Hints to Young Yacht Skippers

Leaks:

Leaky decks are difficult to make tight, and are the worst possible nuisance. Wooden decks on small sail-boats cannot be kept tight, unless they are covered with canvas and kept well-painted. Wherever the canvas is pierced, be careful to see that the cloth is carried well up and closely tacked to the object that goes through it. If a bolt or screw for a fairleader or hook passes through have a wide washer at the base and screw it down hard. Around the mast at the partners use a coat made of sheet lead.

Leaks:

A very common place for leaks to develop is in the rabbet between the garboard and keel, just under the mast. This is due to the downward thrust and working of the spar. If a boat persists in leaking there, lengthen the mast step so as to distribute the strain over a larger space. Our modern plank-keel boats are liable to develop cracks in the plank, which will only leak when underway, and are difficult to discover, as they close up when the boat is at rest. If the leak is bad it can be readily found by hauling the boat out, filling her bilge with water and watching where it drips out.

Leaks, stopping:

You can sometimes stop or check a leak by calking from the inside, if you can get at it; but great care should be exercised in driving the cotton not to push it in too hard, as you may drive out what calking is in the seam, and make the leak worse. Holes, if they can be got at from the outside, can be covered with sheet lead, copper, or a piece of rubber boot leg. In an emergency the same can be used inside to check the flow. Barge men frequently use horse manure to stop leaks in the seams when near the water line; they throw it overboard and let the water draw it into the crevice. I have checked a leak by running a boat on a bar of soft sand, thus getting sand in the seam.

Leak, to frap a:

If you get a hole in the bottom from striking a rock or other obstruction, and cannot put the boat ashore on a safe place, you can check it enough to keep her afloat by what is called frapping. Take a sail or large piece of canvas, and fasten a line to each of the four corners, then on the inside of the canvas sew a lot of oakum or cotton so as to make a wad big enough to completely cover the hole and a large space around it. Pass two of the lines under the boat and bring them up on the side opposite to the one the leak is on; keep the other two on the side the leak is. Work the canvas along until it covers the hole, and then haul all the lines taut, and make fast, the pressure will force the wadding into the hole and check the inflow of water until you can lay the boat ashore.

Scupper-pipe leaking:

If you get a bad leak in the scupper pipe, and cannot get at it from the inside, the following method is a quick and sure way of stopping the inflow of water: Cut a round disk of wood about five times bigger across than the outside opening of the pipe. Bore a hole in the middle of this disk just small enough to pass a strong cord through and knot. Then on inside of the disk fasten a good big wad of cotton batting, or oakum; this you can do with tacks, thread or glue. I have used thick paint and cotton wadding pulled out of an old quilt. When the disk is ready, take another line and weight it with a sinker, drop it down the scupper pipe until it hangs outside, then fish it up with a boat hook and bring the end on board. Marry the end of this cord to the cord attached to the disk. Then haul the cord in through the pipe until the disk comes up against and closes the scupper hole. By taking a stick and making a windlass of it you can roll the cord up tightly and secure the disk so it will not slip.

Lookout reports:

The lookout should examine the side lights, at least every half hour, and report to the man aft in command their condition. He should also see that the set of the headsails do not cover the lee light. If so, be prepared to show it clear if a vessel approaches on that bow.

Side lights:

The side lights should be kept clean and the lamps properly trimmed. Use signal oil in them. After lighting the lamps below place them in the lanterns, and let them burn for some minutes with the door open. This will dry out the moisture and allow it to escape. If you don’t do this, your glass will cloud with watery vapor. The cause of these lights refusing to burn is generally want of air, owing to overheating. The gas inside preventing the fresh oxygen from entering.

Working forward at night:

If you send a man forward of a rough dark night, put a light line around him and have it fast aft, or else have another hand hold it. This should always be done if a headsail is to be taken in, as more men are lost off the bowsprit than from any other spar.

Lookout:

Always at night, if sailing in waters frequented by other vessels, keep a good lookout. If two men are in the watch, have one forward whenever you get among other craft, as it is difficult to keep a close watch to leeward from the cockpit. The helmsman should keep a lookout to windward and astern.

Watch tackle:

A watch tackle or Handy Billy is most useful contrivance, and should have a place on every cruising boat. It is made of a single and double block, both having hooks, or else the single having a hook and the double an eye. For a small yacht, blocks carrying a 15-thread rope are heavy enough. When stretched to its best there should be at least 15 feet drift between the blocks. This tackle saves oceans of labor, and makes the heaviest job light. If your anchor sticks, Handy Billy will bring him to terms. If you get aground, he will give a strong pull on the warp to get you off. If the bobstay breaks, or a shroud parts, he will help to keep the mast in while repairs are being made. You want good, strong blocks, as there is a tremendous strain when all the beef is on this tackle. Keep Handy Billy in a safe and easily accessible place, and he will pay you well for his lodgings.

Tack, which:

This is something that many men get sadly mixed on, and consequently are frequently violating the rules of the road. A vessel is on the starboard tack when her boom is on the port side and the wind is blowing on her starboard side. She is on the port tack when the boom is on the starboard side and the wind is blowing on her port side. Not only are there men sailing who in an emergency cannot tell the port side from the starboard, but who do not know their right from their left hand. One day I was watching a sergeant drilling a squad of recruits. He said to me, “would you believe it, half these men don’t know their right from their left hand.” Upon my questioning this, he suddenly commanded them to raise their right hands, two lifted the right, one the left, and the other three looked doubtfully at both for some seconds before raising the right one up. You can always know when you are on the starboard tack in this way: Standing at the helm and facing forward, if your right hand is on the side from which the wind is blowing you are on the starboard tack. When I was a boy, and even to-day in an emergency, I always tell my right hand by thinking which hand I would throw a stone with.

Off the wind:

When a vessel is sailing off the wind the tack is determined by the position of the main boom. For instance, if a schooner or yawl is running wing-a-wing with the main boom off on the port side she is on the starboard tack.

Right of way:

A sailing vessel has the right of way over all steam or power vessels, except when she is the overtaking craft; then she must keep out of the way of the vessel overtaken. A “steam vessel” in the eyes of the law is any vessel driven by machinery, no matter of what kind or sort, and includes all gasolene, kerosene and electric boats. An auxiliary, if using her engine, is a steam vessel, and must keep clear of sailing craft, no matter whether she has sail set or not. Sailing craft must keep clear of rowboats.

Swigging a tackle:

When taking a swig on a tackle, in order to get a sail up, especially on the lee side, if the boat is heeling be careful to get a firm brace of your body or a good leg hold. Sometimes the pin will fly out, or your turn on the cleat slip, and you are liable to go overboard backwards.

Reef points:

The best way is to have the different sets of points made of different kinds of line. Use cotton for the first and manila for the second. Then when tying in, especially in the dark, you will be sure to get the right ends knotted together.

Peak halyards:

The hauling part of the peak halyards is usually brought down and belayed on the starboard side of the mast. I bring mine down on the port side, for this simple reason: The terms peak and port begin with the same letter, and thus it is easy for a green hand to find the right rope. Frequently a trained hand in a moment of excitement will let go the wrong halyard, but by remembering the letter P you are less likely to make the mistake.

Crew and skipper:

If you are to command, show yourself a leader, not by talk, but by action. Always be first in everything that requires skill or courage. Thus you will win your crew’s respect, and if they respect you they will obey you. Never send a man to do a task you fear to do yourself. If there is any danger, lead, and your men will follow; but you cannot expect men to risk their limbs or lives to save your vessel if you shrink from the position who have the most at jeopardy. Don’t put all the hard work on the crew; do your share of it; also the dirty jobs. If you are working watch and watch, be sure to be the first on deck when your watch is called, and don’t leave it, unless you are sure that the yacht is in safe hands and that your care and skill is not needed.

Skipper’s duties:

It is your duty as skipper to know and see everything that goes on. If you order the lead to be hove see that it is. See that the lights are attended to and ready. See that the course is being properly steered. Before turning in at night inspect your riding gear, likewise when coming to an anchor. Don’t trust to a report, go and look at it. See that the pump is used and the vessel kept clear of water. Make a practice of doing these things until they become a habit.

Skipper and mate:

If you have a second in command, and he is a man who understands his work, if you place him in charge of the deck don’t be constantly interfering with him. If he is not competent to take charge of the yacht, he has no business to be where he is. If you put confidence in a man, and he is worthy of it, it will strengthen him and enable him to do better work all along the line.

Standing order to mate:

My standing order, and one that I always enforce, is this: When in charge of the boat no reefs are to be shaken out or extra sail made without my order; but sail can be taken in or reefed at any time without waiting to call me.

Crew, discipline:

In order to insure safety, comfort and good work, you must enforce a certain amount of discipline upon your crew. You can only do this by showing that you are amenable to it. You cannot expect men who are sailing with you for pleasure to obey orders or respect rules if you do not obey and respect them yourself. This is the prime fault with many young skippers. If you shape your own conduct according to your rules you will find that your crew, if they are any good, will do likewise. But do not make foolish rules or issue unnecessary orders; the less you restrict and domineer the better you will get along with your hands.

Injury to sails:

Sails are most often torn or split through carelessness in tieing in the points when reefing, or not untieing when shaking out. The first man will tie his points hard, the second slack, consequently bringing undue strain on one cloth. All the points should be tied with as nearly equal strain as possible. Another cause is allowing sails to fall and lie over pointed things, like oarlocks, anchor stocks and belaying pins. Somebody steps or hauls on the sail and the point goes through.

Mending sails:

If you have a sister, or know somebody else’s sister, get her to show you how they herringbone or darn a rent, such as they frequently have in their clothes. This knowledge will enable you to mend a rent in your sail, and perhaps save the canvas from being torn to pieces. A small hole in a sail can be temporarily mended with court plaster. If the sail rends and starts to split up the cloth put in a safety pin at top and bottom of tear until you can get at it with a needle. Always carry a spare yard or two of canvas when cruising, as it will frequently come in handy for mending and other purposes.

Knotting and splicing:

Every young yachtsman should learn to make the simple knots and splices. Nothing looks worse than to see on a boat a lot of rigging that is knotted or fastened together in a lubberly fashion. There is no need of learning the fancy knots, unless you want to, but you should know how to make the following knots, etc.:

• Square or reef knot,
• Figure eight,
• Overhand,
• Fisherman’s bend,
• Carrick bend,
• Clove hitch,
• Half and whole hitch,
• Bowline,
• Bowline-on-a-bight,
• Sheet-bend,
• Rolling hitch,
• Wall and crown,
• Sheep-shank,
• Short splice,
• Sailmaker’s splice,
• Cut splice,
• Eye splice,
• Whipping, common,
• Whipping, Spanish,
• Serving,
• Mousing,
• Plain, stitching,
• Herringboning.

Washing down:

A boat’s deck and cockpit should be thoroughly washed at least once a day. Nothing looks worse than a dirty deck. Wooden decks should be washed before the heat of the day gets on them: Canvas decks can be scrubbed at any time. If on salt water, always take advantage of a rain and give your decks a good hard scrubbing to get the salt off. If you have a crew, teach them to wash down the first thing every morning, and see that they do it

Keeping clean below:

The first lesson to learn on a yacht, and the first to teach your crew, is that there is a place for everything, and that everything must be kept in its place. If they take anything out to use make them put it back at once in its place just as soon as they are done with it. Make every man keep his berth tidy, his clothes put away, and his bedding properly aired and folded. Teach them not to throw cigarette butts, tobacco and match sticks on the floor, and to spit overboard and not on the deck or in the cockpit. Don’t leave dirty dishes about. Keep your cabin just as tidy as you do your deck.

Tool box:

Every yacht should carry a simple kit of tools with them. You can always make temporary repairs, and sometimes save yourself expense, worry and toil. Have a box for them where they can be easily got at. You don’t want fine tools, as they will soon be ruined by the dampness. The following is a list of what is necessary for a cruising boat:

• Hatchet,
• Monkey wrench,
• Small saw,
• Cold chisel,
• Brace and bits,
• Screw driver,
• Marline spike,
• Small vice,
• Wire nippers,
• Grommet set,
• Sail needle,
• Sail hook,
• Twine,
• Wax,
• Fid,
• Piece of sheet copper,
• Piece of sheet lead,
• Piece of sheet rubber,
• Copper tacks,
• Screws,
• Nails,
• Some galv. iron rod,
• Wire,
• Screw eyes.

Bos’n stores:

Don’t have more than two or three sizes of rope in your rig, if you can help it, and carry a spare coil of a few fathoms of each. Also, have spare fittings, so if anything carries away you can replace it. Here is a short list:

• Blocks,
• Shackles,
• Pins for same,
• Cleats,
• Rope,
• Marline,
• Hambroline,
• Canvas,
• Lacing,
• Paint,
• Varnish.

Pump:

Every yacht, no matter of what size, should have a good pump fitted to draw from the lowest part of the bilge. If a full-decked cabin boat, have the pump put in through the deck, and not through the cockpit floor. Builders like to put it in the latter place, as the work is easier. In consequence of its being there the dirty water is pumped into the pit and makes it wet and nasty. In an open centerboard boat put the pump at the after end of the trunk and pump into it. Keep the pump well clean. If you do not use the pump daily, to keep the leather on the sucker in good condition wrap it about with an oiled rag. A small portable pump is very useful to completely dry out the bilges.

Pumping:

If the boat has a leak, make it a practice to try the pump every morning before washing down. Keep the water out of her, so that when she heels down it won’t run up into the lockers and wet things. A good knockdown will distribute a few buckets of bilge water around a cabin in a way to make things damp for weeks to come.

Ballast:

If you use inside ballast of any kind do not lump it in heaps along the keel; spread it out as much as possible over the bottom. It should be spaced in the middle half of the boat, leaving the ends empty. No rule can be laid down for placing weight in a boat; you must experiment and find out how much and where to put it. Remember, that too much ballast is as bad as too little.

Ballast, kinds of:

Inside ballast is either lead, iron or stone. There is no question but what stone is the best ballast, so far as the effect is concerned, and lead the worst. Lead has the advantage of being always worth its money, second-hand lead bringing nearly the same price as new. Old iron is of little or no value. Lead stows snugly and is clean. Iron is very dirty, and the rust from it is a nuisance. The disadvantage of stone is that you cannot secure it. Inside ballast should be secured so as not to shift in case the vessel gets on her side. Heavy ballast should rest on the frame and not on the plank.

Bilges:

The cause of many yachts smelling below is dirty bilges. They are never properly cleaned from one season to the other. Before putting the yacht in commission the bilges should be thoroughly searched, cleaned and washed out, all the limbers poked open so as to allow the water to flow to the pump well. If the boat does not leak enough to keep her bilges sweet, water should be poured in at least once a week and pumped out again. Don’t sweep dirt or other rubbish into the bilge; it is liable to get into the pump and choke it.

Gasolene pipes:

To make the joints of pipes carrying gasolene or kerosene tight use common yellow soap. These pipes if used to carry either of these fluids to a stove should be frequently examined, so as to prevent leakage. If gasolene leaks into the bilge, flood it with water and pump out before making any light below decks.

Lead line:

Keep your lead line where it can be instantly laid hands upon. For a small boat a five-fathom line is long enough, with an extra five that can be bent on in case of need. A three-pound lead is plenty heavy enough.

Knife:

Always keep about your person a sharp knife, so that you can get hold of it without delay. Many a man has lost his life for want of a knife. It is best when cruising to carry a sheath knife, as they are handiest.

Oars:

Always carry a large oar on deck and a pair of spare ones for the dingey stowed below. It is also well to have at least two pair of spare oarlocks on board.

Lashings and stops:

Take some 6, 9 and 12-thread manila rope and cut it into 3, 5 and 8-foot lengths. Put an eye-splice in one end of each length and whip the other end. These short pieces are always of the greatest use, and will save much time and trouble. They can be employed for many purposes, and are especially handy for gasketing sails.

Standing-by:

It is the duty, and should be the pleasure, of every yachtsman to stand-by another yacht when in distress, or in need of any sort of help. It is always best if you see a boat in a predicament to stand-down to her and offer your services, even if they are not needed; it will generally be appreciated as an act of courtesy and good will. And all yachtsmen should receive such offers in the spirit in which they are advanced, and not as some do, if they do not need assistance, give a jeering or discourteous reply. I have been fairly insulted several times by skippers because I have offered my aid to get them out of a predicament, my advances being considered to be a reflection on their skill and ability. Power-boat skippers can do much to make yachting pleasant, by offering a tow to becalmed sail-craft men. The little attentions do much to establish a feeling of perfect comradeship that is so essential to the making of a sport.

INDEX

• PAGE
• Accidents to men, 97
• Anchor light, 81
• to get a line on a fluke, 72
• to get in a seaway, 71
• to lay out a heavy, 73
• to lay one out, 73
• to raise a heavy, 74
• to sweep an, 72
• Anchors, care of, 71
• Anchored in a current, 51
• in an exposed harbor, 80
• vessels, 95
• Attraction, effect on vessels, 94
• Barometers, 86
• Ballast, kinds of, 118
• where to place, 118
• Balloon-jib sheet, to shift a, 64
• Bilges, 119
• Binnacle lights, 83
• Blocks, kind to buy, 23
• Boat’s name, 19
• Bobstay, burst, 66
• Bos’n stores, 116
• Booms, cause of springing, 22
• Burst bobstay, 66
• mainsheet, 65
• Buying a boat, 13
• a boat afloat, 15
• a cruiser, 14
• from fad, 16
• from reason, 17
• out of repair, 17
• a racer, 14
• through a broker, 18
• Caught on a lee shore, 56
• Chain, care of, 80
• mooring, 78
• Clubbing, 48
• Coasters, 95
• Coming-to at a dock, 48
• Coils of gear, 39
• Covers, sail, 38
• Crew, discipline, 111
• and skipper, 109
• stations for, 28
• stations for getting underway, 28
• stations for reefing, 30
• stations for setting a spinnaker, 32
• Cruising, 96
• Current, anchored in a, 57
• sailing against, 49
• sailing in a, 49
• sailing in a calm, 51
• Dock, coming-to at a, 48
• or pier lying at a, 48
• Downhaul, how to rig a peak, 40
• Dropping a mooring, 79
• Gasolene pipes, 119
• Gears, coils of, 39
• Gear, running, 39
• Halyards, peak, 109
• Hawsers, care of, 80
• Heaving-to, 52
• High water, 92
• in tide tables, 93
• Hoisting sails, 36
• Hoops, working of, 23
• Injury to sails, 112
• Inventory, 18
• Jibing a mainsail, 46
• a yawl, 47
• Jib sheets, how to reeve, 40
• Jibs, shifting in heavy weather, 38
• storm, 38
• Keeping clean below, 114
• Knife, 120
• Knotting and splicing, 113
• Lashing and stops, 121
• Lead-line, to make a, 98
• where to keep, 120
• Leak in scupper-pipe, 103
• to frap a, 103
• Leaks in centerboard boats, 99
• in deck, 101
• in rabbet, 101
• stopping, 102
• in topsides, 99
• where most dangerous, 98
• Lee shores, sailing on, 53
• shore, caught on a, 53
• caught on a, 56
• Light sails, handling, 30
• sheeting, 60
• Light, anchor, 81
• a flare, 81
• stern, 83
• Lights, binnacle, 83
• side, 83
• side, 104
• taking care of, 81
• Log, use of, 85
• Lookout, 105
• reports, 104
• Lying at a dock or pier, 48
• Lying-to, 52
• Making a mooring, 75
• to leeward, 77
• a quick run, 97
• Mainsail hoisting on track, 41
• to jibe, 46
• Mainsheet, burst, 65
• to knot a, 46
• Mark, rounding a, 60
• a leeward, 61
• a windward, 63
• with an overlap, 61
• Mast carried away, 66
• Masts, removing, 21
• to remove, 21
• Medicine chest, 85
• Mending sails, 112
• Miss-staying in a seaway, 54
• how to get out of irons, 54
• Mizzen on a yawl, 57
• how to handle, 57
• Mooring, care of, 79
• chain, 78
• dropping a, 79
• how to make a, 75
• hook, how to shape, 77
• making one to leeward, 77
• warp, 78
• Moorings, what weight, 74
• Nautical instruments, charts, etc., 19
• Oars, 120
• Off the wind, 107
• Peak downhaul, 40
• halyards, 109
• Pendants for reefing, 42
• Pump, 117
• Pumping, 118
• Reef points, 108
• shaking out a, 44
• Reefing before starting, 45
• not to haul out too hard, 44
• in heavy seaway, 44
• at night, 41
• pendants for, 42
• to practice a crew at, 41
• tacks for, 42
• to belay sheet when, 42
• Rigging, running, 40
• on racing craft, 22
• Right of way, 108
• Run, making a quick, 96
• Running off, to carry a small jib, 45
• gear, 39
• in a seaway, 45
• rigging, 40
• Rounding a mark, 60
• a windward mark, 63
• a mark to leeward, 60
• a mark, with overlap, 61
• Sail covers, 38
• Sails, hoisting, 36
• how to treat, 34
• injury to, 112
• measuring for, 34
• mending, 112
• stowing, 36
• to be aired, 34
• to take care of, 36
• Sailing against current, 49
• in a current, 49
• in a seaway, 56
• what sail to carry, 57
• Scupper-pipe leaking, 103
• Sheets, jib, 40
• Sheeting, light sails, 60
• Shore, caught on a lee, 53
• weather, 53
• Shores, lee, 53
• Shifting jibs in heavy weather, 38
• Shroud parting, 64
• Side lights, 104
• lights, 83
• Skipper and mate, 110
• Skipper’s duties, 110
• Spinnaker pole, how to rig for racing, 24
• Spinnakers, to prepare for hoisting, 24
• Spinnaker to set when rigged with a lift, 26
• to shift from side to side, 25
• Spinnakers, when to use, 25
• Squall, struck by a, 90
• Squalls, 88
• how to meet one, 89
• time of, 89
• Standing-by, 121
• Standing order to mate, 111
• Speed, to judge, 68
• reasons for want of, 67
• Steering a yawl, 47
• Stern light, 83
• Storm jibs, 38
• Stowing sails, 36
• Swigging a tackle, 108
• Tacks for reefing, how to fit, 42
• Tack, which, 106
• Tanks, water, 84
• Tide under the lee, 51
• Tides, a knowledge of, 93
• effecting the wind, 90
• time of, 92
• where strongest, 92
• To get an anchor in a seaway, 71
• To lay out an anchor, 73
• To lay out a heavy anchor, 73
• To sweep an anchor, 72
• Tool box, 115
• Towing a heavy boat, 68
• alongside, 70
• making the warp fast, 70
• to tack when, 70
• Trimming a vessel, 63
• To raise a heavy anchor, 74
• Vessels underway, 96
• Want of speed, 67
• Warp, mooring, 78
• Washing down, 114
• Watch tackle, 106
• Water, cause of sickness, 84
• tanks, 84
• Wearing a yawl, 46
• Weather shore, sailing on, 53
• the study of, 87
• Winds, 88
• Winds, study of, 87
• Working craft and steamers, 94
• forward at night, 105
• to windward, 58
• to windward cruising, 59
• to windward, to get favoring breeze, 59
• Yawl, jibing a, 47
• mizzen on a, 57
• steering a, 47
• wearing a, 46