Page:Small-boat sailing; an explanation of the management of small yachts, half-decked and open sailing-boats of various rigs; sailing on sea and on river; cruising, etc (IA smallboatsailing01knig).pdf/40

than the centre of effort A. Now, it is obvious that two forces acting at A and B, in the direction of the arrows, will tend to turn the vessel's bow round in the direction of C—that is, away from the wind.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

In Fig. 8, on the other hand, the centre of lateral resistance is further forward than the centre of effort; consequently the vessel's bow will have a tendency to turn towards the wind in the direction D.

When a vessel's bow shows a tendency to run up into the wind, she is said to carry weather helm; when she shows a tendency to fall off before the wind, she is said to carry lee helm. A sailing-boat should always carry a little weather helm; then, if a squall strike her when she has little steerage-*way and the rudder is useless, she will take care of herself, luff quickly up into the wind, and so be in safety. A boat carrying lee helm would, in the same conditions, fall off before the wind, presenting her broadside to wind and wave, and so probably capsize.

The novice, who has carefully read this chapter, will understand what principles should guide him when he sets to work to correct whichever of the two faults his craft may display—lee helm or