Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/163

the end of the tiller. When the handle of the oar (H, Fig. 92)—or the tiller (F, Fig. 95) if a rudder is used—is pushed to the right, the boat will turn to the left, and vice versâ. The science of steering consists in knowing when to push and how much to push—very simple, you see, in the statement, but not always so easy in practice.

"The sail should be so adjusted in relation to the rest of the boat that, when the sheet is hauled close in and made fast, the boat, if left to herself, will point her head to the wind like a weather-cock, and drift slowly astern. If it is found that the sail is so far forward that she will not do this, the fault may be remedied by stepping the mast further aft, or by rigging a small sail near the stern. This is called a 'dandy,' or 'steering-sail,' and is especially convenient in a boat whose size or arrangement necessitates sitting amidships. It may be rigged like the mainsail, and when its sheet is once made fast will ordinarily take care of itself in tacking.

"Remember that, if the wind freshens or a squall strikes you, the position of safety is with the boat's head to the wind. When in doubt what to do, push the helm down (toward the sail) and haul in the slack of the sheet as the boat comes up into the wind. If she is moving astern, or will not mind her helm—and of course she will not if she is not moving—pull her head around to the wind with an oar, and experiment cautiously until you find which way you can make her go.

"In making a landing, always calculate to have the boat's head as near the wind as possible when she ceases to move. This whether you lower your sail or not.

"Thus, if the wind is off shore, as shown at A, Fig. 96, land