To tack:

When ready to tack first put the helm up slightly so as to give the boat a good full, then put it down slowly and steadily. As the vessel’s bow comes into the wind, right the helm, and then as she falls off catch her with the helm before she gets too far away from the wind. If the water is rough and the boat shows an inclination to miss-stay, give her a good full, slacking the sheet slightly to help her get headway, then as you put the helm down, haul in smartly on the sheet.

To tack a sloop:

A sloop or any rig carrying headsails can be tacked as follows: When ready to go about, ease the jib sheet, putting down the helm at the same time; as the boat’s head comes into the wind, haul in the same sheet that you just eased, so as to get that sail aback; as she swings off slack the weather sheet and haul aft the lee one.

To tack a yawl:

Proceed same as for tacking a sloop, but to aid her haul dead-flat the mizzen before putting the helm down. In a light air and a lob of sea when a yawl refuses to go round, you can sometimes cause her to stay by lighting up the jib and hauling the mizzen boom up on the weather side.

Tacking small boats:

Small open boats such as dingeys and skiffs which are slow at staying can be materially helped by moving the weight of the crew forward as they come to the wind, and again aft as they fall off.

Miss-staying:

Our modern yachts unlike the old fashioned kind seldom miss-stay, except when attempted to tack in a heavy seaway. The cause of miss-staying is generally either carelessness or haste. Always give the boat a good full and have way on her before you put the helm down. If a boat miss-stay and get in irons do not jam the helm hard over, but keep it amidship until she gathers stern-way then move it over slowly. Remember that the helm when a boat is going stern first acts the opposite to what it does when she is going ahead. If a centerboard boat pull up the board. If she still refuses to fill, drop the peak.

To wear:

Wearing or veering is the opposite of tacking. In a heavy sea when there is danger of a boat miss-staying it is better to wear. To wear, get your sheet in flat, then put the helm up slowly and as she pays-off, ease the sheet gradually. To wear a yawl ease off the mizzen, keep the mainsail flat, and haul the jib a-weather. In a centerboard boat haul up the board. In a catboat if she refuse to wear drop the peak.

To anchor:

The one prime rule of anchoring is never to let go the anchor until the boat has stopped going ahead and is beginning to go sternwards. In this way you prevent the anchor being turned over, and brought foul of the hawser. Always give an anchor plenty of line or scope as it is called. Six times the depth of water is sufficient under ordinary conditions. In bad weather give all you can spare.

To get underway:

If at anchor before making sail heave in short on your hawser or chain, but be careful not to take in enough to trip the hook, then cast loose and hoist the sail, when ready heave in and break the anchor out of the bottom.

To cast:

To cast a vessel is to turn her head from an anchorage or mooring so as to make her go off on a chosen tack. This is sometimes necessary when anchored between other vessels or close to shore. Supposing it is necessary in order to clear to take the port tack: Haul your mainsail over to starboard, putting your helm the same way. This wall cause her to make a sternboard and her bow will fall off to port. A surer way if at a mooring is to pass a light line to the buoy; carry this aft outside of the rigging to the starboard quarter, then let go the mooring warp and haul in on the spring line. This will cause her head to pay off to port; when on the course let go the spring. To cast her to starboard reverse these proceedings.