The yachtsman's handybook for sea use

ROCKET AND MORTAR APPARATUS.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GUIDANCE OF MASTERS AND SEAMEN WHEN USING THE APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE, IN CASES OF SHIPWRECK.

In the event of your vessel stranding within a short distance of the United Kingdom, and the lives of the crew being placed in danger, assistance will, if possible, be rendered from the shore in the following manner; namely—

1. A rocket or shot, with a thin line attached, will be fired across your vessel. Get hold of this line as soon as you can, and when you have secured it let one of the crew be separated from the rest, and, if in the daytime, wave his hat or his hand, or a flag or handkerchief; or, if at night, let a rocket, a blue light, or a gun, be fired; or let a light be displayed over the side of the ship, and be again concealed, as a signal to those on shore.

2. When you see one of the men on shore, separated from the rest, wave a Red flag, or (if at night) show a Red light, and then conceal it, you are to haul upon the rocket line until you get a tailed block with an endless fall rove through it.

3. Make the tail of the block fast to the mast about 15 feet above the deck, or if, your masts are gone, to the highest secure part of the vessel. When the tail block is made fast, and the Rocket line unbent from the Whip, let one of the crew, separated from the rest, make the signal required by Art. 1 above.

N.B.-The tail block being fitted with a swivel will enable you to take out the turns (if any) in the endless fall, without unbending the block.

4. As soon as the signal is seen on shore, a hawser will be bent to the whip line, and will be hauled off to the ship by those on shore.

5. When the hawser is got on board, the crew should at once make it fast to the same part of the ship as the tail block is made fast to, only about 18 inches higher, taking care that there are no turns of the whip line round the hawser.

N.B.—The turns can be prevented by bringing the end of the hawser up between the two parts of the endless fall.

6. When the hawser has been made fast on board, the signal directed to be made in Art. 1 above is to be repeated.

7. The men on shore will then pull the hawser taut, and by means of the whip line will haul off to the ship a sling, cot, or life buoy, into which the person to be hauled ashore is to get and be made fast. When he is in, and secure, one of the crew must be separated from the rest, and again signal to the shore, as directed in Art. 1 above. The people on shore will then haul the person in the sling to the shore; and when he is landed, will then haul back the empty sling to the ship for others. This operation will be repeated until all persons are hauled ashore from the wrecked vessel.

8. It may sometimes happen that the state of the weather and the condition of the ship will not admit of a hawser being set up; in such cases a sling or life-buoy will be hauled off instead, and the shipwrecked persons will be hauled through the surf, instead of along a hawser.

Masters and crews of stranded vessels should bear in mind that success in landing them in a great measure depends upon their coolness, and attention to the rules here laid down; and that by attending to them, many lives are annually saved by the Mortar and Rocket Apparatus on the coasts of the United Kingdom.

The system of signalling must be strictly adhered to; and all women, children, passengers, and helpless persons should be landed before the crew of the ship.

AFT SEAMANSHIP.

FORE AND AFT

CUTTER RIG.

What is a Cutter Rig?

One mast, bowsprit fitted to run out and in, and jib set flying; the chief
sails are fore-and-aft mainsail, gaff-topsail, foresail, and jib.
What is a Sloop Rig?

One mast and fore-and-aft sails like a cutter, but a standing bowsprit; the
jib is set upon a standing stay with hanks; a square topsail, tcpgallant
sail set flying, and gaff topsail, are sometimes carried.

Q. What is a Yawl or Dandy Rig?

A fore-and-aft mainsail, gaff topsail, foresail, and jib, are carried as in a Cutter; in addition there is a small mizenmast stepped in the stern, upon which is set a mizen, the sheet of which is led to the end of a horizontal spar projecting over the stern; the foot of the mainsail is shorter to allow the boom to traverse clear of the mizenmast. The Dandy is a similar rig, but should strictly have a jib-headed mizen and no boom to the mainsail, that it may be easily brailed up by a rope passing round it. Q. How many shrouds on a side are usually fitted in these Rigs? A. Three.

Q. Any other gear?

A. Yes, a runner and tackle with pennant on each side abaft the rigging.
Q. What are they used for?

They act as backstays for the lower mast, and are also used for hoisting a boat or other heavy weight out or in.

Q. To what portion of the hull is the fore stay secured?

up their topmasts?

Yes; and for this purpose the mast or heel rope is kept rove in readiness. Q. What precautions are generally taken to prevent the mast from falling when housed, in addition to keeping the mast-rope rove?

The bight of a rope (about two or three fathoms long, with an eye spliced in each end) is seized on to an eye bolt, on the heel of the topmast; the ends of the rope are seized on to the foremast shroud of the rigging, one on each side, so that when the mast is housed, the legs form an angle of about 45° with the heel of the topmast. This is generally a fixture, sufficient drift being allowed for the mast to be housed or sent aloft, without taking the seizings off.

How is a Cutter's topmast rigging fitted?

It is cut short so that it can be set up when the topmast is lowered without putting a sheepshank in it.

Describe it.

A. It is led from the topmast head through the cross trees, below which, and

in the end, a thimble is spliced. From this to the channels of the rigging it is set up with a tackle. Short lengths, called legs, fitted with clip-hooks, or shackles are used to give the required length when the topmast is sent aloft.

Q. How is the bowsprit gear fitted?

With two single blocks, or a runner and tackle (the latter in a large vessel). Shrouds have the tackle on the inner end; bobstay, the tackle on the outer end, with a line on the bight to trice it up with when required. How would you reef a Cutter's bowsprit ?

Slack up all the gear. Reeve a heel rope and heave taut upon it, and take out the fid. Slack the bowsprit in to the second or third fid hole, as required, ship the fid, and then set up the gear.

How are the topping lifts fitted?

Single or double from the masthead to the boom end (in small vessels).
Describe them.

The standing part is hooked on to the boom and led through a block on
the cap at the masthead, from thence on deck, and there set up with a
runner and tackle. Double ones are fitted with the standing part on
the cap, and led thence through a single block at the boom end and back
to a block at the cap, thence to the deck. In large Cutters a single one
is fitted on each side of the boom, and rove through a block under the
eyes of the rigging. The lee one is overhauled slack, or unhooked, to
keep the chafe off the sail when set.

How are the peak halliards rove?

Through two blocks on the gaff, and two at the masthead, to which the standing part is secured. The hauling part is led from the lower block

at the masthead to the deck.

Q. How is the peak line rove, and what is it used for?

As a single whip through a small block at the gaff end. Used for hoisting the ensign or signals, and for hauling the gaff down.

Q. How is the luff of the mainsail bent?

Bent on to hoops round the mast, or with hanks from the throat down to the third reef, from thence a lacing.

Q. Why?

To trice the tack up, or take the reefs in with greater facility, by slacking up the lacing or unreeving it.

How is the tack tricing line fitted?

A single block on the tack of the sail, a single block and the standing part under the jaws of the gaff; from thence it leads on deck.

Q. How are the reef pennants of the mainsail fitted?

A. With a wall knot or Matthew Walker on one end.

From down up, through the cleat on one side of the boom, through the
corresponding reef cringle on the after part of the sail, and down through
the sheave on the other side of the boom.

Q. How is the stay foresail fitted?
With hanks on (or by a lacing to) the stay.
an iron rod or horse across the deck.
leach, with a line fitted to the foremost
ward when boxing off in stays.
Q. How would you set a jib?

The sheet sometimes travels on A bowline bridle on the after shroud to keep the sail to wind

A. Hook on the halliards to the head of the sail, the tack to the traveller, shackle on and belay the sheet slack, hoist the sail nearly up with the halliards, then haul the tack out. Set tight the halliards, and haul aft

the sheet. (Set on the lee side of the foresail.)

Q. How is the gaff topsail sheet rove?

From the deck through a block under the jaws of the gaff, from thence through a sheave or a block at the gaff end.

How would you take a gaff topsail in?

Lower the halliards, and haul on the downhaul, until the head of the sail is down to the cap of the masthead, hold on the halliards, let go the sheet, and trip up. When the sail is clewed up, let go the halliards, and haul it down by the tack and downhaul.

How is the gaff topsail downhaul fitted?

The standing part on the clew of the sail, and through a single block on the head of the sail (if it is jib headed); if set with a yard on the head, the block is on the inner yardarm.

How is the square sail yard fitted in a Cutter?

With a strop and thimble on the midship part of the yard, this travels on a wire rope jumper, set up from the masthead, to the deck, at the fore part of the mast. The yard is usually carried up and down the mast when not in use. When in use, it is squared by lifts from the lower masthead, and by braces leading aft.

How would you set a squaresail?

Lower the foresail down, hoist up and square the yard, bend on the yardarm whips to the earings, and the foresail halliards to the middle of the head of the sail, hitch the lizard on the jumper to the midship halliards, hoist up and trim. A downhaul is bent on to each halliard.

How would you take it in?

From the head. Keep the tack and sheet fast. Slack off and haul down outer halliards as low as possible. Then let go midship halliards, haul on the downhauls, and gather in the sail.

How would you reef a mainsail?

Lower throat and peak halliards sufficient to take in the reef required, hook on reef tackle to reef pennant, and bowse the reef cringle down on to the boom, pass the tack earing, tie the reef points, and reset the sail, hoisting throat taut up before the peak.

How would you take in the balance reef, the third reef being in?

Ease the peak sufficiently to allow the jaws of the gaff to come close down; when down pass throat earing, and hook on tack tackle, reeve the points, tie them, and set up the peak halliards.

Q. Suppose your mainsail has no balance reef?

I would scandalise the mainsail.

Q. What is scandalizing the mainsail?

A. Tricing the tack up, and lowering or dropping the peak.

Q. Where does the boom guy lead to when running before the wind?

A. Outside the rigging, and in board, to the fore part of the bowsprit bitts. Q. What is a jib topsail, and how is it set?

A small light duck jib, set flying from the lee side, from the bowsprit end to the topmast head, the luff of the sail in length being about a third of the length of the topmast stay. When set, the tack is about as far from the bowsprit end as the head is from the topmast head.

Q. What is a balloon jib?

A. A large jib of light make, used only in light winds; it extends from the bowsprit end to the main rigging.

Q. What is a spitfire jib?

A very small jib, of No. 1 canvas, for stormy weather.

Q. What canvas would you reach under, in a gale, with heavy sea?

A. Three reefed mainsail, double reefed foresail, and storm jib.

What canvas would you heave to with, heavy gale and sea?
Balance reefed mainsail.

How would you get under weigh?

Heave short, loose sails, hoist the mainsail, trice the tack up, and overhaul the main sheet. Heave the anchor up, when off the ground run the foresail up, with sheet to windward, helm down, boom well off; as soon as the anchor was up. Let draw fore sheet, shift the helm, haul in the

main sheet, set the jib, and down tack of the mainsail.

Q. How would you tack?

Down helm, slack off jib sheet, haul in main sheet; as soon as she comes head to wind, haul over jib sheet and main boom. As soon as the jib

fills, let draw the fore sheet and trim sail.

How would you wear round?

Slack off the main sheet, up with the helm, and if necessary trice up the tack and drop the peak. When before the wind, shift over the mainboom, get the head sheets over, and as she rounds to, haul in main sheet and down tack of mainsail.

You are running before the wind, and wish to gibe, what precautions should you take?

Gibing either in a Cutter or Schooner requires great care, otherwise it is dangerous, as the bights of the main sheet may (as the boom is going over) sweep everything off the deck they come in contact with, and (the manoeuvre is the same in both classes of vessels) the chances are that the main boom may be sprung, or the sail split, when the boom is brought up with a jerk, after going over. In a light breeze and smooth water it may be done with a whole mainsail set, but in a strong breeze in a sea-way it requires preparation and care. The first thing is to reduce the power of the mainsail; this is readily done by tricing up the tack of the mainsail, and dropping the peak; when this is done, the best way is to quarter the wind (if running with it aft) and haul in the main sheet, unhook the guy before putting the helm up, and gather in quickly as much of the sheet as possible, while the vessel is paying off and the boom is going over. When you have brought the wind on the other quarter, hook on your guy, slack off the main sheet, trim and make sail.

Q. Suppose your masthead broke off just above the eyes of the rigging, and carried away your peak halliards and its blocks, how would you set your mainsail?

A. With three reefs, and hoist the peak of the gaff with the lee boom topping lift.

Q. Your lee boom topping lift is broken, or carried away?

A. I would rig a span from the jaws to the end of the gaff, hook the throat halliards on to the middle of the span, and hoist the gaff with it.

Q. Your bowsprit is carried away near the gammon iron?

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