sheet, but it should be left belayed until the vessel fills on the other tack. The foresail, thus taken aback, helps the vessel's head to pay off; but the vessel's way is of course stopped to some extent by this, and the foresail must not be kept to windward a moment longer than is necessary. In order to go about smartly it is well to flatten in the main-sheet until the vessel is in the wind's eye, and then to slack it off again as her head pays off on the other tack.
If one is sailing single-handed, the mainsail must be left to take care of itself during the process of tacking; the jib must be allowed to pass over and its sheet must be belayed on the new tack before the fore-sheets are touched.
If, in consequence of the helm having been put down too fast, or the head-sheets having been hauled in too soon, the vessel misses stays, she is left 'in irons,' that is, she lies helplessly head to wind, refusing to fill on either tack, her sails all shaking, her head-way lost, and she soon begins to gather stern-way. In order to get her under way again (say, on the port tack) haul the head-sheets to windward, that is, to the port-side, and slack off the main-sheet. This will cause her head to pay off to starboard, then the sails can be trimmed and she will go ahead again. So long as she has stern-way, remember that the action of the rudder is reversed, that is, the tiller must be put over to starboard in order to pay the vessel's head off to starboard.
