in Navigation, an assemblage of several breadths of canvas sewed together by the lists, and edged round with cord, fastened to the yards of a ship, to make it drive before the wind. See SHIP.
The edges of the cloths, or pieces, of which a sail is composed, are generally sewed together with a double seam; and the whole is skirted round at the edges with a cord, called the bolt-rope.
Although the form of sails is extremely different, they are all nevertheless triangular or quadrilateral figures; or, in other words, their surfaces are contained either between three or four sides.
The former of these are sometimes spread by a yard, as lateen-sails; and otherwise by a stay, as staysails; or by a mast, as shoulder-of-mutton sails; in all which cases the foremost leech or edge is attached to the said yard, mast, or stay, throughout its whole length. The latter, or those which are four-sided, are either extended by yards, as the principal yards of a ship; or by yards and booms, as the studding-sails, drivers, ring-tails, and all those sails which are set occasionally; or by gaffs and booms, as the main-sails of sloops and brigantines.
The principal sails of a ship (fig. 1.) are the courses or lower sails a; the top-sails b, which are next in order above the courses; and the top-gallant sails c, which are expanded above the top-sails.
The courses are the main-sail, fore-sail, and mizen, main stay-sail, fore stay-sail, and mizen stay-sail; but more particularly the three first. The main stay-sail is rarely used except in small vessels.
In all quadrangular sails the upper edge is called the head; the sides or skirts are called leeches; and the bottom or lower edge is termed the foot. If the head is parallel to the foot, the two low corners are denominated clues, and the upper corners earings.
In all triangular sails, and in those four-sided sails wherein the head is not parallel to the foot, the foremost corner at the foot is called the tack, and the after lower-corner the clue; the foremost perpendicular or sloping edge is called the fore-leech, and the hindmost the after-leech.
The heads of all four-sided sails, and the fore-leeches of lateen-sails, are attached to their respective yard or gaff by a number of small cords called ro-bands; and the extremities are tied to the yard-arms, or to the peck of the gaff, by earings.
The stay-sails are extended upon stays between the masts, whereon they are drawn up or down occasionally, as a curtain slides upon its rod, and their lower parts are stretched out by a tack and sheet. The clues of a top-sail are drawn out to the extremities of the lower yard, by two large ropes called the top-sail sheets; and the clues of the top-gallant sails are in like manner extended upon the top-sail yard-arms, as exhibited by fig. 2.
The studding-sails are set beyond the leeches or skirts of the main-sail and fore-sail, or of the top-sails or top-gallant sails of a ship. Their upper and lower edges are accordingly extended by poles run out beyond the extremities of the yards for this purpose. Those sails, however, are only set in favourable winds and moderate weather.
All sails derive their name from the mast, yard, or stay, upon which they are extended. Thus the principal sail extended upon the mainmast is called the mainsail, d; the next above, which stands upon the main-top mast, is termed the main-top sail, e; and the highest, which is spread across the main-top-gallant mast, is named the main-top-gallant sail, f.
In the same manner there is the fore-sail, g; the fore-top sail, h; and the fore-top-gallant sail, i; the mizen, k; the mizen-top sail, l; and mizen-top-gallant sail, m. Thus also there is the main-stay sail, o; main top-mast stay-sail, p; and main-top-gallant stay-sail, q; with a middle stay-sail which stands between the two last.
N.B. All these stay-sails are between the main and fore-masts.
The stay-sails between the main-mast and mizenmast are the mizen stay-sail, r; and the mizen topmast stay-sail, s; and sometimes a mizen top-gallant stay-sail above the latter.
The stay-sails between the foremast and the bowsprit are the fore stay-sail, t; the fore top-mast stay-sail, Sail.
u; and the jib, x. There is besides two square sails extended by yards under the bow-sprit, one of which is called the sprit-sail, y; and the other the sprit-sail top-sail, z.
The studding-sails being extended upon the different yards of the main-mast and foremast, are likewise named according to their stations, the lower, topmast, or top-gallant studding sails.
The ropes by which the lower yards of a ship are hoisted up to their proper height on the masts, are called the jears. In all other sails the ropes employed for this purpose are called haliards.
The principal sails are then expanded by haliards, sheets, and bowlines; except the courses, which are always stretched out below by a tack and sheet. They are drawn up together, or trussed up, by bunt-lines, clue-lines, d d; leech-lines, e e; reef-tackles, f f; slabline, g; and spilling-lines. As the bunt-lines and leech-lines pass on the other side of the sail, they are expressed by the dotted lines in the figure.
The courses, top-sails, and top-gallant sails, are wheeled about the mast, so as to suit the various directions of the wind, by braces. The higher studding-sails, and in general all the stay-sails, are drawn down, so as to be furled, or taken in, by down-hauls.
Some experienced sail-makers contend, that it would be of much advantage if many of the sails of ships were made of equal magnitude; in which case, when necessity required it, they could be interchangeably used. For example, as the mizen top-sail is now made nearly as large as the main top-gallant sail, it would be easy to make the yards, masts, and sails, so as mutually to suit each other. The main and fore-top sails differ about two feet at head and foot, and from one to three feet in depth. These likewise could be easily made alike, and in some cases they are so. The same may be said of the main and fore top-gallant sails, and of the mizen top-gallant sail, and main fore-royal. The main-sail and fore-sail might also, with respect to their head, be made alike; but as the former has a gore at the leech, and a larger gore at the foot for clearing it of the gallows, boats, &c. which the latter has not, there might be more difficulty in arranging them. The difficulty, however, appears not to be insurmountable. These alterations, it is thought, would be extremely useful in the event of losing sails by stress of weather. Fewer sails would be thus necessary, less room would be required to stow them, and there would be less danger of confusion in taking them out. But perhaps the utility of these alterations will be more felt in the merchant-service than in the navy, which latter has always a large store of spare sails, and sufficient room to stow them in order. Thus, too, spare yards and masts might be considerably reduced in number, and yet any casual damages more easily repaired at sea. Topmast studding sails are occasionally substituted for awnings, and might, by a very little attention in planning the rigging of a ship, be so contrived as to answer both purposes. See Ship-building.
Sail is also a name applied to any vessel seen at a distance under sail, and is equivalent to ship.
To set Sail, is to unfurl and expand the sails upon their respective yards and stays, in order to begin the action of sailing.
To Make Sail, is to spread an additional quantity of sail, so as to increase the ship's velocity.
To shorten Sail, is to reduce or take in part of the sails, with an intention to diminish the ship's velocity.
To Strike Sail, is to lower it suddenly. This is particularly used in saluting or doing homage to a superior force, or to one whom the law of nations acknowledges as superior in certain regions. Thus all foreign vessels strike to a British man of war in the British seas.
Sailing, the movement by which a vessel is wafted along the surface of the water, by the action of the wind upon her sails.
When a ship changes her state of rest into that of motion, as in advancing out of a harbour, or from her station at anchor, she acquires her motion very gradually, as a body which arrives not at a certain velocity till after an infinite repetition of the action of its weight.
The first impression of the wind greatly affects the velocity, because the resistance of the water might destroy it; since the velocity being but small at first, the resistance of the water which depends on it will be very feeble: but as the ship increases her motion, the force of the wind on the sails will be diminished; whereas, on the contrary, the resistance of the water on the bow will accumulate in proportion to the velocity with which the vessel advances. Thus the repetition of the degrees of force, which the action of the sail adds to the motion of the ship, is perpetually decreasing; whilst, on the contrary, the new degrees added to the effort of resistance on the bow are always augmenting. The velocity is then accelerated in proportion as the quantity added is greater than that which is subtracted; but when the two powers become equal, when the impression of the wind on the sails has lost so much of its force, as only to act in proportion to the opposite impulse of resistance on the bow, the ship will then acquire no additional velocity, but continue to sail with a constant uniform motion. The great weight of the ship may indeed prevent her from acquiring her greatest velocity; but when she has attained it, she will advance by her own intrinsic motion, without gaining any new degree of velocity, or lessening what she has acquired. She moves then by her own proper force in vacuo, without being afterwards subject either to the effort of the wind on the sails, or to the resistance of the water on the bow. If at any time the impulsion of the water on the bow should destroy any part of the velocity, the effort of the wind on the sails will revive it, so that the motion will continue the same. It must, however, be observed, that this state will only subsist when these two powers act upon each other in direct opposition; otherwise they will mutually destroy one another. The whole theory of working ships depends on this counter action, and the perfect equality which should subsist between the effort of the wind and the impulsion of the water.
The effect of sailing is produced by a judicious arrangement of the sails to the direction of the wind. Accordingly the various modes of sailing are derived from the different degrees and situations of the wind, with regard to the course of the vessel. See Seamanship. To illustrate this observation by examples, the plan of a number of ships proceeding on various courses is represented by fig. 3, which exhibits the 32 points of the compass, of which C is the centre; the direction of the wind, which is northerly, being expressed by the arrow.
It has been observed in the article Close-Hauled, that a ship in that situation will sail nearly within six points of the wind. Thus the ships B and y are close-hauled; the former being on the larboard-tack, steering E. N. E. and the latter on the starboard-tack, sailing W. N. W. with their yards a b braced obliquely, as suitable to that manner of sailing. The line of battle on the larboard-tack would accordingly be expressed by CB, and on the starboard by C y.
When a ship is neither close-hauled, nor steering afore the wind, she is in general said to be sailing large. The relation of the wind to her course is precisely determined by the number of points between the latter and the course close-hauled. Thus the ships e and x have the wind one point large, the former steering E. b N. and the latter W. b N. The yards remain almost in the same position as in B and y; the bowlines and sheets of the sails being only a little slackened.
The ships d and u have the wind two points large, the one steering east and the other west. In this manner of sailing, however, the wind is more particularly said to be upon the beam, as being at right angles with the keel, and coinciding with the position of the ship's beams. The yards are now more across the ship, the bowlines are cast off, and the sheets more relaxed; so that the effort of the wind being applied nearer to the line of the ship's course, her velocity is greatly augmented.
In e and t the ships have the wind three points large, or one point abaft the beam, the course of the former being E. b S. and that of the latter W. b S. The sheets are still more flowing, the angle which the yards make with the keel further diminished, and the course accelerated in proportion.
The ships f and s, the first of which steers E. S. E. and the second W. S. W. have the wind four points large, or two points abaft the beam. In g and r the wind is five points large, or three points abaft the beam, the former sailing S. E. b E. and the latter S. W. b W. In both these situations the sheets are still farther slackened, and the yards laid yet more athwart the ship's length, in proportion as the wind approaches the quarter.
The ships h and q, steering S. E. and S. W. have the wind six points large, or more properly on the quarter; which is considered as the most favourable manner of sailing, because all the sails co-operate to increase the ship's velocity; whereas, when the wind is right aft, as in the ship m, it is evident that the wind in its passage to the foremost sails will be intercepted by those which are farther aft. When the wind is on the quarter, the fore-tack is brought to the cat-head; and the main-tack being cast off, the weather-clue of the main-sail is hoisted up to the yard, in order to let the wind pass freely to the fore-sail; and the yards are disposed so as to make an angle of about two points, or nearly 22°, with the keel.
The ships i and p, of which the former sails S. E. b S., and the latter S. W. b S. are said to have the wind three points on the larboard or starboard quarter; and those expressed by k and o, two points; as steering S. S. E. and S. S. W. in both which positions the yards make nearly an angle of 16°, or about a point and a half, with the ship's length.
When the wind is one point on the quarter, as in the ships l and n, whose courses are S. b E. and S. b W. the situation of the yards and sails is very little different from the last mentioned; the angle which they make with the keel being somewhat less than a point, and the stay-sails being rendered of very little service. The ship m sails right afore the wind, or with the wind right aft. In this position the yards are laid at right-angles with the ship's length: the stay-sails being entirely useless, are hauled down; and the main-sail is drawn up in the brails, that the foresail may operate; a measure which considerably facilitates the steerage, or effort of the helm. As the wind is then intercepted by the main-top sail and main-top-gallant sail, in its passage to the fore-top sail and fore-top-gallant sail, these latter are by consequence entirely becalmed; and might therefore be furled, to prevent their being fretted by flapping against the mast, but that their effort contributes greatly to prevent the ship from broaching-to, when she deviates from her course to the right or left thereof.
Thus all the different methods of sailing may be divided into four, viz. close-hauled, large, quartering, and afore the wind; all which relate to the direction of the wind with regard to the ship's course, and the arrangement of the sails.