Trans RINA, Vol 152, Part A4, Intl J Maritime Eng, Oct-Dec 2010
Figure 2 “A Dutch ship scudding before a storm”, by Willem van de Welde, circa 1690. (© National Maritime Museum – Greenwich, London).
3.3 JOHN HAMILTON MOORE’S “THE PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR” [21]
A concise definition of “broach-to” appeared in this 18th century book, with the author portraying himself as “Teacher of Navigation, Hydrographer and Chart Seller”:
“Broach to: Is when a Ship, on a sudden, lays her Broadside to the Sea, and is dangerous in bad Weather.”
3.4 HUTCHINSON AND THE SOCIETY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE
With the opportunity of the establishment in London of the “Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture” (forerunner of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects), Hutchinson advises in 1791 that [22]:
“… and if the waves run high, when carrying a pressing sail, large, by such bad steering there is great danger of broaching the ship to; therefore none but helmsman should be permitted to steer at such times.”
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Later on, Hutchinson advises how to avoid broaching-to even when the foremast is lost. He recommends that, when other means fail, to veer out a tow-line or hawser from the stern, in order to slow down the vessel and keep her before the wind. His discussion of broaching-to develops also in connection to scudding.
A 17th century painting by the Dutch Willem van de Welde (shown in Figure 2) indicates how old this operational practice must have been.
3.5 NAVAL COURTS
Captain’s Ayscough, Master of his Majesty’s Ship Blanche which had run ashore, testifies in Court [it appears in the first (1799) issue Chronicle” 6][23]:
of “The Naval
“...but at 11 o’clock I cut away my main mast – and a little after, the ship broaching-to, I cut away my mizzen mast and rigged two boat-sails on the poop, to endeavour to steer her, having previously to this lost my rudder, and nothing left to steer the ship in case she drifted over the shoal.”
4. BROACHING -TO IN THE 19TH CENTURY 4.1 MORE DEFINITIONS
A definition of broaching-to had appeared in the “Naval History of Great Britain” of James & Chamier (1860). The wording implied that it should be equally expected from the effect of wind and from quartering waves [24]:
“Broach to, is when, by the violence of the wind, or a heavy sea upon the quarter, the ship is forced up to windward of her course or proper direction, in defiance of the helm.”
4.2 OPERATIONAL PRACTICES An article entitled “Management of ships in a surf and
6 This was a well-known journal which reported news about the British Navy including the period of Napoleonic Wars.
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©2010: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects
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