to force (a sailing vessel) onto a new tack, esp in an emergency, by fastening a lee anchor to the lee quarter, dropping the anchor as the vessel comes about, and hauling in the anchor cable to swing the stern to windward
clubhaul in American English
(ˈklʌbˌhɔl)
verb transitive
to tack (a vessel in a precarious situation) by dropping the lee anchor as soon as the wind is out of the sails, then cutting the cable when the ship swings off onto the new tack
Word origin
< naut. club (to drift with anchor dragging) + haul