Chapter XX (6)

MATTHEW WALKER KNOT—Made by unlaying the end of a rope and taking the end A round the rope and through its own bight, the strand B underneath through the bight of A, and the strand C underneath through the bights of strands A and B, and hauling all the strands taut. This knot is used principally for the ends of lanyards. In making these knots a whipping of sailmaker's twine should be put round the rope where the knot is to be when formed.

This illustration shows the process of worming a rope, which consists of winding spunyarn of suitable size into the space between the strands with the lay of the rope, so as to make the rope smooth for parcelling. This must be done with the rope on the stretch. A shows the spunyarn.

This illustration shows the process of parcelling and serving. After the worming is finished wrap narrow strips of canvas—tarred, if the rope is of hemp, and painted if it is of wire—round the rope with the lay, secure the parcelling to the rope by marling it with twine, the rope can then be served against the lay. Lay the serving mallet B with its groove on the rope. Take a turn with the spunyarn round the rope and head of the mallet, round the side next you, and two turns on the other side and twist it round the handle. Get an assistant to pass the ball A round the rope while you heave round the mallet. The last half-dozen turns of the service must have the end of the spunyarn put through them and hauled taut to secure it.

XVIII.

WEATHER "WRINKLES"

The boat sailer or yachtsman should be able, from close observation of the barometer and the general appearance of the sky, to foretell the weather with a certain degree of accuracy. The aneroid barometer is peculiarly sensitive to all atmospheric changes, and is thus invaluable for meteorological forecasts. A regular code of phenomena has been formulated by meteorologists, from which I take the following:

A rapid rise indicates unsettled weather.

A gradual rise indicates settled weather.

A rise with dry air and cold increasing in summer indicates wind from the northward, and if rain has fallen better weather may be expected.

A rise with moist air and a low temperature indicates a continuance of fine weather.

A rapid fall indicates stormy weather.

A rapid fall with westerly wind indicates stormy weather from northward.

A fall with northerly wind indicates storm with rain and hail in summer and snow in winter.

A fall with increased moisture in the air and increasing heat indicates southerly wind and rain.

A fall after very calm and warm weather indicates rain and squalls.

The barometer rises for a northerly wind, including from northwest by north to the eastward, for dry or less wet weather, for less wind, or for more than one of these changes, except on a few occasions when rain, hail or snow comes from the northward with strong wind.

The barometer falls for a southerly wind, including from southeast by south to the westward, for wet weather, for stronger wind, or for more than one of these changes, except on a few occasions, when moderate wind, with rain or snow, comes from the northward.

A fall, with a south wind, precedes rain.

A sudden and considerable fall, with the wind due west, presages a violent storm from the north or northwest, during which the glass will rise to its former height.

A steady and considerable fall of the barometer during an east wind indicates a shift of wind to the southward, unless a heavy fall of snow or rain immediately follows.

A falling barometer, with the wind at north, brings bad weather; in summer rain and gales; in spring snows and frosts.

If, after a storm of wind and rain, the barometer remains steady at the point to which it had fallen, severe weather may follow without a change in the wind. But on the rising of the barometer a change of wind may be looked for.

The following rhymes are familiar to most sailors:

When the glass falls low,
Look out for a blow.

First rise after low,
Portends a stronger blow.

When the glass is high,
Let all your kites fly.

Long foretold—long last;
Short notice—soon past.

The following notes may be relied on for forecasting the weather:

Red sky at sunset, fine weather.

Red sky in the morning, wind or rain, and
often both.

Gray sky in the morning, fine weather.

Hard, oily looking clouds, strong wind.

Yellowish green clouds, wind and rain.

Bright yellow sky at sunset, wind.

Pale yellow sky at sunset, rain.

Very clear atmosphere near the horizon is a
sign of more wind and often rain.

Here follow some old sailors' jingles which I heard when a boy in the forecastle:

When rain comes before the wind,
Sheets and halyards you must mind;
When wind comes before the rain,
Hoist your topsails up again.

Evening red and morning gray
Are sure signs of a fine day;
But evening gray and morning red,
Makes a sailor shake his head.

Amateurs while on a cruise should frequently look at the barometer and take notes of its height and enter them in the log.

The action of the aneroid barometer depends on the effect produced by the pressure of the atmosphere on a circular metallic chamber partially exhausted of air and hermetically sealed. This kind of barometer is liable to changes on account of its mechanism getting out of order, and it should be often compared with a mercurial barometer, which from its cumbersomeness cannot be conveniently carried in a small craft. Aneroid barometers of excellent quality, and of about the size of an ordinary watch, are offered for sale at a reasonable price, and a cruise should not be undertaken without one.

A phosphorescent sea is a certain sign of continuance of fine weather.

When porpoises come into shallow water and ascend the river stormy weather is near.

Sea birds fly far out to sea in fine weather, but if they fly inland bad weather may be expected.

A halo round the moon, especially if it appears distant and yet very distinct, indicates a gale of wind and probably rain.

When the wind changes it usually shifts with the sun from left to right. Thus an East wind shifts to West by way of Southeast, South and Southwest, and a West wind shifts to East by way of Northwest, North and Northeast. If the wind shifts the opposite way it is said to "back," but this it rarely does except in unsettled weather.

The United States Signal Service has a local observer stationed at each of the principal ports. When the "information signal," which consists of a red pennant, is displayed, it indicates that information has been received from the central office of a storm covering a limited area, dangerous only for vessels about to sail to certain points. Ship-masters and others interested will be supplied with the necessary information on application.

A cautionary signal, which is a Yellow Flag with a white center, indicates that the winds expected are not so violent that well found and seaworthy vessels cannot encounter them without great danger. A cautionary flag hoisted alone signifies that the direction of the expected wind is doubtful.

A dangerous storm signal, which is a Red Square Flag with black center, is hoisted when the wind is over thirty-five miles an hour.

At night a Red Light indicates Easterly winds, and a Red and White Light Westerly winds.

Following are the weather signals, which explain themselves:

WEATHER.
]

Beaufort's scale is used to measure the velocity of the wind. It is given below:

_Hourly _Scale._ _State._
Velocity
in Miles._

- 0 calm.

1 1 light airs.

2 to 3 2 light breezes.

4 to 7 3 gentle breeze.

9 to 15 4 moderate breeze.

15 to 18 5 fresh breeze.

19 to 22 6 strong breeze.

23 to 28 7 moderate gale.

28 to 40 8 fresh gale.

40 to 48 9 strong gale.

48 to 56 10 whole gale.

57 to 80 11 storm.

80 to 100 12 hurricane.

XIX.

SEA COOKERY FOR YACHTSMEN.

Those who go a-sailing for pleasure in small craft, frequently suffer hardships, or at least inconvenience, in the way of meals, because of their lack of knowledge of the provisions to take with them, and of simple methods of preparing wholesome and appetizing dishes.

Sea cooking differs materially from shore cooking, inasmuch as the stove in a house is erected on a floor that is both stationary and stable. The yachtsman who has a cosy galley with a fixed stove that burn coal or coke or charcoal, and that draws well, has reason to bless his fortunate stars.

There have now come into vogue several varieties of the blue-flame wickless cooking stove. In the accompanying illustration, Fig. 1, I have depicted a stove which I have found to suit. It is wickless and burns the ordinary kerosene oil. To suit sea conditions the stove is slung on gimbals like a ship's compass, so as to yield to every motion of the vessel. The railing round the top prevents pots and pans from sliding to leeward. Fig. 2 shows the finest fry-pan ever invented for an oil stove, on which broiling is impracticable. It acts as a broiler or fryer at will. The raised bars prevent the steak or cutlet from being soddened with fat, the result being equal or nearly equal to a gridiron. If frying is required put the necessary quantity of oil, butter or fat in the pan. Let it come to a boil, and then immerse in it the article, fish, flesh, fowl, reptile, or vegetable that you wish to cook.

With a stove having only one lid or burner the sea-cook might often have some difficulty in keeping three utensils on the boil at once. Luckily ingenuity has surmounted the obstacle, and Fig. 3 shows three stew-pans of small size that will fit over the burner of the stove shown in Fig. 1. They are in the market, but it took me a long time to find out where they are for sale. In one you may cook curry, in the second rice, while clam broth may simmer in the third. In good sooth a very cerberus of stew-pans!

Some sort of a contrivance for storing ice so as to keep it solid as long as possible is indispensable. Such a device is shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 2. The Ideal Fry-Pan.
]

For sea picnics buy as many of the thin wooden plates (costing only a trifle) as you may require. These after being used may be thrown overboard. Take no crockery ware or china to sea in a small boat. Cups, saucers, plates and dishes can be obtained made of enameled steel. These are unbreakable and cleanly. Stew-pans, kettles, pitchers, coffee-pots and fry-pans are also made of enameled steel, and they cannot be surpassed. Cooks' furnishings depend on the size of the boat and the hands she carries. I suggest the following, but leave the sizes to the discretion of the purchaser who knows about how many mouths he has to feed: One kettle for boiling water for tea or coffee, one deep fry-pan, one iron pot with tight-fitting cover for boiling meat, fish or cooking chowder, one teapot, one coffee-pot, a soup ladle, a long iron two-pronged fork (known aboard ship as the cook's tormentors), two stew-pans for cooking vegetables, one broiler (if the implement can be used), one cook's knife, one vegetable knife, one swab for washing pots, pans and plates, and dish towels for drying them, soap, cups, plates, dishes, knives, forks, spoons, glasses, _quant. suff._ Do not forget a galvanized iron bucket for the cook, a can opener and a corkscrew. Also matches in an airtight can or glass. Fuel in either fluid or solid shape should not be omitted.

When we come to the question of the food supplies to be taken aboard, much will depend upon the individual. Hard tack, salt tack, flour, beans, corned beef, salt pork, bacon, hams, canned meats, sardines, canned fruits and vegetables, cornmeal, lard, butter, cheese, condensed milk, sweetened and unsweetened coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, pepper, salt, mustard, vinegar, poultry seasoning, sugar and rice are some of the staple comestibles that suggest themselves, but these may be added to or subtracted from according to circumstances.

A ham is one of the most easily procured comestibles. Pick out a small one, not too fat. If you want it tough as leather, boil it furiously for a couple of hours, then haul it out of the pot and eat it. If you want a delicate, tender and juicy ham soak it in a bucket of fresh water for twelve hours. Then scrape it well and pop it into a big pot full of cold fresh water. Let it come slowly to the boil. As soon as the water reaches the boiling stage, regulate the heat so that a gentle simmering, the faintest possible ebullition is kept up for five or six hours, according to the size of the joint. Then take it out of the pot and skin it. The rind will come off as easily as an old shoe. Then return meat to the water in which it was boiled and let it remain until it is quite cold. Next dish it, drain it and put it in the ice box to harden. Cut in very thin slices with a sharp knife, and you will admit that cooked after this scientific formula ham is mighty fine eating.

Corned beef cooked after this same fashion will also be a success. The secret is a simple one of chemistry. Hard boiling hardens the fibers and tears the meat to rags. Gentle simmering softens the meat while allowing it to retain its juices.

The navy bean at present in use, though much may be said in its praise, is far inferior to the lima bean. This legume if substituted for the insignificant (by comparison only) little bean on which Boston breakfasts every Sabbath morn will be found so palatable that the lesser variety will never again be used. Procure a quart of lima beans. Pick out all that are shriveled or discolored. Soak the rest all night in plenty of cold fresh water and in the morning you will find them plump and tender. Wash them well and place them in a pot on the fire with a square piece of salt pork weighing three-quarters of a pound; simmer them gently till they are tender, but not till they reach the porridge stage. On the contrary, let each bean be separate like the soft and swelling grains of well-cooked rice. Strain through a colander, saving a pint of the water in which they were boiled. Pack in the bean pot. Bury the chunk of pork in the beans. Season the pint of water reserved as mentioned above, to your liking. Pour over the beans in the pot and put in the oven to bake. The flavoring of beans depends upon the taste of the cook.

Sirloin steaks are a good staple viand. Make the butcher cut them not less than two inches thick. If you cannot grill them heat your fry-pan almost red-hot. Put no fat in the pan. Place your steak cut into convenient chunks into the hot pan. Let one side sear for a minute or so to keep in the juices. Then turn meat over. It will be cooked sufficiently for most palates in five or six minutes. Place on a piping hot platter, spread some fresh butter on the steak, sprinkle with pepper, and pipe to grub. Chops may be cooked in the same way.

Meat may be roasted in an iron pot if the cook has no oven. Moderate heat, continuous care to prevent burning, and frequent basting are the three requisites of a successful pot roast.

So far as beverages are concerned, useful hints in that direction are given in Fig. 5, which shows a picturesque and shipshape vessel to carry when a-cruising.

There is no daintier dish than a fresh, fat lobster, generous and juicy, just hauled from the pot in which he was caught. Pick out a particularly lively specimen of medium size but heavy. The cock lobster may be distinguished from the hen by the narrowness of the tail, the upper two fins of which are stiff and hard, while the tail of the hen is broader and the fins soft. The male has the higher flavor; the flesh, too, is firmer and the color when boiled is a deeper red. The hen is well adapted for lobster _a la_ Newburg, but for eating on the half-shell a male in prime condition is far preferable.

The secret of cooking lobsters is to plunge them into a pot of furiously boiling sea water, and to keep the water in a condition of fast ebullition for just twenty minutes. Fresh water to which salt is added will not do so well. Salt water fresh from the ocean is indispensable. It brings out the correct flavor and imparts an indefinable zest to the lobster. Hard-shell crabs may be boiled in the same way, but ten minutes will be ample time.

All fresh vegetables are, in the opinion of the writer, improved in flavor by cooking them in sea water fresh from the ocean, not from a harbor contaminated by noxious influences from the shore. All vegetables should be immersed in boiling water and cooked till done. Potatoes will take about half an hour to boil, but cabbages, carrots and turnips much longer. I should not advise the cooking of the last-named three esculents aboard a small craft. Canned asparagus, French peas and string beans take little time to prepare and are excellent if a reliable brand is purchased. Open the can, drain off the liquid and throw it away. Wash the vegetables, strain the water off, place in a stew-pan with a lump of butter, and heat thoroughly. The liquid of canned vegetables is unfit for human food.

Hard clams or quahaugs are plentiful at any port during the boating season. The recuperative qualities of the small variety served ice-cold on the half shell with a dash of Tabasco sauce and no other seasoning are beyond praise. Now while the little clam is excellent eating just as soon as opened from the shell, taking care to waste none of his precious juices, his elder brother also has inestimable gastronomic values.

The easiest and simplest method of preparing clam broth is to scrub the clams well and wash them in several waters. Put them in an iron pot, without any water or liquid. Let them remain on the fire for twenty minutes. Then strain the juice, into which put a little fresh butter, a small quantity of milk, and a dash of red pepper. Drink while hot.

Never add water to clam broth, and never let it boil after the milk is added, as it will curdle nine times out of ten.

To make clam soup, clean the clams as for broth. Place them in an iron pot on the stove. As soon as they open take them out of their shells and chop very fine. A hardwood bowl and a two-blade chopping knife are the best apparatus for this job. Strain the clam liquor, return to the pot, add minced onions to taste and the chopped clams; simmer gently for one hour, thicken to taste with cracker dust, season with sweet herbs and pepper; let boil fast for ten minutes, take off the stove and add some hot milk and a lump of fresh butter. Serve.

Clam chowder is an old sea dish whose popularity seems likely never to wane. It is a simple dish to prepare, although many cooks make a mystery of it. Cut half a pound of streaky salt pork into small cubes. Fry in an iron pot together with half a dozen medium-sized sliced onions until they are a light brown. Chop fifty hard-shell clams fine. Peel and slice thin a dozen large raw potatoes. Break up four sea biscuits and soak till soft in cold water or milk. Scald and peel and slice six ripe and juicy tomatoes. Put these ingredients into the pot in layers, pour over them the strained juice of the clams. Season with red and black pepper, sauces and herbs to taste. Cover an inch with hot fresh water and simmer for three hours. A pint of sound California claret added just before serving is an improvement. An old hen makes tip-top chowder cooked in the same fashion.

Fish chowder may be prepared in a similar way. Cod, haddock, sea bass and bluefish are good made into a chowder.

The soft-shell clam makes a delicate stew or broth. The tough parts should be rejected from the chopping bowl. Boiled for twenty minutes and eaten from the shell with a little butter and pepper they are also very appetizing. A big potful soon disappears.

There is no excuse for the yachtsman neglecting to enjoy the delights of fish fresh from the sea. Fishing tackle should always be carried. Bluefish and mackerel may be caught by trolling; and if you have fisherman's luck, once in a blue moon a Spanish mackerel may fall to your lot. If so, that day must be marked by a white stone, for a Spanish mackerel transferred in about two shakes of a lamb's tail from the fish-hook to the fry-pan, or better still, if your arrangements permit, to the gridiron or broiler, is good enough for the gods to feed on. Two axioms should be borne in mind, namely, to fry in plenty of boiling fat or to plunge into boiling water. Never humiliate a fish by placing him in a cold fry-pan or into a cooking pot of cold water.

Before frying fish dip in well-beaten egg and then sprinkle with bread crumbs or cracker dust, dip in egg again, and then add more bread crumbs or cracker dust. This is for epicures. For ordinary seafarers if the fish is rolled in yellow cornmeal without the egg the result will be nearly the same. Cut up large fish into suitable sizes, but fry small fish whole.

Soft-shell crabs should be cooked in boiling fat. When brown they are done. Ten minutes is usually enough to cook them thoroughly.

Always when you boil fish of any kind indigenous to salt water or fresh put them in boiling water either from the sea or fresh water well salted. A little vinegar added is good. A two-pound fish should cook sufficiently in fifteen or at most twenty minutes. Fish with white flesh take longer to boil than those with dark.

An excellent sauce for boiled fish may be made thus: Put a piece of butter as big as an egg in a saucepan or a tomato can; heat till it bubbles, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, stir till quite smooth; pour slowly into this, stirring continually, a pint of the water the fish was cooked in, and add two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. This may be flavored with anchovy sauce or a few drops of Harvey or Worcestershire. Some prefer the addition of a little lemon juice or even vinegar. Every man to his taste!

When a very little boy I sailed in the _Derwent_, a small schooner engaged in carrying bottles from Sunderland to London. The bottles were taken in from the factory where they were made, stowed in the hold of the schooner and transported to a wharf at Wapping. Bottles are a clean kind of freight, and our skipper being a very particular kind of a man the _Derwent_ was kept as bright as a new pin outside and inside, alow and aloft. On this dashing little vessel I was cook and cabin boy. There was no regular galley on deck, simply an iron cooking stove erected on the foreside of the mainmast; and on that in storm and calm I boiled and baked for a crew of four for more than a year—in fact till I quit the coasting trade and signed away foreign. My skipper took me under his special guidance. The grub had to be well cooked and the deck kept spotless or I used to suffer. Skipper and mate were epicures after a fashion, so I had to keep my weather eye open.

My experience in merchant vessels and pleasure craft has fitted me to write with some small assumption of authority on the subject of sea cooking.

Some of my methods may seem queer and perhaps grotesque, but condemn them not till you have tested them in the crucible of experiment.

XX.

NAUTICAL TERMS IN COMMON USE.

Aback—A sail's condition when the sheet is to windward and it drives the vessel astern.

Abaft—The position toward the stern of any object or point such as "abaft the mast" or "abaft the binnacle."

Afore—The contrary of abaft.

Ahoy!—An interjection used in hailing a vessel, such as "_Vigilant_ ahoy!"

Athwart—Across the keel.

Atrip—When the anchor is broken out of the ground.

Avast—Stop, discontinue. As "avast hauling" (stop hauling).

Balance reef—A diagonal reef in a fore-and-aft sail extending from throat to clew.

Batten down—Covering hatches with tarpaulins and securing them with battens.

Beam ends—A vessel is said to be on her beam ends when knocked down by a squall to an angle of about 45 degrees.

Belay—To make fast a rope or fall of a tackle.

Below—Greenhorns call it "downstairs" and seamen laugh at them.

Bight—A loop of a rope.

Bilge—The round in a vessel's timbers where they turn from her sides toward the keel.

Binnacle—A case in which the compass is contained.

Block and block—When the blocks of a tackle are hauled close together.

Bolt rope—The rope sewn round the edges of sails. It is made of the best hemp.

Bonnet—An extra piece of canvas laced to the foot of a jib or foresail, taken off when it blows hard.

Box the compass—To call over the points of the compass in correct order.

Break off—When a vessel sailing close-hauled is headed by the wind and is unable to lay the course she was steering.

Bring up—To anchor.

Broach to—To come to against wind and helm.

Capsize—To turn over.

Carvel built—Constructed with the planks flush edge to edge and the seams caulked and payed.

Caulking—Driving oakum into the seams of a vessel with a mallet and a blunt chisel called a caulking iron.

Clews—The lower corners of square sails; the lower after-corners of fore-and-aft sails.

Clinch—To fasten a rope by a half hitch and then seize the end back to the standing part.

Close-hauled—Hauled as close to the wind as the sails will permit without shaking their luffs. A cutter-rigged yacht with well-cut canvas should lie within four and a quarter points of the wind. Some modern racing craft have done half a point better than this. Square-rigged vessels cannot head better than five and a-half points of the wind.

Collar—An eye spliced in a shroud or stay to go over the masthead.

Comber—A big wave.

Companion—The entrance from the deck to the cabin below.

Compass bowl—The bowl in the binnacle that contains the compass.

Corinthian—A term in yachting possessing the same significance as amateur; the opposite of professional.

Counter—That part of a vessel which projects abaft the sternpost.

Covering board—The outside deck plank fitted over the timber heads. The same as planksheer.

Cracking on—Carrying a press of sail.

Crank—Not stiff under canvas; easily heeled or listed.

Cranze or Cranse—A metal band with eyes on it fitted to the end of a bowsprit or other spar.

Cringle—A metal thimble worked in the clews and leeches of sails.

Dandy—A cutter-rigged vessel with lug-mizzen set on a jigger-mast.

Davits—Iron cranes on vessels to which boats are hoisted.

Deadeye—A circular wooden block with three holes in it without sheaves, through which a lanyard is rove to set up standing rigging.

Dead wood—Solid wood worked on top of the keel forward and aft.

Depth of hold—The height between the keelson and the deck of a single-decked vessel.

Displacement—The quantity of water displaced by a vessel, which in weight is always equal to her own weight.

Dogvane—A light vane made of bunting or feathers to show the direction of the wind.

Dowse—To lower a sail suddenly.

Down-haul—A rope by which a sail is hauled down.

Draught of water—The depth of a vessel measured from the under side of the keel to the load water-line.

Earrings—Ropes for fastening the corners of the heads of sails to yards and for reefing.

Ease off—To slacken a rope handsomely.

Eyelet holes—Small holes worked in sails for lacings or lashings to be rove through.

Eyes of the rigging—Collars spliced in the ends of shrouds to go over the masthead and also over the deadeyes.

Fair leaders—Holes in planks, etc., for ropes to be rove through so that they lead fairly.

Fair wind—A wind that permits a vessel to steer her course without tacking.

Fall—The hauling part of the rope of a tackle.

False keel—A timber bolted to the under side of the keel proper.

Fathom—A sea measure of six feet.

Fender—A species of buffer made of wood, rope or other material to hang over a vessel's side to prevent her from chafing against a dock, or another vessel.

Fid—An iron or wooden bar to keep bowsprits and topmasts in place; a conical wooden instrument used by riggers and sailmakers.

Fish, To—To strengthen a weak or repair a broken spar by lashing another spar or batten to it.

Flare—To project outwards; contrary to tumbling home.

Flat aft—When sheets are trimmed as close as possible for effective windward work.

Floors—The bottom timbers of a vessel.

Flowing sheet—The sheet eased off to a fair wind.

Flush decked—Having neither poop nor forecastle.

Foot—The lower edge of a sail.

Forereach—To sail faster through the water on a wind than another vessel.

Freeboard—That part of a ship's side above the water.

Full and by—To steer as close to the wind as possible, while at the same time keeping the sails full of wind.

Futtocks—The timbers which join and butt above the floors, called first, second and third futtocks.

Gammon iron—An iron hoop fitted to the side of the stem, or on top of the stem, to receive and hold the bowsprit.

Garboard—The strake of plank next above the keel, into which it is rabbeted and bolted.

Gripe, To—A vessel gripes when she has a tendency to come up in the wind and requires much weather helm.

Gudgeons—Metal straps with eyes secured to the stern post, into which the pintles of the rudder are fitted.

Gunwale—The timber fitted over the timber heads and fastened to the top strake.

Guys—Ropes used to steady a spar or other thing.

Gybe—To let a fore-and-aft sail shift from one side to the other when running before the wind. To let a vessel go so much off the wind as to bring the wind on the opposite quarter.

Half-mast high—When a flag is hoisted halfway up as a mark of respect to a person recently dead.

Halyards—Ropes for hoisting sails.

Handsomely—Steadily; carefully.

Handy billy—A watch tackle kept on deck for getting a pull on sheets or halyards.

Hanks—Rings or hooks for fastening the luffs of sails to stays.

Hard down—The order to put the tiller a-lee. Hard up, the order to put the tiller a-weather.

Heave to—To so trim a vessel's sails that she does not move ahead.

Heel rope—The rope by which a running bowsprit is hauled out or a topmast lowered.

Hoist—The length of the luff of a fore-and-aft sail.

Horns—The projections forming the jaws of gaffs or booms.

Hounds—The projections on a mast that support the lower cap and rigging.

House—To lower a topmast down within the cap.

Inhaul—The rope used to haul sails inboard.

In irons—The condition of a vessel head to wind and with way lost, unable to pay off on one tack or the other.

Irish pennants—Loose ropes flying in the breeze or dangling over the side.

Jackstay—A rod of iron, a wooden cleating, or a wire rope for sails or yards to travel on; also a wire rope on the main boom to which the foot of the sail is laced.

Jiggermast—The mizzenmast of a yawl or dandy.

Kentledge—Pig iron used as ballast.

Lanyards—Ropes rove through deadeyes by which shrouds or stays are set up.

Leeboard—An old-fashioned contrivance to check leeway, still in use on some Dutch vessels and English barges.

Load water-line—The line of flotation when a vessel is properly ballasted or laden.

Luff—To come closer to the wind.

Make fast—To belay a rope.

Masthead—That part of the mast above the hounds.

Mast hoops—The hoops to which the luffs of fore and aft sails are seized to secure the sails to the masts.

Miss stays, To—To fail in an attempt to tack.

Mousing—A yarn wound round a hook to prevent it from becoming unhooked.

Near—Very close to the wind.

Nip—To nip a vessel is to sail her too close to the wind.

On a wind—Closehauled.

Outhaul—A rope or tackle by which a sail is hauled out on a spar.

Paddy's hurricane—A dead calm.

Painter—A rope spliced to a ring bolt in the bow of a boat to make fast by.

Pay—To pour hot pitch or marine glue into seams after they are caulked.

Pintles—The metal hooks by which rudders are attached to the gudgeons.

Pole mast—A mast without a topmast, but with a long masthead above the hounds.

Put about—To tack.

Raffee—A square or triangular sail set flying on the foretopmasts of schooners.

Rake—To incline forward or aft from the vertical, as raking mast, a raking sternpost, etc.

Reef band—A strip of canvas sewn across a sail, in which eyelet holes for the reef points are worked.

Reef pendant—A strong rope with a Matthew Walker knot in one end. It is passed up through a hole in the cleat on the boom, and then through the reef cringle in the sail and down through the hole in the cleat on the other side of the boom.

Reef points—Short lengths of rope in sails to tie up the part rolled up when reefing.

Reeve—To pass a rope through a block or a hole of any kind.

Roach—The curved part of the foot of a sail.

Rockered keel—A keel whose ends curve upward.

Running bowsprit—A bowsprit so fitted as to run in or out and reef.

Serve—To cover a rope with spunyarn.

Shake out a reef—To untie the reef points and set the sail.

Sheathing—The copper or other metal nailed on the bottom of a vessel.

Sheave—The grooved wheel in a block or in the sheave hole of a spar over which the rope passes.

Sheet—The rope by which the clew of a sail is secured.

Snotter—An eye strop used to support the heel of a sprit.

Spitfire jib—The smallest storm jib.

Taunt—Tall, high.

Taut—Tight.

Tie up—A lubber's synonym for moor. You tie up a dog. You moor a vessel.

Thimble—A heart shaped or circular ring with a groove outside for ropes to fit in. They are used for the eye splices in ropes, the straps of blocks and for the cringles in sails.

Thwarts—The transverse seats in boats.

Tumble home—When the sides of a vessel near the deck incline inward the opposite to flaring.

Tyers—Ropes that secure a mainsail when stowed.

Unbend—To cast loose a sail from stay, gaff, boom or yard.

Veer—To pay out chain.

Wear—To bring the wind on the other side of a vessel by turning her head from the wind. The reverse of tacking.

Weather gauge—The condition of a vessel that is to windward of another.

Weather helm—A vessel is said to carry weather helm when she has a tendency to fly up in the wind.

Weathering—If one vessel eats to windward of another, she is said to weather on her. Weathering an object is passing it on the windward side.

Whip, To—To bind the end of a rope with twine to prevent it from unlaying.

Yaw—A vessel yaws when her head flies from one direction to the other; as, for instance, when her helmsman is unable to keep her steady on her course.

Yawl—A cutter-rigged vessel with a mizzenmast stepped in her counter.

THE SLOOP YACHT.

_Names of Spars, Rigging, Sails, Etc._

1 Jib Topsail.
2 Club Topsail Sprit.
3 Topsail Club.
4 Club Topsail Guy.
5 Jib.
6 Club Topsail.
7 Mainsail.
8 Bowsprit.
9 Club Topsail Tack Line.
10 Mainsheet.
11 Foresail or Forestaysail Sheet.
12 Jib Topsail Sheet.
13 Topping Lift.
14 Gaff Topsail, Clewed Down.
15 Tack of Jib.
16 Tack of Jib Topsail.
17 Luff of Jib Topsail.
18 Head of Jib Topsail.
19 Jib Topsail Halyards.
20 Leach of Jib Topsail.
21 Main Gaff.
22 Main Boom.
23 Main Topmast.
24 Foot of Jib.
25 Leach of Jib.
26 Clew of Jib.
27 Reef Points.
28 Tack of Mainsail.
29 Clew of Mainsail.
30 Peak of Mainsail.
31 Throat of Mainsail.
32 Main Crosstrees.
33 Masthead Runner and Tackle.
34 Head of Club Topsail.
35 Clew of Club Topsail.
36 Tack of Club Topsail.
37 Topmast Shrouds.
]

THE CUTTER YACHT.

_Names of Spars, Sails, Standing and Running Rigging, Etc._

SPARS.

1 Lowermast.
2 Topmast.
3 Bowsprit.
4 Main Boom.
5 Gaff.
6 Topsail Sprit.
7 Spinnaker Boom.
8 Tiller.

RIGGING AND ROPES.

9 Crosstrees.
10 Shrouds.
11 Topmast Shrouds.
12 Topping Lift.
13 Masthead Runner and Tackle.
14 Forestay.
15 Topmast Stay.
16 Bobstay.
17 Bobstay Fall.
18 Spinnaker Boom Topping Lift.
19 Spinnaker Boom Brace.
20 Topmast Backstay.
21 Reef Pennant.
22 Truck.
23 Ensign.
24 Channels.
25 Mainsheet.
26 Spinnaker Boom Guy.
27 Clew of Sprit Topsail.
28 Tack of Sprit Topsail.
29 Tack Line or Pendant.
30 Sprit Topsail Halyards.

SAILS.

A Jib.
B Sprit Topsail.
C Mainsail.
D Foresail.
E Jib Topsail.
]

ADDENDA.

RECENT CHANGES IN SAIL PLAN AND RIG OF
MODERN CRAFT.

Since the first edition of this book was printed, yacht designers have studied to reduce weight aloft.

This has not infrequently resulted in fitting ironwork blocks, etc., far too flimsy to endure the strain of a stiff breeze. There is always a happy medium between spider-web rigging and rigging uselessly heavy and clumsy, and my advice therefore is not to go to extremes. In racing craft on the fresh-water lakes piano wire has been used for standing rigging, and because of its enormous strength and notable lightness has answered well enough. In salt water, however, it should be avoided because of its liability to corrosion.

The principal changes in rig of late years follow: The substitution of turnbuckles and rigging screws for the old-fashioned dead eyes and lanyards; the reduction of the length of the bowsprit because of the long overhang forward, which has done away with the reefing bowsprit on all modern craft; the invention of masthead shrouds, bridles on gaffs, and the throat halyard pennant. By means of the three devices mentioned, strains aloft are both minimized and equalized. Large vessels carry double masthead shrouds, and every racing yacht is fitted with single ones. Gaff bridles and throat halyard pennants are also considered to be well-nigh indispensable.

In the matter of running rigging, flexible steel wire is now much used for throat and peak halyards. Its advantage is that there is little or no "give" to it. The rig of a modern 25-foot water-line sloop with a pole mast is as follows: Bobstay-rod of steel 3/4-inch in diameter, set up with a turnbuckle at the end of the bowsprit; shrouds, two each side, 1-1/8-inch steel wire; forestay set up to stem head, 1-1/4-inch steel wire; jib set flying, hoisted with 3/4-inch 8-stranded flexible steel-wire halyards, set up with a jig-purchase; runner-shrouds of 7/8-inch wire canvased over; main lifts 3/4-inch flexible steel wire, parcelled, sewed over with white codline and then covered with white canvas sewn on. The throat and peak halyards are of 3/4-inch flexible steel wire. The blocks are all strapped with grommets of flexible steel wire sewed and leathered.

Steel wire is now also used for the leech ropes of racing sails, and is employed largely in the lower canvas of all the big racing yachts. Flexible steel wire is nearly as pliable as new hemp rope of the same strength. The greater the diameter of the sheaves over which it passes the longer it will last. This wire cannot be belayed to a cleat. Therefore, Manila rope is spliced to the hauling end of the wire, which insures its remaining fast after once being belayed. This is a most difficult splice to make.

The accompanying illustrations show the sail plans and rigs of a modern schooner and a modern yawl. When compared with the sloop and cutter rigs on pages 211 and 212, it will be easily seen that many radical changes have been made.

It occurred to me in revising the book for this edition, that it might be wise to omit the directions for rigging a running bowsprit, bending a loose-footed mainsail, and some other devices which in the light of modern improvements might be deemed either archaic or obsolete. On second thoughts, however, I decided to let them stand as written. There is still a goodly fleet of "old-timers," cutters and yawls with straight stems and reefing bowsprits—craft some of them half a century old or more, and sound as a gold dollar in spite of severe service. The deadeye and the lanyard, although being pushed hard by the turnbuckle, die slowly, and are yet to be found in brand new vessels of the twentieth century.

To equalize and minimize strains on mainbooms, mainsheet bridles are now fitted. Overhangs are growing longer and longer and bowsprits shorter. The Larchmont one-design class of 1901 has a length on deck of 40 feet 7 inches, with a water-line length of 25 feet. The sail area is 1,103 feet, and the out side ballast weighs 6,100 pounds. The centerboard houses entirely below the cabin floor, the draught being 4 feet 6 inches, and 8 feet with the board down. The aim of the designer is to combine racing and cruising qualities—a much-to-be-desired combination, never to be completely attained, I fear.

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Transcriber's Notes.

In the compass back bearing chart, Points and Degrees have been abbreviated to Pts., Dgrs., to reduce width.

The original spelling and punctuation has been retained.

Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.

Italicized words and phrases in the text version are presented by surrounding the text with underscores.

Bold words and phrases in the text version are presented by surrounding the text with equals signs.