BOAT

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Some square-rigged vessels will sail as near to the wind as 6 points
from it, but more often a vessel sailing close-hauled is heading between
6 and 7 points from the direction of the wind Yachts and other
fore-and-aft rigged vessels will sail closer to the wind than 6 points
from it, so also will ships' boats when properly trimmed Many fore-
and-aft rigged vessels will sail 4 points from the wind with their
sails clean full.
When a vessel is sailing close-hauled she is said to be " on a wind "
or " on the wind *' or " steering by the wind. " If she falls off through
careless steering she is said to be " off the wind."
The term luff is used by seamen to indicate the act of bringing a
close-hauled ship up in the wind by easing the helm down, and thereby
causing the sails to shake This may be done to ease the pressure on
the sails and gear in a squall, or to take the wind out of a sail so that a
better pull can be got on a sheet or halyards, or for the purpose of
checking a ship'^ way through the water without quite stopping her.
When the helm is put up again, and her head is canting away from
the wind she is said to be "paying off" or "filling," and when the
sails are quite steady again she is said to be "full."
When a vessel has the wind free, and it is required to bring her
nearer to the wind, the term "luff " is not generally used. The order
would be "let her come up a point/' "let her come to a point" or whatever
alteration of course was required.
Tacking is to bring the boat's head to wind so as to change from close-
hauled on one tack to close-hauled on the other.
Wearing is keeping the boat's head of? the wind so as to change
from close-hauled on one tack to close-hauled on the other by bringing
the wind round the stern
Gybing is altering course so as to bring the wind round the stern
from one quarter to the other.
When sailing a ship's boat with a fair wind, there is nothing to do
but steer for your objective and haul in or slacken o££ the sheet of the
sail should the wind alter in direction and always, in an open boat,
to be on the alert and ready to slack off the sheet quickly when a gust
or squall comes along. The sail is like a bag full of wind. The sheet
acts in the same way as a lashing on the mouth of a bag, you must let go the
lashing before the bag can be emptied. Similarly, let go the sheet to
empty or "spill" the wind out of the sail. It will fia.p and make a,
noise because the pressure is oS the ^canvas but the boat will retrain
upright. The particular danger when sailing an open boat in squally