SCUDDING

As a ship flies with amazing rapidity through the water, whenever this expedient is put in practice, it is never attempted in a contrary wind, unless when her condition renders her incapable of sustaining the mutual effort of the wind and waves any longer on her side, without being exposed to the most imminent danger. See the article TRYING.

A ship either scuds with a sail extended on her fore-mast, or, if the storm is excessive, without any sail, which in the sea phrase is called scudding under bare poles, (aller à sec. Fr.). In sloops and schooners, and other small vessels, the sail employed for this purpose is called the square-sail, (voile de fortune, Fr.) In large ships, it is either the foresail, at large, reefed, or with its goose-wings extended, according to the degree of the tempest; or it is the fore-top-sail close reefed, and lowered on the cap: which last is particularly used when the sea runs so high as to becalm the foresail occasionally; a circumstance which exposes the ship to the danger of broaching-to.

The principal hazards incident to scudding are generally, a pooping sea; the difficulty of steering, which exposes the vessel perpetually to the risk of broaching-to; and the want of sufficient sea-room. A sea striking the ship violently on the stern may dash it inwards, by which the must inevitably founder. In broaching-to suddenly, she is threatened with being immediately overset; and, for want of sea-room, she is endangered by shipwreck on a lee-shore; a circumstance too dreadful to require explanation!

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