Sailing from a Northeast Wind toward the Southeast
Lowering the yard's tack and making it fast at the bow
On this verso Leonardo records a point of seamanship: when the wind blows from the northeast (greco) and the ship wishes to head toward the southeast (scirocco), her helmsman lowers the carro (the tack, or heel) of the antenna (lateen yard) and makes it fast at the bow. A pen diagram at the upper right sets an elongated sail against a cross of wind directions, and fainter pencil sketches of sails appear lower on the leaf.
On this page
Trimming to sail a NE wind toward the SE
With a northeast (greco) wind, to run toward the southeast (scirocco) the helmsman lowers the heel (carro) of the lateen yard and secures it at the bow. The move re-sets the sail for the new point of sail.
Sail set against a cross of wind directions
The upper-right pen diagram shows an elongated lateen sail crossing a set of ruled wind-lines, illustrating the ship's heading relative to the wind. Lighter pencil sketches of the sail are drawn below.