There's quite a few thing's about river sailing that I've had to figure out for myself through the "trial and error" method, snce nothing seems to be written on the subject and some of it's been downright frightening,both to myself and to those trusting souls who've been aboard with me . . .
Every now and then,thanks to the power and wisdom of The Googler,I run across something useful,mostly offhand remarks written by the captains of the sloops and schooners of the 1800's . .
One of the thing's that I was sure I've doing wrong was jibing while running before the wind,now after reading this account of the way it was done back in the old days, it turns out that I've been doing it right all along,but I think I'll pass on the part about getting my head yanked of by the mainsheet . .
"Novices used to be afraid to watch an experienced skipper jibe--change his mainsail from one side to the other while running before the wind. It seemed suicidal, even after trimming down the sheet, to put the helm hard up and let her swing to an angle of forty-five degrees. The wind would hit the loose sail and send it across the deck, the heavy ninety-foot boom swinging as if it were a fishpole. The sail would go thundering over the taffrail, obviously about to yank the mast out by the roots when it fetched up. Calmly the skipper would hold the helm hard up, while letting the sheet run freely. Just as catastrophe seemed inevitable the sloop would have swung far enough around for the wind to catch the sail on the other side and blow it all aluff. Then the skipper would throw the helm hard over, and as gently as a disciplined pony the sloop would take to her course again. That trick had to be played "mighty careful," though. A latter-day sailor, Ben Hunt, tried it once when he was at the wheel of the sloop James Coats. When the mainsail came over the deck a loop in the sheet caught him around the neck and popped his head into the river without taking the rest of him along."
So if you happen to come along with me,please resist any urges to scream bloody murder or to jump overboard because that IS the way it's supposed to be done !
Every now and then,thanks to the power and wisdom of The Googler,I run across something useful,mostly offhand remarks written by the captains of the sloops and schooners of the 1800's . .
One of the thing's that I was sure I've doing wrong was jibing while running before the wind,now after reading this account of the way it was done back in the old days, it turns out that I've been doing it right all along,but I think I'll pass on the part about getting my head yanked of by the mainsheet . .
"Novices used to be afraid to watch an experienced skipper jibe--change his mainsail from one side to the other while running before the wind. It seemed suicidal, even after trimming down the sheet, to put the helm hard up and let her swing to an angle of forty-five degrees. The wind would hit the loose sail and send it across the deck, the heavy ninety-foot boom swinging as if it were a fishpole. The sail would go thundering over the taffrail, obviously about to yank the mast out by the roots when it fetched up. Calmly the skipper would hold the helm hard up, while letting the sheet run freely. Just as catastrophe seemed inevitable the sloop would have swung far enough around for the wind to catch the sail on the other side and blow it all aluff. Then the skipper would throw the helm hard over, and as gently as a disciplined pony the sloop would take to her course again. That trick had to be played "mighty careful," though. A latter-day sailor, Ben Hunt, tried it once when he was at the wheel of the sloop James Coats. When the mainsail came over the deck a loop in the sheet caught him around the neck and popped his head into the river without taking the rest of him along."
So if you happen to come along with me,please resist any urges to scream bloody murder or to jump overboard because that IS the way it's supposed to be done !
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