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face the wind, reducing the wind pressure. The mainsail may be regarded as the driving sail and the dandy as the means by which one may round up into the wind and spill the pressure which may threaten to overturn the canoe. This is accom- plished by letting out on the main sheet and letting the dandy act as the after
Bow
��Popular Science Monthly
��Wind on mainsail
��Fig A
��Bow
��Bow
��Ster-
��19 B
��Fig 16 Wind on dandy ^if. .1
The principles of sailing, showing the tendency of the wind on the mainsail
portion of a weather vane, whenever the wind becomes too strong. A canoe rigged as in the previous article will always tend to point up into the wind and spill the pressure, and can only be kept from luffing by means of the steering paddle which is carried over the same side of the canoe as that over which the main boom is swung at the time. - To hoist sail, trim in dandy sheet so that the boom is amidship, push away from the beach or float. Hoist the dandy and when the canoe has swung around with its head to the wind — and not be- fore this— hoist the mainsail, letting the main sheet be free. Then let out the dandy sheet, pull in the main sheet until the canoe has headway and, when you have gathered steerage way, enough speed to allow of steering, point the canoe on your course. Never lower the dandy first. Always head up into the wind, lower the mainsail and then the dandy.
"When going about, coming back over the same course that you have sailed,
��turn the bow of the canoe against and not with the wind. The correct method of doing this is shown in Fig. 17. The arrow shows the direction of the wind. The canoe with a beam wind, is shown at A and when the canoe is headed into wind, as at B, the wind is spilled from sails and booms amidship, and C shows the canoe with the booms on the opposite side and retracing her course. Note that at any time between positions B and C the canoe may be luffed up into the wind and the pressure spilled.
The improper method is shown at D and E. At D the sails must catch the full force of the wind and the location between D and E; the booms must go across the canoe with a "flop" which may capsize her. "Gybing" it is called. Furthermore, at no point between A and B can one ease up by luffing and one must take the full force of the wind without abihty to spill any of the pressure. A long narrow and light boat, like an open canoe, has very little momentum when rounding up and some help from the paddle may often be necessary be- tween positions B and C, but do not be tempted to adopt the other method.
To go about, slacking up on the main sheet and easing up on steering paddle are all that are necessary. When sailing with a beam or a stern breeze allow the lee boards to rise. When tacking, lower them by the halliard. Always have them raised when paddling as they cause con- siderable drag.
Sailing dead ahead of the wind is the most ticklish part of canoe navigation. The area of the sail that a canoe can carry ahead of the wind is what governs her maximum spread, as the canoeist's weight in this case cannot be opposed to the wind pressure. Also, there is the tendency of the sails to gybe at the slightest shift wind or variation of the canoe's course. This tendency may be recognized from a desire of the main boom to raise or "hike" and should be promptly counteracted by steering a bit away from the side over which the boom is laying. With the wind directly astern and both booms on one side, the dandy will blanket the mainsail to a certain extent and there will be more of a tendency of the canoe to round up. This necessitates carrying more pressure
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