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Glossary and Definitions of Sailing TermsA Abaft - Toward the rear (stern) of the boat. Behind. Abeam - At right angles to the keel of the boat, but not on the boat. Aboard - On or within the boat. Inside a ship or on the deck of a ship. "Come aboard, sir," is a sailor's way of reporting himself on board after leave of absence. To run or fall aboard a vessel is for one vessel to come into collision with another. A sail is said to fall aboard when, from the lightness of the wind or other causes, it ceases to blow out. To haul the boom aboard is to haul the boom in by the mainsheet from off the lee quarter. About - Having tacked. "She's about!" she is going to tack or has tacked. "Ready about" is the signal given for the men to prepare to tack the ship. "About ship!" or "'Bout ship !" is the order given to tack, that is to put the vessel on the opposite tack to the one she is on when the order is given to tack. To go about is to tack. Above Deck - On the deck (not over it - see ALOFT) Abreast - Side by side; by the side of. Synonymous with "Abeam." To Breast is to come abreast of another vessel, object, or landmark Absence Flag - A rectangular blue flag hoisted below the starboard crosstree to denote that the owner is not on board the yacht. When the owner steps on board the flag is lowered. This is an American custom which is gradually being adopted in Europe. It is a most useful regulation. Accommodation - The cabins of a vessel. Accommodation Ladder - A side ladder, with platform, for boarding vessels. In the case of yachts, they are usually made to fold up on the bulwarks when the yacht is under way. Acker - A tide coming on the top of another tide. A-Cock Bill or Cock Bill - An anchor hanging from the cat head ready to let go. The situation of yards when one arm is topped up as a sign of mourning. Across Tide - Crossing the stream of the tide so that it comes broadside on. If a vessel in beating to windward crosses a tide fairly at right angles on one tack, she will stem it on the next or have it stern on, according to whether the tide be lee-going or weathergoing. Admeasurement - An expression for the builder's tonnage of a ship calculated by length and breadth, and abbreviated O.M. (old measurement) and B.M. (Builder's Measurement), which see. Still used in measuring ships for passage of the Suez and Panama Canals and is done by the Admeasures Office Adrift - Loose, not on moorings or towline. Floating with the tide. Generally driving about without control. Also a vessel is said to be adrift when she breaks away from her moorings, warps, &c. The term is also applied to loose spars rolling about the deck ; sheets or ropes which are not belayed. Afloat - The state of being waterborne after being aground. To be on board ship. Afore - The contrary of abaft. Towards the forward end of anything. Aft - Toward the stern of the boat. An abbreviation of abaft, generally applied to the stern. To go aft is to walk towards the stern; to launch aft is to move a spar or anything else towards the stern. To haul aft the sheets is to bring the clew of the sail more aboard by hauling on the sheets. After - The state of being aft, as after-sail, after-leech, after-side. After Body - The part of a vessel abaft her midship section. After End - The stern end of a vessel or anything else, or the end of anything nearest the stern of a vessel. After-Guard - Men stationed aft to work sheets, &c. In racing yachts, if there be any amateurs on board, they are generally made use of as an after-guard. In merchant ships the ordinary seamen or landsmen enjoy the distinction. After-most - A thing or point situated the most aft of all. Afternoon Watch - The watch between noon and four o'clock. After Part - The stern extremities of a vessel or anything else. After Peak - The hold of a vessel near the run. A small cuddy or locker made in the run of a boat aft. After Rake - Contrary to fore rake. The rake or overhang the stern post has abaft the heel of the keel. To incline sternwards. Aftward - Towards the stern ; contrary to forward. Against the Sun - An expression used to show how a rope is coiled: from right to left is against the sun, from left to right is with the sun. The wind is said to blow against the sun when it comes from the westward, and to back when it changes from west to east by the south. Aground - Touching or fast to the bottom. A vessel is said to be aground when her keel or bottom rests on the ground. Ahead - In a forward direction; in advance of. Ahoy - An interjection used to attract attention . In hailing a vessel, as "Cetonia Ahoy!" A-Hull - A ship under bare poles, with her helm lashed a-lee. An abandoned ship. Aids To Navigation - Artificial objects to supplement natural landmarks indicating safe and unsafe waters. Airtight - See Addendum following Letter Z Alee - Away from the direction of the wind. Opposite of windward. The helm is a-lee when it is put down to leeward. Hard a-lee means that the helm must be put as far to leeward as it can be got. (See "Helm's a-lee.") All - A prefix put to many words to show that the whole is included, as "all aback," meaning all the sails are aback; "all-ataunto," meaning that the ship is fully rigged and fitted out, with everything in its place; "all hands," the whole ship's company; "all standing," with everything in its place, nothing being shifted. All Aback For'ard - A cry raised when a vessel is sailed so near to wind that the head sails lift or shake. Alley - The channel made in the after part of a steamship for the propeller shaft is termed the shaft alley. The passage under the bridge deck of a steamer is an alley, or alleyway. (See "Lane.") Aloft - Above the deck of the boat. Up the mast; overhead. "Aloft there !" is a manner of hailing seamen who may be aloft on the mast, tops, yards. Along shore - Close to the shore, by the shore, or on the shore. Along the land - To lay along the land is when a vessel can hug or keep close to the land without tacking. Along the wind - Sailing along the wind means to sail with the wind from a point to four points free, or with the wind abeam. Alongside - By the side of the ship. "The gig is alongside, sir," is a common way of informing the owner, master, or other officers that the boat is manned and by the gangway, in readiness to take people off; also said when a boat is brought to the gangway so that passengers can embark. Amidships - In or toward the center of the boat. The middle part of a ship. The middle part of anything. To put the helm amidships is to bring it in a line with the keel. Generally the word has reference to the middle fore-and-aft line of the ship, and to a middle athwartship part of a ship. Anchor, Mushroom - This is a kind of moorings or anchor shaped like a mushroom, which holds well for moorings in mud or sand. Anchor Shackle.-- A shackle which connects the chain with the anchor. Anchor, Tripping - If an anchor is let go on very firm holding-ground, or on ground where the anchor is likely to get foul, a tripping line is made fast to the crown of the anchor; to the other end of the line a buoy is made fast, and when the anchor is "wanted" it can be broken out of the ground by hauling on the tripping line if it cannot be got by hauling on the cable. Another plan is to "scow" the anchor by bending the end of the cable to the crown instead of to the ring or shackle. The cable is then "stopped" to the ring by a yarn. When the cable is hauled upon the stop breaks, and, of course, the cable being fast to the crown, the anchor is readily broken out of the ground. A boat should not be left moored with her anchor "scowed," as, if any unusual strain came upon the cable, the stop would break, and the boat would probably go adrift. The trip line should be used in such cases. (See "Scowing.") Anchor Watch - A watch kept constantly on deck when a ship is at anchor, to be ready to veer out or take in chain, or to slip, make sail, give warning to the hands below, &c., if the vessel be in danger of collision or other mishaps. One hand may keep an anchor watch, and call up the officers and crew if necessary. Anchorage - A place suitable for anchoring in relation to the wind, seas and bottom. Answer - To repeat an order after an officer; thus, if the order be to the helmsman "No more away," he will repeat, "No more away, sir" ; or to the jib-sheetman, "Check the jibsheet," he will answer, "Check the jib-sheet, sir." Thus the crew should always "answer every order to show that they comprehend". Answer Her Helm - A vessel is said to answer her helm when she moves quickly in obedience to a movement of the rudder. Long, deep vessels, and full quartered vessels which have not a long clean run to the rudder, are slow to answer their helm. A vessel cannot "answer her helm" it she has not way on through the water, hence "steerage way." A-Peek or Peak - An anchor is said to be a-peak when the cable has been so much hove in as to form a line with the forestay; "hove short" so that the vessel is over her anchor. Yards are a-peak when topped by opposite lifts. (See "A Cock Bill.") Apostles - Seaman's slang for knightheads, bollards, &c., for belaying warps to. They formerly had carved heads to represent the upper part of the human body. Apron - A piece of timber fitted at the fore end of the keel at its intersection with the stem and up the stem. Arch Board - The formation of the counter across its extreme aft end, being a continuation of the covering board, and covers the heads of the counter frames. Ardent - A vessel is said to be ardent when she gripes or shows a tendency to come to against a weather helm. Areas of Circles - The area of a circle is found by multiplying the square of the diameter by the fraction 0.7854. Arms - The extremities of anything, as yard arms. Ashore - A vessel is said to be ashore when she is aground. To go ashore is to leave the ship for the land. A-stay - Synonymous with a-peak Astern - In back of the boat, opposite of ahead. Towards the stern. To move astern; to launch astern ; to drop astern. An object or vessel which is abaft another vessel or object. Sailors never use the word "behind" to represent the position of being astern. Astrolabe - An ancient instrument for measuring the altitude of the sun, superseded by the quadrant and sextant. A-taunto - With all the masts on end, and rigging completely fitted. (See "All a-taunto.") Athwart - Transversely, at right angles to fore and aft ; across the keel. Athwartship is thus across the ship from one side to the other. Athwart hawse is when one vessel gets across the stem of another. Athwartships - At right angles to the centerline of the boat; rowboat seats are generally athwart ships. A-trip - When the anchor is broken out of the ground or is a-weigh. A topmast is said to be a-trip when it has been launched and unfidded. Avast - Stop, cease, hold, discontinue. As avast heaving (stop heaving), avast hauling (stop hauling). Awash.-- Level with the surface of the water Away - A general order to go, as "away aloft" for men to go into the rigging; "away aft," for the men to move aft, &c. "Gigs away there," or "cutters away there," or "dinghys away there," is the common way of giving the order to get the boats ready and manned. "Away with it," to run away with the fall of a tackle when hauling upon it. "Away she goes," said of a vessel when first she moves in launching. "Away to leeward," "away to windward," "away on the port how." A-Weather - The situation of the helm when it is hauled to windward. To haul a sail a-weather is to haul the sheet in to windward instead of to leeward, to form a back sail, to box a vessel's head off the wind or put stern way on her. Generally to windward. Aweigh - The position of anchor as it is raised clear of the bottom. Said of the anchor when it is a-trip or broken out of the ground. The anchor is weighed when hove up to the hawse pipe. B Back -To back a sail, is to haul the sheet to windward.
Back and Fill - To luff up in the wind, and then fill off again. Often a vessel is worked up a narrow channel with a weather tide by backing and filling: that is, the helm is put down slowly, and the vessel kept moving until she is nearly head to wind; the helm is then put smartly up, and the vessel filled again. Care must be always taken to fill before the vessel loses way. Figuratively, to back and fill is to blow hot and cold, or assent and dissent, or to go backwards and forwards with opinions.
Backing - Timber fitted at the back of other timbers.
Backstay - A wire support for the mast, usually running from the stern to the head of the mast.The stays that support the topmast with a beam or stern wind. The topmast shrouds or rigging. (See "Shifting Backstay" and "Preventer.")
Backwater - The water thrown back when waves strike a wall or other solid object. The water that appears to follow under the stern of a ship. To back water is to move the oars of a boat so that the boat moves astern instead of ahead.
Baffling Wind - A wind that is continually shifting its direction, so that it is difficult to keep the sails full or steady; more frequently used when the vessel is close or nearly close hauled.
Bag - Sails are said to bag when they do not sit flat.
Baggywrinkle - Clumps of frayed rope that protect the sails from charing against the lines. Bagpipe - To bring the sheet of an after-sail, such as the mizen, forward to the weather rigging, so that the sail forms a bag, or back sail: when head to wind useful to put stern way on a vessel.
Balance Lug - A lug sail with a boom and yard. About one-twelfth of the sail is on the fore side of the mast, and thus "balances" on the mast, requiring no dipping when going about; apparently adapted from the Chinese lug sail.
Balance Reef - In gaff sails a hand with reef points or eyelet holes for lacing, sewn from the throat to the clew. The reef is taken in by lowering the jaws down to the boom and lacing the sail along the reef band to the boom. Sometimes the gaff end is lowered down to the boom end; in which case the reef band is laced along the gaff.
Bail - To throw water out of a vessel or boat by buckets or balers.
Bailer - A small basin-like vessel, used for throwing water out of a boat.
Bale - A fitting on the end of a spar, such as the boom, to which a line may be led. Ballast - usually metal, placed low in a boat to provide stability. Dead weight carried to assist the stability of a vessel. A ship is said to be in ballast when she has no merchandise on board, but only sand, gravel, mud, or rubbish as ballast. A yacht in marine parlance is always "in ballast."
Ballast, To Keep Clean or Sweeten - The ballast of an old vessel should be removed every other season, scrubbed, and whitewashed with hot lime, or coated with black varnish, paraffin, or red lead. The hold of the yacht should at the same time be thoroughly cleansed and black varnished, distempered, or red leaded, or coated with one of the patent paints. A mixture of two-thirds Stockholm tar and one-third coal tar boiled together will make a good composition for the ballast and the inside of a vessel below the floor. Many vessels are regularly hauled up every year, and of course their ballast is taken out and stored. The ballast of a new vessel generally requires cleansing when she is laid up, as the soakings from the oak frames make a very unpleasant odour. (See "Distemper," "Laying Up," and "Limber Boards").
Ballast Bearers. (See "Bearers.")
Ballast, Shifting - To put ballast (usually duck shot in bags) in the weather side of a vessel during sailing. Balloon Sails - Balloon canvas is a term applied to sails of large dimensions, made of light cotton canvas. The chief balloon sail is the spinnaker used for sailing when the wind is aft. A balloon jib used to fill up the whole space from the bowsprit end, masthead, and mast at deck; a balloon foresail is hanked to the forestay, but the clew extends some distance abaft the mast; in a schooner a balloon maintopmast staysail has an up and down weather leech extending below the lower corner of the sail, which is hanked to the maintopmast stay. It is sheeted on to the end of the main boom. A balloon jib topsail or "Yankee" jib topsail is a useful sail ; all modern balloon head sails are cut very high in the clew, so that the lead of the sheet nearly makes a right angle with the luff of the sail. Balloon jibs have long gone out of fashion. They were succeeded by "bowsprit spinnakers," whilst the bowsprit spinnaker, a low-footed sail, has in turn given place to the higher clewed balloon jib topsail A balloon topsail is another name for a jackyard topsail, or a topsail set with two yards. The upper or "topsail yard" is a vertical continuation of the topmast. The "lower" yard or jackyard is parallel with the gaff and should act as a direct continuation or extension of it. In setting a jackyard topsail a certain amount of "drift" or "space" should be left between the gaff and the lower yard so that there may be play to take up the slack of the sheet. A jackyard topsail should set as flat as a card. Formerly, the foot yard was short and the head yard was of great length -- as long as could be stowed on the deck of a yacht -- and the sail, very heavy to hoist, was quite unfit for close-hauled work. As the hoisting of these heavy yards was an operation of so much labour, they fell into disuse for some years between 1873 and 1888. After that date the sail was reintroduced with a comparatively short head yard and longer foot yard, after a pattern designed in American waters. The sail had consequently as much area as the old fashioned "balloon topsail," and the combined weight of head yard and foot yard was about half that of the old yard; beyond this, as the sail was well peaked, it sits and stands well on a wind in moderate breezes. In the present century with the introduction of hollow yards the area of the sail has been further increased, and the extreme lightness of yards has enabled the balloon topsail to be carried efficiently in fresh and even strong winds.
Bamboo Spars - In small boats these are often used on account of their lightness. They vary much in strength, and should be from 10 to 20 percent greater diameter than solid wood spars. Barber Hauler - A line attached to the jib or jib sheet, used to adjust the angle of sheeting by pulling the sheet toward the centerline of the boat. Bare Poles - With no sail set. With all the sails furled or stowed at sea for scudding before a heavy gale, or sometimes for lying to.
Bargee - A slang term for the crew of a barge.
Bar Harbour - A harbour that has a bank or bar of sand or gravel at its month, so that it can only be entered at certain hours of the tide. Barque or Bark - usually a three masted vessel, the fore and main masts square rigged and the mizzen mast or after mast rigged fore and aft. Barquentine - a vessel with the foremast rigged square, and the other masts rigged fore and aft. Barra Boats - Vessels of the Western Isles of Scotland, with almost perfect V section.
Barrel or Drums - The part of a capstan, windlass, or winch round which the cable or rope is wound whilst heaving. Sometimes termed the drum. Base Line - In naval architecture a level line near the keel, from which all heights are measured perpendicularly to it. Generally in yacht designs the load waterline, as shown so a Sheer Plan, is made the base line, and all depths arid heights are measured perpendicularly or at right angles to it.
Batten Down - Secure hatches and loose objects both within the hull and on deck. Also putting tarpaulins over hatches or skylights, and securing them by iron bars or wood battens. Battens - Flexible strips of wood or plastic, most commonly used in the mainsail to support the aft portion, or roach, so that it will not curl. OR A long piece of wood need to lash to yards or booms to strengthen them. Thin pieces of hard wood fitted to spars to prevent their being chafed or cut. Thin splines of wood used by draughtsmen to make curved lines. A general term for a thin strip of wood. Battens are fitted to sails to keep the leach flat. Beach.-- A shore. To beach is to lay ashore, or strand.
Beach Boats.-- Flat floored boats that can be readily beached.
Beacon - A stake, boom, or post put on a sandbank or shoal as a warning for vessels.
Beacon Buoy - A buoy with a cross, ball, or triangle, &c., on the top.
Beam - The greatest width of the boat. OR A timber that crosses a vessel transversely to support the deck. The breadth of a vessel. "Before the beam" is forward of the middle part of a ship. The wind is said to be before the beam when the ship makes a less angle than 90û with the wind. A beam wind is a wind that blows at right angles to a vessel's keel. "Abaft the beam "is towards the stern.
Beam and Length - The proportion a vessel's beam bears to her length varies according to her type. In sailing yachts it is found that for cruising a good proportion is about three and a-quarter to three and a half beams to waterline length.
Beam Ends - A vessel is said to be on her beam ends when she is hove down on her side by the wind or other force, so that the ends of her deck beams are on the water, or her deck beams perpendicular to the water. However, in sea parlance, a ship is said to be on her beam ends when knocked down by a squall to say 45û, so that when a ship is described as being on her "beam ends" the meaning need not be taken literally.
Beam Trawl - A trawl whose mouth is extended by a long spar or beam, as distinct from the otter trawl, which is distended by boards.
Bear, To - The direction an object takes from a ship expressed in compass points or by points in the vessel; as in reference to another vessel she bears S.E. or W.S.W., &c., or on the port bow, or weather bow, port beam or weather beam, port quarter or weather quarter; or two points on the weather bow or port bow.
Bear a Hand There! -- An admonition to hurry.
Bear Away, or Bear Up - To put the helm to windward and keep the vessel more off the wind. Generally used in close-hauled sailing when a vessel begins to alter her course by sailing off the wind. (See "Wear.")
Bearers - The beams which carry the cabin floor or platform of a yacht, termed platform bearers.
Bearing - The direction of an object expressed either as a true bearing as shown on the chart, or as a bearing relative to the heading of the boat. The direction between one object and another; generally the direction of an object on land to a ship. The widest part of a vessel which may either be above or below water. A vessel is said to be on her bearings when she is heeled over, so that her greatest breadth is in the water
Bearings by Compass - An object is said to bear, so many points on the port or starboard bow, or port or starboard quarter, or port or starboard beam as the case may be; or an object may be said to bear E.N.E. or E. or W., from the point of observation. The usual plan of taking a bearing is to stand directly over the binnacle, and notice which point on the compass card directly points to the object. A more accurate way of taking bearings may be followed thus on each quarter-rail abreast of the binnacle, have a half compass plate of brass fixed, or mark off compass points on the rail, and let two opposite points (say north and south) be in direct line or parallel with the keel. A pointer or hand, eight or nine inches long, must be fitted to the plate, to ship and unship on a pivot; move tire pointer until it points directly to the object, then read off the number of points it is from the direction of the ship's head. Next observe the direction of the ship's head by the binnacle compass ; if the ship's head points N., and the pointer showed the object to be, say, four points away westerly from the direction of the ship's head, then the object will bear N.W., and so on. If very great accuracy be required, and if the ship be yawing about, one hand should watch the binnacle compass, whilst another makes the observations with the pointer. Bear On The Bow -An object is said to bear "on the bow" if its direction in relation to the ship does not make a greater angle with the keel of the vessel than 45û. If the direction of the object makes a greater angle than that it would be said to bear "before the beam" ; next on the beam, then abaft the beam, on the quarter, right astern.
Beat - To beat to windward is to make way against the wind by a zigzag course, and frequent tacking. (See "Plying," "Thrashing," and "Turning to Windward.")
Beating to Windward.-- (See "Beat.")
Becalm - To deprive a vessel of wind, as by one vessel passing to windward of another.
Becalmed - In a calm; without wind.
Becket - A piece of rope used to confine or secure spars, ropes, or tackles. Generally an eye is at one end ; sometimes an eye at either end; or a knot at one end and an eye at the other.
Beef - Manual strength; generally the weight of the men hauling on a rope. "More beef here" is a request for help when hauling. Probably the term originated with the casks of beef used for food on shipboard.
Before the Beam - Towards the bow or stem of a vessel.
Before the Mast - A term used to describe the station of seamen as distinguished from officers. Thus a man before the mast means a common sailor, and not an officer. The term owes its origin to the fact that the seamen were berthed in the forecastle, which is usually "before the mast."
Before the Wind - Running with the wind astern.
Behaviour - The performance of a ship in a seaway or under canvas is generally termed by sailors her "behaviour."
Belay That - An order given whilst men are hauling on a rope, &c., to cease hauling and make fast to the last inch they have got in. Also slang for cease talking or fooling.
Belay, To - To make fast a rope or fall of a tackle. In hauling upon a rope the signal to cease is usually, "Belay!" or "Belay there!" "Belay that !" or "Avast hauling ! Belay!"
Below - Beneath the deck. Bight - The part of the rope or line, between the end and the standing part, on which a knot is formed. Bilge - A rounding of the hull along the length of the boat where the bottom meets the side. Bilge Boards - Similar to centerboards, and used to prevent lee way. Bilgeboards - are on either side of the centerline at the bilges. Binnacle - A support for the compass, raising it to a convenient position. Bitter End - The last part of a rope or chain.The inboard end of the anchor rode. Boat - A fairly indefinite term. A waterborne vehicle smaller than a ship. One definition is a small craft carried aboard a ship. A submarine is always a boat no matter what length. Board - In beating to windward a board is the time a vessel is on one tack and the distance she makes on that tack. Thus it may be a long board or a short board. Working to windward by a long board and a short board is when a vessel can more nearly lie her course on one tack than on another. Thus, suppose the wind be S.W., and the vessel's course from headland to headland S.S.W., and the vessel can lie four points from the wind; then on the starboard tack the vessel will head S., or two points off her course ; on the port tack she will lie W., or six points off her course. The long board will be the one on the starboard tack. A vessel is said to make a good board when the wind frees her on one tack; a bad board when it heads her. A stern board is to get stern way on whilst tacking.
Board, To - To board a ship is to enter upon her deck, generally supposed to mean without invitation. "By the board" - To fall close by the deck. A mast is said to go by the board when it breaks by the deck and falls overboard.
Board and Board - Vessels are said to work board and board when they keep in company and tack simultaneously.
Boat Chocks or Skills.-- Pieces of wood with a score in them to take the keel of boats when they are lifted in upon deck.
Boat Hook - A short shaft with a fitting at one end shaped to facilitate use in putting a line over a piling, recovering an object dropped overboard, or in pushing or fending off. A wood pole with a metal hook and prong at one end; sometimes with two hooks. A yacht's gig has two boat hooks-one for the use of the bowman, another for the stroke; by these means a boat is held alongside the stops of a jetty or by the gangway of a vessel Boat Keeper - The man left in charge of a boat when the other part of her crew go on shore.
Boat's Crew - Men told off to always man a particular boat, such as the gig, cutter, or dinghy of a yacht.
Boatswain - An officer who takes charge of a yacht's gear, and it is his duty to superintend all work done upon the spars, rigging, or sails. He also takes charge of all spare gear and sails, and sees that everything on deck and above deck is neat, clear, and ship-shape. He must in every sense of the word be a thorough seaman, and must know how all work upon rigging and sails should be done. As he has constantly to handle the sails and rigging, he necessarily has a knowledge of their condition, and it is his duty to report all defects in the same.
Boatswain's Call - A whistle consisting of a hollow ball and a tube leading to a hole in it. By varying the sounds the men are "piped" to their work just the same as soldiers are ordered by the sound of a bugle. The pipe is seldom met with in English yachts, except in some of large size, and the boatswain has little to do with giving orders. Bobstay - Wire Stay underneath the bowsprit; helps to counteract the upward pull exerted by the forestay. Body - Part of a vessel's hull, as fore-body, middle-body, and after-body. A vessel is said to be long-bodied when the fullness is carried well towards the ends ; short-bodied when the fore-and-aft lines taper very suddenly; a long-body thus means a great parallel length of middle-body. (See "Straight of Breadth.")
Body Plan - A plan which contains the cross sections of a vessel. The midship section or largest section is generally shown on the right-hand side of the middle line of the body plan; sometimes on both sides.
Bollard - A stout timber to fasten ropes and warps to.
Bollard Timbers - The bollard timbers of a vessel are the same as the knightheads; originally the knightheads were carved figures of knights (fitted near the foremast to receive the windlass), hence the name knightheads. (See "Knightheads.")
Bollock Blocks - Two blocks in the middle of a topsail yard of square rigged vessel, used in hoisting.
Bolsters - Pieces of hard wood bolted to the yoke or lower cap on the mast for the rigging to rest upon. They are sometimes covered with leather or sheepskin with the hair on, or raw hide, to prevent the rigging chafing. (See "Rigging Plans.")
Bolt - A fastening of metal. An eye bolt is a bolt with an eye in it used to hook blocks to. A ring bolt is a bolt with an eye and a ring in the eye. An ear bolt or lug bolt is a bolt with a kind of slot in it to receive the part of another bolt, a pin keeping the two together and forming a kind of joint. Bay bolts are bolts with jagged edges to prevent their drawing. A bolt applies to a roll of canvas.
Bolt Rope - The rope sewn round the edges of sails. It is made of the very best quality hemp, dressed with Stockholm tar. A fore-and-aft sail is roped on port side, a squaresail on aft side. There is the weather (luff) rope, leech rope, toot rope, and head rope. Steel wire is used for the luff ropes of all racing sails.
Booby Hatch - A hatch on coamings used to give greater height in the cabin of small yachts, and which can be removed. It is also called a "coach roof." Boom Crutch - Support for the boom, holding it up and out of the way when the boat is anchored or moored. Unlike a gallows frame, a crutch is stowed when boat is sailing. Boom - free swinging spar attached to the foot of the sail with forward end pivoting on the mast. A spar used to extend the foot of sails. To top the boom is to make sail and away. To boom off is to shove off a wharf, bank, &c., by the aid of spars. Stakes of wood used to denote a channel through shoal water are termed booms. Boom Crutch - Support for the boom, holding it up and out of the way when the boat is anchored or moored. Unlike a gallows frame, a crutch is stowed when boat is sailing. Boom Irons - Iron bands on square yards, with eyes, in which studding sail booms travel.
Boomkin - A short boom of great strength, usually written "bumpkin."
Boom Vang - A system used to hold the boom down, particularly when boat is sailing downwind, so that the mainsail area facing the wind is kept to a maximum. Frequently extends from the boom to a location near the base of the mast. Usually tackle- or lever-operated. Boomkin (bumpkin)- Short spar extending aft from the transom. Used to anchor the backstay or the sheets from the mizzen on a yawl or ketch. Boot Top - A painted stripe that indicates the waterline. Bore - A sudden tide wave, which rolls along rapidly at certain times on some rivers, and makes a great noise.
Boreas - The north wind. An old sailor's saying is, "as cold as Boreas with an iceberg in each pocket." Popularly the god that rules the wind, as Aeolus is supposed to do.
Bore Away - Did bear away. Said of a vessel that alters her course in a leewardly direction, as "she bore away."
Bore by the Head - A vessel is said to bore by the head when she, whilst passing through the water, is depressed by the bead.
Boring - Forcing a vessel through loose ice in the Arctic seas.
Boss - A slang American term for sailing master, or chief in command, or the manager or master of any business or show.
Both Sheets Aft - When a square-rigged ship has the wind dead aft, so that the sheets lead aft alike, with the yards square.
Bottom - Usually understood as the part of a vessel below the water line or bilge.
Bottomry - The hull or bottom of a ship pledged as security for a loan. If the ship be lost the money is lost unless the lender has covered himself by other means.
Bound - Encased with metal bands. Also referring to the destination of a vessel. Wind-bound means that a vessel is in a port or at an anchorage because the wind is unfavourable for her to proceed. Formerly square-rigged ships were everlastingly windbound, i.e., waiting in port because the wind was adverse; now they go out and look for a fair wind, and generally can sail so well on a wind that waiting for a fair wind would be considered an unpardonable piece of folly. Bow - The forward part of a boat.The fore part of a vessel ; forward of the greatest transverse section. In taking bearings an object is said to be on the bow if its direction does not make more than an angle of 45û with the line of the keel.
Bower Anchor - The anchor in constant use.
Bow Fast - A warp for holding the vessel by the bow.
Bowing the Sea - Meeting the sea bow on or end on, or nearly end on, as in close-hauled sailing. When the sea runs the with the wind. Bowline - Knot used to form a temporary loop in a line
BowLine - Ropes made fast to cringles in the weather leech of square sails, to pull them taut and steady when sailing on a wind. The bow lines usually lead into a bridle. Sailing on a bow line means sailing on a wind when the bow lines would be hauled taut; hence the phrase "sailing on a taut bowline." Sailing on an easy bow line means sailing with the sails well full, and the bow lines eased up a little, so that the vessel is not quite "on a wind" or close hauled. Bow Line - A docking line leading from the bow. Bow-lines - Continuation of buttock lines, showing the outline of vertical fore-and-aft sections in the forebody. Generally the whole line is termed a buttock line.
Bowsing.-- Hauling with a will upon a rope. Bowsprit - A short spar extending forward from the bow. Normally used to anchor the forestay. A running bowsprit is one that can easily be reefed in like a cutter's. Sometimes when a bowsprit is reefed in by the fids it is wrongly said to be housed; a bowsprit is housed when run close in to the cranse iron. A standing bowsprit is one fitted in a shoe.
Bowsprit Bitts - Timbers fitted into carlines on the deck to take the bowsprit.
Bowsprit Cranse - The metal cap at the bowsprit end, to which the gear is spliced or shackled.
Bowsprit Shrouds. The horizontal stays from the bowsprit to the sides of the vessel.
Boxhauling - In tacking a ship to make her turn on her heel by hauling the head sheets aweather, and getting sternway on. Practised by square-rigged ships, sometimes in working narrow channels.
Bowing off - Assisting to pay a vessel's head off the wind by hauling the bead sheets a-weather.
Bow Scarf - A method of joining two pieces of timber by letting each into the other one-half its own thickness; sometimes termed a butt scarf.
Box the Compass - To call over all the points of a compass in regular order. To understand the compass points and subdivisions. (See "Compass.")
Braced Sharp Up - Said of a square-rigged ship when the weather braces are slacked up and the lee ones hauled in taut so as to trim the sails as close to wind as possible.
Braces - Metal straps fitted round the main piece of rudder or rudder-post and fastened to the sternpost. -- Strengthening pieces of iron or wood to bind together weak places in a vessel. -- Ropes need in working the yards of a ship.
Brace-up and Haul Aft! - The order to trim sails after a vessel has been hove to with sails slack.
Brails - Ropes fast to the leeches of fore-and-aft sails and leading through blocks on the mast hoops. ; need to haul or truss the sail up to the mast instead of lowering it and stowing it. Partially furling sails to lessen wind resistance or partially unfurling sails to make them ready for instant use. On a square sail this is accomplished with leech and clew lines. See "Scandalize" Breach - A breaking in of the sea. A clean breach is when a wave boards a vessel in solid form, and sometimes makes a clean sweep of the deck, taking crew, boats, and everything else overboard. To make a clean breach over a vessel is when the sea enters one side and pours out the other.
Break Aboard - When the crest of a wave falls aboard on the deck of a vessel.
Breakers - Casks for containing water. Also the disturbed water over reefs, rocks, shoals.
Breakers Ahead! -- The cry when breakers are sighted close ahead.
Break Off - In close-hauled sailing, when the wind comes more from ahead so as to cause the vessel's head to break to leeward of the course she had been sailing. Not to be confused with "fall off," which means that the vessel's head goes off farther away from the wind.
Break Tacks - When a vessel goes from one tack to the other.
Breaming - Cleaning off a ship's bottom by burning the excrescences thereon. Sometimes when a vessel is not coppered small worms will eat into the plank. It is usual then to scrape her bottom, coal tar her, and then bream her off by fire in basket breaming irons.
Breast Fast - A warp fastened to a vessel amidships to hold her.
Breasthook - A strong hook shaped wood knee used forward to bind the stem, shelf, and frame of a vessel together. Breasthooks are also used in other parts of a vessel. They are now usually made of wrought iron. Breeze - In sailor's parlance, a strong blow of wind; but generally a wind of no particular strength, as light breeze, gentle breeze, moderate breeze, strong breeze. (See "Wind.")
Breeze of Wind.-- A strong wind.
Breeze-up - The wind is said to "breeze-up" when it increases fast in strength from a light wind.
Breezy Side - The windward side of an object. Bridge - The location from which a vessel is steered and its speed controlled. "Control Station" is really a more appropriate term for small craft. Bridge Deck - The transverse partition between the cockpit and the cabin. Bridle - A short length of wire with a line attached at the midpoint. A bridle is used to distribute the load of the attached line. Often used as boom travelers and for spinnaker down hauls. or The parts of moorings to hold on by; many ropes gathered into one. Brig - A two-masted vessel, square-rigged on both masts. Brigantine - a two masted vessel square rigged on the foremast, with fore-and-aft sails on the mainmast Bring To, or Bring Her To - To luff or to come close to wind.
Bring to Wind - To luff a vessel close to the wind after she has been sailing off the wind.
Bring Up - To come to anchor.
Bring Up all Standing - To come to anchor, or to a stop suddenly without notice, or without any sail being lowered. To anchor without lowering sail.
Bristol Fashion - In the best manner possible, Bristol shipbuilding and seamen formerly having a great reputation for excellence.
Broach To - To come to against the wind and helm.
Broad Pennant - The swallowtail flag of a commodore. (See "Burgee.")
Broadside On - When a vessel moves sideways, or when she is approached by an object at right angles to her broadside.
Broken Water - When waves lose their form by breaking over reefs, rocks, or shallows, or by meeting waves from another direction, termed a cross sea.
Broom at the Masthead - A signal that a boat or vessel is for sale. The origin of the custom appears to be unknown; but it is ingeniously argued that brooms were hoisted as a signal that a man wanted to make a clean sweep of his vessel; or the custom may have arisen from the common practice of selling brooms in the streets.
Brought To - After a vessel has been sailing off a wind when she is brought to wind, or close to wind. Brought Up with a Round Turn - Figuratively, suddenly stopped: as for instance, when a rope is being payed out rapidly, if a turn or bight catches round some object and checks the paying out of the rope.
Buckler - Blocks of wood used to stop the hawse pipes. Brightwork - Varnished woodwork and/or polished metal. Bulkhead - An interior partition commonly used to stiffen the hull. May be watertight.The athwartship partitions which separate a vessel into compartments, cabins, &c. Fore and aft partitions are also termed bulkheads. In yachts it is not customary to employ watertight bulkheads.
Bull's Eye - A block without a sheave, and with one hole in it. They are usually metal bound. Bullseye - A round eye through which a line is led, usually in order to change the direction of pull. Bulwark - A vertical extension above deck level designed to keep water out of and sailors in the boat Bumboat - A boat used by shore people to carry provisions on sale to ships.
Bumpkin - See "Boomkin." Bunk - Sleeping Berth Bunt - The middle part of a sail. To gather up the bunt is take hold of the middle part of a sail and gather it up.
Bunting - Woollen stuff of which flags are made.
Bunter - A kind of tackle.
Bunt Lines - Ropes attached to sails to haul them up by. Buoy - An anchored float used for marking a position on the water or a hazard or a shoal and for mooring. Buoyancy - The quality of floating or being supported or borne up by a fluid. A vessel is buoyant in proportion as she is bulk for bulk lighter than the fluid that supports her.
Burden or Burthen - Supposed to mean the quantity in tons of dead weight that a vessel will carry. The quantity would be the difference between the weight or displacement of the ship when light and the weight or displacement of the ship when she was laden as deeply as prudent.
Burdened Vessel - That vessel which, according to the applicable Navigation Rules, must give way to the privileged vessel. The term has been superseded by the term "give-way". Burton - A tackle composed of two single blocks; a double Spanish burton consists of two single and one double block.
Butt - The joining or meeting of two pieces of wood endways. Butt and butt means that two planks meet end to end, but do not overlap.
Butt End - The biggest end of a spar.
Buttock - The after-part of a vessel from her run upwards.
Buttock Lines - Planes in a fore-and-aft direction, showing the outline of vertical fore-and-aft sections in the after-body.
By and Large - Backing and filling, which see. (See also "Large.")
By the Board - To fall overboard; as when a mast breaks short off at the deck.
By the Head - When the vessel is trimmed or depressed by the head so that her proper line of flotation is departed from.
By the Lee - To bring a vessel by the lee is when nearly before the wind she falls off so much as to bring the wind on the other quarter ; or the wind may shift from one quarter of the vessel to the other without the vessel altering her course (See "Lee").
By the Stern - The contrary to being down by the head.
By the Wind - Close hauled; hauled by the wind.
C Cabin - A compartment for passengers or crew. Cable - A rope or chain by which a vessel is held at anchor. The length for a cable, according to the Admiralty, is 120 fathoms. The length of a cable for a yacht varies from 45 fathoms for a 10-tonner to 150 for a 300-tonner. A yacht of 60 tons should, however, have at least 75 fathoms. Cable's Length - A measure of one-tenth of a sea mile, 600 feet, 101 fathoms, or 203 yards. Caboose - The cooking room or kitchen of a merchantman. Also the "galley fire" or cooking stove of a yacht or ether vessel. Cage Buoy - A buoy with an iron framework upon the top. Formerly "cages" were put on poles in intricate channels, and for two hours about the time of high water at night fires were lighted in them. Call - See "Boatswain." Callipers - An instrument consisting of a "straight edge" beam with two legs, used for measuring the breadth of yachts, packages of merchandise. Metal bowlegged compasses called callipers are used for measuring the diameter of spars. Calm - Stillness of the air. Stillness or smoothness of the sea. An unrippled sea. Dead calm, stark calm, flat calm, clock calm, glass calm, glass smooth sea. Cambered - When the keel of a vessel has its ends lower than its middle, thus. Opposed to rockered. Cant Frames - The frame in the bow and quarter of a vessel that are not square to the keel. Canvas Back - A term applied to boats covered with canvas to keep out the seas; also applied to yacht sailors who are fond of a salting. Cap - A piece of trim, usually wood, used to cover and often decorate a portion of the boat, i.e., caprail. Capful of Wind - A puff of wind soon passing away. Capsize - To turn over. Capstan - drum like part of the windlass used for winding in rope, cables, or chain connected to cargo or anchors. A mechanical contrivance for raising the anchor, said to have been introduced in Queen Elizabeth's reign. Sir Walter Raleigh says: "The shape of our ships have been greatly bettered of late. We have contrived the striking of the topmast, added the chain pump, devised studding sails, top gallant sails, sprit sails, and topsails. We have also lengthened our cables, and contrived weighing of the anchor by the capstan." Capstan Bar - Bars of wood by which the capstan is turned, and so made to wind up the anchor or raise any weight. Card - The dial of a compass upon which the points are marked. Cardinal Points - The compass points, E., W., N., and S. Careen - To heel, to list, to haul over for cleaning the bottom. Carlines - Pieces of timber fitted between the deck beams in a fore-and-aft direction. Carry Away - The breakage of a spar, rope. Carry Canvas - A vessel is said to carry her canvas well if she does not heel much in strong breezes. Carvel Built - Built with the plank flush edge to edge, and the seams caulked and payed. Cast - Said of a ship when she fills on one tack or the other after being head to wind. Used generally on getting under way, as cast to port. The word is variously used, as to cast anchor, to cast off a rope. Cast Off - To let go. Cat Boat - A boat with one sail Catamaran - A twin-hulled boat, with hulls side by side. Catch a Turn - To take a turn quickly with a rope round a belaying pin, or bitt, or cavel. Cathead - Timber or iron projection from the how of a vessel by which the anchor is hoisted up to the rail, after it has been weighed to the hawse pipe. Catspaws - In calms, when the water is rippled here and there with passing airs of wind, it is said to be scratched by catspaws. A "catspaw" is also a bight doubled in a rope. Caulking - Driving oakum into the seams of a vessel. Caulking Iron - A kind of blunt chisel used for driving oakum into the seams. Caustic Soda.-- A mixture of three parts of caustic soda to two of unslacked lime is a good detergent. The soda is boiled in the water, and then the lime added. The mixture should be applied hot, and be of the consistency of thick whitewash. In applying it great care should be exercised so as not to allow it to touch the hands. A brush of vegetable fibre should be used, as the composition will destroy hair. Caustic soda is used for cleaning off old paint or varnish; the mixture should be put on nine or ten hours before it is scraped off if a very clean job is desired. If it is a deck that has to be cleaned it is desirable to damp it with fresh water before an application of the mixture; hence it is a good plan to apply it on a dewy morning. Mahogany should not be cleaned with this compound, which turns it black. A mixture of two parts soda and one part soap, simmered together and applied hot, is sometimes used. (See also "Sooji Mooji.") Cavel - (sometimes spelt kavel or kevel) Stout pieces of timber fixed horizontally to the stanchions on bitts for belaying ropes to. Ceiling - The inside planking of a vessel. Centerboard - A board lowered through a slot in the centerline of he hull to reduce sideways skidding or leeway. Unlike a daggerboard, which lifts vertically, a centerboard pivots around a pin, usually located in the forward top corner, and swings up and aft. Chafing Gear - Tubing or cloth wrapping used to protect a line from chafing on a rough surface. Chain Locker - The compartment in the bold of a vessel wherein the mooring chain is stowed. Chain plate - The fitting used to attach stays to the hull. Chain Pipe - Iron pipe on the deck through which the cables pass into the lockers. Chain Plates - Iron braces on the side of a ship to which the shrouds are attached with the screw lanyards of the rigging above. Channel Deep - Said of a yacht when she is heeled over until her lee channels are under water. Channel Plates - Braces secured to the sides of vessels and extended by pieces of timber termed channels. The rigging screws are shackled to the channel plates. Channels - Originally strong pieces of timber fixed on the side of a ship inside the chain plates to give greater spread to the rigging. The timber is now superseded by steel construction. Check, To - To check a sheet is to ease it a little. To check a vessel's way as by a warp, or by backing a sail. To check a tide is to keep a vessel from her course, in order to allow for the influence or drift of a tide. A vessel is said to check the tide when it throws her to windward. To check a vessel with the helm is to prevent her altering her course. (See "To Meet.") Charley Noble - Galley stove pipe Chart - A map for use by navigators. Cheek Blocks - A sheave fitted on a spar inside a sort of cleat, as the cheek block for topsail sheet on the end of a gaff.
Cheeks of the Mast - The hounds. Chill - In very light winds, if a cloud passes overhead and a puff comes out of it, it is called a chill-probably on account of its coldness. Chine - The intersection of the bottom and sides of a flat or v-bottomed boat. A line, running along the side of the boat, where the bottom forms an angle to the side. Not found on round-bottom boats.The part of a waterway on the deck of a ship which joins the spirketting. The bilge joint of a barge is also termed a chime or chine.
Chinese Lug - A lug sail with battens.
Chips - A nickname for a ship's carpente Chock a Block - Said of two blocks when, in hoisting or hauling, the two blocks of a tackle are brought close together. Generally when two things are brought so close together that they cannot be got closer.
Chock Full - Full to the brim. Frequently used in close-hauled sailing to let the helmsman know that the sails are full enough, and he need use no more weather helm. (See "Ramping Full.")
Chock Home.-- Close up.
Choppy Sea - A short, steep sea, which makes a vessel continuously pitch and 'scend.
Chuck - To throw.
Chuckle-headed - Full or bluff in the bow; thickheaded.
Chuck to Windward - A weather-going tide is said to chuck a vessel to windward, and the contrary a lee-going tide.
Circumference of a Circle - The diameter multiplied by 3.14159; in algebra denoted by the Greek letter pi or perimeter.
Clamp - A thick strake of wood worked inside a vessel under the shelf.
Clamps - A kind of wedge vice, used in boat building ding to hold the plank together. Various contrivances of wood or metal used in fitting up a vessel or in fixing parts in her construction.
Clap on Canvas - To put on more canvas. "Clap on here!" is a request frequently made to idlers to assist in hauling on a rope.
Claw - To hang well to windward, as to "claw off a lee shore."
Claw to Windward - To beat to windward under difficulties. To claw off a lee shore is to boat off and avoid getting stranded.
Clean Full - Barely close-hauled when all the sails are full.
Clear for Going Afloat - A question often asked when work is being done on deck, and the vessel has to be put about: "Are ye all clear there for going about?" Chock - A fitting through which anchor or mooring lines are led. Usually U-shaped to reduce chafe.A block or wedge of wood. Cleat - A fitting to which lines are made fast. The classic cleat to which lines are belayed is approximately anvil-shaped. Pieces of wood with one or more arms fastened to spars, &c., for belaying to, or to prevent ropes slipping, &c, (See "Thumb Cleats" and "Cruickshanks' Clew - For a triangular sail, the aftmost cornet. Clove Hitch - A knot for temporarily fastening a line to a spar or piling. Clew - For a triangular sail, the aftmost cornet.The lower corners of a square sail; in fore-and-aft sails only the lower after corner is called the clew.
Clew Lines.-- Clew garnets. Ropes used for hauling up the clews of sails.
Clew Up - To haul up a sail by the clew lines for furling, &c. Also used as a slang term for shut up or cease.
Clinch - To fasten a rope by a half hitch, and seize the end hack to the other part; a method adopted with very large ropes or hawsers after they have to be bent to rings, &c. in a hurry. To clinch is also to beat the end of a bolt or rivet until it forms a head; or to turn the end of a nail in so that it will not draw.
Clincher Work.-- See "Clench."
Clinker - The hard cinder which forms on furnace bars. Sometimes wrongly used for clincher work in boat building. (See" Clench Work.")
Clinometer - An instrument for measuring the angle of inclination or the extent of heel a ship has under canvas or whilst rolling.
Clip Hook.-- A double hook (hinged below the eye) whose parts overlap when attached to a ring, &c. A hook not much in favour, as it so frequently breaks or gets half detached.
Clipper - A fine ship ; first applied to the sharp bowed ships that sailed out of Baltimore, U.S.
Clipper Stem or Bow - An overhanging stem or prow.
Clock Calm - So calm and still that the ticking of a clock could be heard.
Close Aboard - Near to, as the land is said to be close aboard when a vessel has approached it very closely.
Close-hauled - With all the sheets trimmed flat aft, and every rope that helps extend the sails hauled taut. Hauled as close to the wind as the sails will admit without shaking their luffs. When a square-rigged ship is close-hauled she is about from five to six points off the wind. A fore-and-aft schooner, with everything nicely trimmed for racing, will lie within four and a half points of the wind ; a cutter within four and a quarter points. This, of course, supposes the water to be smooth and the wind of what is known as "whole sail strength." In rough water a vessel cannot be sailed so close.
Close Reefed - When the last reef is taken in, generally the fourth reef; but some modern yachts with laced mainsails have only three reef hands, and it is thought that when the fourth reef is wanted that it is time to set the trysail.
Close to Wind - Close hauled. As close to the wind as the sails will bear without lifting. Clothes Lines - A sail is said to be across a clothes lines when it is girted by a rope. Cloth in the Wind, A - When the foremost cloth or luff of a sail is shaking through the vessel being brought too near the wind. A man is said to be three cloths in the wind when intoxicated. Clove Hitch - Two turns of a rope round a spar, &c., the ends coming out under the middle part, one on each side. Coach Roof - Also trunk. The cabin roof, raised above the deck to provide headroom in the cabin. Coaming - A vertical extension above the deck to prevent water from entering the cockpit. May be broadened to provide a base for winches. A raised frame fitted to and above the deck for the hatches, skylights, to rest upon. Sometimes wrongly spelt combings.
Coastal Schooner - the work horse of our coastal trade. She was probably not much more than a hundred tons, and carried everything from timber and coal to bricks, general cargo, and a load of hay to offshore island communities. Our schooner is shown with only a main topmast, but many also carried a fore topmast. Note the yawl boat towing astern. Coated - Sails stowed and covered up by the coats.
Coats - Painted canvas used to cover sails when they are stowed. Cockpit - An opening in the deck from which the boat is handled. Coil - To lay a line down in circular turns. Collar - An eye or bight of a shroud, stay, or rope to go over the masthead as the collar of the forestay. Also a ring on a bolt.
Collision - When one vessel comes into contact with another.
Colours - Flags denoting nationality, ownership, or other identity.
Comb - The crest part of a wave.
Comber - A big surf-like wave. Come no Nearer - An order to the helmsman not to bring the vessel nearer the wind.
Come To - To fly up in the wind; to come nearer or closer to the wind; to luff. Generally used when a vessel comes nearer the wind after having falling off the wind.
Come Up - Generally to slacken up. Whilst hauling on the fall of a tackle and the order comes, "Avast hauling there!" the hand that has to belay sings out, "Come up behind!"; all hands instantly release the fall, so that the one who has to belay may catch the turn round the belaying pin or cavel without "losing any."
Come Up, To - A vessel is said to come up when the wind frees her so that she can head nearer her course, or look, or point her course. In beating, a helmsman in reporting the progress made by the vessel may say, "She has come up two points this tack, sir," according to the extent of the wind freeing; if the wind came more ahead, he might say she has broken off or fallen off two points
Come Up With - To overtake. Companion - The structure with sliding hath which forms the entrance from the deck to the cabins below Companionway - The main entrance to the cabin similar to a hall or corridor in land terms Compass Bowl - The bowl within the binnacle containing the compass.
Compass Card - A circle divided into 32 parts, called points; and each part is again divided into 4 parts, and the whole is divided into 360 degrees. Compass Point.-- The 32nd part of 360 degrees or practically 11-1/4 degrees.
Complement.-- The full number; the whole ship's crew. Compressor - A contrivance to prevent the chain cable being veered too quickly, or to stop its veering altogether. Conning - Directing a steersman in the use or management of the helm, Telling him how to steer.
Contrary Wind.-- A wind that blows adversely down a vessel's course. Corky - Light, buoyant, easily set in motion by the waves ; floating with a high side out of the water.
Cornette - A swallowtailed flag. Counter - At the stern of the boat, that portion of the hull emerging from below the water, and extending to the transom. Apr to be long in older designs, and short in more recent boats. Course - The direction in which a boat is steered. Courses - The lower square sails of a ship.
Covering Board - The outside dock plank fitted over the timber heads. See "Plank Sheer." Coxswain - Sailor in charge of and steering a small boat Crabbing - When a vessel tumbles down under a heavy press of canvas, or when she sags to leeward badly.
Cracking On - Carrying a large quantity of sail.
Cracks in a Mast or other Spars, To Stop - When the spar is quite dry, run in marine glue; when the glue is hard, scrape out some of it, and stop with putty, coloured to imitate the colour of the wood.
Craft - A vessel; also need in the plural, thus a number of craft, or a lot of craft, means a number of vessels.
Crank - Not stiff under canvas; a boat that can be heeled or listed very easily ; generally a dangerous boat.
Cranse - An iron hoop baud with eyes, fitted to bowsprit ends or the ends of other spars.
Creek - An inlet of the sea.
Crests - The top edges of waves.
Crew - A ship's complement, and including every man employed on board in any capacity whatsoever, distinct from passengers. (See under "Seaman.")
Cringle - A metal thimble worked into the corners and leeches of sails.
Cripple - A - A vessel that does not carry her canvas stiffly.
Cross Chocks - Pieces of wood used for filling in between lower futtocks where their heels do not meet on the top of the keel.
Cross-jack -The Cross-jack-yard is the lowest yard on the mizzen mast. Pronounced "cro'-jack."
Cross Sea - Waves that come from divers directions, usually caused by sudden shifts of wind when it is blowing heavily.
Crosstrees - Horizontal members attaced to the mast acting as spreaders for the shrouds Crow-foot - A number of lines attached to one line, and spreading out to support an awning.
Crown of an Anchor - The part of an anchor where the arms are joined to the shank.
Crow's Nest - A place of shelter at the topgallant masthead for a look out man, used by whalers in northern latitudes.
Crutch - The support for a boom when the sail is stowed Cubic Measure of Water - One gallon contains 277.274 cubic inches, or 0.16 of a cubic foot. One cubic foot contains 1728 cubic inches, or 6.233 gallons. One ton of salt water contains 35 cubic feet. One ton of fresh water contains 35.9 cubic feet. A ton weight is equal to 2240lb. (See "Decimal Equivalents" and "Water.") Note: These are imperial gallons and British tons.
Cuddy - A small shelter cabin in a boat. Cunningham - A mainsail control device, using a line to pull down the mainsail a short distance from the luff to the tack. Flattens the sail. Current - The horizontal movement of water. The moving of the water in certain directions. To ascertain the rate or direction of a current when not at anchor or when becalmed, in a fog, or out of sight of fixed objects, see "Drifting." Cutter - A ship's boat heavier than a gig, and used in bad weather when the lighter boat might get swamped. Also -A vessel with one mast rigged with mainsail, jib and staysail. D D. - The capital letter D is used by naval architects to denote the displacement or total weight of the yacht and her equipment, generally expressed in pounds or tons. d - The italic letter d is used to denote the difference between the skin girth and the chain girth (approximately amidships) : measured with a tape and expressed in linear measurement generally in feet and decimal feet, or in metres. Hence a big bodied vessel is said to have "a small d measurement" and a fine bodied vessel a "large d measurement.' A bulb keeled vessel thus has "large d measurement." Dagger Board - A board dropped vertically through the hull to prevent leeway. May be completely removed for beaching or for sailing downwind. Dagger Knee - A piece of timber crossing the frames diagonally. Dandy - A cutter rigged vessel with lug mizzen aft set on a jigger-mast. Danger Zone - The area encompassed from dead ahead of your boat to just abaft your starboard beam. You must stand clear of any boat in the "danger zone". Darning the Water - When a vessel keeps sailing backwards and forwards, as before a bar harbour or pier, waiting for water or orders Davit Guys - The stays or ropes used to keep the davits steady Davits - Small cranes used to raise or lower small boats and light items from deck to water level. Dead Ahead - Directly ahead. Dead Astern - Directly aft. Dead Calm - Without a breath of wind. Deaden-her-way - To stop a vessel's way by backing and filling, or by hauling a sail aback, or by yawing her about with the helm, Dead Eyes - Blocks in the shroud rigging used to adjust tension. A circular block, with three holes in it (crow-foot fashion) without sheaves, formerly used to reeve the lanyards through for setting up the rigging. Dead Flat - The midship section. The term is applied to the middle flat of a ship, where she gets no broader and no narrower ; that is, where the cross sections for some distance amidships are of the same size and form thus the side will present a "dead flat" for some distance; unusual in yachts. Deadlight - Either a cover clamped over a porthole to protect it in heavy weather or a fixed light set into the deck or cabin roof to provide light below. Dead on End - Said of the wind, when it blows straight down the course a vessel wishes to make. Dead Reckoning - also Ded Reckoning. Abbreviation of Deduced Reckoning. The calculation of a ship's position by the log, the courses she has made, lee way, set of currents, wave patterns, speed an direction of wind, depth soundings and other close observations such as wave patterns or wildlife activity all without sighting known land or buoys or lights, celestial (sextant), or electronic information (GPS, Loran, Radar, Direction Finding.) Dead Rise - The approach the floor timbers of a vessel makes to a vertical. In the case of ships, the frames in the after body are called the dead-risings, because they only rise from the keel at a sharp angle, all the middle frames starting out nearly horizontally from the keel. A yacht is said to have considerable dead rise on a very rising floor, when she is more or less of the V form, but really vessels of the T form have the greatest dead rise, as the heels of the floors forming the framing to take the garboards do rise nearly vertically. Dead Water - The water in a vessel's wake, close to her sternpost, that follows the ship. Dead Weight - Concentrated weight in a vessel's pattern, such as a heavy cargo of ore or ballast. Dead Wood - The solid wood worked on top of the keel forward and aft. Deck - A permanent covering over a compartment, hull or any part thereof. The platforms supported on the beams of ships. The old three deckers had upper deck, main deck, middle deck, lower deck, and orlop deck, no guns being carried on the latter. Below the orlop deck were the hold platforms, or decks. Yachts usually are said to have only one deck, i.e. the upper deck open to the sky; some large yachts, however, have a lower deck, laid and caulked. Smaller yachts have platform beams upon which the platform rests. The platform is the cabin floor or sole. The platforms supported on the beams of ships. The old three deckers had upper deck, main deck, middle deck, lower deck, and orlop deck, no guns being carried on the latter. Below the orlop deck were the hold platforms, or decks. Yachts usually are said to have only one deck, i.e. the upper deck open to the sky; some large yachts, however, have a lower deck, laid and caulked. Smaller yachts have platform beams upon which the platform rests. The platform is the cabin floor or sole. Deck, to whiten - Make a mixture of 1-lb. oxalic acid to 1 gallon of water. Damp the deck with this and wash off. Deep Sea Lead (pronounced "dipsey lead") - A lead of 28-lb. weight attached to a line of 200 fathoms. Delivery - The quarter wash of a vessel. A yacht is said to have a good delivery if on passing through the water no large waves are raised at and about the quarters; she is then said to leave the water clean, to have a clean wake, clean delivery, or to run the water very clean aft; to have a sweet run. Demurrage - Compensation paid to the owner of a ship when she has been detained longer than reasonable by a freighter or other person at a port. Depth of Hold -In a single-deck vessel, the height between the kelson and deck. Derelict - A vessel abandoned at sea. It is said that an owner's rights are not also abandoned if any live animal be left and found on board. Derrick -A kind of crane. Deviation - A movement of the compass needle due to local attraction, principally met with in iron or composite ships, and distinct from variation. Dhow - A large Arab vessel, usually lateen-rigged. Diagonal Braces - Strengthening straps of metal that cross the frames of a vessel diagonally. Diagonal Lines -Lines which cross the sections of a vessel shown in the body plan, in a diagonal direction with the middle vertical line. Diameter of Circle - Circumference multiplied by 0.31831. Diminishing Strakes -The strakes immediately above and below wales being the thickness of the wale on one edge, and diminishing to the thickness of the plank at the other. Dinghy - A small open boat. A dinghy is often used as a tender for a larger craft. Orignally a small boat of Bombay, with a settee sail Dinghy-man -The man who has charge of the dinghy of a yacht, whose duty it is to go on shore on errands. Dip -The inclination the compass needle makes towards the earth in high latitudes. Dip the Ensign, To -To lower the ensign as a salute, or token of respect. (See "Dipping the Ensign.") Dipping Lug Sail - A sail hoisted by a halyard and mast hoop traveler. The sail is set to leeward of the mast, and the tack is usually fast to the stem or on the weather bow. In tacking or gybing the sail has to be lowered and the yard shifted to the other side of the mast. A plan has been proposed to perform this dipping by the aid of a topping and tripping line instead of by lowering the sail; but the balance lug, which requires no dipping whatsoever in tacking, is to be preferred to the best dipping arrangement. Discharge Ticket - A formal document given to seamen when they are discharged. Dismantled - Unrigged: without sails or spars. Dismasted - When a vessel loses one or more vertical spars Displacement - The weight of water displaced by a floating vessel, thus, a boat's weightis always equal to the total of her own weight, with everything on board. Displacement Hull - A type of hull that plows through the water, displacing a weight of water equal to its own weight, even when more power is added. Displacement per inch of immersion - It is often necessary to now how much weight would have to be put into a yacht to sink her an inch or more deeper in the water or lighten her to a similar extent. Roughly, this can be ascertained by the following rule: Multiply the length on the load line by the breadth on the load line and divide the product by 600. (LxB/600) The quotient will be the weight in tons or fractions of a ton. This rule would not hold good if the yacht were lightened more than three or four inches or deepened to that extent. The rule is based on the assumption that the area of the load line is .7 of the circumscribing parallelogram. That is to say, the length and breadth multiplied together and again multiplied by .7 will (approximately) give the area of load line. Divide this product by 12, and the area is reduced to cubic feet, and divide again by 35 and the answer will be given in tons or fractions of a ton. By this rough rule the displacement per inch at any part of the hull of the vessel (if the measurements are taken at the part) can be found approximately ( LxBx0.7/ (12x35)) = ( LxB/600 ) Ditty Bag - Small bag used for carrying and stowing small personal items or kits Dock - A protected water area in which vessels are moored.The term is often used to denote a pier or a wharf. A general name for a place to receive ships for repair or cleaning A ship is said to dock herself when placed in a soft tidal bed of mud (she buries herself in it more or less or upon a grid placed for that purpose. A dry dock is a basin into which a ship is floated and the gates closed upon her; the water is then pumped out and the ship left dry, supported on a framework and by shores. Dockyards - Places where ships are built ; usually, however, confined to Government yards. Dog Shores - Pieces of timber used in launching ships. Dog Vane - A light vane made of bunting, silk, or feathers, to show the direction of the wind, and sometimes put on the weather rail or topsail yard. Dog Watches - The divided watch between four and eight in the evening ; thus the first dog watch is from four to six, and the second from six to eight. (See "Watches.'') Doldrums - The state of being becalmed. Parts of the ocean where calms are prevalent. Most often found around the equator between the trade wind belts. Dolphin - A group of piles driven close together and bound with wire cables into a single structure.
Dolphin Striker - The perpendicular spar under the bowsprit end by which more spread is given to the stay of the jib-boom. In a modern yacht the dolphin striker is a steel strut or spreader fitting into a socket in the stem, and it acts as a spreader to the bobstay. (See "Spreader" and "Strut.") Dodger - A screen, usually fabric, erected to protect the cockpit from spray and wind. Dory - A flat-bottomed deep boat much used fishing schooners with removable thwarts so they can be nested when stowed aboard.
Double-banked - When men sit on the same thwart to row oars from different sides of a boat. Double-banked frigates were two deckers, with the upper deck ports disguised. Double Block - A block with twin sheaves. Double Gimbals.-- See "Gimbals." Doubling Plank - To put one thickness of plank over the other. Douse or Dowse - To lower away suddenly, to take in a sail suddenly. "Dowse the glim." to pint out a light. Dove-tail Plates - Plates in form like a dove's tail. Dowel - A hard wood or metal pin used for connecting timber or the edges of plank. Downhaul - A line used to pull a spar, such as the spinnaker pole, or a sail, particularly the mainsail, down. Down Helm - An order to put the helm to leeward and cause the vessel to luff. Down Oars - The order given for the crew of a boat to let fall their oars after having them on end in the boat. See "Let Fall" and "Give Way." Down Wind - Sailing in the direction of or with the wind - before the wind; with tine wind astern. Down Wind Down Sea - The sea will subside when the wind does; or the sea will go down when the wind Is blowing the same direction as a tidal current. Draft or Draught - The depth of water a boat draws. Drag - The increased draught of water aft compared with the draught forward. Drag, To - To scrape the bottom; to search the bottom with grapnels. Draw - A sail is said to draw when it is filled by the wind. To let draw is to ease up the weather sheet of a sail after it has been hauled to windward, arid trim the lee sheet aft. Draw her to - In sailing large to bring a vessel closer to wind. Dress - To dress ship is to hoist flags from deck to truck; or from bowsprit end to truck and taffrail. Sometimes referred to as dressed "rainbow fashion." Drift - To float about with the tide or current. Drift - The distance between two blocks of a tackle ; or the two parts of one thing. Drifting - In a calm in the case of being out of sight of land. or in a dense fog. but not out of soundings, if it is desired to know the direction of the current or tide, (drop a pig of ballast or lead line overboard with enough line out to just reach the bottom. Then watch the direction in which it drags. Drive - To move to leeward by the force of the wind or drive without control. Dry rot - The decay timber is subject to often through imperfect ventilation. Dry Sailing - When boats, especially smaller racers, are kept on shore instead of being left anchored or moored, they are dry sailed. The practice prevents marine growth on the hull and the absorption of moisture into it. Duck - Light canvas of which boat sails and balloon sails used to be made. To duck is to dive under water Ducks - A sailor's white suit of duck. "They are all black ducks," an expression of derision used by yacht hands on the East coast towards their mates if they sit err deck with their heads up" when racing, instead of lying flat on the weather rail in the orthodox fashion. Duff - A sailor's facetious way of pronouncing dough, hence plum duff for plum pudding. Duff is sometimes applied to "soft tack" or fresh bread as distinct from biscuits. Dumb Cleat - A thumb cleat. Dump - A nail used in fastening plank to the timbers, as distinguished from a through-bolt. Dungaree or Dongaree - A blue linen or cotton. cloth in use in India now much used for for rough. or working suits given to yacht sailors. Dunnage - Loose material such as cork. bamboo, shavings, ferns, coir, or various size timbers used to jam in between a heavy cargo and hold them in place. E Earings - Ropes used to fasten the corners of the heads of sails to the yards, by the cringles. The upper corners of sails are frequently termed earings. Ears of a Bolt - The lugs or upper projections of a bolt with a score in it, into which another part is fitted and held by a through pin so as to form a joint like that of a gooseneck. Ease Away - The order to slacken a rope, &c.; to ease off a sheet, to ease up a sheet, are synonymous terms, and mean to slacken. (See "Check.") Ease the Helm - The order given when sailing against a head sea to ease the weather helm, and by luffing meet the sea bow on, and at the same time deaden the ship's way so that the sea and ship meet less violently. Generally to put the helm amidship, or more amidship after it has been put to port or starboard. Eating a Vessel out of the Wind - When two vessels are sailing in company, and if one soaks or settles out to windward of the other she is said to eat her out of the wind. In reality, to make less leeway. Eating to Windward - A vessel is said to eat to windward when she, apparently, soaks out to windward of her wake. Ebb - A receding current.The receding of the tide. Eddy - Water or currents of air apparently moving in circles. Edge Away - To gradually keep a vessel more off a wind after sailing close hauled. Edge Down on a Vessel - To bear away towards a vessel to leeward, so as to approach her in an oblique direction. End for End - To shift a spar, rope, &c., by reversing the direction of the ends. End On - Said of vessel when she has an object bearing in a line with the keel, directly ahead of the how. On approaching a mark or buoy it is said to be end on if it is directly ahead of the vessel, the bowsprit will then point to the object, hence it is sometimes said that an object is "right on for the bowsprit end." Ensign - A flag flown as a distinguishing mark of nationality. Ensign, Hoisting of - Ensigns and burgees are hoisted every morning at eight o'clock (9 AM from September 30 to March 31), and hauled down at sunset. At sea it is only usual to hoist colours when passing another vessel. Entrance - The fore part of a vessel, the bow. A good entrance into the water means a long well-formed bow. Equipment - The complete outfit of a vessel including everything used in her handling, working, and accommodation. The inventory comprises the equipment.
Esnecca - A kind of yacht of the twelfth century. According to Diez, "Dictionary of the Romance Languages," the word is old French, esneque or esneche, "a sharp prowed ship." Even Keel - Said of a vessel when she is not heeled either to port or starboard, also when her keel is horizontal, that is when she is so trimmed that her draught forward is the same as aft. Every Stitch Set - When all available canvas that will draw is set. Extreme Breadth - The greatest breadth of a vessel from the outside of the plank on one side to the outside of the plank on the other side, wales and doubling planks being included and measured in the breadth. Eye Bolt - See "Bolts." Eyelet Holes - Small holes worked in sails for lacings, &c., to be rove through.
Eyes of Her - The extreme fore end of the ship near the hawse pipes, which are the "eyes of her." Eyes of the Rigging - The loops spliced into the ends of shrouds to go over the mast, and for the rigging screws. Eye Splice - The end of a rope turned in so as to form an eye. F Fair - to make a smoothe finish or curve Fairing a Drawing - A process by which the intersections of curved lines with other lines in the body plan, half-breadth plan, and sheer plan are made to correspond. A fair curve Fairlead - A fitting used to alter the direction of a working line, such as a bullseye, turning block, or anchor chock. When the fall of a rope leads fairly, without obstruction, from the sheave hole. Also a "lead" made for a rope through a sheave hole or through any other hole. Fair Leads - Holes in plank, &c., for ropes to lead through, so that they lead fairly and are not nipped or formed into a bight. Fairway - The ship's course in a channel. The navigable channel of a harbour as distinct from an anchorage in a harbour. A harbour master's duty is to see that the fairway is kept clear, and that no vessels improperly anchor in it. A fair way is generally buoyed. Fair Wind - A wind by which a vessel can proceed on her course without tacking; it may range from close-hauled point to dead aft. Fake, A.-- One of the rings formed in coiling a rope. The folds of a cable when ranged on deck in long close loops. To fake is to arrange in folds. Fall - The loose end of the rope of a tackle, the hauling part of a tackle; also applied generally to the tackle of the bobstay and the topmast backstays. Fall Aboard - One ship sailing or driving into another. A sail is said to fall aboard when the wind is so light that it will not stay blown out. Fall Astern - To drop astern. When two vessels are sailing together, if one fails to keep company with the other by not sailing so fast. Fall Off - To drop away from the wind; when a vessel is hove to she is said to fall off if her head falls to leeward, in opposition to coming to; also when a vessel yaws to windward of her course and then falls off to her course or to leeward of it. Not used in the sense of breaking off, which means when the wind comes more ahead and causes an alteration in the direction of a vessel's head to leeward of a course she had previously been sailing. Fall To - To join in hauling, to commence work. Falling Tide.-- The ebbing tide. False Keel - A piece of timber fitted under the main keel to deepen it or protect it when taking the ground. False Tack - A trick sometimes practised in yacht racing when two vessels are working close hauled together, and one has been "weather bowing" the other every time they went about. To be rid of this attention the crew of the vessel under the lee quarter of the other makes a sudden move as if about to tack; the helm is put down and the vessel shot up in the wind; the other vessel does the same and probably goes on the opposite tack; if she does so the former vessel fills off on her original tack, and the two part company. To shoot up in the wind and fill off on the same tack again. Fashion Timbers - The timbers which form the shape or fashion of the stern. Fast - Made fast by belaying.
Fastenings - The bolts, nails, by which the framing and planking of a vessel are held together. Fathom - Six feet. To fathom a thing is to arrive at the bottom of it, to understand it. Fay, To. - To join pieces of timber together very closely Plank is said to fay the timbers when it fits closely to it. Feather Edge - When a plank or timber tapers to a very thin edge, "tapering to nothing." Feathering - Turning an oar over on its blade as it comes out of the water. Feeling her Way.-- Proceeding by sounding with the hand lead. Feel the Helm - In close hauled sailing when a vessel begins to gripe or carry weather helm. Also generally, when a vessel begins to gather headway so that she can be steered, or 'feel her helm'. Feint - To pretend to tack. (See "False Tack.") Fender - A sort of buffer made of rope, wood, matting, cork, or other material to hang over the side of a vessel when she is about to come into contact with another vessel or object. Fend Off - To ward off the effects of a collision by placing a fender between the vessel and the object which is going to be struck. Fetch - In chose hauled sailing when a vessel arrives at or to windward of any point or object, as "she will fetch that buoy in two more boards" or "she will fetch the mark this tack." Fender - A cushion, placed between boats, or between a boat and a pier, to prevent damage. Fetch Away - To slip or move without intention. To fetch sternway or headway is when a vessel begins to move ahead or astern. Fid - Tool used by riggers in splicing line. A square iron pin used to keep topmasts and bowsprits in their places. Fidded - When the fid has secured the topmast or bowsprit in its proper place. Fiddle Block - A long fiddle-shaped block with one sheave above another. Fiddle Head - The curved part of the knee at the upper fore part of the stem in schooners, turned upwards aft like the curly part of a fiddle head. A scroll head turns downwards. Fill, To -When a vessel has been sailed so close to wind that the sails have shaken, and the helm being put up the sails are "filled" with wind In getting under way after being hove to a vessel is said to fill, or to have been "filled upon." Fillings or Filling Timbers - Pieces of wood or timbers used to fill various spaces that may occur in ship building. Fine - To sail a vessel "fine" is to keep her so chose to the wind that her sails are on the point of shaking; considered sometimes good sailing if done with great watchfulness. Too fine means too near the wind. Fish, To - To strengthen or repair a damaged spar by lashing a batten ore another spar to it. Fisherman's Walk - When there is very little deck room, "Three steps and overboard." Fitted Out - When a vessel is "all-a-taunto,'' which see. A vessel ready to proceed to sea. Fitting Out - Getting a ship's rigging, sails, &c., into place after she has Figure Eight Knot - A knot in the form of a figure eight, placed in the end of a line to prevent the line from passing through a grommet or a block. Flags - Pieces of bunting of various forms, colors, and devices, such as ensigns, jacks, burgees. Flare - The outward curve of a vessel's sides near the bow. To project outwards, contrary to tumbling home. A distress signal.
Flat Aback - In square rigged ships when all the yards are trimmed across the ship, with the wind ahead so as to produce sternway. Flat Aft - When sheets are trimmed in as chose as the vessel will bear fore close hauled sailing. Flat Floored - When the bottom timbers ore floors of a vessel project from the keel in a more or less horizontal direction. Flatten in Sheets - To haul in the sheets. Fleet, To - To overhaul a tackle or separate the blocks after they have been hauled close together. Floating Anchor - Although floating anchors are continually referred to in old writings as a means whereby many ships have been enabled to ride out very heavy gales in comparative ease, we seldom hear of their being used now, except in yachts. No doubt many a ship has been lost through getting broadside on to the sea, whereas they might have kept bowing the sea by such a simple contrivance as a floating anchor. However, masters, it would seem, prefer to heave-to, as they like to keep their vessels under command. In a very heavy sea and gale a floating anchor may be of very great service, and no doubt if a vessel can be kept bow to the sea, she will feel the violence of it in a much less degree than she would if hove-to, when she might be continually flying-to against the sea after falling off. (See also Oil On Troubled Waters in the addendum) Flood - A incoming current. Flood Tide - The rising tide, contrary to ebb. Floors - The bottom timbers of a vessel. Flotsam - The cargo of a wreck that may be floating about or liberated from the wreck. Flowing Sheet - In sailing free, when the sheets are eased up or slackened off. Flowing Tide - The rising tide, the flood tide. Fluid Compass - (definition from around 1910) A compass card in a basin of fluid, usually spirit (alcohol), used in rough weather because the card should not jump about. In a small yacht a good and steady compass is an essential part of the outfit, and if there be any sea on the usual compass card and bowl are perfectly useless to steer by. The fluid compass then becomes necessary, and frequently a "life boat" compass, which costs about 5£, is used. A more yacht-like looking liquid compass, however, is one sold by most yacht fitters, price about 6£ 6s., shown by Fig. 41. The extreme height is only 1ft. 2in., and the card remains steady under the most trying circumstances of pitching and rolling. Spirit is usually used in the compass bowl in the proportion of one-fourth to three-fourths water; or glycerine in the same proportion; or distilled water can be used alone. A grain of thymol is said to prevent the spirit, &c,. turning brown. (See "Binnacle and Compass.") Fluke - The palm of an anchor or barb-shaped extremities of the arms of an anchor. Flush deck - When the deck has no raised or sunken part. Fly - The part of a flag which blows out; the opposite side to the hoist; the halyards are bent to the hoist. Flying Jib - A jib set in vessels on the flying jib boom. There is then the jib, the outer jib, and flying jib, or inner jib, jib, and flying jib; probably called flying jib because unlike the others it is not set on a stay. A yacht's jib topsail is sometimes termed a "flying jib " but, being set on a stay, this is incorrect. To put this older definition in current terms: On a ship with fully rigged bowspirt and jibboom the sails named from fore to aft are flying jib, outer jib, inner jib and staysail. Flying Light - Said of a vessel when she has been lightened in ballast so as to float with her proper load-line out of water. Flying Start - In match sailing a start made under way. In the old days yachts started from anchor or from moorings. This practice has long since been abandoned, and all starts in yacht races are flying starts. Flying To - When a vessel, in sailing free, luffs suddenly, or comes to suddenly; also after tacking, if a vessel's head is kept much off the wind, and the helm be put amidships, the vessel will fly to, i.e. fly to the wind quickly. A vessel that carries a hard weather helm will fly to directly the tiller is released. Fly up in the Wind - When a vessel is allowed to come head to wind suddenly. Fo'c'sle - An abbreviation of forecastle. Refers to that portion of the cabin which is farthest forward. In square-riggers often used as quarters for the crew. In the early days of sail a castle like structure was built on the fore and aft ends of the hull and used as fighting platforms with the midships area reserved for rigging and sails. Following Sea - An overtaking sea that comes from astern. Foot - For a triangular sail, the bottom edge. Fore And Aft - In a line parallel to the keel. Fore & Aft Rig - The fore and aft rig, or schooner rig, required only a small crew, and was generally used in the coastal and fishing trades. Ships with this rig could point higher into the wind and were usually more maneuverable when working in the changing winds along the coast. The rig was not limited to coastal schooners, and big fore-and-afters could be seen plying across Fore-body - The fore part of a ship which is forward of the greatest transverse section.
Fore Deck - The deck before the mast. Fore Foot - The foremost part of the keel at its intersection with the stem under water. Fore Guy - The stay of a square sail boom or spinnaker boom which leads forward. Foremast - Vertical spar or mast most foreward Forepeak - The compartment farthest forward in the bow of the boat. Often used for anchor or sail stowage. In larger ships the crews quarters Fore-rake - The rake the stem has forward beyond a perpendicular dropped to the fore end of the keel. Fore-reach - When one vessel reaches past or sails past another; generally applied in close hauled sailing. Thus it is frequently said that one vessel "fore-reaches but does not hold so good a wind as the other" ; meaning that she passes through the water faster but does not or cannot keep so close to the wind. Foresail - In square rigged ships the large lower sail set on the foremast; in cutters the triangular sail or jib foresail set on the forestay; in fore-and-aft schooners the gaff sail set abaft the foremast. Foresheet - The sheet of the foresail. Foresheet horse - An iron bar for the foresheet to work upon. Fore-staysail - The jib foresail set on the forestay of schooners; properly "stay-foresail." Forestay - Wire support for the mast, running from the bowsprit or foredeck to a point at or near the top of the mast. Fore-topman - In a schooner yacht a man stationed aloft to work the fore-topsail tack and sheet in going about. Foretopmast - The topmast over the foremast. Foreyard - The yard on the foremast for setting the foresail in square-rigged ships. Forge Ahead - When a vessel that is hove to gathers way; generally when a vessel moves past another. Foretriangle - The triangle formed by the forestay, mast, and fore deck. Forward - Toward the bow of the boat. Foul - Entangled, not clear. To touch another yacht. Fouled - Any piece of equipment that is jammed or entangled, or dirtied. Foul Anchor - When an anchor gets a turn of the cable round its arms or stock; when imbedded among rocks, so that it cannot be readily recovered. Also a pictorial anchor with a cable round the shank. Foul Berth - When two vessels which are anchored or moored have not room to swing without fouling each other. If a vessel is properly moored and another fouls her berth she is held liable for any damage which may ensue. Foul Bottom - A rocky bottom; also the bottom of a ship when it is covered with weeds. Foul Hawse - When moored if the cables get crossed by the vessel swinging with the tide. Fractional Rig - A design in which the forestay does not go to the very top of the mast, but instead to a point 3/4~ 7/8ths, etc., of the way up the mast. Frames - The timbers or ribs that form the shape of the hull Frapping - A rope put round the parts of a tackle or other ropes which are some distance apart, to draw them together and increase their tension or prevent them overhauling. Frequently a frapping is put on the parts of the head sheets, especially on the jib topsail sheet, to draw them down to the rail, and thus bring a strain on the leech and foot. When two spars are formed into sheer legs the line is wrapped around them in an over and under fashion three times then frapped in circular fashion two times giving rise to the phrase "Wrap thrice and Frap twice." Frapping a Ship - Passing a chain cable or hawser round the hull of a ship to keep her from falling to pieces when she is straining in a heavy sea. Formerly common with timber ships. Free - Not close hauled. When a vessel is sailing with a point or two to come and go upon. The wind is said to free a vessel when it enables her to check sheets so as to be no longer close hauled. Also when it enables a vessel that is close hauled to lie nearer her course, as "the wind frees her." Freeboard - The distance between the deck and the waterline. Most often it will vary along the length of the boat Freshen - To alter the strain upon a rope. Freshen Hawse - To veer out or heave cable, so that a different part will take the chafe of the hawse pipe. Freshen the Nip - To shift a rope or line so that its nip, or short turn, or bight, may come in another part. In slang, to quench a desire for drink. Full - When all the sails are filled with the wind and quite steady. Full Aft - When a vessel is said not to taper sufficiently aft. Full and Bye - Sailing by the wind or close hauled, yet at the same time keeping all the sails full so that they do not shake through being too close to wind. Generally a vessel does better to windward when kept a" good full and bye" than when nipped or starved of wind. Full and Change - Phases of the moon. Full Bowed - The same as bluff bowed. Full Rigged Ship - square rigged on all masts. Staysails could be set between the masts. Outboard of the square sails might be set studdingsails, and above the royals (uppermost sails) might be set sails with such names as skysail, moonraker, Trust to God, or Angel Whispers. Furl - To roll a sail up on a yard, etc. Futtocks - The timbers which abut above the floors called first, second, and third futtocks. This should properly be written foothooks. G Gaff - a free swinging spar attached to the top edge of a sailto which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is bent Gaff Topsail - The topsail set over a gaff sail, such as the topsail set over a cutter's mainsail. Sometimes the sail has a head yard, and sometimes not. Galley - A long narrow rowing boat propelled by six or eight oars. A boat a little longer and heavier than a yacht's gig. The kitchen of a vessel. Gallows - Frames of oak erected above the dock in ships to carry spare spars on or the spanker boom instead of a crutch. Gammon Iron - An iron hoop fitted to the side of the stem, or on top of the stem, as a span-shackle, to receive and hold the bowsprit. Gammoning - The lashings which secure the bowsprit to the stem piece, and are passed backward and forwards in the form of an X, over the bowsprit. Now generally chain is used. In yachts, an iron band or hoop, called the gammon iron or span-shackle, is fitted to the stem, through which the bowsprit passes. Gangway - The area of a ship's side where people board and disembark. The opening in the bulwarks, or side, through which persons enter or leave a vessel. Used generally as a passage, or thoroughfare of any kind. "Don't block the gangway," is a common admonition to thoughtless people who stand about in passages or thoroughfares, to the impediment of passers. Gangway Ladder - The steps hung from the gangway outside the vessel. Sometimes there is also a board, or kind of platform, called the "Gangway Board."
Gangplank, Gangway Board - The platform used to connect the Gangway to the adjacent shore, pier, dock, or another vessel's gangway if moored alongside. Gant-line - A whip purchase; a single block with a rope rove through it. A gant-line is used to hoist the rigging to the masthead on beginning to fit out. Garboard - Used in conjunction with strake. Refers to the planks, or strakes, on either side of and adjacent to the keel.he strake of plank next above the keel into which it is rabbeted and bolted. Garland - A strop put round spars when they are hoisted on board. Garnet - A kind of tackle used for hoisting things out of the hold of vessels; also used for clewing up square sails. Gaskets - Pieces of rope, sometimes plaited, by which sails when furled are kept to the yards. The pieces of rope by which sails are secured when furled, such as the tyers of the mainsail, by which that sail, when rolled up on the boom, is secured. Gather Way - When a vessel begins to move through the water, under the influence of the wind on her sails, or under the influence of steam. Give-Way Vessel - A term used to describe the vessel which must yield in meeting, crossing, or overtaking situations. Give Way Together - Command used by Coxswain in larger rowing boats which tells the rowers on both sides to begin rowing together. Get a Pull - To hand on a sheet or tack or fall of a tackle. Getting Soundings Aboard.-- Running aground. Gig - A long boat of four or six oars kept for the owner of a yacht. Gilling - To gill a vessel along is to sail her very near the wind, so that very little of the weight of the wind is felt on the sails which are kept lifting and only have steerage way kept an the vessel. A vessel is generally "gilled " (pronounced "jilled") through heavy squalls or very broken water. Gimbals - The cross axles by which compasses, lamps, stoves and the like are swung on board ship. Often called "double gimbals" if they allow swing in both directions. Girt - To moor a vessel so that she cannot swing by tide or wind. To draw a sail into puckers; to divide the belly of a sail into bags as by a rope. Girt-line - (See "Gant-line.") Girth - The measurement round the vessel. The girth is generally measured at a station 0.55 from the fore end of the L.W.L. It is taken in two separate ways--i.e., by skin or by chain. The skin girth is taken by following the skin surface of the plank or body right round under the keel, from gunwale to gun. wale. The chain girth is taken at the same place and between the same points with the string, tape, or chain pulled taut. The difference between the two girths is called the "d" measurement. (See also "d.") Give Her - A general prefix to an order, as "Give her sheet";" Give her the jibheaded topsail;" "Give her chain," &c. Give Her the Weight of It - An admonition to a helmsman to sail a vessel a good heavy full when close-hauled. Give Way - The order to a boat's crew to commence rowing or to pull with more force or more quickly. May be Give Way Together, Give Way Starboard or Give Way Port denoting which banks of oars. Used in conjunction with other commands given by the Coxswain; e.g. If the boat is starboard side alongside the ship a command may be, "Fend Off Starboard to gain distance from the ship's hull then "Backwater Port, GiveWay Starboard" to effect a turn followed by "Give Way Together". Giving the Keel - Heeling over suddenly and bringing the keel near the surface; vessels that are not very stiff under canvas are said to "give the keel." Glass - The term by which a sailor knows the barometer. Also a telescope, and the sand glass used to denote half-hours on board ship, or the half-minute or quarter-minute glass used when heaving the log. Glass Calm - When it is so calm that the sea looks like a sheet of glass.
Go About - To tack. Go Ahead ! - The order to the engineer of a steam vessel. Also "Go astern;" "Easy ahead;" "Easy astern;" "Stop her!" Go Down - To sink. To go down below. Going Large - The same as sailing with the wind free. Going Through Her Lee - When one vessel overtakes and passes another vessel to leeward; considered to be a very smart thing for a vessel to do if they are close together and of equal size. Gollywobbler - A full, quadrilateral sail used in light air on schooners. It is flown high, between the fore and main mast, and is also known as a fisherman's staysail. Good Full- Same as "Clean Full," or little fuller than "Full and By." Gooseneck - The fitting that connects the boom to the mast.An iron jointed bolt used to fix the end of booms to the mast. Goose Wing, To - A schooner "goose wings" when dead before the wind by booming out the gaff foresail on the opposite side to the mainsail. An uncertain operation, and a practice not now in much use, as the introduction of spinnakers has made it unnecessary. (See "Wing and Wing.") Goose Wings - The lower part or clews of sails when the upper part is furled or brailed up; used for scudding in heavy weather. Grab Rails - Hand-hold fittings mounted on cabin tops and sides for personal safety when moving around the boat. Ground Tackle - A collective term for the anchor and its associated gear. Graduated Sail - A sail whose cloths taper towards the head from the foot upwards; so that a whole cloth forms the luff as well as the leech Granny Knot - An insecure knot which a seaman never ties, but which a landsman is sometimes seen to do when trying his hand at reef (square)knots. Grapnel - A grappling iron with four claws used to moor small boats by or to drag the bed of the sea. Gratings - Open woodwork put in the bottom of boats, in gangways. Graving - Cleaning a vessel's bottom. Graving Dock - A dock which can be emptied of water by opening the gates as the tide falls, and its return prevented as the tide rises by closing the gates. Used for clearing the bottoms of vessels, repairing the same. Gravity - Weight. The centre of gravity is the common centre of a weight or weights. In sailing ships the Center of Gravity is the balance point of the ship between the bow and stern, port and starboard rail at the widest breadth of the ship and the keel and mast top. Also the balance point between the Center of Effort and the Center of Lateral Resistance. Great Guns - A heavy wind is said to "blow great guns." Green Hand - A landsman shipped on board a vessel, and who has yet to learn his duties. Green Horn - A conceited simpleton, incapable of learning the duties of a seaman. Green Sea - The unbroken mass of water that will sometimes break on board a vessel as distinct from the mere bucketfulls of water or spray that may fly over her. Such bodies of water always have a green appearance, while smaller quantities look grey, hence, we suppose, the term. Also the portion of the ocean which is life bearing as opposed to blue water which is the pelagic version of a desert. Gridiron - A large cross framing over which a vessel is placed at high water in order that her bottom may be examined as the tide falls. Grin - A vessel is said to grin when she dives head and shoulders into a sea and comes up streaming with water. Gripe - The fore part of the dead wood of a vessel; the forefoot. Gripe, To - A vessel is said to gripe when she has a tendency to fly up in the wind, and requires weather helm to check or "pay off" the tendency.
Grommet or Grummet - A ring formed of a single strand of rope laid over three times. Used for strops. Grounding - The act of getting aground or taking the ground as the tide falls. Ground Sea, Ground Swell - The swell that may be seen along shore sometimes, whilst in the offing the sea is calm. Ground Tackle - The moorings, anchors, chains, used in securing a vessel. Ground Ways - The blocks on which a vessel is supported whilst she is being built. Gudgeons - Metal eye bolts fitted to the stern post to receive the pintles of the rudder. Gunter Rig - Similar to a gaff rig, except that the spar forming the "gaff" is hoisted to an almost vertical position, extending well above the mast. Sliding Gunter- Not to be confounded with the modern gunter lug which is really a cross between a high-peaked gaff sail and a Clyde lug. The slider has jaws on the heel of the yard or gaff, which is usually curved. Either one or two halyards are used. Gunwale - Most generally, the upper edge of the side of a boat. In small boats the timber which fits over the timber heads, and is fastened to the top strake. (See "Inwale.") Gunwale Under - Heeling until the lee gunwale is in the water. Guy - A rope used to steady or support a spar. A line used to control the end of a spar. A spinnaker pole, for example, has one end attached to the mast, while the free end is moved back and forth with a guy. Gybing (also spelt jibing) - To keep a vessel so much off the wind that at last it blows on the opposite quarter and causes the sails to shift over. The opposite of tacking, which is to come to the wind until it blows on the opposite bow of the vessel to the one on which it has been blowing. Gyvers.-- Tackles. H Hail - To speak to a ship at sea by signals or otherwise. To attract the attention of a ship by singing out "Ship ahoy!" or "Neptune ahoy." To "hail from" a locality is to belong to a particular place by birthright. Half-breadth Plan - A drawing showing the horizontal sections or waterlines of a vessel by halves. Half-breadths - The width of horizontal sections at particular points; also half-breadths on diagonal lines. Hall-mast High - Hoisting a burgee or ensign only halfway up as a mark of respect to a person who has recently died. Halyards - Lines used to hoist or lower sails or flags and the wooden spars (boom and gaff) that hold the sails in place. Hammock - A canvas bed swung to the deck beams. Hand - To hand a sail is to stow, furl, or take in; hence a sail is said to be "handed" when either of these operations has been performed. Hand - A man. A member of a ship's crew. Handing a Sail - To hand a sail is to stow it or take it in. Hand Lead - See "Lead." Handle Her - The act of controlling the movements of a vessel. An admonition to the crew to be smart in working the sheets in tacking or gybing. Also a steamboat master is said to "handle" his vessel in bringing her alongside a wharf. pier. Hand over Hand, Hand over Fist - Hauling on a rope by one hand at a time and passing one hand rapidly over the other to haul. A very rapid way of hauling, hence anything done rapidly is said to be done "hand over hand." Handsomely - Steadily; with care. Not too fast nor yet too slow, but with great care; cleverly. As "Lower away handsomely." In easing up a sheet, if the man is likely to let it fly, the master or mate will sing out, "Handsomely there!" meaning that the man is to ease up the sheet carefully, not letting too much run out, nor yet letting it come up with a jerk, nor yet allowing it to run away with him. Handspike - A bar of wood, used as a lever. Hand Taut - As tight or taut as a rope can be got by the hand without swigging upon it. Handy - A vessel is said to be handy when she answers her helm quickly, and will turn in a small circle, or go from one tack to the other quickly. Handy Billy - A watch tackle kept on deck for general use to get a pull on whatever is required, such as sheets, tacks, or halyards. Hang - To lean towards. To hang to windward is to make but little leeway. "Hang on here!" an order for men to assist in hauling. Hanging Compass - A compass suspended under the beams with the face of the card downwards; termed also a "Telltale Compass." Hanging Knee - Knees that help keep the beams and frame together ; one arm is bolted to the under side of a beam, the other to the frame. Hank for Hank - Slang for "tack for tack." Hanks - Rings or hooks made of rope, wood, or iron for fastening the luff of sails to stays. Harbour Watch - The watch kept on board a vessel at night when she is riding to an anchor in harbour; the anchor watch. Harbour or Anchor Watches are often 12 or 24 hours in duration allowing the other crew members moe time to go ashore. Hard - A landing place, usually made of gravel placed in piles across soft ares where the small boats land. Hard Chine - An abrupt intersection between the hull side and the hull bottom of a boat so constructed. Hard Down - The order to put the helm hard-a-lee. Also the tiller may be put hard-a-port; hard-a-starboard; hard-a-weather; hard up. Hard In - Sheets are said to be hard in when a vessel is close-hauled. Hard Up - The tiller as far to windward as it can be got for bearing away. Harpings - Pieces of timber or battens that are fitted around the frames of a vessel in an unbroken line to keep the frames in their places before the plank is put on. Hatch - an opening in the deck for entering below. Hatch Covers - the coverings for hatchways Hatchway Coamings - The raised frame above the deck upon which the hatches or hatch covers rest. Haul - To pull on a rope. Haul Aft the Sheets - The order to haul in the sheets for close-hauled sailing. Haul Her Wind - To become close-hauled after sailing free. Generally to sail closer to the wind when sailing free. Haul to the wind. Haul on the wind. Haul Round a Mark, Point - When a vessel in sailing free has to come closer to the wind as her course alters round a point or buoy. By hauling in the sheets the vessel will sometimes luff sufficiently without any help from the helm. Haul the Boom Aboard - An order to get the main boom hauled in on the quarter for close-hauled sailing. Haul Up - To hoist a sail. A vessel is said to "haul up" when she comes, or is brought nearer the wind or nearer her course if she has been sailing to leeward of it. Haul up a point, haul up to windward of that buoy. Hawse Bags - Canvas bags filled with oakum, used in a heavy sea to stop the hawse holes, and prevent tile admission of water. Wooden hawse plugs are generally used in a yacht. Hawse Pipe - The pipes in the hawse holes in the bow through which the cables pass. Terms relating to the Hawse "A bold hawse," signifies the holes are high above the water. [This would be equivalent to saying that the ship was high at the bows.] "Veer out more cable" is the order when a part of the cable which lies in the hawse is fretted or chafed, and by veering out more cable another part rests in the hawse. "Fresh the hawse" is an order to lay new pieces upon the cable in the hawse to preserve it from fretting. [The above two terms are applied to hemp cables.] "Burning in the hawses" is when the cables endure a violent stress. "Clearing the hawses" is the act of disentangling two cables that come through different hawse. "To ride hawse full" is when in stress of weather a ship falls with her head deep in the sea, so that the water runs in at the hawse. "Athwart hawse" is when anything crosses the hawse of a ship close ahead, or actually under and touching the bows "Cross hawse," when the cables out 'of different holes cross on the stem as an X. Distinct from "clear hawse," which is when each cable leads direct to the anchor from its hawse hole. "Foul hawse," when the cables are crossed in any way by the ship swinging round. Hawser - A large rope laid up with the sun or right-handed. Hawse Timbers - The large timbers in the bows of ships in which the hawse holes are cut. Head - The fore part of a vessel. The upper part of a sail. For a triangular sail, the top corner. "By the head" means pressed or trimmed down by the head, in contradistinction of "by the stern." To head is to pass ahead of another vessel. Also a marine toilet. Head Earings - The earings of the upper part of a squaresail, Headfoil - a grooved rod fitted over the forestay to provide support for luff of hte sail or help support the forestay Head Knocker - A block with a jam cleat, located on the boom and used to control the main sheet on small boats. Heading - The direction in which a vessels's bow points at any given time.The direction of a vessel's head when sailing. Generally used when sailing close hauled, as "she headed S.E. on port tack, and N.E. on starboard tack." In such cases it is never said she "steered S.E.," as practically the vessel is not steered, but her course alters with the wind. A vessel "steers" such and such a course when she is sailing with the wind free. Headland - A high cliff or point. Headmost - The first in order. Head Reach - In sailing by the wind when a vessel passes another either to windward or to leeward. A vessel is said to "head-reach" when she is hove to, but forges ahead a knot or two. (See "Fore-reach.") Head Rope - The rope to which the head of a sail is sewn. Headsails - A general name for any sail foreward of the foremast. Head Sea - The sea met when sailing close-hauled. In the case of a steamship she may meet the sea stem on. Heed Sheets - The sheets of the head sails. Head to Wind - When a vessel is so situated that the wind blows no more on one bow than the other; when her head is directly pointed to the wind. Headway - Forward motion of boat through the water; opposite to sternway Head Wind - A wind that blows directly down the course a vessel is desired to sail. A foul wind. To be headed by the wind is when the wind shifts so that a vessel cannot lie her course, or puts her head off to leeward of the course she had been heading. Heart - A sort of deadeye made of lignum vitae with one large hole in it to pass a lanyard through turn after turn instead of through three holes, as in an ordinary deadeye. They are something like a heart in shape, and the lower one is metal bound; the stay goes round the upper one either by a spliced eye or an eye seizing; also used for jib sheet. Heart Thimble - A thimble shaped like a heart put in the eye splices of ropes. These are usually made solid for rigging screws. Heave - To bring a strain or drag upon a capstan bar, purchase, &c. To throw, as "heave overboard." Heave About - To go into stays to tack. Heave Ahead - To draw a vessel ahead by heaving on her cable, warp, &c. Heave and Pawl - In heaving on the windlass or capstan to give a sort of jerking heave, so that the pawl may be put in, and so prevent "coming up," or the cable flying out again. Also, in heaving on the mast winches "heave and pawl" is generally used in the sense of "belay;" that is stop heaving at the next fall of the pawl. Heave and Rally - An order to encourage the men to heave with energy when there is a difficulty in breaking the anchor out of the ground. Heave and Sight - A call given after the anchor is off the ground, and when it is known to be near the surface on account of the muddy condition of the water it is making in consequence of the mud on the flukes. Literally it means one more heave and you will see the anchor above water. Heave and Stand to your Bars! - An order given after heaving until the vessel is over the anchor to give another heave as the bow descends with the sea and then stand fast, as in all probability the next time she descends, or lifts, her head with the sea she will break the anchor out of the ground. Heave and Weigh.-- The last heave of the capstan that breaks the anchor out. Heave Down - To careen a vessel by putting tackles on her mastheads from a hulk or wharf, and heeling her so as to get at her aide which was under water for repairs. A vessel is said to be hove down by a squall when she does not right immediately. Heave in Stays - The same as heave about. Heave Short - To heave on the cable until the vessel is over the anchor, or the cable taut in a line with the forestay, so that with another heave, or by the action of the sails, the anchor will be broken out of the ground. Heave the Lead - The order to cast the lead for sounding. Heave the Log - The order to throw the log ship overboard to test the rate of sailing. Heave To - To so trim a vessel's sails aback that she does not move ahead. The same as "lie to" or "lay to" as sailors call it. If the gale be a fair one the ship usually scuds before it; if a foul one she heaves to. Heel - The lower after end of anything, as heel of the keel, heel of the mast (the fore part of the lower end of a mast is called the toe), heel of a yard, heel of the bowsprit. The amount of list a vessel has. Heeler - A heavy puff that makes a boat heel. Heel Rope - The rope by which a running bowsprit or topmast is hauled up or out. Heel, To - To incline, to careen, to list over, to depart from the upright. Height - A distance measured in a vertical direction, as height of freeboard. Helm - The apparatus for steering a vessel, usually applied only to the tiller. The word is derived from Saxon helma or healma, a rudder; German helm, a handle and a rudder. Helmsman - Sailor who steers the boat. If a sailor can sail a vessel well on a wind he is generally termed a good "helmsman," and not steersman. Helm's A-lee - The usual call made in tacking or in going about, as a signal for the crew to work the sheets, &c. The helm is a-lee when the tiller is "put down" or to leeward. (See "Lee Helm" and "Weather Helm.") Helm Port - The rudder trunk in the counter. Helm, to Port the - To put the helm or tiller to the port side, and thereby bring the vessel's head round to starboard. If a wheel is used besides a tiller the action of turning the wheel to port brings the vessel's head round to port, as the tiller is moved by the chains to starboard. Thus with a wheel, when the order is given to port the wheel is turned to starboard. Helm, to Put Down the - To put the tiller to leeward and thereby bring the vessel to the wind, or luff; the contrary action to putting up the helm. Helm, to Put Up the - To bring the tiller to windward, so that the rudder is turned to leeward, and consequently the head of the vessel goes off to leeward or "off the wind." Helm, to Starboard the - To put the tiller the way opposite to port. Helm, to Steady the - To bring the helm or tiller amidships after it has been moved to port or starboard, as the case may be. Hermaphrodite Brig - A two-masted vessel, square-rigged forward, and fore-and-aft canvas only on mainmast, usually called a brigantine. Hermaphrodite Hull - Usually wooden planked hull over metal ribs. High and Dry - The situation of a vessel that is ashore when the ebb tide leaves her dry. High Water: Full and Change - On all coast charts the time of high water at the full moon and new moon is set down, the time of high water at the full moon and new moon always occurring at the same hour throughout the year; therefore, if the time of high water at full and change (new moon) is known, and the age of the moon, the time of high water for any particular day can be roughly calculated, about twenty-five minutes being allowed for each tide. Hiking Stick - An extension of the tiller that enables the helms man to sir at a distance from it. Hipping - To make a vessel broader on the beam about the waterline. Hitch - A knot used to secure a rope to another object or to another rope, or to form a loop or a noose in a rope. A hitch is also a short tack or board made in close-hauled sailing. Hogged - The situation of a vessel when she rises higher in the middle part than at the ends; the opposite of sagged. Hogging Piece - A piece of timber worked upon top of the keel to prevent its hogging or rising in the middle. Hoist - The length of the luff of a fore-and-aft sail, or the space it requires for hoisting. The hoist of a flag is the edge to which the roping is stitched. To raise anything by halyards or tackles. Hold - A compartment below deck in a vessel, used solely for carrying cargo. Hold a Good Wind - To sail close to the wind. Hold her Head Up - A vessel is said to "hold her head up" well that does not show a tendency to fall off. Holding On - To continue sailing without altering a course or shifting sail. Holding On to the Land - To keep the land aboard in sailing; not departing from the land. Holding Water - Resting with the blades of the oars in water to check a boat's way or atop her. Hold On - The order given after hauling on a rope not to slack any up, as "Hold on all that." Hold On the Fore Side - If, when hauling on the fall of a tackle, some of the hands have hold of it on the tackle side of the belaying pin, the hand that has to belay sings out, "Hold on the fore side" to those in front of him, and "Come up behind" to those behind. The hands on the fore side thus hold the fall and keep it from running through the blocks whilst it is being belayed. Hollow Lines - The horizontal lines of a vessel that have inflections. Home - Any operation that is completely performed, as "sheeted home" when the clew of a sail is hauled out to the last inch, &c. An anchor is said to come home when it breaks out of the ground. Hood - A covering for skylights, sails, &c. Hood Ends - The ends of the plank which are fitted into the rabbet of the stem or stern poet; termed also the hooded ends, meaning probably that they are "housed" or covered in by the rabbet. Hooker - A small coasting craft. Horizontal Lines - The curved lines on the Half breadth Plan which show the water lines, the plane of each section being parallel to the horizon. Horns - The projections which form the jaws of gaffs or booms. The outer ends of the crosstrees are sometimes termed horns. Horn Timbers - Timbers which help support the counter. Horse - A bar of iron or wood, or a rope for some part of a vessel's rigging to travel upon, such as the mainsheet. Hounds - The projections on a mast which support the lower cap, cross trees, and rigging. House - To lower a topmast down within the cap. Housing of a Mast - The part under the deck. Hove Down - Said of a vessel that is very much careened or heeled by the wind or other cause. Hove her Keel Out - Said of a vessel that heels over, so as to show her keel. (Generally used only as a figure of speech.) Hove in Sight - To come into view; said of a sail that appears above the horizon or round a headland; also of the anchor when it comes above water. Hove in Stays - Said of a vessel when she tacks, often meaning that a vessel tacks suddenly. Hove Short - When the cable is hove in so that there is but little more length out than the depth of water. Hove-to - The condition of a vessel with her head sails aback, so as to deprive her of way. Vessels hove-to on port tack should fill or get way on, if approached by a vessel on the starboard tack; but if the vessel on port tack can, by hailing or otherwise, make the other vessel understand the situation, the latter should give way; this is the custom of the sea, but there is no statutory regulations concerning the point. Hoy - A small vessel. Also an abbreviation of "Ahoy." Hug the Land - To sail along as close to a weather shore as possible. Hug the Wind - To keep very close, or too close to the wind. Hulk - A vessel whose seagoing days are over, but is still useful as a store ship. Hull - The main body of a vessel less its spars and rigging I Immersed - Underwater. The opposite of emersed, which means taken out of water. The "wedge of immersion" is the part of a vessel put into the water when she heels over. The wedge of emersion is the part taken out of the water. Sometimes termed the "in" and "out" wedges. In - The prefix to a curt order to take in a sail, as "In spinnaker," "In squaresail," or "In boats In and Out Bolts - Bolts that pass through the skin and frame of a vessel through and through. Inboard - lnside a vessel's bulwarks, being the opposite to outboard. In and Out Bolts - Bolts that pass through the skin and frame of a vessel through and through. Inspection Port - A watertight covering, usually small, that may be removed so the interior of the hull can be inspected or water removed. Inshore - Close to the shore In the Wind - When sailing close hauled, if a vessel comes to nearly head to wind she is said to be "all in the wind." In Wale - The clamp or strake of timber inside the top strake of a small boat, generally termed the gunwale. Irish Pennants - Loose ends of ropes, hanging about a vessel's rigging or sails. J Jack, Hydraulic - A mechanical contrivance used for the same purpose as a screw jack. Jack in the Basket - A boom or pole with a cage on the top used to mark a shoal or bank. Jack Screw or Screw Jack - A powerful screw used for moving heavy weights. Jack Stay - A rod of steel shaped as a railway metal, or a rope, usually wire rope, for sails or yards to travel on. Also the steel railway or wire rope stay on the boom of laced sails on which the hanks or lacings are attached. Jack Yard - The small yard on the foot of large topsails to extend them beyond the gaff. Termed also jenny yards and foot yards. Jack Yard Topsail - A topsail set on two yards. Jacobs Ladder - A rope ladder, lowered from the deck, as when pilots or passengers come aboard.
Jam - In belaying or making fast a rope to close up or jam the turns Jaws of a Gaff - The horns at the end of the gaff which half encircle the mast. A rope called a "jaw rope," or jaw parrel, is fitted to the ends of the horns, and, passing round the mast, keeps the gaff in its place. Wood beads are rove on the rope to make it slide easily on the mast. Jenny Yard - See "Jack Yard." Jettison - To throw cargo overboard. Jetsam - Goods thrown overboard in heavy weather to lighten the ship. Jetty - A structure, usually masonry, projecting out from the shore; a jetty may protect a harbor entrance. Jettison - To throw overboard. Jib - A triangular foresail in front of the foremast. There are No.1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 jib, the latter being the storm or spitfire jib. Jibb or Jibe - See "Gybe." Jib-boom - The spar beyond the bowsprit in schooners upon which the outer jib is set. Jib Foresail - In schooners the stay-foresail. (See "Fore-staysail.") Jibheader - An abbreviation of the term jibheaded topsail. A thimble-headed topsail. The triangular topsail of a fore and aft vessel. Jib Stay - In schooners the stay to which jibs are hanked. Jib Topsail - A triangular headsail made of light canvas set upon the topmast stay above the jib. Jib Traveller - The iron hoop, with hook and shackle, on the bowsprit to which the jib tack cringle is hooked. Jiffy reefing - A fast method of reefing. Lines pull down the luff and the leech of the sail, reducing its area. Jigger Mast - The mizzen mast of yawl or dandy. Joggle - In the shipwright's craft, carpentry, and masonry, a notch or notches forming a box scarf to enable two pieces of wood. To fit together. The heels of timbers are sometimes joggled to the keel in this manner. Joggles - Notches cut in a boat's timbers for the plank to fit into. Join Ship - To come on board a vessel, or to enter as a seaman on board. Jolly Boat - A yacht's boat larger than a dinghy, and not so large as a cutter. Used by a merchant ship much the same as a dinghy by a yacht. Jolly Roger - A pirate's flag. A white skull and cross bones on a black field. Jumpers - The main stays of schooners when they lead forward to the fore deck. Jumper Stay - A short stay supporting the top forward portion of the mast. The stay runs from the top of the mast forward over a short jumper strut, then down to the mast, usually at the level of the spreaders. Jumbo - The larger of the headsails. Junk - A Chinese ship. Also old rope. Also old salt beet as tough and hard as old rope. Jury - A makeshift or temporary contrivance, as jury mast, jury rudder, jury bowsprit. which may be fitted when either has been lest or carried away. K Kamsin - A south-westerly wind which is said to blow on the Nile for fifty days during March and April. Kedge - The smallest anchor a yacht carries, used for anchoring temporarily by a hawser or warp. To kedge is to anchor by the kedge, or to carry the kedge anchor out in a boat and warp ahead by it. Keel -the timber at the very bottom of the hull to which frames are attatched. Keelson or Kelson - A structural member or inside keel fitted over the throats of the floors above and parallel to the keel.
Keep her Full - When close hauled, an admonition not to keep too close to the wind. Keep her Off - An order to sail more off the wind; to put the helm up. To keep off is to keep away from the wind. Keep your Luff - An admonition to keep close to the wind. In match sailing, an order given when a vessel is being overtaken by one coming up from astern not to give way and allow the vessel to pass to windward. It is an old maxim in close-hauled sailing, "keep your luff and never look astern" meaning that if you sail as close to the wind as possible the overtaking vessel must take her passage to leeward or risk a collision by trying to force a passage to windward. Kentledge - Rough pig iron used as ballast. Ketch - A two-masted vessel, something like a yawl, but with the mizen stepped ahead of the stern post, and not abaft it as a yawl has it. Kevel or Cavel - Large pieces of timber used for belaying ropes to, such as the horizontal piece which is bolted to the stanchions aft to belay the main sheet to. Key Model - A model made by horizontal layers or vertical blocks, showing either the water lines or vertical sections of a vessel. Keg - A small cask, or breaker. Keel - The fore-and-aft timber in a vessel to which the frames and garboard strake are fastened. Kick-Up - Describes a rudder or centerboard that rotates back and up when an obstacle is encountered. Useful when a boat is to be beached. Kit - A sailor's belongings in the way of clothes. which he carries in his bag or keeps in his locker. Kittiwak Knees.-- Pieces of timber or iron shaped thus - L - used to strengthen particular parts of a ship. A hanging knee is the one fitted under the beams; a lodging knee is a knee fitted horizontally to the beams and shelf, or to the mast partners or deck beams. Floor knees are V-shaped, like breast-hooks. Knight Heads - Strong pieces of timber fitted inside and close to the stem to bear the strain of the bowsprit. Called also "bollard timbers." The name is said to be derived from the windlass bitts, the heads of which formerly were carved to represent the heads of knights. Knockabout - A type of schooner without a bowsprit. Knot - A measure of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. A division of the old log line bearing the same relation to a nautical mile as the period of the sand glass did to an hour. The nautical mile is 6080ft, a statute mile is 5280ft. A sea mile = 1.1515 statute mile. Knot - A fastening made by interweaving rope to form a stopper, to enclose or bind an object, to form a loop or a noose, to tie a small rope to an object, or to tie the ends of two small ropes together. L
Labour - A ship is said to labour when she pitches and rolls heavily, causing her frame to work. Lacing - To pass a rope through the eyelets of a sail and round a spar. Laid - The make of a rope, as cable laid, hawser laid, single laid, laid with the sun. Land - To go from a vessel to the shore; also to place anything. The outer edge of the plank of a clincher-built boat. The term "land" is used to mean the coast. Land Fall - The point or part of a coast a vessel first sights after being at sea. To make a good landfall is to sight the laud at the point calculated, "under the bowsprit end," as it is termed. Land Lubber - A person living on land and unacquainted with the duties of a seaman; also an awkward loutish country sort of person who on board ship cannot get into the ways of a seaman. Landsman - Men who have just joined a ship to train as seamen. Lane - A lane of wind is a current of air that travels in a narrow space and does not spread. Also ocean tracks for steamships. On board ship the order to "Make a lane there," when a lot of men are standing together in passages or gangways, is an order for them to stand on one side so that others can pass. Lanyards or Laniards - Hopes rove through dead eyes, by which shrouds and stays are setup. Lapper - A foresail which extends back of and overlapping the mast, such as a 110% genoa jib. Larboard - The left side. In consequence of frequent blunders occurring through "larboard" being misunderstood for "starboard" or vice versa', "port," as a distinctive sound, was introduced instead of larboard. Larbolins - The men composing the port watch. (See "Starbolins.") Large - With the wind abeam or abaft the beam. "She is sailing along large" means that the ship has the wind abeam or between the beam and the quarter. Lash - To lace, to bind together with a rope. Lashing - A lacing or rope to bind two spars together, or sails to a spar. Lateen Sail - A large triangular sail, with the luff bent to a yard. It has no gaff. Lateral Resistance - The resistance a vessel offers to being pressed broadside on through the water. This resistance is assumed to be governed by the area of the plane bounded by the waterline, stem, keel, and rudder. Latitude - The distance north or south of the equator measured and expressed in degrees. Launch - The largest boat carried by a ship. To launch is to move an object, as "launch a spar forward," to launch a ship. Lay - Used by sailors instead of the neuter verb "to lie" as "lay to" for lie to, "lay her course" for lie her course, "lay up" for lie up, &c. or "she lays S.W." for lies S.W. This use of the active verb is sometimes justified by an appeal to the well-known naval song 'Twas in Trafalgar's Bay We saw the Frenchmen lay. But, whether right or wrong, a sailor will never be brought to say, "there she lies" for "there she lays", or "she's going to lie up" for "she's going to lay up." Lay along the Land - When a vessel can just keep along a weather shore close-hauled, or when she lays along a lee shore. Lay her Course - A vessel is said to lay her course when sailing close-hauled, if her head points nothing to leeward of it. Laying Up - Dismantling a yacht after the season's racing or cruising is over. Lay in Oars - An order given to a boat's crew to toss their oars and lay them in board; generally curtly spoken" Oars." Lay on your oars" - is an order for the men to cease rowing, but not to toss their oars up; to rest on their oars. Lay of a Rope - The way the strands of a rope are laid; right or left laid ; close laid. Lay Off - To transfer the design of a vessel to the mould loft full size. This is never written or spoken "lie off." Lay Out - To move out, as to lay out on a yardarm, also to make a good forward and backward reach in rowing. Lazarette - A storage space in a boat's stern area. Lazy Guy - The guy used to prevent the main boom falling aboard when a vessel is rolling, with the wind astern. Lazy Jack - Light lines from the topping lift to the boom, forming a cradle into which the mainsail may be lowered. Lazy Tack - A running bight put on the tack cringle of a topsail, and round a stay to keep the sail from blowing away whilst it is hoisted, Leach - The after up and down edge of a sail. Lead (pronounced with a long e) - Refers to the direction in which a line goes. A boom vang, for example, may "lead to the cockpit." Lead (pronounced with a short e) - A long weight or "sinker," of 7lb., 14lb., or 28lb. The line is "marked" thus: Fathoms. 2 '' a piece of leather in two strips. 3 ,, leather three strips. 5 ,, white calico. 7 ,, red bunting. 10 ,, leather with a hole in it. 13 ,, blue serge. 15 ,, white calico. 17 ,, red bunting. 20 ,, two knots. There are usually 5 fathoms beyond this unmarked. In heaving the lead, if the vessel has headway, the lead must be cast ahead, so that when it touches the bottom the vessel is directly over it. If the first white mark is just awash when the lead is on the bottom, the leadsman sings out, "By the mark five." If it is less than five, say 4-3/4 he sings out "Quarter less five," and not 4-3/4. If 1/4 or 1/2 more than five, he sings out "and a quarter five,". There are no marks for 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 19 fathoms, and these numbers are called "deeps"; in sounding, the leadsman has to estimate the depth, as, for instance, between 5 and 7 marks, and will sing out, "By the deep 6." The deep-sea lead, pronounced "dipsey led," weighs from 28lb. to 35lb., and has a much longer line. Up to 20 fathoms it is marked the same as the hand lead-at 30 fathoms 3 knots, at 40 fathoms 4 knots, and so on; the intermediate "fives" being marked by a piece of leather or a small strand with a knot in it; 100 fathoms is marked by a piece of bunting, and then commence the knots: 1 knot = 10 fathoms, and so on. In sounding with the deep-sea lead the vessel is usually hove to. Lead Ballast - Bricks of lead cast from moulds to fit inside the frames of a vessel without resting on the plank. Lead-water-line - The line of flotation when a vessel is properly laden or ballasted. Lead-water Section - The horizontal plane at the line of flotation. Lee - The side sheltered from the wind. The opposite side to that from which the wind blows. Lee Board - A very old-fashioned contrivance to cheek leeway. The board is usually trapeziform, and hung from the gunwale on either side. When sailing to windward it is dropped on the lee side to prevent lee way, hence the term "lee board." Lee, By the - In running nearly before the wind, when a vessel runs off her helm so much as to bring the wind on the opposite quarter to which the boom is; a very dangerous proceeding, as if there be no boom guy a sudden gybe, or a gybe "all standing," may be the result. For safety, the helm should be put down the instant a vessel begins to run off. In match sailing, in running for a mark, yachts are often brought by the lee through a shift of wind, and frequently they are kept so, if a spinnaker or squaresail be set, and if near the mark, to save a gybe, every precaution being of course taken to prevent the main boom coming over, by hauling on the guy or pressing against the boom; this risk, however, should only be hazarded in very light winds. Lee-going Tide - The tide that is running to leeward in the direction of the wind. The opposite to weather-going tide, which see. Lee Helm - The helm put to leeward to luff, or to keep a vessel to or by the wind. Also synonymous with slack helm. If the centre of effort of the sails is much forward of the centre of lateral resistance, the vessel will have a tendency to fall off, and will require the helm to be put to leeward to keep her close to wind. The tendency can be checked by reducing the head sail, or by hardening in the sheets of the after sail and easing the sheets of the head sail. A vessel that requires lee helm will be an awkward one, and in a heavy sea a dangerous one to work to windward. The contrary to "weather helm," which see. Lee Scuppers - Inside the lee bulwarks by the scupper holes. To be always in the lee scuppers is to be always in disgrace. Leech - The aft edge of a triangular sail. Leech Line - A line running through the leech of the sail, used to tighten it. Leeward - The direction away from the wind. Opposite of Windward. Leeway - The sideways movement of the boat caused by either wind or current. Lee Boards - Pivoting boards on either side of a boat which serve the same function as a centerboard. The board to leeward is dropped, the board to windward is kept up. Lend a Hand Here - An order to a person to assist. Let Fall - In rowing an order for a boat's crew to drop oars (after they have been on end) into the rowlocks, tholes, or crutches. Let Go and Haul - In tacking a square rigged vessel the order given to let go the lee braces and haul in on the others. Let Her Feel the Weight of It - An order to keep a vessel more off the wind, and not allow her sails to shake. Life Buoy -Usually a painted canvas ring stuffed with solid cork. Light Eye - A bright white look in the sky above the horizon, sometimes betokening that a breeze may be expected from such a quarter. Lights - The lights which all vessels must exhibit between sundown and sunrise. Limber Boards - Plank covering the floors of a vessel near the keelson. In yachts built with iron knee floors it is a common practice to fill up all cavities along the keel or hogging piece, fore deadwood and apron, and deadwood aft, with cement, after coating the wood with. Limber Clearer - A small chain which is kept rove through the limber holes in the floors at the side of the keelson, to allow the bilge water to flow freely to the pumps; occasionally the chain is worked backwards and forwards to clear the holes. This contrivance is seldom met with in yachts. Line or Lines - Gerneral name for rope or cordage used for various purposes aboard a boat. Liner - An old line of battle ship. Now used to describe a large passenger ship. Lines -A general term applied to the drawing or design of a vessel as depicted by fore-and-aft lines and cross sections. A vessel is said to have "fine lines" when she is very sharp fore-and-aft. List - A vessel is said to list when from some cause such as shifting of ballast or cargo or weights she heels over. Listing - A narrow strip of plank, usually 4in. in width, cut out of the plank of a ship throughout her whole length, in order that the condition of her frames or timbers may be examined. Lizard - A piece of rope with a thimble eye spliced in one end, used in setting square sails; sometimes the lizard is of two or more parts with a thimble in each, the whole being spliced into one tail. Lloyd's - an association of marine underwriters in the City of London. See Addendum Lob Sided - Larger or heavier on one side than on the other. Locker - A small cabin, or cupboard, or cavity to stow articles in. Log - A record of courses or operation. Also, a device to measure speed. Log Board or Log Slate - The slate on which the hourly occurrences in navigating a ship-her speed, canvas, courses, the strength of wind, direction of wind, and general condition of weather-are set down. Log Line and Ship - An ancient contrivance for testing the speed of a ship. The line is attached to a board (termed the ship), and is marked for knots every 47ft. 3in. but an allowance is made for the following wake). According as the number of knots which run out in 28sec by the sand glass, so is the speed of the vessel. There is a drift of some feet between the log ship and the first knot, the glass being turned as the first knot takes the water. The number of knots run out in the 28sec marks The the speed of the vessel. Long Leg and a Short One - In beating to windward, when a vessel can sail nearer her course she sails the intended course on one tack than another. Thus, say her course is E and the wind S.E. by E. she would lie E. by N. one tack, which would he the long leg and S. by E. on the other, which would be the short leg. Long Shore - A contraction of along shore. Long Tackle Blocks - A double block with one sheave above the other, as a fiddle block, which see. Used for the runner tackle. Longitude - The distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian measured from the North-South line through Greenwich Observatory in England. Look - The direction a vessel points when sailing by the wind. As, she "looks high," "looks up well," "looks a high course." Lookout, The - The sailor stationed on the bow or aloft to watch the approach of other ships or to seek the land. Loose - Adrift; to unloose, to unfurl; to loose of a sail ties or gaskets. Loose-Footed - Describes a mainsail attached to the boom at the tack and clew, but not along the length of it's foot. Lose her Way - Said of a vessel when she loses motion or gradually comes to a stop. Lower - To cause a thing to descend-as to "lower the topsail". An order given to ease up halyards, as "Lower," "Lower away!" Lower Masts - The masts that are next to the deck. Lubber's Hole - The opening in the top of a square rigged vessel, by which seamen get into the top instead of by the futtock shrouds. Lubber Line or Lubber's Point - A mark or permanent line on a compass indicating the direction forward parallel to the keel when properly installed Lucky Puff.-- A puff that "frees" a vessel in close hauled sailing. Luff - The forward edge of a triangular sail. In a mainsail the luff is that portion that is closest to the mast. To come nearer the wind. To "spring your luff" is to luff all the ship is capable of, without making her sails shake. Luff of a Sail.-- The weather edge of a sail. Luffing or Luff and Touch Her- when the vessel is brought too far into the wind the trailing edge or Leech of the sail begins to shiver or shake. Luff Tackle - A tackle composed of a single and double block, the standing part of the rope being fast to the single block. Luff upon Luff - One luff tackle hitched to the fall of another so as to make a double purchase. Lugger - A vessel rigged with lug sails like the fishing boats of Western Europe Lug-Sail Boat - A boat with a lug sail. Lug-Sheet -Term used in a racing schooner for the sheet attached to the clew of the foresail. In a modern racing schooner the foresail sheet is on the boom of the foresail in the usual way and the foresail sheet runs on a horse on deck forward of the mainmast, but the clew and leech of the foresail extend beyond the fore boom end, abaft the mainmast, and an extra sheet called the " log. sheet" is attached to the clew of the sail and is bowsed down or hauled well aft, being run through a fair lead on deck on the lee quarter. It is sheeted home by means of a double tackle. Lurch - When a vessel is left unsupported at the bow, stern, or amidships, so that she makes a sudden dive forward, or by the stern, or a heavy weather or lee roll. Lutings - Stoppings of white lead, putty, tar, varnish, for seams and joins in tanks; sometimes used with a strip of canvas as a kind of caulking. Lying To - The condition of a ship when hove to. (See "Trying" and "Lay.") M Mackerel Sky - A sky streaked with fine clouds, something in the manner of the stripes on the back of a mackerel. Mackerel Tailed - A boat with a very sharp or fine after body. "Cod's bead and mackerel's tail" or "full forward and fine aft," once supposed to represent the form of least resistance. Made - Built, as built mast, meaning that the mast is not made of one piece of timber, but by several pieces bound together like a cask. A term of reproach to a boat builder when applied to his work, in contradistinction to the regular term "built." In modern terms "Who made that Coronado 27?" Main - The open ocean. The principal, as mainmast, main boom, main stay, main sail. Main Breadth - The extreme breadth of a vessel. Main Course - The main sail of a square rigged ship. Main Keel - The keel proper, and not the keelson or false keel. Mainmast - the tallest mast or vertical spar of the ship; on a schooner, the mast furthest aft; on a brig, ketch or yawl the furthest foreward. Mainsail - The lowest square sail on the mainmast. Mainsheet - The rope or tackle which holds the aft clew of the main sail, or main boom. Mainsheet Horse or Traveler - A mainsheet horse is frequently used in small boats, and for racing craft in large yachts as well. Less mainsheet is required on a wind when the lower block travels on a horse, and therefore the boom cannot lift so much and assist in throwing the sail in a bag. In a seaway, however, there is some advantage in having more drift between the blocks than would be very likely given if a horse were used. For small boats, to obviate the shifting of the mainsheet from side to side in tacking, the horse is of advantage. The foresheet can travel on a horse if the boat be decked or half decked. Maintopman - The mainmast headman of a schooner to pass the lacing of a topsail, keep the topsail yard clear. Make Fast - To securely belay a rope or join two ropes. Make Ready There - An order sometimes given to prepare to tack or lower a sail, as "Make ready for going about there !" the " there" referring to the crew. Make Sail - To set sails. To add to sails already set. To shake out reefs to commence sailing after laying to. Make Stern Way - To drive astern as a vessel sometimes will in tacking by getting in irons or through the head sails being thrown aback. Making the Land - After losing sight of the land to approach and sight it. Making Water - Leaking. A vessel is said to make no water if she is so tight that none ever gets through into the hull. Man - To apply manual power to anything, as "Man the capstan," "Man the boat. Man Overboard! - A shout of alarm made on board ship when a man gets overboard by accident. In such cases it is not usual to wait for orders, everyone joins in if he sees he can be of service in throwing a life. buoy, helping to launch a boat, jumping over. board. Mansard - An architectural term, but used in America for a booby hatch or raised deck. A mansard roof to a house is a light structure above the masonry. It took its name from Mansard, a French architect of the 17th century. Man Ship - An old-fashioned custom in the Navy of mustering the crew along the bulwarks to cheer upon parting company or meeting another ship after racing. Losing yachts man the weather deck or bulwarks and cheer a victorious yacht, a custom probably derived from the practice in "fighting days" of one war ship cheering another which was an enemy. Mariner - A sailor. Two hundred years ago it was spelled "maryner," and appears to have only been applied to men who were perfect as seamen. Thus, from a muster roll made in the seventeenth century, we find so many men set down as maryners" and so many as "seafaring men." Marks - The pieces of leather, on a lead-line (see "Lead.") In sounding it is usual to say, "By the mark" if the depth of water accords to a mark; if there be no "mark," as between three and five fathoms, the leadsman says, "By the deep four." The marks on the side of a ship which determine how much load or tonnage she can carry under different conditions. Also the designed waterline Marle - To hitch spun yarn round a rope to secure its parts, or round a hank of yarn to secure it. Marline - A light twine which has been tarred. Marline Spike - An iron implement tapering to a sharp point, used to open the strands of rope for splicing, to turn eye bolts, &c. Martingale - A strut or spreader for the bobstay, formerly termed a dolphin striker on big ships. Mast - Main vertical spar used to support sails and their running rigging and in turn is supported by standing rigging Mast Carlines or Carlings - Pieces of timber fitted fore and aft between the beams to support the mast. Mast Hoops - The hoops to which the luff of fore and aft sails are seized to keep the sail to the mast. Mast Rope - The heel rope by which a topmast is sent up and lowered; sometimes termed heel rope. Mast Step - Fitting or construction into which the base of the mast is placed. Master - The captain of a ship. Masthead - The part of a mast above the hounds. To masthead is to hoist anything up to the truck, &c. Masthead Light - The white light which power vessels are required to exhibit at the masthead when under way. Masthead Man - In yacht parlance, the man who goes aloft to lace a topsail. Masthead Pendants - The pendants and runners which help support the mast. Masthead Rig - A design in which the forestay runs to the peak of the mast. Mate - An officer next in command to a master. Maul - A heavy hammer used by shipwrights. Meaking Iron - An implement used to extract old caulking from seams. Measurement - Formerly written admeasurement. The computation of a vessel's tonnage by certain rules. Mechanical advantage (or purchase) - A mechanical method of increasing an applied force. Disregarding the effects of friction, if a force of 100 pounds applied to a tackle is magnified to a force of 400 pounds, the purchase or mechanical advantage is said to be four to one, or 4:1. Meet Her - When a vessel begins to fly to or run off the wind, to stop her doing so by the helm. Generally to check a vessel's tendency to yaw by using the helm. Meet, To - To meet a vessel with the helm is after the helm has been put one way to alter her course to put it the other way to stop the course being altered any further. This is also called "checking with the helm." Mess - The number of officers or men who eat together. Also Disorder; entanglement. Metre or meter.-- 1 Metre =3.280899 feet, 1 Square Metre = 10.7643 square feet. To convert linear feet into metres multiply by 0.30479 or 0.305; to convert linear metres into feet multiply by 3.28 ; to convert square feet into square metres multiply by 0.0929 ; to convert square metres into square feet multiply by 10.764. Midship - Approximately in the location equally distant from the bow and stern. Mile - See "Knot." Missing Stays - To fail in an attempt to tack, or to go from one tack to the other. Mizzen - A fore and aft sail flown on the mizzenmast. Mizzen Bumpkin. A short spar that extends from the taffrail aft for the lower block of the mizen sheet to be hooked to. Most modern yachts have this bumpkin generally crooked downwards, the reason given being that the downward crook shows up the sheer of the yacht. A more practical reason, however, can be given, and that is, if a bobstay is used, a more effective purchase is obtained for it. Mizzenmast - In a ship the after mast or vertical spar. So also in a yawl or ketch. Mizzen Staysail - A sail set "flying" from a yawl's mizenmast head to an eye bolt on deck forward of the mizenmast. Generally set with a quarterly wind. Monkey Deck - A false deck built over a permanent deck. Often used in the bow of larger sailing ships, foreward of the anchor windlass and provides a working platform arond the portion of the bowsprit as it attaches to the ship.
Moment - A weight or force multiplied by the length of the lever upon which it acts. Sail moment generally means the area of sails and the pressure of wind upon them multiplied by the distance the centre of effort is above the centre of lateral resistance, which represents the length of lever. Momentum - A force represented by a weight and the velocity with which it is moved. Moon - Sailors say there will be a moon at such and such a date, meaning that there will be a new moon or full moon, from which the time of high water is calculated. Moor - To anchor by two cables. Mooring - An arrangement for securing a boat to a mooring buoy or a pier. Mooring Rings - The rings by which the chain is attached to large stones or other weights and used for moorings. Morning Watch - The watch from 4 AM to 8 AM Moulded - The depth a timber is made between its curved surfaces as distinct from its siding, which is the thickness between its flat surfaces. Moulded Breadth - The greatest breadth of a vessel without the plank. Moulds - Curves used by draftsmen. The skeleton frames made by shipwrights to cut the frames by. Mousings - Yarns wound round the jaws of hooks to prevent them becoming detached. 'Mudian Rig - A contraction of "Bermudian rig." Muslin - A slang term given to the sails: generally applied to balloon sails. Muzzle - To seize an unruly sail and press the wind out of it in lowering. Muzzler - A strong wind which blows directly down a vessel's intended course. Synonymous with "nose-ender." N Nail-sick - On a clench-built boat when the nail fastenings have become loose in a boat Narrowing - The wind is said to "narrow" when it blows at a smaller angle from ahead, or 'shorten,' which term refer to. Nautical Mile - One minute of latitude; variously approximated as either 6076 feet or 6080 feet - about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet.
Navigation - The art and science of conducting a boat safely from one point to another. Navigation Regulations (or COLREGS) - The regulations governing the movement of vessels in relation to each other, generally called steering and sailing rules. Neaped - The situation of a vessel that gets ashore during high water at spring tides, and as the tides get shorter every day towards the neap tides she cannot be floated off till the next spring tides. Generally termed be-neaped. Neap Tides - The tides which occur between new and full moon; spring tides being at or near the new and full moon. Near - Very close to the wind, so that the sails shake or lift. Near the Wind - Close to wind; generally used in a sense to convey the meaning that the vessel is too near the wind, as "She's near forward," meaning that the head sails are shaking or lifting. (See "Nip.") Nettles - Small lines or ropes used to support hammocks when they are slung under the beams. Also reef points are sometimes termed nettles. News - The intimation conveyed sternly to the watch below to turn up when they do not obey the first summons, as "Do you hear the news there, sleepers?" Niggling - Sailing close to the wind or too close. Nip - A short bight in a rope, such as the part that goes round a sheave. To nip a vessel is to sail her very close, or too close, to the wind. Nippering - Joining a rope by cross turns. Neck - The weather corner of a gaff sail. The throat. No Nearer - An order given to a steersman not to luff any more, or not to bring the vessel any closer to wind. When sailing free a course is frequently given to the steersman thus, W.S.W. and no nearer; or S.E. and no nearer, which may be varied "Nothing to windward of W.S.W." Nosebag -A name given to a jib, generally meaning a jib that is too big for the after sail; or a jib that bellies out into a bag. Nor'-easter - A storm description common to the NE United States. Nor'-wester - A stiff glass of grog, usually rum. Nose-ender - Dead on end. A wind which blows directly down a vessel's intended course, involving a dead beat. (See "Muzzler.") Noose - A slip knot or running bight in a rope. Number - The number of a ship; hence when a ship "makes her number" she hoists the signal flag denoting her number so that her name may be read. Also the number of a seaman on a ship's book. "To lose the number of the mess" is to fail to appear at mess through desertion, drowning, or sudden death. O Oar - Device used to propel small boats by rowing
Oars! - An order given to cease rowing and toss up the oars. (See "Lay in Oars.") Off - The opposite to near (which see), as "Off the wind." "Nothing off" is an order given to a helmsman to steer nothing to leeward of a particular course, or to sail nothing off the wind, but to keep the vessel full and bye. (See "No Nearer.") Off and On - Beating along a shore by a board off and then a board on. Offing - Away from the land, seaward. To make an offing is to sail away clear of the land. "Off She Goes!" - The shout raised when a vessel begins to move down the ways at launching. Oil on Troubled Waters - Placing an amount of oil on the water to smoo the surface and prevent wave crests from breaking. See Addendum Oilskins also Foulies or FoulWeather Gear - Waterproof clothing worn by sailors. On - In the direction of, as "on the bow," "on the beam," "on the quarter," "on for that buoy." On a Bow line - Close-hauled. Generally applied to the square rig when a ship has her bowlines hauled taut to keep the leeches of the sails from shaking when she is close-hauled. On on Easy Bowline - Not quite close-hauled; a good full. On a Wind - Close-hauled; not off the wind. On End - A mast is said to be on end when in its place; literally, standing on its end. Generally applied to topmasts. One, Two, Three, Haul! - A cry raised by the foremost hand in hauling on a tackle. All hands throw their whole weight and strength on the rope or fall at the word "Haul!" Open - Upon sailing round a point or headland when an object comes into view. Opposite Tacks - When of two vessels one is on the port tack and the other on starboard tack. Ordinary Seaman - A young sailor not yet efficient in his duties so as to entitle him to the rank of A.B. or Able Bodied Seaman Outer and Inner Turns - In bending a sail to a yard, the outer turns haul the sail out taut along the yard, the inner turns secure the sail. Outboard - Toward or beyond the boat's sides. A detachable engine mounted on a boat's stern. Outhaul - Usually a line or tackle, an outhaul is used to pull the clew of the mainsail towards the end of the boom, thus tightening the foot of the sail. A rope or tackle by which a sail is hauled out on a spar, as distinct from an inhaul by which it is hauled inboard. Outrigger - A contrivance of some sort for extending a sail or stay outboard. A name for a kind of rowboat which has the rowlocks extended beyond the boat's side by iron rod brackets. Over-canvassed - Too much canvas. Overfalls - The rough water caused by the tide pouring over a rough or precipitous bottom. Overhang - The portions of the hull which project beyond the waterline fore and aft. Overboard - Over the side or out of the boat. Overhaul - To overtake another vessel; to loosen the parts of a tackle; to ease up, to slacken, or free the fall of a tackle; to slacken or "lighten up" a rope. Overlay - When any part, spars and sails included, of one vessel covers or overlaps any pert of another vessel. Over-masted - Masts that are too large or long for a vessel. Over-rigged - Generally more rigging, spars, and canvas than a vessel will properly bear. Over-set - To cause a capsize. Overshoot a Mark - To go up to a mark with too much way on so that the vessel shoots past it. Over-reach or Overstand - To stand so long on a reach that upon tacking the vessel can fetch much farther to windward of a mark than was necessary or desirable. Overtake - To approach a vessel that is sailing ahead. The "rule of the road" is that an overtaking vessel must keep clear of the vessel she overtakes; the vessel so overtaken must, however, keep her course steadily. In competitive yacht sailing this rule is somewhat different, as it allows the vessel that is overtaken to alter her course to windward to prevent the other passing her to windward; she must not, however, alter her course to leeward to prevent the overtaking P Paint - Oil colour used for preserving wood and iron. Painter - A rope spliced to a ring bolt in the bow of a boat to make fast by at wharves, steps, or other landing places. "To let go the painter" is figuratively to depart. Palm - The guard and thimble used by sail makers. Also the fluke of an anchor. Paltry - A wind is said to be paltry which is light and intermittent, or varying a great deal in direction and force; baffling. Parbuckle - To roll a spar, cask, &c., by placing it in the bight of a rope, one end of which is fast, the other hauled upon. Parcel - To cover a rope with strips of canvas painted or otherwise. The canvas is wound round the rope and stitched or "served" with marline. Parrel or Parral - Ropes or irons used to secure yards at the slings to the mast; rope parrels are commonly rove through balls of wood, so that they hoist easily on the mast. Parrels are used on the jaws of a gaff. An eye is usually spliced in either end of a parrel. Part - To break, to burst asunder, as the "fore stay parted about half way up to the eye." Partners - A strong frame of timber fixed between the deck beams to receive and support the mast, termed mast partners, but some times termed carlines. Pass - To reeve, as pass a lacing or earing. Also to hand a thing one from another. Passage - A voyage. To carry a person from one place to another is to give a passage. Paul or Pawl - An iron stop used to prevent the back recoil of the barrel of a windlass. Pawl Bitt - A long timber from the deck to the keelson forming one of the bowsprit bitts. Pay - To run hot pitch and tar, or marine glue, &c., into seams after they are caulked. Pay Off - When a vessel's head goes off to leeward by virtue of the head sails being put aback or the helm being put up. Pay Out - to feed line over the side of the boat, hand over hand. To veer or slack out chain or rope Peak - The upper after corner of gaff sails, gaff topsails, lugsails, &c. A sail is said to have a great deal of peak when the gaff or yard makes a small angle with a vertical. A low peak means a fiat-headed sail. (See "Fore Peak.") Peak Downhaul - A rope rove through a single block at the gaff end to haul upon when lowering the mainsail. Peak Halyards - The halyards by which the peak of a sail is hoisted. Peak Purchase - A tackle attached to one end of the peak halyards. Pedestal - A vertical post in the cockpit used to elevate the steering wheel into a convenient position Pendant. A stout rope or wire to which tackles are attached. Also used to change the position of sails by lengthening the distance at tack or head Pier - A loading platform extending at an angle from the shore. Pile - A wood, metal or concrete pole driven into the bottom. Craft may be made fast to a pile; it may be used to support a pier (see PILING) or a float. Pile Driving - Pitching heavily and frequently in a short steep sea. Piling - Support, protection for wharves, piers; constructed of piles Pilot - A person who takes charge of a ship in narrow or dangerous channels, and, who from his local knowledge of the same, can, or ought to, avoid the dangers of stranding. Pilothouse - a small cabin on the deck of the ship that protects the steering wheel and the crewman steering. Piloting - Navigation by use of visible references and the depth of the water Pintles - The metal hooks by which rudders are attached to the gudgeon sockets. Pipe - To summon men to duty by a whistle from the boatswain's call. Pipe Up - The wind is said to pipe up when it increases in strength suddenly. Pitching - The plunging motion of a vessel when she dives by the head; the opposite motion to 'scending, which is rising by the head and sinking by the stern. Planking - The outside skin of a vessel; plank laid on the frames or beams of a vessel whether inside or outside. Plank Sheer - The outside plank at the deck edge which reaches the timber heads, and shows the sheer of the vessel. Also the same as covering board.
Planing - A boat is said to be planing when it is essentially moving over the top of the water rather than through the water. Planing Hull - A type of hull shaped to glide easily across the water at high speed.
Platform - The floor of a cabin. Ply to Windward - Plying to windward is synonymous with beating to windward. Points.-- See "Reef Points." See "Compass Points" Point the Yards - To brace them up sharp when at anchor, so that they shall not feel the full force of the wind. Point, To - A vessel is said to point well when she lies very close to the wind. A term more used in America than in this country. Out point, to point higher. Pole - The part of a topmast about the shoulders. Pole Mast - A long mast without a topmast, but with a long "pole" or piece above the hounds. Poop - The raised part of a vessel at her extreme after end. To be pooped is when running before the wind a sea breaks in over the stern. Port - The left side of a boat looking forward. A harbor. Formerly also termed larboard; but larboard should never be used in conning the helm, owing to the possibility of its being mistaken for starboard. To port the helm is to put the tiller to port so that the vessel's head goes to starboard. The term "port" is of uncertain origin, but it occurs in Arthur Pitt's Voyage, 1580. It is thought it means the side of the ship next to the dock or pier as the starboard or steer board side was kept opposite to protect the steering gear. Port Lights - Circular or square glass lights in the sides of a vessel. Ports and Portholes - Square holes in the side of a ship for the guns, &c. Port Sills - The bottom framing of a port hole to which the lower half-port or shutter is hinged, also the frame to which the upper half-port is attached. Pram Bow - A form of bow employed in sailing yachts reintroduced in modified form about 1892 and gradually exaggerated until 1900. A modified form of pram bow is the best form for lifting the head of the vessel over the seas and is suitable for cruising as well as racing yachts. In a pram bow the profile is a convex curve like the line of a mussel's shell and the transverse half sections are somewhat similar convex curves meeting at the stem. In a modified pram bow, or mussel bow, the angle of the curves of the transverse half sections at the stem is sharp or acute, and in the extreme pram bow, or spoon bow, the angle at the stem is obtuse or bluff or even obliterated until the transverse bow section is U shaped. Pram or Praam - A dinghy or boat with a shovel bow, used in Holland and the Baltic. Preserving a Boat - All small boats, if possible, should be hauled out of water or beached when not in use. Whenever the varnish or paint becomes worn, the boat should be recoated. Press of Sail - All the sail a vessel dare carry. Preventers - Additional ropes, stays, tackles used to prevent spars being carried away if their proper stays give out, as preventer backstays for the topmast, preventer bobstay. A preventer is also any rope or lashing used to prevent something giving way. Privateer - An armed vessel, privately owned, carrying a licence or "letters-of-marque" from the Government empowering her to snake war on the enemy's ships. In no way to be confounded with a pirate, although in some instances such vessels may have degenerated into pirates. Privateering is not permitted under our present laws. Priveleged Vessel - A vessel which, according to the applicable Navigation Rule, has right-of-way (this term has been superseded by the term "stand-on"). Protest - A declaration that a yacht has net conformed to sailing rules; also a term used by the Commissioner of Wrecks in case of a wreck being reported. Puddening - A sort of fender made of old rope, for a boat's stem. Puff - A gust of wind. A free puff is when it enables a vessel to luff; a foul puff when it breaks her off. Pulpit - A metal framework on deck at the bow. Provides a safety railing and serves as an attachment for the lifelines. Puncheon - A certain sized cask. Puncheons - A part of the framework of a deckhouse. It is a kind of pilaster morticed into the coaming, and is the principal support of the deckhouse roof. Punt - A small boat or dinghy. Purchase - A tackle; any contrivance for increasing mechanical power. Pushpit - pulpit located on the stern. Put About - To tack. To put about another vessel is to cause her to tack. Put In - To call at a port or harbour. Put Off - To leave, as to leave a ship's side or the shore Q Quarter - The sides of a boat aft of amidships. Quarter Deck - The deck abaft the main mast where the crew are not allowed unless duty calls them there. Quarter Fast - A warp or rope made fast to the quarter; a quarter spring. Quarter Master - A petty officer who steers on large vessels and sees that the orders of the officer of the watch are properly executed, Quartering Sea - Sea coming on a boat's quarter. Quarter Timbers - Large pieces of timber secured to the transom frame, to help form the counter. Quarter Watch - When the two watches are subdivided into four watches, so that only one quarter of the crew is on deck at one time; sometimes observed in light weather. Quarter Wind - The wind that blows on the quarter, or four or more points abaft the beam but not dead aft. Quarters - That part of a yacht or ship nearest the stern Queen topsail - small stay sail located between the foremast and mainmast. R Rabbet or Rebate - An angular channel or groove cut in the keel, stem, or sternpost. to receive the edges or ends of the plank. Race - A competition between yachts. A strong current or tide running over an uneven bottom producing overfalls. Racking - A rope or seizing used to lash the parts of a tackle together, by taking several turns, so as to keep them from running through the blocks, whilst the fall is cast off for some purpose, or whilst one hand belays the fall made fast to some fixture by one end and then passed round and round a rope to hold the latter by. Raffee - A square topsail set flying on the foretopmast of schooners, and formerly often set on cutters and ketches above the squaresail. Sometimes this topsail is triangular in shape, like a scraper. Rail - The timber fitted on to the heads of the bulwark stanchions. Called also "top rail." Rainbow Fashion - A ship dressed with flags from the jibboom end over the trucks to the taffrail. Raising Iron - A sort of chisel for removing; the paying and caulking from seams. Raising Tacks and Sheets - To lift the clews of lower square sails before tacking or wearing. Rake - To lean forward or aft from the vertical, as raking masts, raking sternposts, raking stem. The fore or aft angle of the mast. Can be deliberately induced (by adjustment of the standing rigging) to flatten sails, balance steering, etc. Normally slightly aft.
Rakish - A vessel that has a look of speed about her, probably originating from the fast schooners of former days that had raking masts.
Ramp - In close-hauled sailing, to sail a vessel along a heavy full without easing up the sheets. Ramping Full - Every sail bellying, full of wind--not too close-hauled. Range - Scope. To range is to sheer about when at anchor; to range the cable, to place a lot on deck in fakes ready for veering out.-- To give a range of cable is to veer out enough in letting go the anchor to bring the vessel up without causing much strain to come on the bitts.-- To go near to, as to range up to windward, to range up alongside, &c. Rap Full - The same as ramping full. Rate of a Chronometer - The daily loss or gain of a chronometer in relation to mean time. Ratlines or Ratlins - The small lines which cross the shrouds horizontally, and form the rungs of a ladder. Rattle Down - To fix ratlines to the shrouds. Reaching - Sailing by or along the wind. A "reach" is the distance sailed between tacks, and means the same as board. To "reach" another vessel is to pass her. In reaching a schooner of 150 tons, say, will pass a cutter of 100 tons; that is, will "fore-reach" her, hat the cutter holding a better wind will generally keep the weather gauge. A" reach" is a distance a yacht can sail from point to point without tacking, and may he sailed with sheets eased up. Broad reach is with the boom well off the quarter. A reach is also the distance from bend to bend in a river or channel. Ready About! - The order given to prepare for tacking. Ready, All! - Everybody make ready. Reef - To shorten sail by reefing. Also to shorten a spar, as to take a reef in the bowsprit. Reef Band - A strip of canvas sewn across the sail in which the eyelet holes are worked to receive the reef points. Reef Cringles - The large cringles in the leeches of sails through which the reef pendants are rove and tacks or sheets hooked. Reef Pendant (called also "reef earing") - A short and strong rope (with a Matthew Walker knot in one end). One end of the pendant is passed up through a hole in the cleat on one side of the boom and stopped by the knot in the end. The other end is then passed through the reef cringle in the sail and down through the sheave hole on the other side of the boom. Reef pendants are rove on opposite sides. Reef points - A horizontal line of light lines on a sail which may be tied loosely around the sail or in some cases to the boom, reducing the area of the sail during heavy winds. Reef Tackle - The tackle hooked to the reef pendants.
Reeve - To put a rope through a hole of any kind. Render - To slacken or ease up. A rope is said to render when it slackens up or slips from a belaying pin or cavel. Ribbands - Long pieces of plank or timber, usually three-sided, and sometimes called harpings, secured to the frames of a vessel in a fore-and-aft direction, when she is building, and representing the dividing lines or geodetic lines. Ribs - The frames or timbers of a ship or boat. Ride - To rest at anchor or to be held by an anchor. Ridge Ropes - The ropes rove through the eyes of metal stanchions fitted in the top rail. Riding Down - When men go aloft and hang on the halyards and assist by their weight in hoisting sails. Riding Light - The white globular lantern hung on the forestay of vessels when riding at anchor. Riding Turn - When the last turn of a rope crosses or rides over the previous torn on a bollard &c. to jam it. Rig - The arrangement of a vessel's spars, rigging, and sails, as schooner rig, cutter rig, lugger rig. To rig is to fit the spars with rigging, &c. To rig out is to fit out. Rigging - the lines that hold up the masts and move the sails (standing and running rigging). Right Away - In the direction of. An American term for quickly out of hand, or move ahead. Right Hand Rope - Rope laid up or twisted with the sun. Right, to - To bring a vessel back to the upright position after she has been heeled. Ring Bolt - A bolt with an eye and a ring through the eye. Ring Tail - The studding sail of a gaff sail. Rings - Brass or yellow metal rings used in place of rooves for bolt clinching. Rising Floor - Distinct from fiat floored or fiat bottomed; sharp bottomed. Risings - Stringers fitted inside small heats to strengthen them and support the thwarts. Roach - The curved portion of a sail extending past a straight line drawn between two corners. In a mainsail, the roach extends past the line of the leech between the head and the clew and is often supported by battens; formerly the allowance made for the bellying of a sail. Roadstead - An open anchorage. Roaring Calm - An Equatorial calm. Roaring Forties - This term originated with the tearing winds which blow in the South Atlantic between lat. 30û and 50 S. Rocker - The upward curvature of the keel towards the bow and stern. Rockered Keel - A keel whose ends curve upwards thus \_/. Rode - The anchor line and/or chain. Roller reefing - Reduces the area of a sail by rolling it around a stay, the mast, or the boom. Most common on headsails. Rolling - The transverse motions of a ship when amongst waves. Room and Space - The distance from the centre of one frame to the centre of another. Rope - General term for cordage used in various applications aboard. Made of natural (grass line) or synthetic fibers. Prior to the use of synthetics ropes are of three kinds; three-strand, four-strand, and cable-laid. A number of yarns twisted together forms a strand. Three-strand rope is laid righthanded, or with the sun (sometimes termed hawser-laid). Four-strand rope is also laid with the sun (sometimes termed strand-laid). Four-strand rope is usually used for sheets and shrouds, pendants, and generally for standing rigging. All rope comes under the general term of cordage. Cable-laid rope consists of three ""three-strand' right-hand laid ropes laid up together into one these ropes are laid left-handed against the sun. Right-hand laid rope must be coiled with the sun ; cable-laid rope is coiled against the sun. In general, cordage as it is purchased at the store. When it comes aboard a vessel and is put to use it becomes line, halyards, sheets or some other name which identifies it's use. In modern terms the only ropes usually found in use on a sailing boat are the bell rope and the bolt rope. Rough-tree Rail - The top rail fitted to the stanchion above the bulwarks. Round In - To haul in on a rope. Round To - To bring by the wind. To come up head to wind. A vessel is said to "'go round , when she goes about. Rowed Turn - To pass a rope twice round a pin or cleat so as to make a complete circle. Rove - The condition of a line that has been passed through a sheave hole or through any aperture. Rowlocks - The fittings on the gunwale to receive the tholes or crutches for the oars. Royal - The sail next above the topgallant sail. Rub-rail - Also rubbing strake or rub strake. An applied or thickened member at the rail, running the length of the boat; serves to protect the hull when alongside a pier or another boat. Rudder - A vertical plate or board for steering a boat. Rudder Trunk - The trunk fitted in the counter to receive the rudder post into which the tiller is fitted. Ruff or Roove - A small, slightly conical ring of copper placed over boat nails before clinching in boat building. Rules Of The Road - Rules governing operation of all types and sizes of vessels afloat divided into Inland Rules and COLREGS which are the International agreements for offshore sailing. Run - To allow a line to feed freely. n.-- The under part of a vessel aft defined by the buttock lines and water lines. To sail before the wind. To come down by the run is to lower or overhaul without warning, or suddenly. To run away with a rope is to take hold of a fall and haul on it by running along the deck. Run Down - To foul a vessel or other object wrongfully or by accident. Run Foul Of - To get into collision with a vessel or other object. Run Out - To veer out a warp or cable. Run Over - The same as run down. Generally denoting carelessness in bringing about a collision. Runners - A rope passed through a single block on a pendant with a purchase at one end. Also seamen who sail by the run. Running Backstay - Also runner, or preventive backstay. A stay that supports the mast from aft, usually from the quarter rather than the stern. When the boat is sailing downwind, the runner on the leeward side of the mainsail must be released so as not to interfere with the sail. Running Bowsprit - A bowsprit that is fitted to run in and out and "reef" like an old cutter's. Since 1900 most yachts have their bowsprits fitted in a shoe. Running Bowsprits also enable a boat to measure less length overall which is useful when berthing in marinas. Running by the Lee - To run with the boom on one quarter when the wind is blowing on the other quarter. A dangerous proceeding. Running Off her Helm - Said of a vessel if, when sailing, her stern flies up to windward (her head apparently going off to leeward) and lee helm is necessary to bring her to. Running Rigging - The parts of the rigging made to overhaul or run through blocks, as distinct from that set up by lanyards, shackles. The adjustable portion of the rigging, used to control sails and equipment. Running Lights - Lights required to be shown on boats underway between sundown and sunup. S Saddle - A projection our a spar to support another spar, as a saddle on the mast for the jaws of the boom to rest upon in coasters. Sagging - Bending or curved downwards; the opposite of hogging. Sagging to leeward is to make a great deal of leeway. Sail - The specifically designed cloth that catches or directs the wind and in doingso powers a vessel. Term also applied to a ship, or an assemblage of ships, as "We saw four sail off Ushant." (See "Sails.") Sailing Rig - the equipment used to sail a bost, including sails, booms and gaffs, lines and blocks. Sail Coats or Sail Covers - Protective covers for sails when furled. "Sail Her Along" - In close-hauled sailing, an order given to the helmsman when he is keeping the vessel too close to wind, meaning that he is to keep her a little off ; sail her fuller or harder or "give her the whole weight of it," meaning the wind, and keep her passing through the water as fast as possible. Sail Her - When lying to if way has to be got on again, the order is to "Sail her"; or, "Let the head sheets draw and sail her !" Also "Sail her" is a general admonition to a helmsman to be very careful in his steering. Sailing Directions - Books of pilotage which accompany charts. Sailing Off The Hook - Using the force of the sail to break loose the anchor. Sailing from a weighed anchor position without benefit of auxilary engine or tugs. Salt and Fresh Water - A cubic foot of salt water weighs 64lb.; a ton contains 34 cubic feet. A cubic foot of fresh water weighs 62.4lb.; a ton contains 36 cubic feet: hence salt water bulk for bulk will sustain a greater weight. Scandalize - On a gaff rig the sail is made loose footed, the clew is brought forward along the boom and the sail cloth is drawn up in folds along the gaff and mast. From this position the sail is instantly available for use. To scandalize a Mainsail the peak is dropped downs between the topping lifts until square to the mast and the main tack triced up. Sometimes the throat is lowered also. Scant - When the wind is very bare; when the wind comes so that a vessel will barely lie her course. Scantlings - The dimensions of all kinds of timber used in the construction of a vessel. Scarph or Scarf, or Scarve - A method of joining pieces. of wood by tapering their ends. A box scarph is when the ends are not tapered, but a half thickness cut out of each part so that when put together the parts form only one thickness. Schooner - Sailing ships with at least 2 masts (foremast and mainmast) with the mainmast being the taller. Word derives from the term "schoon/scoon" meaning to move smoothly and quickly. ( a 3-masted vessel is called a "tern"). See Addendum Sciatic Stay - According to old authorities this is synonymous with Triatic stay, which see. Scope - Technically, the ratio of length of anchor rode in use to the vertical distance from the bow of the vessel to the bottom of the water. Usually six to seven to one for calm weather and more scope in storm conditions. Length or drift of rope or cable. Screw - A boat's propeller. Score - A groove to receive a rope or strop, Scowing an Anchor - When small boats have to anchor on ground known or suspected to befoul, it will always be prudent to scow the anchor. Unbend the cable from the ring, and make the end fast round the crown, shank, and flukes with a clove hitch, and bring the end a back and stop it round the cable with spun yarn or hitches; take the cable back to the shackle and stop it. When the cable is hauled upon by the fluke of the anchor can be readily lifted out of its bed. Sometimes, instead of scowing the anchor a trip line is bent to the crown and buoyed. Screens - The wood shelves and screens painted red for port side, and green for starboard, in which a vessel's side lights are carried. Scroll Head - The outward curved part of the knee at the upper fore part of the stem, called volute. Scud - To run before a gale of wind with very little canvas set, or "under bare poles." Scull - An oar. To scull is to propel a boat by working an oar over the centre of the transom on the principle of the screw. In fresh water, it is to pull a pair of sculls. Scupper - Drain in cockpit, bulwarks, caming, or toe-rail allowing water to drain out and overboard. Scuttle - A round window in the side or deck of a boat that may be opened to admit light and air, and closed tightly when required. Seat Locker - A storage locker located under a cockpit seat. Sea Cock - A through hull valve, a shut off on a plumbing or drain pipe between the vessel's interior and the sea.
Sea, A - A wave. A heavy seals when the waves are large and steep. When a quantity of water falls aboard a vessel it is said that "she shipped a sea." Sea Anchor - A device used to slow down the leeward movement of a ship during heavy weather and/or to hold her steady in a relationship to wind and waves. A conical or parachute shaped open ended device attached to the ship by bridle and line. Sea Boat - A vessel fit to go to sea. A good sea boat is a relative term, and means a vessel that does not pitch badly or labour in a sea, or does not ship much water, and is, above all things, handy in a sea. Sea Mile or Nautical Mile - Variously 6076 or 6,080ft. (See "Knot.")
Sea Pie - A dish made up of all sorts in layers.
Sea Way - Generally used in the sense of waves in an open sea, meaning a disturbed sea. Seam - The line formed by the meeting of two planks; overlapping parts of canvas in a sail. Seaman - A sailor trained in the art of sailing, rigging, and general management of a ship.To make a good seaman a must have practised the multitudinous details of his art with great diligence, and is then described as an "able seaman" or A.B. Must be thoroughly conversant with every duty of a sailor's life, and can not only "hand, reef, and steer," but can do every kind of work upon rigging, and even use the needle and palm. Seat locker - A storage locker located under a cockpit seat. Self-bailing cockpit - A watertight cockpit with scuppers, drains, or bailers that remove water. Self-tacking Normally applied to a sail that requires no adjustment other than sheeting when boat is tacked Seamanship - All the arts and skills of boat handling, ranging from maintenence and repairs to piloting, sail handling, marlinespike work, and rigging.
Sea Room - A safe distance from the shore or other hazards. Seaworthy - A boat or a boat's gear able to meet the usual sea conditions. In every respect fit to go to sea. In chartering a ship it is insisted that she must be "tight, staunch and strong, and well equipped, manned with an adequate crew, provisions," &c.
Second Topsail - A gaff topsail between the largest and the jib-headed topsail. Secure - To make fast. Seizing - A way of securing a bight of a rope by a lashing so as to form an eye, or of securing any parts of ropes together.
Self-tacking - Normally applied to a sail that requires no adjustment other than sheeting when the boat is tacked.
Selvagee Strop - A strop made of spun yarn laid up in coils and marled. Serve - To cover a rope with marline called "service." Serving Mallet - The mallet which riggers use to wind service round ropes, stays and shrouds, and bind it up tightly together. Set - Direction toward which the current is flowing.To hoist or make sail. This word is sometimes improperly confused with "sit" in reference to the way a sail stands. Set Flying - Not set on a stay or bent by a lacing; a jib in a cutter is set flying. Set of the Tide - Direction of the current. Setting Up - Purchasing up rigging taut.
Sewed or Sued - The condition of a vessel that grounds and on the return of the tide is not floated. If the tide does not lift her by 2ft. she is said to be "sewed" 2ft. If the tide on falling does not leave her quite dry, she is said to "sew" 1ft., 2ft., 3ft., or more, as the case may be.
Shackle - A U-shaped crook with an eye in each end, through which a screw bolt is passed. Variously used, and are often preferred to hooks. (Fig. 93.) There is a shackle at every fifteen fathoms of cable, so that by unshackling it the cable can be divided into many parts. Useful if the cable has to be slipped.
Shake Out a Reef - To untie the reef points and unroll a reef and hoist away.
Shake, To - To sail a vessel so close to wind that the weather cloths of the sails shake; the bead sails generally are the first to shake, and if the helmsman does not notice it someone who does sings out, "All shaking forward"; or "Near forward." Shake Up - "Give her a shake up." This is an order to put down the helm and cause the vessel to luff until her sails are "all shaking." The practice is to give a vessel a shake up and thus ease the weight on the sheets and enable the crew to get them in and belay before she again feels the weight.
Shallow Bodied - With a very limited depth of hold.
Shape a Course - To steer a particular course.
Sharp Bottomed or Sharp Floored - A vessel with V-shaped sections.
Sharp Bowed - With a very fine entrance or a bow whose two sides form a very acute angle.
Sharp Sterned - A stern shaped something like the fore end or bow, thus <. Sheave - The wheel within a block or in the sheave hole of a spar over which ropes pass.
Sheepshank - A plan of shortening a rope by taking up a part and folding it into two loops or bights, and then putting a half hitch of each standing part over a bight Sheer - The line of the upper deck when viewed from the side. Normal sheer curves up towards the bow and stern. Reverse sheer curves down towards the bow and stern. Compound sheer, curving up at the front of the boat and down at the stern, and straight sheer are uncommon. Or -The fore-and-aft vertical curve of a vessel's deck or rail of bulwarks. To sheer is to put the rudder over when a vessel is at anchor, so as to cause her to move laterally and ride clear of her anchor. A vessel is said to break her sheer when she departs from the sheer that has been given her. Also To move through the water after the means of propulsion is withdrawn.
Sheer Hulk - An old vessel fitted with sheers, whereby masts are lifted into other vessels. Sometimes used in the sense that nothing but the hulk remains. Sheer Legs - Two spars fitted with guys for lifting masts or other things. Sheer Plan or Sheer Draught - A drawing showing a longitudinal vertical section or profile of a vessel. Sheer Strake - The topmost planking in the sides, often thicker than other planking. Sheets - Lines used to control and secure the position of a sail and are attached to the lower aft corner . Sheet - A rope or chain by which the lower after corners of sails are secured. Sheet Bends - A knot used to fasten a line to the corner of a sail or tarpaulin.
Sheet Home - To strain or haul on a sheet until the foot of a sail is as straight or taut as it can be got. When the clew of a gaff topsail is hauled close out to the cheek block on the gaff. In practice, a gaff topsail sheet, however, is seldom sheeted home, as when once home no further strain could be brought on it; a few inches drift is therefore usually allowed. In square-rigged vessels a sail is said to be sheeted home when the after clews are hauled close out to the sheet blocks or sheave holes in the yard. This no doubt is the origin of the term.
Shelf - A strong piece of timber running the whole length of the vessel inside the timber beads, binding the timbers together; the deck beams rest on and are fastened to the shelf.
Shifting Backstays - The topmast backstays which are only temporarily set up and shifted every time a vessel is put about or gybed.
Shifting Ballast - Ballast carried for shifting to windward to add to stiffness. A practice forbidden in yacht racing.
Shifting her Berth - When a vessel removes from an anchorage.
Shift of Plank - The fore and aft distance between the butts of one line of plank and that of the next below or above.
Shift Tacks, To - To go from one tack to the other.
Shift the Helm - To move the tiller from one side to the other; thus, if it is put to port, an order to shift the helm means put it to starboard.
Shin Up - To climb up the shrouds by the hands and shins, when they are not rattled down.
Ship, To - To put anything in position. To engage as one of the crew of a vessel. To ship a sea, to ship a crutch, to ship a seaman Shrouds - Lateral supports for the mast, usually of wire or metal rod. Ship - A larger vessel usually thought of as being used for ocean travel. A vessel able to carry a "boat" on board. Ship Shape - Done in a proper and unimpeachable manner. Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion. - An expression probably originating in days gone by when Bristol shipbuilders and seamen were in great repute. Ship's Papers - These include builders' certificate, register (in case of not being the original owner, bill of sale as well), hill of lading, bill of health, special licenses such as for the radios,documentation or registration with government, also insurance papers, crew list, de-rat certificate, entry and exit permits from various previous ports of call. Crew licenses, passports and Vaccination Records are not ship's papers but need to be gathered together when undergoing formal entry procedures. Shiver - To luff up and cause the sails to shiver or lift. Shiver The Mizzen - To luff up until the mizxen lifts or shivers. Shoe or Shod - Iron plates rivetted to the ends of wire rigging to receive shackle bolts. Shore - A beach. A support of wood or iron, a prop. Short Tacks or Short Beards - Beating or working to windward by frequent tacking. Shorten - The wind is said to shorten when it comes more ahead. To shorten sail, to take in sail. Shroud - a line or wire running from the top of the mast to the spreaders, then attatching to the side of the vessel.
Shy - The wind is said to shy when it comes from ahead or breaks a vessel off. Side Kelsons - Stout pieces of timber fitted fore and aft on either side of the keel.
Side Lights - The red (port) and green (starboard) lights carried by vessels when under way.
Siding or Sided - The size of a timber, between its two planes and parallel sides. Sight the Anchor - To heave up the anchor.
Signal of Distress - An ensign hoisted upside down. Sister Block - A double block with two sheaves of the same size one above the other, and seized to the topmast shrouds of square rigged ships to receive the lifts and reef tackle pendants.
Sit - Sails are said to "sit" well when they do not girt, pucker, belly, or shake. This word is sometimes wrongly written "set." Skeg -For sailboats, usually refers to a structural support to which the rudder is fastened. Skids - Pieces of timber put under a boat for resting her on deck, or when launching off.
Skiff - A small boat used by coast watermen for the conveyance of passengers.
Skin - The outside or inside planking of a vessel.
Skinning - In stowing a mainsail lifting the outside part up time after time, the bunt forming a kind of bag. This should never be allowed, as it ruins the sail.
Skin Resistance - The resistance a vessel meets with owing to the friction of the water on her plank or sheathing. Skipper - A slang term for the master of a yacht or other vessel. Ancient, "Schipper."
Skysail - A square sail set above the royals.
Sky Scraper - A triangular sail set above the skysail. Never used now.
Sky Pilot - A term applied by sailors to chaplains.
Slab Line - A rope used to brail up the foot of courses. Slab Reefing - Also points reefing, and sometimes jiffy reefing. Reduces the area of the mainsail by partially lowering the sail and resecuring the new foot by tying with points, or light lines attached to the sail. The ties should be around just the bundled sail material except at the ends of the boom unless a bolt rope and groove system is used. In any case the intermediate ties should be loose enough to place a clenched fist between them and the sail material. Slack - Not fastened; loose. Also, to loosen. Not taut. To slack up a rope or fall of a tackle is to ease it.
Slack Helm - When a vessel carries very little, if any, weather helm.
Slack in Stays - Slow in coming head to wind, and still slower in paying off.
Slack Tide - The tide between the two streams when it runs neither one way nor the other. There are high-water slack and low-water slack.
Slant of Wind - A favouring wind. A wind that frees a vessel when close-hauled.
Sleep, or All Asleep - When the sails are full and do not flap or shiver. Sliding Keel - An old term for a keel which was lifted at the ends in contradistinction a pivoted board.
Slings - Ropes or strops used to support or sling yards.
Slip - To let go, as to slip the cable.
Sloop - A fore-and-aft rigged single masted vessel with one head sail set on a forestay. Slot - An aperture generally for a pin or bolt to travel in.
Smack - A small trading vessel usually cutter rigged. A fishing cutter.
Small Helm - Said of a vessel when she carries weather helm.
Small Stuff - A term applied in the dockyards to denote planking of 4in. thickness and under.
Snatch Block - A block with an opening in the shell so that a rope can be put over the sheave without reeving it. (See Fig. 98.)
Sneak Box - A shallow and beamy boat developed on Barnegat Bay in the US
Snotter - A double-eyed strop used to support the heel of a sprit on the mast.
Snow - A two-masted vessel with a stay, termed a horse, from the mainmast head to the deck on which a trysail was set. Frequently a spar was fitted instead of the stay.
Snub - To bring a vessel up suddenly when she has way on and only a short range of cable to veer out. Sometimes necessary if the vessel must be stopped at all costs, but a practice likely to break the fluke of an anchor if it is a good and quick holder.
Snug - Comfortably canvassed to suit the weather. Anything made neat, or stowed compactly.
So! - An order to cease, often given instead of "belay" when men are hauling on a rope.
Soldiers' Wind - A wind so that a vessel can lie her course all through to her destination without tacking or any display of seamanship. Sole - The floor of the cockpit or cabin. Sooji - A composition of caustic soda and quicklime for cleaning off old paint, varnish, oil, grease and a good deal of skin.
Sound - Not decayed or rotten; free of shakes, splits, crushings Sounding - A measurement of the depth of water.
Soundings - To be near enough to land for the deep sea lead to find a bottom. A series of depth measurements
Spales or Spauls - Cross shores used to keep the frame of a vessel in position whilst building.
Span - A rope made fast by both ends to a spar or stay, usually for the purpose of hooking a tackle. Very long spans are now commonly fitted to gaffs for hooking the peak halyards.
Spanish Burton - A purchase composed of three single blocks. A double Spanish Burton consists of one double and two single blocks.
Spanish Reef - A knot tied in the head of a jib or other head sail to shorten the hoist or reduce the area of the sail.
Spanker - The fore-and-aft sail set with boom and gaff on the mizen of a square-rigged ship; termed also the driver.
Span Shackle - A bolt with a triangular shackle. The gammon iron that encircles the bowsprit at the stem. When it is directly over the stem the forestay is shackled to it. Spar - a pole or a beam. Spar Poles - most often of wood, aluminum or carbon fiber, used as supports, such as the mast, boom, or spinnaker pole.
Spectacle Strop - A short strop with an eye at each end. Spell - The term of work allotted to any of the men in a watch. Thus there is the spell at the helm termed "trick"; spell at the masthead to look out, spell at the pomp, &c. When a man's time comes to be relieved and the one who has to take his place lags, the former sings out "Spell !" Spencer - A fore-and-aft sail set with gaffs in square-rigged ships, as trysails on the fore and main mast.
Spider-Hoop or Spider Band - An iron band round the mast with iron belaying pins in it.
Spiling - Marking on a bar of wood the distances that a curved line (say that of a frame) is from a straight line.
Spilling Lines - Ropes attached to sails for spilling them of wind in reefing or furling.
Spindle Jib - A jib topsail.
Spindrif, Spoon Drift - Spray blown from the crests of waves.
Spinnaker - A large, triangular sail symmetrical, flown from the mast in front of all other sails and the forestay. Requires the use of a spinnaker pole and guys. Used sailing downwind. When asymmetrical is termed a cruising chute or spinnaker and does not require a pole. Spirit - The spar that supports the peak of a spritsail. Splashboard A raised portion of the hull forward of the cockpit intended to prevent water entering. Spirketting - Timber worked inside a vessel under the shelf in a fore-and-aft direction. Spitfire - The smallest storm jib. Splashboard - A raised portion of the hull forward of the cockpit intended to prevent water entering. Splice - To join the ends of rope together by interweaving the untwisted strands. May be a Short Splice, Long Splice, End Splice or Eye Splice.
Split Lug - A lugsail in two parts; the fore part is sheeted like a foresail, and in going about the tack is never cast off, nor is the tack of the after part of the sail. The up and down lines on the sail show where it is divided and where the mast comes. To heave to, the slew (after cringle) of the fore part of the log would be hauled up to the mat or to windward of it, easing the mainsheet as required. The split lug is not in much favour. The standing lug (or even balance lug) and foresail rig has all the advantages of the split lug without so much yard forward of the mast and without the disadvantage of not being able to lower the fore part or foresail. The most that can be said in favour of the split lug is that it points out the advantages of a main and foresail in preference to one sail.
Spoken - Said when one ship has spoken to another by signal.
Spokes - The bars of the steering wheel of a ship radiating from the boss. "To give her a spoke" is to move the wheel to the extent of the distance between spoke and spoke. The longest spoke is termed the King Spoke and when directly upright with an equal number of turns available port or starboard denotes when the rudder is amidships.
Sponson - The platform ahead and abaft paddle wheels, usually outside the bulwarks, but sometimes enclosed.
Spreaders - A crosstree, a strut, a piece of wood or steel used to extend and give breadth and leverage to a stay such as the bobstay, topmast stay, masthead stay, or forward mast head stay or strut.stay. The cross trees act as a spreader to the topmast and masthead stays, the dolphin striker to the bobstay and the strut to the forward masthead or strut-stay. Spring - A warp or hawser or rope. Spring a Mast - To crack or splinter a mast.
Spring her Luff - To ease the weather tiller lines so that a vessel will luff to a free puff. Spring Line - A pivot line used in docking, undocking, or to prevent the boat from moving forward or astern while made fast to a dock. Spritsail - A four-sided fore and aft sail set on the mast, and supported by a spar from the mast diagonally to the peak of the sail.This is a time-honoured contrivance for setting a sail that has no boom, but a gaff is preferred if the sail has a boom. Sprung - Damaged by by cracking or splintering.
Spun Yarn - Small rope or cord used for serving. Squall - A sudden, violent wind often accompanied by rain. Square Knot - A knot used to join two lines of similar size. Also called a reef knot.
Square - Said of sails when they are trimmed at right angles to the keel. A ship is said to have square yards when there is little difference between the lengths of upper and lower yards, or when her yards are very long.
Square the Yards - To brace them across at right angles to the keel. Square the boom is to haul it out at right angles to the keel. Square Topsail Schooner - a combination of fore and aft sails and small square sails. They were popular for coastal trading in the early 1800s. Prince Edward Island built a number of topsail schooners and many were sold in Great Britian. A version with raked masts, called the Baltimore Clipper, was much favoured by privateersmen in the War of 1812. Squeeze - A vessel is said to be squeezed when she is sailed very close to the wind in order that she may weather some point or object.
Stains on Deck - Iron moulds, can be removed from a deck by a solution of one part muriatic acid, three parts water.
Stand - A term variously employed; as to stand towards the shore, to stand E.S.E., and so on; to stand on without tacking. A sail is said to stand when it does not lift or shake.
Standard - See "Royal Standard."
Stand By - The order to make ready ; as "Stand by to lower the topsail!" "Let go the anchor!"
Standing Part - The part permanently made fast to something, and not hauled upon. In cordage or lines it's the standing end is the opposite of the running end. The main part of a line as distinguished from the bight and the end. Standing rigging - Permanent rigging used to support the spars. May be adjusted during racing, in some classes. Stand-On Vessel - That vessel which has right-of-way during a meeting, crossing, or overtaking situation. Stand Up- A vessel is said to stand up well that carries her canvas without heeling much.
Starboard - The right hand side. The opposite to port. From the ancient "steerboard" a rudder like device placed off the starboard or right-side quarter. It is said the ships were moored left side to the quay or dock to protect the steering device thus port side.
Starbolins - The men and "watches" who compose the starboard watch.
Start, To - To move, as to slacken a sheet or tack. To start a butt is to cause a plank to start from its fastenings at its butt or end.
Started neither Tack nor Sheet - Said when a vessel sails a long course without a shift of wind, so that there is no occasion for her to alter the trim of her sails.
Starved of Wind - When a vessel is sailed so near the wind that she does not have enough of it, or feel the weight of it.
Slay, To - To tack (older term) Stays - a line or wire from the mast to the bow or stern of a ship, for support of the mast (fore, back, running, and triadic stays). A vessel is said to be in stays when she is going through the operation of tacking. To stay is to tack. Strictly, when a ship is head to wind. Probably derived from the fact that a square rigged ship "stays" a long time before her bead pays off, and she is than "in stays." Staysail - A sail that is set on a stay, and not on a yard or a mast. Stay Rope - The luff or weather bolt rope of a jib or other sail.
Steady! - An order to put the helm amidships, or not to move it about.
Steady As She Goes! - The command to maintain the last course correction given. Steerage - In a yacht the space between the after athwartship bulkhead of the main cabin and the athwartship bulkhead of the after cabin. (The latter is generally known as the ladies' cabin. Usually the term steerage is limited to the fore and aft passage and berths therein.
Steerage Way - When a vessel moves through the water so that she can be steered. In simply drifting or moving with the tide a vessel has no steerage way on, and cannot be steered; therefore steerage way means that a vessel relatively to the water moves and passes the water.
Steersman - A helmsman.
Steeve - The upward inclination or rake which a bowsprit has, or which the plank sheer has forward. The running bowsprit has usually a steeve corresponding with the sheer forward; a standing bowsprit has generally considerably more on square rigged vessels. Stem - The most forward vertical structural member in the bow. Stemson - A piece of timber worked inside the stem.
Step - A piece of timber or metal to receive a vessel's mast. To step is to put a thing into its step. Stern - The after part of the boat. The timber at the fore end of a vessel into which the ends of the plank are butted. To stem is to make headway, as against a current. Stern-board - The name given to the three-cornered board aft in an open boat.
Stern Board - A movement of a vessel sternwards. Stern Line - A docking line leading from the stern. Stern Post - The strong timber to which the rudder is hung. Stern Sheets - The seat in the aft end of a boat. Sometimes the three-cornered bottom board aft in a boat is termed the stern sheet. This board in' a yachts gig, in the bow or aft, is usually a wood grating. In small fishing boats the stern sheet is the platform on which the fisherman coils away his nets, lines Stern Way - Moving astern: to make a stern board. Stiff - Not easily healed; having great stability.
Stock of an Anchor - The crossbar near the shackle.
Stocks - The framework upon which a vessel rests whilst she is being built.
Stooping - To dive into a wave hollow. Generally an easy sort of pitching, caused by the undulation of waves or "swell."
Stopper - A rope or lashing used to prevent a rope or chain surging or slipping, as cable stopper, rigging stoppers. The latter is usually a short piece of rope put on as a kind of racking to prevent the rigging or its tackles rendering.
Stops - Yarns or short pieces of rope by which sails are secured when rolled up or stowed. Also the short lines by which sails are tied to yards when they are not laced.
Storm Anchor - An anchor of exceptionally heavy weight used to hold a boat or ship during heavy weather. A Sea or Floating Anchor when in deep water. See "Oil on Troubled Waters" in the Addendum
Storm Sails - The storm trysail and storm jib set in bad weather.
Stove in - Broken in. Stow - To put an item in its proper place. To roll up. To furl a sail. . A slang term telling a man to cease talking, as "Stow that." Straight of Breadth - The distance where the breadth of a ship is equal or nearly equal amidships; now generally termed parallel length of middle body, because the two sides of a ship may be for some distance parallel to each other. A straight of breadth is seldom found in a yacht excepting in some long steam yachts ; these frequently are of the same breadth for some distance amid. ships. Strain, To Take a or To Take An Even - Laying hold of the line and applying enough pressure to remove all slack prepratory to hauling. "Take An Even Strain" is an admonish to calm down. Strake - On wooden boats, a line of planking running from the bow to the stern along the hull.Strake - On wooden boats, a line of planking running from the bow to the stern along the hull. Strand - Yarns twisted together and they then make the parts or strands of a rope. Strands - Yarns when unlaid and used as "stops" are sometimes called strands.
Stranded - Said of a rope when one or more of its strands have burst. Cast ashore normally by accident or mishap as opposed to maroon which is to beset ashore on purpose. Strap - See "Strop."
Stream - The direction of the flood tide and ebb tide. The tides in the Channel are usually referred to as the eastern stream for the flood and western stream for the ebb.
Stretch - A course sailed. Also the elasticity of canvas or line.
Strike - To lower, as to strike the topmast. Also to strike the ground when sailing.
Striking Topsails - First step in reducing sail. Also a form of saluting.
Stringers - Strengthening strakes of plank, steel, or iron inside or outside a vessel's frame.
Strop or Strap - A sort of hoop made of rope yarn, wire, or metal, used to put round spars, blocks Stroke or Streak - A length of plank of any breadth. The lead rower in a ship's boat that sets the pace for the others. Is seated on the aft thwart so the movements can be followed by the other crew who are facing the stern. Strut - A single spreader. A piece of wood or steel fitted on the foreside of the mast opposite the gaff jaws for the purpose of giving spread to a steel wire stay which supports the masthead, the "strut-stay" being the wire that goes from the masthead through or over the "strut" opposite the gaff jaws and down to the deck at the base of the mast to take the backward strain of the masthead and counteract the forward thrust of the gaff.
Studding Sails - Sails set outside the courses and topsails in square rigged ships; called by sailors "stu'n's'ls."
Stuff - Small rope, and picked hemp or cotton waste, and timber. Also old slang for sails as, "Give her the stuff," meaning more sail.
Surge - When a rope renders round a belaying pin. Swamp - To fill with water, but not settle to the bottom. Sweat And Tail - Sweat is the act of hauling a halyard to raise a sail or spar done by pulling all slack outward and then downward. Tail is controlling the runnning end of the halyard by coiling. Swell - Long waves with unbroken crest:, usually met with after heavy winds have subsided.
Sweep - A long bend. To sweep is to impel by sweeps or large oars; formerly, vessels as large as 300 tons used sweeps, and by hard work could make three knots an hour. Sweeps are not permitted in yacht racing.
Sweeps - Large oars.
Swig, To - The fall of a tackle is put under a cleat or pin, and is held firmly by one or more of the crew; another man (or man) then takes hold of the part of the fall between the cleat and the block and throws his whole weight on it; as he comes up the other hand takes in the slack. By swigging on a tackle a couple of hands can often get in all that is required, where by steady hauling they might not have moved the blocks an inch. To drink. Swivel Hook - A hook that revolves by a pivot inserted in a socket and clinched. T Tabernacle - A hinged mast step located on deck. Since it is hinged, the mast may be lowered easily. Tabling - The strengthening pieces of canvas sewn to the edges of sails where the roping goes on. Tack - The lower fore-corner of a sail. To tack is to go about or shift from one tack to another. The side on which the wind blows on the sail, as starboard tack or port tack. This term probably originated with the square rig, as "port tacks" aboard means that the lower port corners of the sail are now hauled inboard, whereas when the wind was on the other side these corners had been hauled outboard by the sheets. Tackle - An arrangement of ropes and pulleys for increasing power; a purchase.
Tackle-fall - The hauling part of the rope of a tackle. Tack Tackles - The tackles employed to set down the tacks of sails. Taffrail - The rail at the stern of the boat. Tail Block - A block with a tail or piece of rope stropped to it for making fast the block instead of a hook. Tail On - An order to take hold of a rope and help haul. Tail Tackle - A watch tackle; that is, a double and single block. The single block has a hook; the double block a rope tail, which can be hitched to ropes or parts of rigging. Take In or Take Off - To hand or furl a sail. Take, To - A jib is said to take when a vessel has been head to wind and the jib fills on one side or the other. Take Up - To shrink; to tighten up. Tang - A fitting, often of sheet metal, used to attach standing rigging to a spar, or to the hull. Taunt - Tall, high, towering. (See "A-taunto.") Taut - Tight: stretched as tightly as possible. Taut Bowline - A ship is said to be on a taut bowline when the bowlines on the leeches of the sail are hauled as taut as possible for sailing near the wind. With everything stretched as flat as possible for close-hauled sailing. Tend - To attend to a sheet and watch it to see if it requires hauling in or slacking out ; generally to attend to any work on board ship. Tenon - A sort of tongue cut at the end of a piece of timber to fit into a mortise. Thick Stuff - Timber or plank over 4in. thick. Thimble - A ring, pear-shaped or circular, with a groove outside for ropes to fit in. When the thimble is pear-shaped it is usually termed a "heart thimble or thimble heart." These thimbles are used for the eye splices in ropes, whilst circular thimbles are mostly used for the cringles of sails. For steel wire shrouds the thimble is usually solid. Thimble Eyes - Eyes spliced in rigging round a thimble. A thimble seized in a strop. Tholes - Pins fitted into the holes in rowlocks for oars to work in. Now replaced by a pintled horn. Thread - A vessel is said to thread her way when she weaves in and out among other vessels, or through a narrow channel. Thread of oakum or cotton for caulking small boats. Three Sheets in the Wind - Half drunk. "Three cloths shaking," said sometimes of -a mainsail when a vessel is sailed too near the wind. Throat - The deepest part of the hollow of the jaws of a gaff, or the hollow of a V shaped knee, or the hollow of a floor. The throat halyards are those which are attached to the throat of a gaff. The upper weather corner of a gaff-sail is often called the throat, or nook, because it is attached to the throat of the gaff. Through Bolt, or Through Fastening - A bolt that passes through timber and plank, and clinched. Thumb Cleat - Pieces of wood put on spars. to prevent ropes or strops from slipping. Thwart - A transverse structural member in the cockpit. In small boats, often used as a seat. Thwartships - At right angles to the centerline of the boat. Tidal Harbour - A harbour that can only be entered on certain stages of the tide. Tide - The periodic rise and fall of water level in the oceans. The highest tides occur at the new moon and full moon. Tides in estuaries, harbours, and bays vary a great deal. Tie - A runner to which a tackle is hooked, used for hoisting lug-sails and squaresails.
Tiers - Ropes or gaskets used to secure the mainsail of a fore-and-aft vessel when furled or stowed to the boom. The tier that takes up the middle of the sail is termed the bunt tier. (See "Gasket" and "Buntline.") Tight - Impervious to water; well caulked; not leaky. Never applied to the tension of ropes, which are always "taut." Tiller - A bar or handle for turning a boat's rudder or an outboard motor. Tiller Lines - The lines attached to the tiller to move it by. (See "Tiller Ropes," which are a different thing.) Generally in yachts of 40 tons and over, a tackle is used. In large yachts a second tackle is sometimes used, it the yacht carries much weather helm or is hard to steer: these second tackles are usually termed relieving tackles. Tiller Ropes - The ropes attached to the short tiller when a wheel is used for steering. The ropes pass round the drum on the same axis as the wheel. In large vessels the tiller ropes were frequently made of raw hide. Timber-heads - The heads or upper ends of the frames. Timber Hitch - A quick way of bending a rope to a spar. Timbers - The frames or ribs of a vessel. Toggle - A short rope with an eye at one end and a small piece of wood at the other, to insert in the eye and form a kind of strop or becket. Toe-rail - A low rail, often slotted, along the side of the boat. Slots allow drainage and the attachment of blocks. Ton- A weight of 2240lb. avoirdupois or in the US 2000 lbs. There are also metric tons, long tons, short tons, and various others such as Panama Canal and Suez Canal tons.In hydraulics 35 cubic feet of sea water represent an avoirdupois ton, or 36 cubic feet of fresh water. Tonnage and Rating - The nominal size or capacity of a ship, variously estimated. Top - In square-rigged ships, the platform at the lower mast heads to give additional spread to the topmast rigging, and to form a kind of gallery for riflemen in war ships. There are fore top, main top, and mizzen top. To top is to raise one end of a boom or yard by the topping lifts. The "top" of a vessel is the part above water. Topgallant Bulwarks - Bulwarks fitted above the rail to afford additional shelter on deck. Topgallant Mast - The mast next above the top mast in square-rigged ships. Top Hamper - Any real or supposed unnecessary weight carried on deck or mast Topmast - A second spar carried at the top of the fore or main mast, used to fly more sail. Topmast Hoops - Hoops were formerly used for jib-headed topsails, the same as they used to be for the original "gaff topsails." The hoops when not in use rest on the masthead. In hoisting the topsail the lacing is passed through an eyelet hole in the luff of the sail and through a hoop, and so on. When the sail is hoisted chock-a-block the lacing is hauled taut; in lowering the lacing is slackened. Hoops facilitate the hoisting and lowering of the sail, and admit of its being lowered and hoisted without a man going aloft Topping lift - A line or wire rope used to support the yards or booms when a boat is anchored or moored. Top Rail - The rail fitted on the stanchions as a finish to the bulwarks. Topsails - There are various topsails; e.g., large and small jackyard topsails, jib-headed topsail, and jib topsail. In the early days of yachting a square topsail was carried as well, but spinnakers have superseded squaresails. Schooners carry as well main topmast staysails in various sizes. Topsail Schooner.-- See "Square Topsail Schooner." Topsides - The sides of a vessel between the waterline and the deck; sometimes referring to onto or above the deck. Top Timbers - The upper parts of the framing of a vessel. Top Your Boom and Sail Large - To leave in a hurry and sail off the wind. Toss the Oars - To throw them out of the rowlocks and rest them perpendicularly, blades uppermost, on reaching a destination. May be given as a command to each bank of rowers independently or given to both banks at once. Toss up the Boom - To raise the boom by the lifts. Touching the Wind - Luffing into the wind till the sails shake. (See "Luff and Touch Her.") Tow Rope or Tow Line - The rope or hawser used in towing. Track - The course or wake of a ship. Trade Wind - Winds that blow in one direction a considerable time, admitting of traders making expeditious voyages. Trail Boards - Carved boards fitted on the bow and stem of schooners. Transverse - Athwartships. At right-angles to the line of the keel. Transom - The flat, or sometimes curved terminating structure of the hull at the stern of a vessel. The frame at the sternpost of a vessel. In boats the transverse board at the stern, which gives shape to the quarters and forms the stern end of the boat. Trapeze - Wire gear enabling a crewmember to place all of his weight outboard of the hull, thus helping to keep the boat level. Trapezium - A four-sided figure with two sides or foot and head parallel, as a ship's square sail. Trapezoid - A four-sided figure whose sides do not form parallel lines, such as a cutter's mainsail. Traveler - A fitting across the boat to which sheets are led. In many boats the traveler may be adjusted from side to side so that the angle of the sheets can be changed to suit conditions. Also An iron ring, thimble, or strop which travels on a spar, bar, or rope Traveller, Jointed.-- The iron hoop is in two half moons, each end has an eye turned in; the two halves are connected by these eyes. The object in having a jointed traveller is to facilitate lowering. Treenails - Bolts or plugs of wood used to fasten plank to the timbers of vessels. Pronounced "trennel. " Trestle Trees - In ships long pieces of timber fitted at the masthead in a fore-and-aft direction to support the cross trees. Triatic Stay - A stay from foremast head to mainmast head in a schooner, and termed sciatic stay in old works. Trick - The time a man is stationed at the helm. (See "Spell.") Trim - Fore and aft balance of a boat. The position of a ship in the water in a fore-and-aft direction. To trim a vessel is to set her in a particular position, by the head or stern. The term is sometimes erroneously used to represent the shifting of ballast transversely. To trim the sails is to sheet and tack them so that they are disposed in the best manner possible, in relation to the force and direction of the wind. Trip - A passage. Sometimes used in Scotland to denote a board made in beating to windward. To trip a spar is to cant it. To trip an anchor is to break it out of the ground; an anchor is a-trip when one of its flukes is on, but not in, the ground. Trip or Tripping Line - rope used to cant a spar, as trip halyards for a topsail, or the line bent to the crown of an anchor to trip it or break it out of the ground. Trough of the Sea - The hollow between wave crest and wave-crest. Trucks - The wooden caps fitted on the upper mastheads to reeve the signal halyards through. True Wind - A wind that does not vary; the prevailing wind in contradistinction to eddies or baffling puffs. Trying - To "try" is when a vessel is hove to, to so trim her sails that she may gather headway and make something to the good. Trysail - A small sort of gaff sail or sharp headed sail set in heavy weather. The sail set on the fore and main mast of square rigged ships and brigs similar to the spanker on the mizen.-- The origin of the term trysail was probably that in heavy weather it was the sail set to enable a vessel to "try," or to make some headway. Tuck - The form of the hollow in the quarter near the transom or stern-post. Tug - A towing boat. To tug is to tow. Tumble In or Tumble Home - When the sides of a ship near the deck incline inwards; the opposite to flaring. Tumbler - A piece of wood pivoted in the jaw of a gaff which is always in the plane of the mast. Tumbler-fid - A self-acting fid for a topmast. Turk's-head - A knot made of small line round a rope as a stopper or for ornament. Turn - A circle made by a rope round a pin. "Turn O" is an order to belay.-- To catch a turn is to put the fall of a tackle or part of any rope round a belaying pin, stanchion. Turn In - To secure the end of a rope by seizing. To go to one's berth to sleep. Turning to Windward - Working or beating for a point or object by short boards. Generally beating to windward. To turn is to tack. Turn of the Tide - When the tide changes from flood to ebb, or the contrary. Twice Laid Rope - Rope remade from old rope. A term of reproach for articles of inferior quality. Twiddler - Small broom used in scrubbing the decks of yachts, to clean out corners. Twiddling Stick - The tiller, hence "twiddling lines" are the tiller lines. Twing - Similar to a Barber hauler, a twing adjusts the angle of sheeting. Two-blocked - Said when a tackle has been used so that its two blocks come close together U Unbend - To cast loose a sail from its gaff, yard. The opposite of bend. Under Bowing the Sea - When a vessel is close hauled sailing in a cross sea, and gets the worst of it on the lee bow. Under Bare Poles - When a ship is under way and making steerageway with no sails set (downwind) she is under bare poles or scudding. Under Deck - Below. Under Hatches - Below deck. Under-Run - To follow up a rope, chain hawser, or cable, by hauling it in from a boat which moves in the direction that the cable is laid out. Under Sail. Under Canvas - Using sails for propulsion Under the Lee - Sheltered from the wind by the sails of another vessel. Under the lee of the land, sheltered from the full force of the wind by the land. Underway - Vessel in motion, not moored or aground. Moving through the water under the influence of the wind, steam, or oars. Sometimes wrongly written under-weigh. It is said a vessel may be under-weigh when she is getting her anchor; but even then it would be the anchor, and not the vessel, that would be under-weigh. A ship beginning to move under canvas after her anchor is started Unmoored - A vessel is also said to be "unmoored" when she is riding to a single anchor, as to be moored two anchors must be down, or she must be fast to a permanent mooring. (See Unwiegh) Unreeve - To haul out a rope from a hole. Unrig - To dismantle a ship or any part of her, as to unrig a topmast or bowsprit. Unship - To remove a thing from its lodgment, normally when striking a mast or other spar. Unweigh - Raise the anchor. When the anchor is 'a-weigh' it is hanging straight below the vessel and the ship or boat is free to move according to wind and currents or the use of sail or engine. Up and Down - Vertically. The wind is sometimes said to be up and down the mast, when there is none at all, like Paddy's hurricane. Upper Mast, Upper Stick - A topmast, a topgallant mast. Upper Strake - The top strake running round a vessel at the deck edge under the covering board, usually stouter than the general planking, and almost always of bard wood to better bold fastenings. Also called a Rub Rail. Usages of the Sea - Customs of the sea in relation to commercial pursuits, which are held in law to be binding. V
Van - The advanced part of a fleet. Vang - A device, usually with mechanical advantage, used to pull the boom down, flattening the sail. A rope used to keep a gaff from sagging to leeward. On a schooner's foresail a block is lashed to the mainmast head, through which the vang is rove and made fast to the fore gaff end; the fall of the rope leads to the deck. In square-rigged ships vangs are generally used on the spanker gaff. Sprit sail barges also use vangs. Variation of the Compass - The departure the compass needle shows from true North at certain parts of the globe. The difference between magnetic and true North usually expressed in degrees on charts. The change is annual and either decreases or increases. Veer - To pay out chain. Veer is also used in the sense of wearing or gybing. The wind is said to veer when it changes in direction with the sun; to back when it changes against the sun, the wind is said to veer when it draws more aft. To haul when it comes more ahead. Veer and Haul - To slacken up a rope, and then haul on it suddenly, in order that those who are hauling on it may acquire a momentum. Pulling by jerks. Veer out the Cable - The order to pay out or slack away cable. Veering a Buoy in a Vessel's Wake - Throwing overboard a buoy in the wake of a ship when a man has fallen overboard, in the hope that he may get to it, and pick it up. Ventilator - Construction designed to lead air below decks. May have a cowl, which can be angled into or away from the wind; and may be constructed with baffles, so that water is not allowed below, as in Dorade ventilator. Vertical - At right angles to the horizon, or perpendicular to the horizon. Vessel - A name for all kinds of craft, from a canoe to a three-decker. Victual - To supply with provisions for a voyage Voyage - The passage of a vessel by sea. A short voyage is called a trip or a cast. V bottom - A hull with the bottom section in the shape of a "V". W
Waist - The middle fore and aft part of a vessel's decks. Waisters - Green hands, or old decrepit seamen, who are stationed about in the waist of a vessel to haul upon rope Wake - The eddying water that appears after a ship has passed. Moving waves, track or path that a boat leaves behind it, when moving across the waters. Vessels are said to leave a clean wake that do not cause waves to form astern. Vessels are said to leave a clean wake that do not cause waves to form astern. Wales - Thick strakes of plank. Wall Knot - A knot formed at the end of a rope by unlaying and interweaving the strands. Wall Sided - Up and down sides of a vessel that neither tumble home nor flare out. Wallow - To lie in the trough of a sea and roll heavily; to roll under the sea. Warp - Heavier lines (rope or wire) used for mooring, anchoring andtowing. May also be used to indicate moving (warping) a boat into position by pulling on a warp. Wash Strake - A strake, fixed or movable, of plank fitted to the gunwale of an open boat to increase her height out of water. Watch - An anchor buoy or mooring buoy is said to watch when it keeps above water. Watch and Watch - The arrangement whereby one half of the crew is on deck for four hours, then the other half for four hours. Watches - The divisions of time for work on board a vessel. The crew of a ship is divided for this work into two watches, port and starboard, each watch being alternately on deck, excepting in emergencies, when both watches may be called on deck. Watches are thus divided: From 8 p.m. to midnight is the "First Watch." From midnight to 4 a.m. is the "Middle Watch." From 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. is the "Morning Watch." From 8 a.m. to noon is the "Forenoon Watch." From noon to 4 p.m. the "Afternoon Watch." From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. the two "Dog Watches." Watching for a Smooth - In a sea way looking out for a time when the waves are smaller to tack in. Watch Tackle - A tackle consisting of single and double block; the single block has a hook, the double a tail. Water - One cubic foot fresh water .0279 ton or 62.39lb.; one gallon .00447 ton. A ton fresh water equal to 223.76 gallons. One cubic foot salt water .0286 ton or 64.05lb.; one gallon .0046 ton; 1 ton 217.95 gallons. One gallon fresh water weighs 10.01lb.; one pint 20oz. A ton of fresh water is usually taken as 36 cubic feet; a ton of salt water as 35 cubic feet. Note: These figures are in avoirdupois and may differ from those used in the United States. Water Ballast - Water carried in tanks or breakers as ballast. The tanks or breakers should be either full or empty. Water Borne - Not resting on the ground, but being in the condition of floating. Watering - Taking water into the tanks by the hose or by means of breakers. Waterline - A line painted on a hull which shows the point to which a boat sinks when it is properly trimmed (see BOOT TOP). A horizontal plane passing through a vessel longitudinally. Length on load waterline means the length in a straight line from the fore side of the stem to the aft side of the sternpost or counter at the water level. Water Logged - The condition of a vessel, that although her hold is full of water, she does not sink, owing to the buoyant nature of her cargo, or from other causes. Way - Movement of a vessel through the water such as headway, sternway or leeway. ship makes in the water under sail. Thus, when she begins her motion she is said to be underway Way Enough - In rowing, an order given by the person steering a boat when being rowed alongside a vessel or causeway to direct the oarsmen to cease rowing with the stroke about to be completed, and lay in their oars. Way enough! is strictly and merely an order to cease rowing and should be followed by the order "Oars!" if the men are to be directed to lay in their oars. In practice, however, the orders "Way enough!" and "Oars !" have an identical effect upon a smart yacht's crew when bringing a boat alongside, i.e., simply to cause the crew to cease rowing, throw up their oars, and lay them in the boat. Ways - Balks of timber arranged in a kind of chute to haul vessels upon or to launch them off. Wear - To bring the wind on the other side of a vessel by putting the helm up so that the vessel's head goes round away from the wind instead of towards the wind as in tacking. Used on square rigged vessels instead of gybe. Weather - The windward or "breezy" side of an object. The side on which the "weather" is felt; not to leeward. To weather is to pass on the windward side of an object. In cross tacking the vessel "weathers" another that crosses ahead of her. To weather on another vessel is to gain on her in a windward direction by holding a better wind than she does -- to eat her out of the wind. Weather Board - On the weather side of a vessel. Sometimes in working to windward by a long board and a short one the short one is called "weather board." Weather Boards - Pieces of boards fitted over open ports to direct water or rain off. Weather Cloth - The cloth in a sail next the luff. The "weather" leach of a sail is the luff. Weather Cloths - Pieces of canvas fitted on ridge ropes and stanchions of yachts above the bulwarks; also the tarpaulins used to cover the hammocks when stowed in the nettings. Weather Gauge - The condition of a vessel that is to windward of another one. In slang, to possess an advantage. Weather Helm - The helm or tiller hauled to windward when a vessel owing to too much after sail has an inclination to fly up in the wind. If the centre of effort of the sails is much abaft the centre of lateral resistance, a vessel will require weather helm to keep her out of the wind. The tendency to fly up in the wind can he remedied by reducing the after sail, or setting more head sail, or by easing the main sheet. However, all vessels should carry a little weather helm. (The contrary to "Lee Helm," which see.) It has been frequently argued that the effect of the water pressure on the rudder when the helm is to windward (that is the rudder to leeward), is to press the vessel bodily to wind. ward, and no doubt there is some truth in this, although the influence of the rudder in this respect could be only small. Weathering - A relative term used in sailing to define the action of one vessel which is eating to windward of another, thus, if a vessel is said to he weathering on another she is eating her out of the wind, or closing up to her from the leeward, or departing from her in a windward direction. Weathering an object is passing on its windward side. Weatherly, Weatherliness - The quality of hanging to windward well or holding a good wind. This term is often improperly used to denote good behaviour in a sea way or in bad weather. Weather Lurch - A weather roll or a roll to windward. In running with the main boom well off, the boom should be always secured with a guy, or it may fall to the opposite side during a weather roll, and cause some damage. Weather Tide, or Weather-going Tide - The tide which makes to windward or against the wind. Wedges of Immersion and Emersion.-- See "Immersed." Wedging Up - Lifting a vessel by driving wedges under her keel to take her weight off the building blocks before launching. Weepings - The exudations of damp or water through the seams or cracks of planks. Weigh - To raise a thing, as weighing the anchor.
Well - A sunken part of the deck aft, termed cockpit sometimes. In small vessels there is usually a well aft in which the steersman sits; the cabin of a small boat is usually entered from the well. The cabin of most American yachts, large or small, is usually entered from the cockpit aft. In larger sailing ships a well leading all the way to the keel was used to sound the depths of water in the holds preparatory to pumping. Well That! Well There! - An order to cease hauling and belay. Wheel - device used for steering a boat. Whip - A purchase consisting of one single block. A pennant vane. Whip, To - To bind the ends of rope with twine to prevent their fraying. Whiskers - Used to spread bowsprit shrouds. Whisker Pole - A short spar, normally kept stowed, which may be used to push the clew of a jib away from the boat when the boat is running downwind.
Whistling for Wind - In calms or light winds sailors sometimes amuse themselves by whistling in the hope that it will bring a breeze. They also scratch the boom for a breeze, or to make the vessel go faster. During heavy weather the superstition is all the other way, and no whistling or boom scratching is permitted. Whole Sail Strength - A wind of such strength that a yacht can just carry all her sails, including her "best" gaff topsail, to windward. Wicked-looking - Said of a craft which has a smart, raking appearance. Widow-maker - a term for the bowsprit (many sailors lost their lives falling off the bowsprit while tending sails). Winch - A drum with crank handles and pawls, fitted to the mast or desk to get in the halyards and sheets. Window - A transparent portion of a jib or mainsail. Windfall - An unexpected advantage or acquisition of treasure. Wind Jamming - A old-fashioned slang term for sailing by the wind. Wind jammers, sailing ships. Windlass - A horizontal barrel, revolved by cranks or handspikes, for getting in the anchor. In yachts a small neat capstan is used. Wind Marks - The marks or assumed marks on sheets to which they are hauled in for sailing by the wind. Winds - The following arrangement and description of winds has been generally adopted. Windsail - A canvas shaft or tube for conveying air to or from below deck. Windward - Toward the direction from which the wind is coming. Wing and Wing - A schooner before the wind with the main sail off the lee quarter, and the foresail boomed out to windward. Some. times termed goose winged. (See "Goose Wing.") Wings of a Ship - That part of a ship at the sides near the load line. Wishbone - A boom composed of two separate curved pieces, one on either side of the sail. With this rig, sails are usually self tending and loose-footed. Woof - The threads or texture of any kind of cloth or canvas. Work - A vessel is said to work when the different parts of her frame, planking, are not securely bound together so that the various parts relative to each other alter their positions. Working to Windward - Proceeding by short tacks. Beating to windward. To work up to a vessel is to get nearer to her or catch her whilst beating to windward. Wrinkle - Something worth knowing; a piece of valuable experience. Wrinkles in copper are generally a sign of severe strains in vessels, or that the vessel "works," or that her frame and plank shifts when she is under way in a sea. Sometimes wrinkles will show when a vessel is hauled up to dry and disappear when she is put in the water as the plank swells. X Y Yacht - A pleasure vessel, a pleasure boat; in American usage the idea of size and luxury is conveyed, either sail or power. Yankee - a fore-sail flying above and forward of the jib, usually seen on bowsprit vessels. Yard - A spar used to extend a sail. Yard Arm - The extremities of yards. Yarn - A yarn is generally understood to mean one of the parts of a strand of a rope. The strands of old rope are separated and used as stops for temporarily securing sails when rolled up, &c. A narrative, a tale, a long story, or discourse. (See "Strands.") Yaw - To swing or steer off course, as when running with a quartering sea, generally when a vessel does not steer a straight or steady course. Yawl - Two mast rig with taller mast forward as a ketch but with the rudder post aft of the mizzen mast. Yellow Flag or Yellow Jack - The quarantine or fever flag. Aso the Letter "Q" Yoke - The lower cap on the masthead. It is cut out of solid wood, and either strengthened by an iron plate over the whole of its top, or an iron band round its entire edge. The crosstrees are fitted on the yoke. A yoke is also the crossbar put on the rudderhead of small boats, to which lines, termed yoke lines, are attached for steering.
Z Zebec - a lateen rig normally associated with the Mediterranean.
Zig-Zag Work or Short Tacking - Working to windward by short boards
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