New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-25
THE SkII'F.
LEARNING TO BEAT

skf is steered by adjustment OF weight only, until
the soortman is within range
LEARNING TO BEAT
In this way you Will be moving the wind
the sail Will draw when you are at about posi-
ton in the boat. Your sail ia now hau.ed in
pretty fiat and you sailing not merely across
the wind. but also partly into II. You do this when
you want to beat up" from .eeward part OF the
bay to a w,adward part The grip OF the keel in
the water and the sail pressure on the boat and
the adjustment of the weight are how all nicely bal
anced. You know that you are sailing as near the
wind possible when there Is a slight futter IN
the luf tmdrked IA Of the sal. But II this Hutter
becomes too extensive the sail flags. Then you are
close. and you lean back toward the stern to e;
the bow pay off to take the right course again.
In these ways it will soon be discovered how close
10 the wind your skff will sail OF course. 1t must
have keel to prevent II from drifting sideways.
The skin In the diagram Is shown with a centre
board but centreboards continually giving
trouble while the centreboard box Is always in the
way and a nuisance to all boats using IT, so that
much more servI>eabe skiff Is that which has
strong oaken fixed keel three four inches deep
along the bottom. This also strengthens the Graf.
for general hard usage.
When BEATING in this boat. and while steering In
this way by weight. she will need the stroke Of a
paddle or a pull On one OF the long rudder ropes
in order 20 come about" This Is to make her run
up into the eye OF the wind and keep turning until
the sail fills on the other side and the boat moves
of on the other tack. This is also called coming
in stays and when It Is practlsed a few times you
will find that you have accomplished that which
previously was so hard to understand. namely, how
% sail from "A eeward point TO windward one
While doing this larger boats with larger sails and
KEGS have come up and passed yours They are lying
Closer 10 the wind and making Jess leeway than
your small affair. and then you begin to under
stand that the best sailing craft Is the one which
goes 20 wndward fastest under all conditions.
This introduces for the first time a comprehension
OF that which the great yacht designers nave a.
ways sriven for namely. hrstc,ass ability IN "ini-
ward work From the first small but valuable les
sons which the sailing-skiff teaches the many DIFF
ferent qualities which great yacht must possess
come one bv one into the comprehension. They
seem to leak in as 1t were while the mind Is
forced into certain channels by the necessities and
partial liabilities OF the skih. You find that while
.he only tendency OF the wind is to drift floating
objects before IT, it may be still further utilized by
boats which trave, II when their sails are
properly slanted to IT, The kee. prevents the boat
more or less from being drlftad sideways and the
pressure OF the wind on the slantel sails urges the
craft forward. Thus. when the sails are hau'ed
aft fatty. though still s.anting.y. the craft may
slip up party into the wind-on the zee side the
keel resisting latcra, drifting. and on the wind
ward side the pressures on the s.aniel sails giving
a forward movement.
BEFORE THE WIND.
But having beat up mile to wndward you
must return You. therefore. sit back comfortably
OF the skin. and. as her bow pays off.
your sheet Is -lacked away until the boom is out
over the water at right angles 10 the keel Ike this:
But perhaps II your course s uead before the
wind the skif vii. not quite take that direction.
and here you must steer little to keep her pointed
in the right way. In doing this you will probably
keep her away much II you steer carelessly and
then the sail falls in. as the wind gets on the other