The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1893-10-21
TACKING A VESSEL.
AN EVOLUTION THAT REQUIRES
SklLLFuL SeAMANSAlP.

How ship IL Sailed In an Opposite
Direction from That FROM which tho
wind Is Blowing--A Critical Moment
on BOARD Sailing vessel
A western youth who had come TO the
metropolis TO see the sights, carried his in.
| designations TO Fort Hamilton, where n
view Of the ocean can be obtained He
g,,Eed with absorbed interest at the mighty
eNpanse OF waters, and, after becoming
S,tcd with the spectacle, turned his attcn
tion to other objects
Out in the hay full rugged sailing ship
was beating her way up the channel, max
| ing short reaches against the adverse wink
On the hotel pavilion near the westcrncr
stood u man with Il telescope under his arm
couvcrSiug with an aged boatman,
The youth listened to the conversation
and. looking at the object OF il, saw what
WAS to him very strange thing. First
one set of yards ON the vessel were swung
around. then another pyramid Of canvas
hraced new way, and finally, when the
course Of the ship was altered to AN almost
opposite direction to the course she had
been sailing the young mans curiosity got
the better Of him and he asked what il
meant.
The boatman gave the inquirer pitying
glance and calculated the single word
'TackingW
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
drew up chair and explained why the evo
luton il performed and the method by
which it is done For the benefit Of the
many who have never given the subject n
thought, ~ we'll as for those who in dim
way realize that winds are not always fair
without understanding what seamcn do
on such occasions, his explanation is here
given.
THEORY OF TACHING.
When square rugged vessel is headed
Oft 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 II half
to six compass points Thus, il a ships
port lies due north and the wind is from
that direction, the vessel braces her yards
sharp up and sails IA close TO the wind as
her rig will permit Under these condi
tions her course will be alternately east
mort rtheaSt and weStnorthwest, and the ship
will obiquey approach her destination,
nearing il continually in the proportion Of
about oue-third Of the distance traversed
II slanting toward her destination on the
eaSterly course, the vessel will he what Is
technically known rs on the port tack.
There are several methods by which il can
be altered to the opposite one, but the op
GRAFTON known rs lacking" is usually
reSorted To.
To tack successfully requires consider
able judgment and skill, as we'll as thor
ough knowledge Of the qualities Of the
vessel. as some work quicker and some
slower than Others Some will gain several
times their length directly to windyard
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 mainsai instead that being farthest
to windward and the first to shlyer when
the ship comes too near the wind
THE CRITICAL MOMENT.
The boatSwain's call Ready, aboutl
Stations for stays" summons every man
on deck when it is thought necessary to 60
about on the opposite tack. At the call
every one repairs to his allotted station,
some aoft 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 helmsman is sent to the wheel,
and when he takes it, the previous order,
, Full and byr is changed to Keep full
for staysp' In obedience to it the helm is
put up, and, rs 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 tC
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 mainsail is
clewed up to the yard the men spring tc
the weather braces The ship continues
TO swing until she brings the wind directly
ahead, and every sail is fiat aback.
This il the critical moment, and very fire
quently vessel misses stays owing TO the
after yards being swung too soon or toe
|
fcer gives the command, "Mainsail haulp'
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 we'll tautl Let go anl
I haulp' is given The head yards are braced
smartly about and if the operation has
been successful the vessel stands away on
n the other tack
OTHER METHODS.
e Wearing ship" is another method Of go
! ing from one tack to another, and is usual
D Iy resorted to when the wind is too heavy
( to make the operation of tacking practi,
; cable. 1t is the exact reverse of tacking,
inasmuch as the ship is allowed to run of
from her course and make sweep OF the
horizon before coming back to 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
t ever can be carried. Under such circum.
G stances the vessel has to wear under bare
poles" and To accomplish it in safety taxes
! every resource of the seaman and requires
all his skill 10 make the ships head pay
, off when no canvas can be shown, tarpau
, Inns are spread on the forward rigging.
, Should these blow into ribbons as they
sometimes do in very heavy gales a body
of seamen are ordered into the forward
shrouds, If all else fails and the neces.
sites of the case warrant it, the mizzen,
: mast is cut away as last resort and used