Posted by Mike Field. on January 09, 2003 at 05:59:20 from 203.26.98.4 user mikefield.
In Reply to: Re: Helm's Deep Meanings posted by Dan Lind on January 09, 2003 at 04:16:35:
Stink-potter or not, Dan's got it. An easy way to remember is that when a small vessel's sailing, she's also heeling. So "down" not only means downwind, it also means downhill. Putting the helm down results in bringing the boat's head up into the wind -- "luffing" -- while putting it up makes the vessel head further away from the wind -- "bear away."
You can change tack by doing either. To tack by putting the helm down so the vessel heads into and then through the eye of the wind is to "beat." Putting the helm up and bearing away will result in a jibe if held long enough. But once you've jibed, further turning brings you ringht round till you're on the wind again, but on the opposite tack. Such a manouevre is known as "wearing ship." Sailing ships wore comparatively frequently, because they could not be made to pass through thr eye of the wind when beating, but fell "in irons" or "in stays," (resulting in progress backwards -- "making a sternboard" -- if continued.) . But small vessels don't normally suffer that problem, and thus wearing today in most sailing vessels is an unusual manouevre. For that reason, "tacking" is often used as a synonym for "beating," although strictly speaking it should not be.
As for "helm" itself, this refers to the whole steering position / mechanism. It's a wider (and generic) term for tiller, rudder, wheel, or even steering oar. To be "at the helm" is to be in charge of the vessel's steering, whatever the mechanism by which the steering is undertaken.