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18
Nautical Vocabulary "A.B." —
An able seaman. ABAFT. — Towards
the stern. ABOUT, TO GO. — To
take the opposite tack. ALEE. — On the side
away from the wind. APEAK. —
Perpendicular, of the anchor, when the cable is drawn so as to bring the ship's
bowl directly over it. ASTERN. — In the
direction of the stern. ATHWART. — In a
line across the ship. AUXILIARY ENGINES.
— Small engines for electric lighting, refrigerating, etc., etc. AWASH. — Level with
the surface of the sea, egg, of an anchor. BATTEN. — To fasten
down with battens (i.e. pieces of boards, or scantlings), as the hatches of a
ship during a storm. BEAM. — The width
of a vessel. BEATING, — Sailing
against the wind by tacking. BELAY. — To fasten,
or make fast, as a rope, by taking several turns with it round a pin, cleat, or
kevel. BELAYING PINS, —
Strong pins in the side of a vessel, or in the mast, for making fast, or
belaying, ropes to. BEND, — To fasten;
as, to bend on a rope. BERTH. — A ship's
anchorage; a narrow shelf or bunk for sleeping on. BILGE KEEL. — A
keel or fin attached to each side of a ship below the water-line, to prevent
rolling. BILGE WATER. —
Water lying in the bilge or bottom of a boat or vessel. BINNACLE. — The box
containing the ship's compass, and a light to show it at night. BLOCK. — A pulley. BOLT ROPE, — The
rope edge surrounding a sail (to which it is sewed). BONNET. — An
additional part laced to the foot of a sail, in moderate winds. BOOM. — The spar by
which a sail is extended at the bottom. BOW OR BOWS. — The
front of a vessel. BOWLINE. — A rope
fastened near the middle of the leech or perpendicular edge of square sails, to
keep their weather edge taut, when the ship is close-hauled. BRACE. — A rope
attached to a boom or yard and by which they are moved. BRIDGE. — The small
observation-deck occupied by the navigating officers. BULKHEAD. — A
partition in the hull. BULWARKS. — The
sides of a vessel surrounding and extending above the deck. CABLE. — A strong
rope or chain. CABLE'S LENGTH. —
About 200 yards, or 1-10th of a sea mile. CABOOSE. — A
kitchen on deck. CAMEL. — An
arrangement for assisting a ship over shoals. CARRY AWAY. — To
break or lose a rope or spar. CAT BLOCK. — The
tackle block for hoisting the anchor, CAT'S PAW. — A
light puff of wind. CAULK. — To make
tight the seams of a vessel. CHIPS. — Sailor's
name for the carpenter. CLEAT. — A small
piece of wood around which a rope may be made fast. CLEW. — To bind up.
CLEW LINES. — Ropes
for clewing. COCK PIT. — A room
for wounded men in a war vessel. COMBINGS OR
COAMINGS. — The raised edges around the hatches. COMPANIONWAY. — The
cabin stairway. COMPASS. — An
instrument showing the vessel's course. COMPOUND ENGINE, —
One wherein the steam from boilers is made use of more than once. CONDENSERS. — The
apparatus in which the returned steam from cylinders is condensed back into
water. COXSWAIN. — The
steerer of a small boat. CRINGLE. — An iron
ring or thimble attached to the bolt rope of a sail. CROW'S NEST. — A
"look-out" place usually on the foremast 25 feet or more above the
deck. CUTLASS. — A broad
curving one-edged sword. CUTWATER. — That
portion of a ship's prow which first meets the water. CYLINDER. — The
steam-chest in which the steam is forced to give energy to the engines through
the piston. DAVITS. — Pieces of
timber or iron, projecting over a ship's side, with tackle to raise or lower a
boat by. DEADLIGHT. — An
iron shutter covering a port hole. DEAD RECKONING. —
The keeping of a vessel's course with the use of log line and compass. DERRICK. — A boom
with tackle for handling cargo. DINGY. — A small
row-boat. DOCTOR. — Sailors'
name for the cook. DOG WATCH. — The
name given to two short (two-hours') watches, the first being from 4-6 p.m.,
and the second from 6-8 p.m. DONKEY ENGINE. — A
small engine for supplying power to work cargo. DRAUGHT. — The
depth of water required to float a vessel. DROGUE. — A
particular kind of storm anchor. FATHOM. — SIX feet.
FORCED DRAUGHT. —
An artificial method of conveying air to the furnaces. FENDER. — A piece
of wood or other material used to deaden the impact of two vessels, or of a
vessel against the wharves. FOOTROPE. — A rope
for standing on which extends along and under a yard. FORE AND AFT. —
Used of anything fixed longitudinally between bow and stern. FORECASTLE. — That
part of a vessel which is forward of the foremast. FOREMAST. — The
mast nearest the bow. FORGE. — To move
slowly ahead. FOUNDER, — TO sink.
FURL. — To roll up.
GAFF. — The upper
spar holding up a fore and aft sail. GALLEY. — The
kitchen. GANGWAY. — An
entrance to a ship. GRAPNEL. — A small
anchor. GUNWALE. — The
extreme outer edge of the hull. HALYARDS. — Ropes
for hoisting sails. HARBOUR-ROIL. — The
turbid bottom of a harbour when stirred up by a ship passing over it. HATCH OR HATCHWAY.
— An opening in the deck. HAWSER. — A cable. HEAVE TO. — To stop
a ship by bringing her bow to the Wind. HOLD. — The
interior of a vessel. HULL. — The body
(only) of a vessel. JAW. — The mast end
of a boom or gaff. JIB. — A triangular
sail at the bow. JIBE. — To shift a
sail from one side to the other. JURYMAST. — A
temporary mast. KEEL. — The lowest
timber in a ship. KEVEL. — A piece of
timber for belaying great ropes to. KNOT. — A nautical
mile (equal to 1.151 miles, or 6,082.66 feet) per hour; really a rate of speed,
and not a measure of length. LARBOARD. — The
left hand of a ship looking toward the bow. LEAD. — A mass of
lead used in sounding. LEE. — The side
which looks away from the wind, and which hence is sheltered. LEEWAY. — The
sideward motion of a ship in travelling. LOCKER, — A chest
or box. LOG OR LOGLINE. —
The rope used for measuring the speed of a vessel. LOG OR LOGBOOK. —
The ship's record or diary. LOOK-OUT. — The
seaman posted in the extreme bow or in the crow's nest to give warning of
approaching danger. LOOM. — The part of
an oar within the rowlocks. LUBBER'S HOLE. — A
hole in the top of a vessel next the mast, through which sailors may mount
without going over the rim by the futtock-shrouds, so called because considered
by sailors to be only fit for lubbers. LUFF. — To bring a
ship nearer to the wind. LUFF. — The side of
a ship towards the wind, the roundest part of a ship's bow, the forward or
weather leech of a sail. MAINMAST. — The
central mast or "stick" of a three-masted ship; the aft or hinder
mast of a "two-master." See also Foremast, Mizzen-mast, and Jury-mast. MARLINE. — A small
line composed of two strands a little twisted, used for winding round ropes and
cables, to prevent their being fretted by the blocks, etc. MARLINE-SPIKE. — An
iron tool, tapering to a point, used to separate the strands of a rope in
splicing. MASTER. — Captain. MASTHEAD. — Head or
top of a mast. MAST TABERNACLE. —
The socket in which a mast is stepped. MANROPE. — A rope
used in going up or down the ship's side. MESS. — A set of
men who eat together. MIDSHIPS. — The
middle, or widest part of a ship. MIDDY. — An old
name for a midshipman. MIZZEN-MAST,
MIZZEN-SAIL. — The hinder mast (when there are three). MOOR. — To secure a
Ship in any position. MUSTER. — A review
of all hands on duty. NAUTICAL
MILE.-6,08266 feet, or one geographical mile and 802,66 feet. NIP. — A short
turn, as in a rope. ORDINARY SEAMAN. —
A seaman of the second rate. PAINTER. — A rope
used for making fast a boat. PAY OUT. — To
slacken or give out, as to "pay out a rope." PEAK. — The upper
and outer corner of a boom sail. PINTLE. — The bolt
on which a rudder is hung. PLIMSOLL MARK, — A
mark on the outside of the hull indicating the load-line. PORT. — The same as
larboard. PORT OR PORTHOLE. —
An opening in the ship's side to admit light and air. PROMENADE-DECK. —
Usually a covered deck amidships. QUARTER, — The
stern portion of a ship's side. QUARTER-MASTER. —
The seaman in charge of the wheel. QUARTER-MASTERS. —
Picked A,B.'s, with a slight increase in pay. In sailing ships they attend to
the steering. In the mail steamers they rank as petty officers; steer; clean
and polish binnacles, telegraphs, and care for the wheels and wheelhouses,
hoist, or superintend the hoisting of flags and signals; take temperature of
air and water; heave the log; read the patent log; and in port usually attend
at the gangway. RAKE . — The
inclination or curve of a mast. REEF. — A portion
of the sail which is clewed up when the wind is too high to expose the whole. REEVE. — To pass
the end or a rope through a pulley, etc. ROAD. — An open
space of water where ships may anchor. ROSTER. — A list of
officers and crew. ROWLOCK. — A
contrivance for giving leverage to an oar in rowing. SAWBONES. — The
familiar name of the doctor among sailors. SCUD. — To sail at
great speed before a heavy wind or gale. SCUPPER. — The
channel cut through the waterways and side of a ship for carrying off the water
from the deck. SEAMS. — The
"joins" of a ship's planks. SHEET. — A rope for
controlling and moving a sail. SHELTER-DECK, OR
AWNING-DECK, Usually erected over the promenade-deck. When the boats are kept
thereon, it is often called the boat-deck. SHORE. — A prop
giving support to a beam. SKIPPER. — The name
generally given to the master of a small vessel. SLOOP. — A vessel
with but one mast. SMOKE-STACK, — The
funnel. SOUND. — To
ascertain the depth of the water. SPAR. — The general
name for a mast, boom, gaff, yard, etc. STANCHION. — A
pillar or post of slight dimensions giving support to a deck. STARBOARD. — The
right side of a ship or boat, looking forward. STAY. — A rope for
supporting or keeping a mast in its place. STEM. — The forward
part of a vessel. STEM-PIECE. — A
curved piece of timber to which the two sides of a ship are united at the
fore-end, and the lower end of which is scarfed to the keel. STERN. — The rear
portion of a vessel. STEERAGE. — The emigrants' quarters aboard ship. STEERING ENGINE. — The steam steering-gear by which the rudder is controlled. STOKER. — A
fireman. STRAKE. — A
continuous range of planks on the bottom or sides of a vessel, reaching from
the stem to the stern. The range next the keel are called the garboard strokes; the next, bilge strokes; the next, wales. TACK. — TO go
against the wind in a zigzag course, and to change a ship's course by shifting her rudder and sails. TACKLE. — Rope and
pulley (block). TAFFRAIL, — The
rail extending around the stern. TAUT. — Tight. THOWL OR THOLE. —
The rowlock. THWARTS. — A boat's
seats. TILLER. — The bar
for moving the rudder. TRICK. — Duration
of a sailor's duty in steering. TWIN SCREWS. — Two
screw propellors, in substitution for the more usual single propellor. WAIST. — The
portion of the deck between the quarterdeck and forecastle. WARP. — To move a
vessel by means of a line or lines made fast to anything immovable at the
further end. WATCH. — A portion
of time assigned to certain duties. WAKE. — The track
left in the water by a moving vessel. WEATHER. — The side
which fronts towards or meets the wind. WEIGH ANCHOR. — To
raise the anchor. WINCH. — A small
windlass. WINDLASS. — A
machine for raising the anchor or cargo. WINDSAIL. —
Apparatus for directing the wind into cabins, etc. WINDWARD. — The
point from whence the wind blows. YACHT. — A sailing
vessel used for pleasure. YARD. — A spar
supporting and extending a sail. YARDARM. — Either
of the two halves of a "yard." YAW. — A slight movement of the vessel involving a temporary change of course. CRUISER OF TO-DAY. H.M.S. KING ALFRED |