[SCA-AE] Viking ship Denmark to Dublin

[georg]

Lord Gavin Kent wrote:
> Now, having grown up on sloops, I'm embarrassed to ask this. . but. . .  
> How does one tack a square sailed ship?  Do you just cant the sail off 
> partly towards the beam and sail up a bit?  I'm not clear on the 
> mechanics of this.  Anyone seen this up close and personal?

Caveat: I haven't sailed one either.

However, you can have one rope close in and one rope far out, and the 
sail should fill quite nicely. Perhaps not as nicely as if the boom 
moved, and your angle of No Wind pushing you should be larger.  I'd 
worry about a full sail when turning into the wind, bu you can bring the 
ropes together and slack to minimize that possibility.

And if all else failed, you could reef the sail entirely and row.

-george
occasional sailor, but strictly 27' and smaller, most handled was three 
sails.