Practical Boat-Sailing Part 7

16 " nothing.

17 " red rag.

18 " nothing.

19 " nothing.

20 " leather with two holes.

Those that are marked are called "marks," the others, "deeps;" and a lead-line as above consists of eleven "marks" and nine "deeps."

If the mark of three fathoms is near the surface of the water, the caster sings out, "By the mark three!" or, if such be the case, "By the deep eight!" and, should he consider the depth to be a quarter or half more than any particular number, he sings out, "And a quarter six!" or, "A half five!" &c. If the depth is estimated to be three-quarters more than any particular number, he calls it a quarter less than the next higher number; thus, at two fathoms and three-quarters, he sings out, "A quarter less three!"

For all practical purposes a lead-line twenty fathoms in length, but marked only to ten fathoms, will be the most useful for yachts and small sail-boats. This line should be marked as follows:--

At 1 fathom one knot.

2 " two knots.

3 " three knots.

4 " four knots.

5 " white rag.

6 " six knots.

7 " red rag.

8 " blue rag.

9 " nothing.

10 " piece of leather.

A small piece of white rag may also be inserted at the half-fathoms between two and three.

EIGHT BELLS, AND WATCH AND WATCH.

Time at sea is divided differently than on sh.o.r.e; and the day commences at twelve o'clock, noon. The reason of this is, that at that time usually, at sea, the navigator determines and ascertains the position of the s.h.i.+p, hence the true time; and the clock is corrected from the difference in longitude from noon of the preceding day.

The time of twelve o'clock is denoted by striking the vessel's bell eight times in a peculiar manner, thus: by sets of twos, one, two, rapidly following each other, then a pause of three or four seconds, and then the next set of twos, thus: one, two--one, two--one, two--one, two; whilst seven bells would be struck thus: one, two--one, two--one, two--one; and three bells: one, two--one; four bells: one, two--one, two.

This system of eight strokes of the bell does for the whole twenty-four hours, each stroke denoting one half-hour: hence eight bells cover a s.p.a.ce of four hours, which is termed a watch, and, if each watch was four hours long, of course there would be six such watches in the twenty four hours; and the crew, divided as they always are into starboard and port watches, would, during the whole voyage, have just the same hours on deck. That is to say, the starboard watch would come on deck at twelve o'clock noon every day of the voyage, and stay till four P.M.

This would not be fair to the other watch; and to avoid this repet.i.tion, and to divide the time differently each day, the hours from four to eight in the afternoon are divided up into what are called _dog-watches_ of two hours each, which breaks up the daily regularity, and changes the hours; so that the starboard watch who happen to be on deck from twelve to four P.M. one day are the next day below during the same hours, and the port watch on deck; and thus the same watches come round every forty-eight hours. After the bell is struck at twelve noon by order of the navigator or sailing-master, the time will be kept as follows:--

12.00 o'clock, noon 8 bells.

12.30 " P.M. 1 bell. } 1.00 " " 2 bells. } 1.30 " " 3 " } 2.00 " " 4 " } _Afternoon_ 2.30 " " 5 " } _Watch._ 3.00 " " 6 " } 3.30 " " 7 " } 4.00 " " 8 " } 4.30 " " 1 bell. } 5.00 " " 2 bells. } _First Dog-Watch._ 5.30 " " 3 " } 6.00 " " 4 " } 6.30 " " 5 " } 7.00 " " 6 " } _Second_ 7.30 " " 7 " } _Dog-Watch._ 8.00 " " 8 " } 8.30 " " 1 bell. } 9.00 " " 2 bells. } 9.30 " " 3 " } 10.00 " " 4 " } _First_ 10.30 " " 5 " } _Night-Watch._ 11.00 " " 6 " } 11.30 " " 7 " } 12.00 " midnight 8 " } 12.30 " A.M. 1 bell. } 1.00 " " 2 bells. } 1.30 " " 3 " } _Second_ 2.00 " " 4 " } _Night-Watch._ 2.30 " " 5 " } 3.00 " " 6 " } 3.30 " " 7 " } 4.00 " " 8 " } 4.30 " " 1 bell. } 5.00 " " 2 bells. } 5.30 " " 3 " } 6.00 " " 4 " } _Morning-Watch._ 6.30 " " 5 " } 7.00 " " 6 " } 7.30 " " 7 " } 8.00 " " 8 " } 8.30 " " 1 bell. } 9.00 " " 2 bells. } 9.30 " " 3 " } 10.00 " " 4 " } _Forenoon-Watch._ 10.30 " " 5 " } 11.00 " " 6 " } 11.30 " " 7 " } 12.00 " noon 8 " }

In cases of emergency, usually to take in sail, whether by night or day, "All hands on deck to take in sail, ahoy!" "Heave up my hearties!" is bellowed into the forecastle, and comes to the ears of the unwilling sleepers of the watch below.

BOXING THE COMPa.s.s

Is the term used for repeating the thirty-two points of the compa.s.s-card by memory from the right hand to the left, (and then back again,) commencing at north, and proceeding to north by east, north, north-east, &c. It is necessary that the amateur and young salt should acquire this, if he desires to ever be able to make use of the most simple problems in boat-sailing, the use of the charts, the finding of the position of the yacht by cross-bearings, &c. In fact, it is indispensable; and the task should be commenced at once. It should not be gotten by rote, without rhyme or reason; but, in repeating the names of the points, _the compa.s.s-card, or a printed imitation of it, should always be kept before the eye_. See frontispiece.

After acquiring the regular thirty-two points, the subdivision of quarter and half points are to be gone into. The smallest division used in navigation is a quarter of a point; thus your course may be N. by E.

1/4 E., or N. by E. 1/2 E., or N. by E. 3/4 E.; but no smaller subdivision is ever made between two courses than one-quarter of a point. This is as near as the yacht can be kept to her course, and is as near as the eye can line a course in an observation for cross-bearings. If, however, one desires more minuteness, it may be well to state that each point of the compa.s.s contains 11 15', or 360 for the whole thirty-two points. The names of the points of the compa.s.s, commencing at north, and going towards east, are as follows. The _princ.i.p.al points_, as they are called, which are marked larger than the others on the compa.s.s-card, are here designated by capitals.

1. NORTH N.

2. North by east N. by E.

3. North, north-east N.N.E.

4. North-east by north N.E. by N.

5. NORTH-EAST N.E.

6. North-east by east N.E. by E.

7. East, north-east E.N.E.

8. East by north E. by N.

9. EAST E.

10. East by south E. by S.

11. East, south-east E.S.E.

12. South-east by east S.E. by E.

13. SOUTH-EAST S.E.

14. South-east by south S.E. by S.

15. South, south-east S.S.E.

16. South by east S. by E.

17. SOUTH S.

18. South by west S. by W.

19. South, south-west S.S.W.

20. South-west by south S.W. by S.

21. SOUTH-WEST S.W.

22. South-west by west S.W. by W.

23. West, south-west W.S.W.

24. West by south W. by S.

25. WEST W.

26. West by north W. by N.

27. West, north-west W.N.W.

28. North-west by west N.W. by W.

29. NORTH-WEST N.W.

30. North-west by north N.W. by N.

31. North, north-west N.N.W.

32. North by west N. by W.

If any one desires to be _very salt_, he will p.r.o.nounce these points as follows:--

Nor', nor'-west N.N.W.

Noothe by east N. by E.

Sou' by west S. by W.

Sou', sou'-west S.S.W.

And, in fact, the above is the way that they are p.r.o.nounced by all sailors.

It should be remembered that the _compa.s.s does not move_; that is to say, the yacht moves, which seemingly makes the card in the compa.s.s-box revolve. It is absolutely an optical illusion to "land-lubbers" and except by the jar of the yacht, or by pitching about in a heavy sea, the compa.s.s-card does not revolve, but is stationary, and it is the change of the course of the yacht which seems to give it motion.

TO PLACE A COMPa.s.s TO STEER BY.

The periphery of the circular casing in which the card revolves should be marked plainly with a perpendicular black line; and this black line should, by moving the compa.s.s-box, be brought to bear in a direct line with the keel of the yacht, and the box secured in that position. One has then only to move the helm to bring each and every point on the compa.s.s-card opposite to this black mark on the compa.s.s-box, and, having once brought the point needed to this position, keep it there by moving the helm when necessary; and this act of keeping it there is called "keeping the vessel on her course."

For instance: if the wind allows, suppose by the chart it is desired to steer N.E., to reach a certain place. Go on deck, and, by moving the helm, bring the N.E. point of the compa.s.s-card opposite to the black perpendicular mark on the compa.s.s-casing, and keep on your way, after having trimmed your sails so as to hold the wind properly. The yacht will not keep on N.E. exactly, but will yaw to and fro, _which will seem as if the compa.s.s-card was moving_; and this will occur more or less according to the roughness of the water. And, if one looks too much to the compa.s.s, the yacht will be off the course before the compa.s.s shows it: it is therefore well, if possible, to get some bearing, miles ahead, that cuts the weather-shrouds or jib-stay, when the yacht is on her course; then, by looking at that, one can easily see when she is off her course, casting an eye to the compa.s.s once in a while. In the night-time very fine steering can be done by picking out a star, and steering by it, after getting it to range on some part of the yacht.

Steering by a compa.s.s is a great accomplishment: few amateurs do it well. It used to be said at sea, that the best helmsmen _looked at the head of the vessel_ oftener than the compa.s.s, and were thus enabled to check with the helm any disposition of the vessel to leave the true course, long before the departure was shown by the compa.s.s-card.