 the gear for chewing up the mainsa
The majority OF the force II distribute
az upon the weather main and the lee Gro
jack braces
" The hest helmsmAn In sent to the whe'
se and when he takes IL. the previous ords
Full and byr' In changed to Keep ~
vi for staysP' In obedience to II the helm
ne put up. and. as the ship lays her broa
~ side TO the wind and springs forward wi
c., increased speed. the officer In charge Civ
'n the command. Helms a-leef'
Answering her helm the ship sweeps
no into the wind, and M the sails begin
Or ~ ts tsas aha -
-, m given, followed By the tramp OF feet
ie' deck NJ the men walk away with the cl,
=, garnets A soon M the heavy mains,,il
clewed mp 10 the yard the men spring
- the weather braces. The ship contint
20 swing until she brings the wind direc
ahead. and every sail In fat aback.
q This h. the critical moment. and very Z
- quentiy vesssef misses stays. owing 10
w ~, after yards being swung too soon or I
~ late Watching the weather vane. the
u'' ~ fcer gives the command, "Mainsail hau
-. and the pyramids OF canvas are swu
~ ~ around until the yards are pointed At
e Opposite angle to that 10 which they .
-. -, viously pointed. The ships head pays
- rapidly under the pressure upon the TO
mast ssiis. which. with the head sails.
still aback. A. the after sails all, the J
command. "Haul well tauti let 60 q
uMnH kfscus ht uStA fAttAS af~ VI ~
a. smartiy about. and II the operation
been successful the vessel stands away
'" the other tack.
OTHER METHODS.
- wearing ship" Il another method OF
ing from one tack 20 another, and In usr
ly reeortesi 10 when the wind II too hes
- - 10 make the oIeration OF tacking pra,
cable II h the exact reverse OF tacki
-. tnASmuch m the ship IL allowed TO ruin
'''a' from her course and make a sweep Of
horizon before coming back TO the W
- again on the opposite tack.
IL sometimes becomes necessary for 3
- 10 20 on another tack when the wind
blowing with such force that no sail WI
ever can be carrisd. Under such circu
stances the vessel has TO wear under "b
! Doles." and TO accomplish it In safety ta
every resource OF the seaman and requi
all his skill To make the ships heal
ozf when no canvas can he shown. tarp
Inns are spread on the forward riggi
should these blow into ribbons, as q
sometimes do In very heavy gales. b
a. Of seamen are ordered into the forw
ny shrouds. II all else fails and the ne
sities OF the case warrant IL, the mizi
-. nsast is cut away as last resort and U
- n a drag.
as frequently the result OF all efforts
- ave an imperiled ship Ii summed M
- the brief announcement In some marit
journal "foundered at sea-"-New Y
the Rather Prank.