Exploitable Weaknesses by Brian Keller (red queen free ebook txt) 📗

a series of commands were shouted and the jib was released and tied to it's standard position. They were under way.

Kinsman divided his time between watching the crew and returning to open the hatch and  look below. After the third time he opened the hatch, Loryn emerged from below and pushed him away, chiding him, “Every time you open that hatch a gust of wind sends in torrents of rain! They're far better off without you looking in on them!” He accepted her assessment and satisfied himself with observing the crew.

It was a short trip to the Broken Coast. Silas had turned wide to the south so they would still have some usable wind to control the speed of their approach. As they approached the rocks, Silas began calling for some sails to be luffed, which Kinsman deduced to mean they were to be released quickly so they could not catch air. As their speed reduced, Silas made several adjustments at the helm, to give himself space to maneuver among the rocky outcroppings. After a few drastic adjustments where he would spin the wheel several times and set his weight against it, only to release it a few seconds later and feverishly spin it in the other direction, Silas called out to the mate, “Once we’re passed those rocks, we’re close-hauling. When the sails are luffed, reef ‘em!” The mate turned to face the crew and called out, “Prepare to go in irons. Once sails are luffed, reef ‘em! Jibs get doused.” The wind shifted for a moment and gusted, causing the wet sails to ripple and snap. Silas shouted loud enough for his voice to carry over the wind and hammering rain, “Thank’ee, Tem. Dousing jibs is a good call.”

Several of the Wharfsider crewmen ran to the bow and held on, waving signals back to Silas. The new captain made a few adjustments, looked left and right, then called out, “Hands to stations!” The crew members sprinted across the wet deck to their assigned positions.

Silas commanded, “Reef those gallants and topsails!” The mate shouted, “Slab Reef those gallants and topsils!” As the new captain leaned against the wheel he muttered, “Good call, Tem”. He squinted against the wind and spray, studying the rock outcroppings. He called out, “Douse all foresails and jibs!” Tem echoed, “Reef forsils! Douse jibs!” The winds were gusting and Silas roared louder, “Mind the jeer capstan! All on deck, snub lines, prepare to hike starboard as we heave to!” The mate echoed his commands and all sailors not engaged in managing sails or rigging began directing the passengers to the right, or starboard, side of the boat. One sailor yelled, “Hold on tight or lash yerselves to the rail! The ship’s ‘bout to lean sumthin’ fierce!” Kinsman looked skyward at the sailors up in the rigging, pulling in sailcloth and binding it to the yards. He wondered how they hoped to remain there as the ship was about to turn, lean and snap back into position. As the men finished their tasks, they wove themselves into the rigging as best they could. Most of them clambered toward the masts and hugged the netting that they commonly used as a ladder. The mate had been watching their progress. Once the sails had been either dropped or bundled, the mate turned to the captain, “At your command, sir!” Silas glanced around the ship and gave the mate a nod. The mate stayed to the aft, but secured himself to the starboard side.

Silas spun the wheel, leaned against it, and roared, “Helm’s-A-Lee! Secure that main!” As the ship turned, it leaned and everyone held on. Kinsman clutched the rail and chanced a look over his shoulder across the deck and realized that the ship was leaning so far that the grey churning water on the other side of the ship was now beneath him more than it could be described as being alongside him. He closed his eyes from the sting of the salt water spray since he didn’t have a hand free to wipe it from his face. With most of the canvas furled, the effect of the wind as it passed amidships was diminished but still alarming. All at once, the ship righted itself, causing both sailors and passengers to cry out in alarm as the momentum dashed them against the starboard rail. Several sailors recovered almost immediately and rushed to follow the captain’s last command. Silas then locked the helm in position and called out, “Drop the bower! Tem, get me a count o’ the men!” Silas stepped quickly to the starboard rail and peered at the roiling water below. The mate shouted, echoing the command then muttered, “At least we’re not lyin’ to.” Then yelled again, his voice was beginning to crack from to continued shouting, “Drop that damn bower! Douse all but the main and aft, and secure that main sheet!” The mate began to walk among the crew and passengers trying to get an accurate count of each. Kinsman realized that Silas had arranged the ship like a wind vane, with the main and aft sails controlling their orientation. He muttered, “That’s great as long as the wind doesn’t shift dramatically.”

The wind showed no signs of abating but the rain seemed to have lessened slightly. The mate called out, “Topside! Check those parrels b’fore ye climb down! We still gotta sail outta here.” As he turned back toward the aft, he scanned the crew’s activities, “An’ loosen those main braces! Let it dump air if the wind shifts overmuch.”

He chuckled as he passed a cluster of recently freed prisoners, “Jus’ got outta irons, and here we’re all in irons!” After seeing the confused looks on the passengers faces, another crew member explained, “When a ship faces the wind, unmoving, it’s said the ship is “In Irons”. You can rest easy now. We’re anchored and this squall will soon pass. We’ll sift through what's left below