A Treatise on the Construction, Rigging & Handling of Model Yachts, Ships & Steamers (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 Excerpt: ... under it, but as we felt pretty certain the little ' Swallow' would not sink if (the ballast being in bags) she came to grief, and her crew were got up in oilskins, we all (four) determined to sail her as long the American 'muslin' would keep above water. "The wind kept blowing fresh from N.W. by W., with a chopping sea, and in the preliminary tacks a hand was told off to keep baleing out with a bucket the frequent seas and spray which had made their way over her forecastle into the cockpit. As the time for starting approached we hardened down the third reef in her mainsail, and set the storm jib, to which we had hooked on a pair of new jib sheets. We usually sailed her with one. The second gun fired, and off we went to a flying start. The difficulty of keeping her steady to her course with such a wind and sea was no joke. Hands were changed alternately at the bucket, and when the sea did not favour us with a visit in the cockpit, the spray flew over us like dust. She fought it out bravely and determinedly till we got round the weathermost buoy first, and then we bore away dead before the wind. On looking astern, the owner, who steering, thought the weather looked dirty, but it had blown so hard during the day, that we were getting used to it--like the eels--and not so careful as we should have been. In a few minutes, through a hollow in the mountain, down came a white squall, Mowing clouds of spray, so thick that one could not see a few yards astern. The first sensation as we drove before it was, that boat and all was lifted bodily out of the water. Up went the tiller, to prevent her broaching to, and all the strength that could be brought to bear on it for the moment was not sufficient. 'Slack away the peak' was shouted, amid the roar and hissing of...