78 NIOHOLLS'S SEAMANSHIP AND NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE
21. Would you act differently if you were in a tideway when a man
fell overboard?
No. The tide affecting both man and boat in practically the same
way, my action would be the same.
22. In what practical way could you help him to get back on board?
A couple of hands could help him in over the gunwale, or over the
stern if I was afraid of putting her gunwale under.
A strop made with the end of the sheet or painter, hung over
the rudder head or a crutch, could be used as a stirrup. This would be
specially useful if I had no crew on board to otherwise help him.
23. The wind blowing right on to the land, how would you get a boat
landed on a beach where there is a natty surf?
I should take precautions to prevent her broaching to as I got into
the surf.
If it was a gradually shelving beach there would be more broken
water to go through than there would be if it was steeper. Broaching
to is caused by a sea catching her aft or on the quarter, or by an oncoming
sea lifting the stern and depressing the bow and thus turning her round.
I should remember this when deciding where to stow any weighty
objects I had on board, distributed amidships would be the best place,
also when considering the positions to be taken up by my crew and
passengers.
In an ordinary ship's life-boat I should keep good way on her and
run her straight up, lowering the sail and gathering it in if possible just
before she touched. If no signals on shore to guide me I should carefully
pick out what appeared to be the best position for that purpose. If
there was plenty of assistance on the beach she could be quickly hauled
up; if not, all hands would have to jump out as soon as she touched and
Haul her up themselves.
If the boat had a square stern I should turn her round bow on to
thft sea and back her in with the oars, having lowered my sail and
unstepped my mast if practicable before getting into the surf. As each
sea came on I should give her a little headway against it to prevent her
being swung round by it.
A sea anchor, grapnel, or heavy weight could be veered out on the
end of a line before approaching the beach. This would act as a" drogue,
a&d be of considerable assistance in preventing her getting broadside