THE LAND-LUBBER'S CHAPTER
Common Nautical Terms and Expressions Defined. How to Sail a Boat. Boat Rigs.

THERE are a few common terms with which all who venture on the water should be familiar, not only for 
convenience, but for prudential reasons. Accidents are liable to happen to boats of all descriptions, and often the 
safety of property and life depend upon the passengers' ability to understand what is said to them by the officers or 
sailors in charge of the craft.

To those who are familiar with the water and shipping it may seem absurd to define the bow and stern of a boat,
but there are boys who will read this book who cannot tell the bow from the stern, so we will begin this chapter with 
the statement that...

	The bow is the front end of the boat, and 
	The stern is the rear end of the boat
	Fore'ard is toward the bow of the boat.
	Aft is toward the stern of the boat. 
		Both terms are used by sailors as forward and backward are used by landsmen.
	The hull is the boat itself without masts, spars, or rigging. 
		A skiff and a birch bark canoe are hulls.
	The keel is the piece of timber running along the centre of the bottom of the hull, 
		like the runner of a skate, and used to give the boat a hold on the water, so that
		she will not slide sideways.

When you are sitting in the stern of a boat, facing the bow, the side next to your right hand is the right hand side of 
the boat, and the side next to your left hand is the left-hand side of the boat ; but these terms are not used by 
seamen; they always say...

Starboard for the right-hand side of the boat, and Port for the left-hand side of the boat. Formerly the left-hand side
was called the larboard, but this occasioned many serious mistakes on account of the similarity of the sound of 
larboard and starboard when used in giving orders.

Red and Green Lights.
After dark a red light is carried on the port side and a green light on the starboard side of all vessels in motion. If 
you can remember that port wine is red, and that the port light is of the same color, you will always be able to tell in 
which direction an approaching craft is pointing by the relative location of the lights.

	"When both lights you see ahead,
		Port your helm and show your red!
	Green to green and red to red,
		You're all right, and go ahead!"

If you are a real land-lubber, the verse quoted will be of little service, because you will not know how to port your 
helm. In fact, you probably will not know where to look for the helm or what it looks like; but only a few of our readers
are out-and-out land-lubbers, and most of them know that the helm is in some way connected with the steering 
apparatus.

The rudder is the movable piece of board at the stern of the boat by means of which the craft is guided. The
rudder is moved by a lever, ropes, or a wheel.

The tiller is the lever for moving the rudder, or the ropes used for the same purpose (Fig. 105).

The wheel is the wheel whose spokes end in handles on the outer edge of the rim or felly, and it is used for moving
the rudder (Fig. 106).

The helm is that particular part of the steering apparatus that you put your hands on when steering.

The deck is the roof of the hull.

The centre-board is an adjustable keel that can be raised or lowered at pleasure. It is an American invention. The 
centre-board, as a rule, is only used on comparatively small vessels. Mr. Joseph H. Tooker, in a note to the New 
York Sun, November 24, 1895, says that the inventor of the centre-board is Mr. Salem Wines, who kept a shop on 
Water Street, near Market Slip, and, when alive was a well-known New York boat-builder. His body now lies in 
Greenwood Cemetery, and upon the headstone of his grave is the inscription, "The Inventor of the Centre-Board."

For sailing, the boat or hull is rigged with masts and spars for spreading the sails to catch the wind.

The masts are the upright poles or sticks that hold the sails.

The yards are the poles or sticks at right angles with the masts that spread the sails.

The boom is the movable spar at the bottom of the sail.

The gaff is the pole or spar for spreading the top or head of the sail (Fig. 107).

The sail is a big canvas kite, of which the boom, gaff, and masts are the kite-sticks. You must not understand by this 
that the sail goes soaring up in the air, for the weight of the hull prevents that; but if you make fast a large kite to the 
mast of a boat it would be a sail, and if you had a line long and strong enough, and should fasten any spread sail to 
it, there can be no doubt that the sail would fly.

The spars are the masts, bowsprit, yards, and gaffs.

The bowsprit is the stick or sprit projecting from the bow of the boat (Fig. 137, Sloop).

The foremast is the mast next to the bow the forward mast (Fig. 135, Ship).

The mainmast is the second mast the mast next to the foremast.

Mizzen-mast is the mast next to and back of the mainmast (Fig. 135, Ship).

The rigging of a boat consists of the ropes or lines attached to its masts and sails, but a boat's rig refers to the 
number of masts as well as to the shape of its sails.

Stays are strong ropes supporting the masts, fore and aft.

Shrouds are strong ropes reaching from the mastheads to the sides of the vessel; supports for the masts, 
starboard and port.

Ratlines are the little ropes that form the steps or foot ropes that run cross-wise between the shrouds.

The painter is the rope at the bow of a small boat, used for the same purpose as is a hitching-strap on a horse.

The standing rigging consists of the stays and shrouds.

The running rigging, of all the ropes used in handling yards and sails.

The sheets are the ropes or lines attached to the corners of sails, by which they are governed (Fig. 108).

The main sheet is the rope that governs the mainsail.

The jib sheet is the rope that governs the jib sail.

The gaskets are the ropes used in lashing the sails when furled.

The braces are the ropes used in swinging the yards around.

The jib stay is the stay that runs from the foremast to the bowsprit.

The bob stay is practically an extension of the jib stay and the chief support of the spars. It connects the bow of the 
boat with the bowsprit and prevents the latter from bobbing up and down.

Besides the port and starboard sides of a boat there are the windward and leeward sides. Do not understand by 
this that the boat has four sides like a square. Windward may be the port or the starboard side, according to the 
direction the wind blows; because Windward means the side of the boat against which the wind blows; the side 
where the wind climbs aboard; or it may mean the direction from which the wind comes. The opposite side is called
Leeward that is, the side of the boat opposite to that against which the wind blows, where the wind tumbles 
overboard, or the side opposite to windward. When you are sailing you may be near a Lee Shore. That is, the shore 
on your lee side against which the wind blows, or a Windward Shore. That is, the land on your windward side from 
which the wind blows.

All seamen dread a lee shore, as it is a most dangerous shore to approach, from the fact that the wind is doing its
best to blow you on the rocks or beach. But the windward shore can be approached with safety, because the wind
will keep you off the rocks, and if it is blowing hard, the land will break the force of the wind.

In a canoe or shell the boatman sits either directly on the bottom, or, as in the shell, very close to it, and the weight 
of his body serves to keep the boat steady, but larger crafts seldom rely upon live weights to steady them. They use 
Ballast. That is, weights of stone, lead, iron, or sand bags used to balance the boat and make her steady.

As has been said before in this chapter, the sail is a big canvas kite made fast to the boat, and called a sail, but the
ordinary kite has its covering stretched permanently on rigid sticks.

The sail, however, can be stretched to its full extent or only partially, or it may be rolled up, exposing nothing but the 
masts to the force of the wind. To accomplish all this there are various ropes and attachments, all of which are 
named.

It is quite important that the young sailor should know the names of all the ...

Parts of a Sail.

Luff. That part of the sail adjoining the mast the front of the sail (Fig. 109).

Leach. That part of the sail stretched between the outer or after end of the boom and the outer end of the gaff the 
back part of the sail (Fig. 109).

Head. That part of the sail adjoining the gaff the top of the sail.

Foot. That part of the sail adjoining the boom the bottom of the sail (Fig. 109).

Clews. A general name for the four corners of the sail. 

Clew. The particular corner at the foot of the sail where the leach and boom meet (Fig. 109).

Tack. The corner of the sail where boom and mast meet (Fig. 109).

Throat or Nock. The corner of the sail where gaff and mast meet (Fig. 109).

Peak. Corner of the sail where the leach and gaff meet (Fig. 109).

How to Steer a Boat.
When you wish your boat to turn to the right push your helm to the left. This will push the rudder to the right, and 
turn the boat in that direction. When you wish your boat to turn to the left push your helm to the right. In other 
words:
	
	Starboard your helm and you will turn to the port (Fig. 110). 
	Port your helm and you will turn to the starboard (Fig. 111).

From a reference to the diagram you may see that when you port your helm you move the tiller to the port side of 
the boat, and when you starboard your helm you move your tiller to the starboard side of the boat (Fig. 110), but to 
ease your helm you move your helm toward the centre of the boat that is, amidships.

How to Sail a Boat.
If you fasten the bottom of a kite to the ground, you will find that the wind will do its best to blow the kite over, and if 
the kite is fastened to the mast of a toy boat, the wind will try to blow the boat over.

In sailing a boat the effort of the wind apparently has but one object, and that is the upsetting of the boat. The latter 
being well balanced, is constantly endeavoring to sit upright on its keel, and you, as a sailor, are aiding the boat in 
the struggle, at the same time subverting the purpose of the wind to suit your own ideas. It is an exciting game, in 
which man usually comes out ahead, but the wind gains enough victories to keep its courage up.

Every boat has peculiarities of its own, and good traits as well as bad ones, which give the craft a personal 
character, that lends much to your interest, and even affects your sensibilities to the extent of causing you to have
the same affection for a good, trustworthy craft that you have for an intelligent and kind dog or horse.

A properly balanced sailboat, with main sheet trimmed flat and free helm, should be as sensitive as a weathercock
and act like one that is, she ought to swing around until her bow pointed right into the "eye of the wind," the 
direction from which the wind blows. Such a craft it is not difficult to sail, but it frequently happens that the boat that
is given to you to sail is not properly balanced, and shows a constant tendency to "come up in the wind"- - face the 
wind when you are doing your best to keep her sails full and keep her on her course. This may be caused by too 
much sail aft. The boat is then said to carry a weather helm.

Weather Helm. When a boat shows a constant tendency to come up in the wind.

Lee Helm. When a boat shows a constant tendency to fall off the wind that is, when the wind blows her bow to the 
leeward. This is a much worse trait than the former, and a boat with a lee helm is a dangerous boat. It may be 
possible to remedy it by adding sail aft or reducing sail forward, which should immediately be done.

In spite of the fact, already stated, that the wind's constant effort is to capsize a boat, there is little or no danger of a 
properly rigged boat upsetting unless the sheets are fast or hampered in some way. When a sailboat upsets it is, of 
course, because the wind blows it over.

Now, the wind cannot blow a boat over unless the boat presents some surface larger than its hull for the wind to 
blow against, and the sail is the only object that offers enough surface to the breeze to cause an upset.

If the sheet is slackened, the sail will swing around until it flaps like a flag and only the thin edge is presented to the 
wind; and a boat that a flag will upset is no boat for beginners to trust themselves in. True the boom may be very 
long and heavy enough to make it dangerous to let so much of it overboard, but this is seldom the case. A good
sailor keeps his eyes constantly on the sails and trims them to take advantage of the slightest favorable breeze. In
place of losing control of his sail by letting go the sheets he will ease the tiller so as to "spill" part of the wind that is, 
let the forward part or luff of the sail shake a bit. Or, in case of a sudden puff of wind, he may deem it necessary to 
"luff" that is, let her shake and slacken the sheets, too.

Trimmed Flat. Sheets hauled in until the boom is only a little to the leeward of the helm (Fig. 112).

Close-Hauled. Sheets trimmed flat and the boat pointing as near as possible to the eye of the wind. Then the sail 
cannot belly, and is called flat (Fig. 112).

To Sail Close-Hauled.
The skipper must watch that his sail does not flap or ripple at the throat, for that means that he is pointing too close 
to the wind and that some of the breeze is blowing on both sides of his sail, which even a novice can see will retard
the boat.

Upon discovering a rippling motion at the luff of the sail put the helm up that is, move the tiller a little to windward 
until the sail stops its flopping.

Before the Wind. When the wind is astern; sailing with the wind; sailing directly from windward to leeward 
(Fig. 113).

In order to reach the desired point it is often expedient to sail before the wind, but unless the wind is light, 
beginners had better not try this. To sail before the wind you let your sheets out until the boom stands at almost 
right angles with the boat. Keep your eye on the sail and see that it does not flap, for if the man at the helm is 
careless and allows the boat to point enough away from the direction of the wind to allow the wind to get on the 
other side of the sail, the latter will swing around or jibe with such force as to endanger the mast, if it does not 
knock some one overboard.

The price of liberty is constant vigilance, and the price of a good sail is the same. I have seen a mast snapped off
clean at the deck by a jibe, and once when out after ducks every one was so intent upon the game that proper 
attention was not paid to the sail. The wind got round and brought the boom with a swing aft, knocking the captain 
of our boat club overboard. Had the boom hit him in the head and stunned him, the result might have been fatal.

Wing and Wing. When a schooner goes before the wind with one sail out at nearly right angles on the port side 
and the other in the same position on the starboard side she is said to be wing and wing, and presents a beautiful 
sight.

Tacking. Working to the windward by a series of diagonal moves.

Legs. The moves or diagonal courses made in tacking. It is apparent to the most unthinking observer that no vessel
propelled by sail can move against the direct course of the wind, that is, nothing but electricity, naphtha, steam, or
some such power can drive a boat into the eye of the wind. But what cannot be accomplished in a direct manner 
can be done by a series of compromises, each of which will bring us nearer to the desired point.

First we point the boat to the right or left, as the case may be, as near or as close to the wind as the boat will sail.
Then we come about and sail in the other direction as close as practicable to the eye of the wind, and each time we 
gain something in a direct line.

When your boat changes its direction on a tack it is done by "jibing" or "coming about."

Jibing. With the wind on the quarter, haul the main boom aft or amidships with all possible speed, by means of the 
main sheets (Fig. 115), and as the wind strikes the sail on the other side let it out as deliberately as possible until it 
reaches the position desired (Fig. 116).

Beginners should never attempt to jibe, for if there is more than a capful of wind, the sail will probably get away from 
them, and, as described in going before the wind, some disaster is liable to occur. Experts only jibe in light winds, 
and frequently lower the peak, so as to reduce sail, before attempting a jibe.

When you wish to come about see that all the tackle, ropes, etc., are clear and in working order, and that you are 
making good headway, then call out : "Helm's a-lee!" or "Ready about!" and push the tiller in the direction opposite 
to that from which the wind blows that is, to the lee side of the boat. This will bring the bow around until the wind 
strikes the sail upon the side opposite to that which it struck before the helm was a-lee (Figs. 117, 118, 119, 120).

If you are aboard a sloop or schooner, ease off the jib sheet, but keep control of it, so that as the boat comes up to 
the wind you can make the jib help the bow around by holding the sheets so as to catch the wind aback. When the 
bow of the craft has passed the eye of the wind and the sail begins to fill give the order to make fast or trim the jib, 
and off you go upon the opposite tack, or on a new leg.

If the wind is light, or if, for any cause, the boat works slowly, you can sometimes help her by trimming in the main
sheet when you let the jib sheet fly. In the diagram of coming about no jib is shown.

Wearing is a term sometimes used in place of jibing.

In a Thunder-Storm.
A thunder-storm is always an uncertain thing. There may be a veritable tornado hidden in the black clouds that we 
see rising on the horizon, or it may simply "iron out the wind" --that is, go grumbling overhead and leave us 
becalmed, to get home the best way we can ; generally by what the boys called a "white -ash breeze" that is, by 
using the sweeps or oars.

On Long Island Sound a thunder-storm seems to have certain fixed rules of conduct. In the first place, it comes up 
from the leeward, or against the wind. Just before the storm strikes you for an instant the wind ceases and the sails 
flap idly. Then look out ! for in nine cases out of ten you are struck the next moment by a sudden squall from 
exactly the opposite direction from which the wind blew a moment before.

What to Do.
Make for the nearest port with all speed, and keep a man at the down haul ready at a moment's notice to lower sail. 
The moment the wind stops drop the sail and make everything snug, leaving only bare poles. When the thunder-
squall strikes you, be it ever so hard, you are now in little danger; and if the wind from the new quarter is not too 
fresh, you can hoist sail again and make the beet of your way to the nearest port, where you can "get in out of the 
wet."

If the wind is quite fresh keep your peak down, and with a reefed sail speed on your way. If it is a regular howler, let 
your boat drive before the wind under bare poles until you can find shelter or until it blows over, and the worst 
mishap you are likely to incur is a good soaking from the rain.

Shortening Sail. Just as soon as the boat heels over too far for safety, or as soon as you are convinced that there 
is more wind than you need for comfortable sailing, it is time to take a reef that is, to roll up the bottom of the sail to 
the row of little ropes or reefing points on the sail and make fast there. This, of course, makes a smaller sail, and 
that is what you wish.

While under way it will be found impossible to reef a sail except when sailing close-hauled. So the boat is brought 
up into the wind by pushing the helm down, as if you intended to come about. When possible it is better to lower 
the sail entirely before attempting to put in a reef.

To Reef Without Lowering Sail.
It sometimes happens that on account of the proximity of a lee shore, and the consequent danger of drifting in that 
direction, or for some other equally good reason, it is unadvisable to lower sail and lose headway. Under such 
circumstances the main sheet must be trimmed flat, keeping the boat as close as possible to the wind, the helm 
must be put up hard a-lee, and jib sheet trimmed to windward (Fig. 121).

When this is done the wind will hit the jib, "paying her head off," or pushing her bow to leeward, and this tendency is 
counteracted by the helm and mainsail, bringing the bow up into the wind. This keeps the boat squirming. Lower the 
mainsail until the row of reef points is just on a line with the boom, keeping to the windward of the sail. Tie the first 
point that is, the one on the luff rope then the one on the leach, being careful to stretch out the foot of the sail. 
Then tie the remaining points, always making a square or reefing knot. Tie them to the jack stay on the boom or 
around the boom.

The Reef or Square Knot
is most frequently used, as its name implies, in reefing sails. First make a plain overhand knot, as in Fig. 122. Then 
repeat the operation by taking the end and passing it over and under the loop, drawing the parts tight, as shown in 
Fig. 123. Care should be observed in crossing the ends so that they will always lay fairly alongside the main parts. 
Otherwise the knot will prove a granny, and be comparatively worthless.

To Shake Out a Reef,
untie the knots, keeping to the windward of the sail. Untie the knot at the leach first, next the one at the luff, and 
then the remaining points. In lowering a sail you use a rope called the down haul.

Starboard Tack. When the main boom is over the port side.

Port Tack. When the main boom is over the starboard side.

Right of Way. All boats sailing on the starboard tack have the right of way over all those on the port tack. In other 
words, if you are on the starboard tack, those on the port tack must keep out of your way. Any boat sailing 
close-hauled has the right of way over a boat sailing free.

Lights for Canoe.
A canoe under sail at night should have an uncolored lantern hung to her mizzen-mast to notify other craft that she 
is out and objects to being run down. The light is put on the mizzen so that it may be behind the skipper and not
dazzle him.

What you have read in the foregoing pages will not be found very difficult to remember, but there is only one way to 
learn to sail and that is by sailing. If possible, sail with some one who is a good seaman. If this sort of companion
cannot be had, try it alone on smooth water and with short sail until you accustom yourself to the boat and its 
peculiarities. No boy ever learned to skate or swim from books, but books often have been helpful in giving useful 
hints to those who were really learning by practical experience.

Some Do Nots.
	Do not overload the boat.
	Do not carry too much sail.
	Do not sail in strange waters without chart or compass.
	Do not forget your anchor.
	Do not forget your paddles or oars.
	Do not attempt to learn to sail before you know how to swim.
	Do not sit on the gunwale.
	Do not put the helm down too suddenly or too far.
	Do not let go the helm.
	Do not mistake caution for cowardice.
	Do not be afraid to reef.
	Do not fear the ridicule of other land-lubbers.
	Do not fail to keep the halyards and sheets clear.
	Do not jibe in a stiff wind.
	Do not fail to keep your head in times of emergency.
	Do not make a display of bravery until the occasion demands it.
	Do not allow mistakes or mishaps to discourage you.

You will soon become an expert and be able to engage in one of our most exhilarating, healthy, and manly sports
and earn the proud distinction of being a good small-boat sailor.

RIGS OF ALL KINDS FOR SMALL BOATS
How to Distinguish between a Ship, Bark, Brig, and Schooner. Merits and Defects of Cat-Boats. 
Advantages of the Sloop. Rigs for Canoes. Buckeyes and Sharpies.

THE two principal rigs for vessels are the fore-and-aft and the square rig.

Square rigged consists in having the principal sails extended by yards suspended at the middle. (Fig. 135.)

Fore-and-aft rigged is having the principal sails extended by booms and gaffs suspended by their ends (Figs. 124, 
125, 126, 132, 138 and 137).

Barks, brigs, and ships are all more or less square rigged, but schooners, sloops, and catboats are all fore-and-aft
rigged. In these notes the larger forms of boats are mentioned only because of the well-known interest boys take in 
all nautical matters, but no detailed description of the larger craft will be given. All that is aimed at here is to give 
the salient points, so that the youngsters will know the name of the rig when they see it.

The Cat.
There is a little snub-nosed American who, in spite of her short body and broad waist, is deservedly popular among 
all our amateur sailors. The appreciation of her charms is felt and acknowledged by all her companions without 
envy, not because of her saucy looks, but on account of her accommodating manners.

Possessing a rare ability for quick movement, and a wonderful power to bore her way almost into the very eye of 
the wind, or with double-reefed sail to dash through the storm or gently slide up alongside of a wharf or dock as 
easily as a rowboat, the American catboat, with her single mast "chock up in the eyes of her," has made a 
permanent place for herself among our pleasure craft, and is omnipresent in our crowded bays and harbors.

Knowing that there is little danger of the catboat losing its well-earned popularity, and being somewhat familiar with 
many of her peculiarities, I am free to say that this rig, notwithstanding its numerous good points, has many serious 
defects as a school-ship, and the beginner had better select some other rig with which to begin his practice sailing.

First, the great sail is very heavy and difficult to hoist and reef. Second, in going before the wind there is constant
danger of jibing, with serious results. Third, the catboat has a very bad habit of rolling when sailing before the wind, 
and each time the boat rolls from side to side she is liable to dip the end of her heavy boom in the water and "trip 
herself up." 

When a boat trips up she does not necessarily go down, but she is likely to upset, placing the young sailors in an 
unenviable, if not a dangerous, position.

Fourth, when the craft begins to swagger before the wind she is liable to "goose neck," that is throw her boom up
against the mast, which is another accident fraught with the possibilities of serious mischief.

The catboat has no bowsprit, no jib, and no topsail, but that most graceful of all single-stickers...

The Sloop,
possesses several jibs, a bowsprit, and topsail. Besides these, when she is in racing trim, a number of additional 
sails are used. All our great racers are sloops, and this rig is the most convenient for small yachts and cutters.

Racing Sloops.
A racing sloop (Fig. 137) carries a mainsail, A, a fore staysail B, a jib, C, a gaff topsail, D, a club topsail, E, a baby
jib topsail, F, a No. 2 jib topsail, G, a No. i jib topsail, H, a balloon jib topsail, J (Fig. 133), and a spinnaker, K 
(Fig. 133). 

Jib and Mainsail.
A small sloop's sails are a mainsail, jib, and topsail. A sloop rig without topsail is called a jib and mainsail (Fig. 125).

While every small-boat sailor should know a catboat and a sloop when he sees them, and even be able to give the 
proper name to their sails, neither of these rigs is very well suited for canoes, sharpies, or other boats of the 
mosquito fleet; but the ...

Schooner Rig,
which is the form of boat generally used for the larger yachts, is also very much used for open boats. As you can 
see, by referring to Fig. 126, the schooner rig consists of a bowsprit, fore and main mast, with their appropriate 
sails. Lately freight schooners have appeared with three or more masts. For small boats two adjustable masts and 
an adjustable bowsprit, as described in the Rough and Ready, Chapter XIV., are best. The sails may be sprit sails, 
Fig. 143, balance lug, Fig. 127; standing lug, Fig. 128; leg of mutton, Fig. 129, Or the Sliding gunter Fig. 139.

In the chapter on how to build the Rough and Ready, the sprit sail is depicted and fully described.

The Balance Lug
comes as near the square sail of a ship as any canvas used on small boats, but you can see, by referring to the 
diagram, Fig. 127, that the leach and the luff are not parallel and that the gaff hangs at an angle. To boom out the 
canvas and make it sit flat there are three sticks extended across the sail from the front to the back, luff to leach,
called battens. This has caused some people to call this a batten lug. Like the lateen sail, part of the balance lug
hangs before the mast and serves the purpose of a jib.

This rig is said to be easily managed and to possess good sailing qualities.

The Standing Lug
is another sail approaching the square in pattern, and, as any novice can see, is a good canvas with which to scud 
before the wind. It is very convenient for open boats built to be propelled by paddles. While the standing lug cannot
point up to the eye of the wind like a schooner or cat, it is very fast on the wind or when running with the wind 
astern. Probably the safest form of sail used is the old reliable...

Leg-of-Mutton Sail.
This is used by the fishermen on their stanch little dories away up on the coast of Maine, and by the "tidewater"
people in their "buckeyes" on Chesapeake Bay. The latter boat is very little known outside of the locality where it 
makes its home, but like the New Haven sharpies, it is very popular in its own waters.

The Buckeye,
or "bugeye," as it is sometimes vulgarly called, has a great reputation for speed and sea-going qualities. When it 
cannot climb a wave it goes through it. This makes a wet boat in heavy weather, but when you travel at a high rate 
of speed you can endure a wet jacket with no complaint, especially when you feel that, in spite of the fast-sailing 
qualities of this boat, it is considered a particularly safe craft.

The construction of a buckeye has been evolved from the old dugout canoe of the Indians and the first white 
settlers. America was originally covered with vast forests of immense trees. Remnants of these forests still exist in a 
few localities. It was once possible to make a canoe of almost any dimensions desired, but now in the thickly settled 
regions big trees are scarce.

So the Chesapeake Bay boat-builders, while still adhering to the old dugout, have overcome the disadvantage of 
small logs by using more than one and bolting the pieces together. Masts and sails have been added, and since
the increased proportions made it impracticable to drag such a craft on the beach when in port, anchors and cables
are supplied. Two holes bored, one on each side of the stem, for the cables to run through, have given the boat the
appearance of having eyes, and as the eyes are large and round, the negroes called them buckeyes, and this is 
now the name by which all such craft are known.

At first only two masts with leg-of-mutton sails were used, but now they have a jib and two sails. With the greatest 
width or beam about one-third the distance from bow to stern, sharp at both ends, its long, narrow, and heavy hull is
easily driven through the water, and makes both a fast and stiff boat.

The buckeye travels in shallow as well as deep waters, and hence is a centre-board boat, but there is nothing
unnecessary on the real buckeye no overhanging bow or stern, for that means additional labor ; no stays to the
masts, for the same reason. The lack of stays to stiffen the masts leaves them with "springiness," which in case of a
sudden squall helps to spill the wind and prevents what might otherwise be a " knock-down."

The foremast is longer than the mainmast and does not rake aft so much, but the mainmast has a decided rake,
which the colored sailors say makes the boat faster on the wind. Sometimes in the smaller boats the mainmast can
be set upright when going before the wind.

Wealthy gentlemen on the Chesapeake are now building regularly equipped yachts on the buckeye plan, and some 
of them are quite large boats. A correspondent of the Forest and Stream, in speaking of the buckeye, says:

	"Last summer I cruised in company with a buckeye, forty-two feet long, manned by two gentlemen 
	of Baltimore city. She drew twenty inches without the board. In sudden and heavy flaws she was 
	rarely luffed. She would lie over and appear to spill the wind out of her tall, sharp sails, and then 
	right again. Her crew took pleasure in tackling every sailing craft for a race; nothing under seventy 
	feet in length ever beat her. She steered under any two of her three sails. On one occasion this 
	craft, on her way from Cape May to Cape Charles, was driven out to sea before a heavy northwest
	blow. Her crew, the aforesaid gentlemen, worn out by fatigue, hove her to and went to sleep. She 
	broke her tiller lashing during the night, and when they awoke she was pegging away on a southeast 
	course under her jib. They put her about, and in twenty hours were inside Cape Henry, pretty well 
	tired out. Buckeyes frequently run from Norfolk to New York with fruit. For shallow waters, I am 
	satisfied there is no better craft afloat. Built deep, with a loaded keel, they would rival the English 
	cutter in seaworthiness and speed."

When the hardy, bold fishermen of our Eastern States and the brave fishermen down South both use the leg-of-
mutton sail, beginners cannot object to using it while practicing; knowing that even if it is a safe sail, it cannot be
called a "baby rig." Another safe rig, differing little from the leg-of-mutton, is the...

Sliding Gunter.
In this rig the sail is laced to a yard which slides up or down the mast by means of two iron hooks or travelers
(Fig. 139). No sail with a narrow-pointed top is very serviceable before the wind, and the sliding gunter is no 
exception to the rule. But it is useful on the wind, and can be reefed easily and quickly, qualities which make it many
friends.

In the smooth, shallow waters along the coast of North Carolina may be seen the long, flat-bottomed...

Sharpies.
Without question they are to be ranked among the fastest boats we have. These boats are rigged with a 
modification of the leg-of-mutton sail. The ends of the sprit in the foresail project at the luff and leach. At the luff it is 
fastened to the mast by a line like a snotter at the leach. It is fastened to a stick sewed into the sail, called a club. 
The sheet is attached to the end of the sprit (Figs. 140, 141, 142, 144, and 145).

The Sprit Leg-of-Mutton Sail
has this advantage, that the clew of the sail is much higher than the tack, thus avoiding the danger of dipping the 
clew in the water and tripping the boat.

The Dandy Jigger, or Mizzen Rig,
is named after the small sail aft, near the rudder -head. This jigger, mizzen, or dandy may have a boom, a sprit, or 
be rigged as a lug. (See Figs. 146, 147, 149, 150, 151, 152,154,156, and 160, which show the principal mizzen-rigs
in use.) In puffy wind and lumpy water the main and mizzen rig will be found to work well.

The little sail aft should be trimmed as flat as possible. It will be found of great help in beating to the windward, and
will keep the nose of the boat facing the wind when the mainsail is down. Different rigs are popular in different
localities. For instance:

The Lateen Rig
is very popular in some parts of the Old World, yet it has only few friends here. It may be because of my art training
that I feel so kindly toward this style of sail, or it may be from the association in my mind of some of the happiest
days of my life with a little black canoe rigged with lateen sails. At any rate, in spite of the undeniable fact that the
lateen is unpopular, I never see a small boat rigged in this style without a feeling of pleasure. The handy little 
stumps of masts, end in a spike at the top, and are adorned by the beautiful sails lashed to slender spars, which, by
means of metal rings, are lightly, by simply hooking the ring over the spike. I freely acknowledge that when the sails 
are lowered and you want to use your paddle the lateen sails are in your way. It is claimed that they are awkward to 
reef, and this may be true. I never tried it. When the wind was too strong for my sails I made port or took in either 
the large or the small sail, as the occasion seemed to demand.

The Ship.
When you are out sailing and see a vessel with three masts, all square rigged, you are looking at a ship proper,
though ship is a word often used loosely for any sort of a boat (Fig. 135).

The bark is a vessel with square-rigged foremast and mainmast and a fore-and-aft rigged mizzen-mast (Fig. 136).
The brig is a vessel with only two masts, both of which are square rigged (Fig. 134).
The brigantine has two masts foremast square rigged and mainmast fore-and-aft rigged (Fig. 131).
The barkentine has three masts mainmast and mizzenmast fore-and-aft rigged and foremast square rigged. (See
Fig. 130.)

End of Excerpt.
This (complete) title is available in the SSRsi Survival Library

Return to the Self Reliance>Transportation>Boating or Outdoor Survival>Fresh Water Pages

Please Read The Website Disclaimer!
Copyright 1986-2009, The Survival & Self-Reliance Studies Institute (SSRsi), All Rights Reserved
Site conceptualized, designed, created & maintained by MEG Raven
Snail Mail: SSRsi, PO Box 2572 Dillon, CO. 80435-2572