A boat or any vessel is steered by a contrivance called a rudder, which is hung like a door on hinges, and swings freely from side to side. This rudder is moved by a handle called a tiller, which is attached to the post and projects forward into the boat. The whole apparatus for steering the boat is called the helm, but in this chapter, when we speak of the helm, it must be understood to mean the tiller.

When the helm is put, i.e., pushed in one direction, the rudder moves in the other. For instance, if the helm is turned to the right the rudder moves to the left, and vice versa. The result of such a movement of the helm is to turn the boat’s bow in the direction the rudder points, so that the boat’s bow, or head as we say, turns the opposite way to the way the tiller is pushed. Remember, that if you put the helm to the left the boat’s head will turn to the right; if you put the helm to the right it will turn to the left.

The left side of the boat, as I have explained, is always called the port side; therefore, if I order you to put your helm to port you must push the tiller toward the left. This will move the rudder toward the starboard side, and as the boat’s bow moves the same way as the rudder it will also move to starboard.

But in a sailing vessel, when going under canvas, we do not usually order the helm to be put to starboard or port, but employ terms that derive their signification from the direction of the wind under whose influence the vessel is moving. These terms are up and down, and a-lee and a-weather.

To put the helm up you push the tiller toward the side of the boat on which the wind is blowing. This causes the vessel to move her head away from the wind—to fall off, as it is called.

To put the helm down you push the tiller toward the side on which the sail is. This causes the vessel to move her head toward the wind—to luff, as it is called.

The easiest way to fix these two actions in the wind is this: When a boat is heeled, i.e., tipped, as she usually is when sailing on the wind, the helm is put up by moving it toward the high or up side, and it is put down by moving it toward the low or down side.

To put the helm a-weather is the same as putting it up, or toward the weather side of the boat. To put the helm a-lee is the same as putting it down or toward the lee side of the boat.

Up—a-weather.

Down—a-lee.

The green hand must get the above information firmly fixed in his mind, as it will save him lots of future trouble. I have met men who have sailed for years who confuse these orders through not thoroughly understanding what they mean.

You will frequently hear a man when conning the helm of a boat—that is, directing the steering—tell the helmsman to keep off, meaning by that to put the helm up and cause the boat to move further away from the wind or course which the boat has been holding; or else he will order the helmsman to luff, meaning for him to put the helm down, and bring the boat’s bow nearer to the wind.

The order to steady or right the helm means to bring the tiller amidships, or in such position that it does not influence the boat in either direction.

Large boats are steered by a wheel, which is simply an apparatus used to give additional power, so that the helm can be turned easily; but as we are dealing with small boats using a tiller, we will not bother at present to understand its working.