The Florida star., 1901-09-20

THESE are snort. QUICK tacks and often
result In decided advantage to a racer.
After turning outside OF the buoy the
rules prohibit turnIng between rhe out
er mark and the starting poInt-the
yacht enters on the run home" This
means that she sails before or with the
wind The main boom swings TO port
at right angle to the keel. and on the
starboard side Is swung out the spin.
maker boom. This forms a straight
line (H-C In diagram with the boom
and spreads the ships canvas TO re-
ceive the winds full force.
Many persons fancy that a yacht
goes faster before the wind than In
any other direction. but this is not nee
essarily so. Ii the wind is blowing ten
miles an hour. the yacht cannot possi-
bly, make more than that number OF
miles In the same time. But in what
yachtsmen call a 'reach" - that is.
when the wind blows on the quarter,
the after side or on the beam, or mid
dle-a vessel may sometimes sail faster
than the wind Is blowing. In ordinary
circumstances she will sail quite as
fast. but this kind OF sailing Is not seen
in race 10 windward and return. For
the purpose OF bringing vessels quail
tiles In reaching a triangular" race
has been arranged. and it is usual in a
series OF races TO alternate windward
with triangular races.
The triangular race is sailed OH q
course having ten miles TO a side. The
sides are termed legs" and it is the
rule that one leg shall be TO windward
or nearly so. In the diagram OF a tri-
angular course you will observe some
details OF this kind OF a course, with
the wind, say. northwest and the first
leg TO wlndward. After crossing the
starting line. DE, the yacht, II, makes
four tacks to the windward buoy. f.
From + she runs on a reach "a broad"
reach), as shown by L, and rounds
the buoy at G by doing what is termed
Jibing. This consists in swinging the
boom to the opposite side OF the vessel
without heading up into the wind
Qufting). Jibing Is very dangerous
maneuver and should be attempted by
experienced sailors only. Now comes
the run home" with the wind blowing
across the crafts middle (beamD. She
Is still on a reach, but not a broad"
one. II the wind were blowing for
ward OF abeam, the yacht would. in
sea vernacular, be on a ''close" reach.
The beam wind requires that the sheets
be what seamen term ''flatteaAd." or
hauled in somewhat. The more the
main boom Is hauled in toward the
yacht the more canvas Is brought TO
receive the wind, and a consequent Ill
crease of speed results. The exposure
OF too much sail area, however, is IA
tai, usually resulting In capsizing or In
total dismasting.
Reference Is frequently made by
yachting writer's to the parts OF a
yachts sails. and l will now endeavor
to disperse q few OF the clouds that
may seem to surround the nOmencla-
ture OF a ships canvas. The top OF
every sail Is known as the head and
the bottom Is the foot. Almost all
yachts carry fore and aft sails.
These are sails whose forward edge is
made fast either to a mast or to sta
tionary rope (of steel wireO called
stay. In square rigged" ship both
edges are free. and the head and foot
are extended on yards Dong bars or
spars OF wood or OF hollow steeD.
The mainsail OF a sloop is extended
on q gan "a small SPAR at the head