16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Points of sailing
The arrow
pointing down at
the top of the
illustration shows
the direction of
the wind. The
ship m is sailing
before the wind,
or with the wind
right aft; n and I
have the wind
one point on the
quarter; o and k
have the wind two
points on the quarter; p and i have the wind three points on the
quarter; q and h have the wind on the quarter, or six points large;
f and s have the wind four points large, or two points abaft the
beam; g and r have the wind five points large; e and t have the
wind one point abaft the beam, or three points large; u and d
have the wind on the beam, or two points large; c and x have the
wind one point large; B and y are sailing close-hauled. The vessels
shown on the right-hand side of the diagram are on the larboard
tack, while those on the left-hand side are on the starboard
tack. Those in the range from s to n and I to f are 'quartering'.
Those in the range from u to s and d to f are 'sailing large', or 'going
free'. The area at the top of the diagram into which a ship
cannot sail is 'dead.' (Illustration from Burney's Dictionary)