VOCABULARY OF SEA-TERMS COMMONLY IN USE.
ABACK.--A sail is said to be taken aback, when its forward surface is
acted upon by the wind.
ABAFT.--The position, towards the stern, or hinder part of the yacht,
from any stated point; as, "abaft the forecastle," "abaft the mainmast,"
"abaft the cabin."
ABEAM.--Any object is said to be abeam that bears at right angles to the
line of the keel; and an imaginary line drawn at right angles across the
keel, equidistant from the bow and stern, divides the yacht into two
parts. Any thing bearing forward of this line is said to be "forward of
the beam," and any thing bearing behind this line is said to be "abaft
the beam."
ABOARD.--In the yacht; as, "Get the anchor aboard!" "Come aboard!"
ABOUT.--A yacht is said to "go about" when tacking, the order to prepare
for which is, "Ready about!"
ABREAST.--Opposite to, as relates to the sides of a yacht; as, abreast
of a lighthouse, when the side of the yacht is at right angles to it, or
nearly so.
ADRIFT.--Broken loose from moorings; or any thing rolling about the
decks loose in a sea-way is said to have broken adrift.
AFLOAT.--Clear of the bottom, sustained by the water.
AFORE.--That part of the yacht nearest to the stem, or head.
AFT.--Behind; as, "Stand further aft," "Haul aft the main sheet!" i.e.
bring the boom nearer the line of the keel.
AFTER.--Hinder, as after sails, such as the mainsail, in contra
distinction to forward-sails, such as the jib.
AGROUND.--Not having water enough for the yacht, which rests on the
ground.
AHEAD.--Before the yacht; any thing in advance of where the yacht is
being directed.
A-LEE.--The helm is a-lee when the tiller is put to the lee-side; "hard
a lee," when it is put over as far as it will go.
ALL IN THE WIND.--When the sails receive a portion of the wind on both
surfaces, and shake or wave like a flag.
ALL HANDS, AHOY.--A summons used to call all the crew on deck in an
emergency.
ALOFT.--Up above, at the masthead.
ALONGSIDE.--Close to the side of the yacht.
AMIDSHIPS.--Any thing in a line with the keel; viz., "Put the helm
amidships!"
TO ANCHOR.--To let the anchor fall overboard that it may hold the yacht;
the order for which is "Let go the anchor!"
ANCHORAGE.--Ground fit to anchor on.
TO WEIGH THE ANCHOR.--To heave it up from the bottom to the bow of the
yacht.
ASHORE.--On land, aground.
ASTERN.--Behind the yacht.
ATHWART.--Across.
ATHWART-SHIPS.--Any thing lying at right angles to the line of the keel,
or nearly so.
AVAST.--To cease pulling, to stop.
A-WEATHER.--The helm is said to be a-weather when the tiller is put over
to the windward side of the yacht; and "hard a-weather," when it is put
over as far as it will go.
AWNING.--A canvas covering stretched overhead, to give protection from
the heat of the sun.
BACK-STAYS.--Ropes fixed at the topmasthead, and fastened to the sides
of the yacht to sustain the topmast.
BALLAST.--A quantity of heavy material placed in the hold of the yacht
to give her proper stability.
BANDS.--Pieces of canvas sewn across a sail to strengthen it to sustain
the reef-points, and called reef-bands.
BAR.--A shoal, usually found at the mouths of rivers and harbors that
are subject to much current.
BARE POLES.--Having no sail up, on account of the severity of the wind:
hence "scudding under bare poles," that is, running before the wind with
no sail set.
BEAMS.--Pieces of timber across the yacht under the decks, bound to the
sides by knees. A yacht is said to be on her "beam-ends" when she is
hove down by any force, so that the ends of the beams point towards the
ground.
FORWARD OF THE BEAM.--When the object or wind is at some position
between abeam and ahead.
BEFORE THE BEAM.--When the wind or object bears on some point forward of
the beam, but within the right angle formed by the keel and a line
across the middle of the yacht.
ABAFT THE BEAM.--The opposite to Before the Beam.
BEARINGS.--The direction of any object by observation of the compass;
also to any object, as the lighthouse bears abaft the beam.
BEATING TO WINDWARD.--Advancing in the direction from which the wind
proceeds by a series of manoeuvres called "tacking."
BECALMED.--Having no wind to fill the sails. One sail is also said to
becalm another when the wind is aft.
BELAY.--To make fast a rope around a cleat or pin.
TO BEND.--To fasten; as to bend the sails, bend on the cable to the
anchor, bend on the colors, &c.
BIGHT.--Any _slack_ part of a rope between the ends.
BILGE.--The flat part of a yacht's bottom, where the water that she
ships, or which leaks in, remains, and is called "bilge-water."
BINNACLE.--A box, fitted with lights, which contains the
steering-compass.
BERTH.--An anchorage; a bunk or wooden shelf used for sleeping in.
BITTS.--Large, upright pieces of timber, with a cross-piece, to which
hawsers or large ropes are belayed; also called "knight-heads."
BLOCKS.--Instruments, with sheaves or pulleys, used to increase the
power of ropes.
BLOCK AND BLOCK (also called commonly "chock-a-block").--When the two
blocks of a tackle have been brought as near together as possible.
TO MAKE A BOARD.--To tack.
TO MAKE A STERN-BOARD.--To move through the water stern foremost.
BOB-STAYS.--Ropes from the cut-water, or stem, to the bowsprit end, to
sustain and strengthen it.
BOLT-ROPES.--Ropes sewn round the edges of the sails, to keep them from
splitting.
BOOMS.--Round pieces of timber on which the foot of sails are lashed.
BOWS.--The round part of the yacht forward, ending in the cut-water, or
stem.
TO BOUSE.--To haul upon.
BOWSPRIT.--A spar nearly parallel with the deck, extending out over the
stem.
TO BRING UP.--To take the bottom suddenly, as brought up by a shoal; to
come to an anchor.
TO BRING TO.--To make the yacht nearly stationary by stopping her
headway by means of the sails set in different positions, so as to
counterpoise each other in connection with the helm.
BUTT END.--The end of a plank in a yacht's side; to start a butt, i.e.,
to leak.
BY THE BOARD.--A mast is said to go by the board when carried away just
above the deck.
BY THE HEAD.--When a yacht is deeper in the water forward than aft.
BY THE STERN.--The reverse of "by the head."
BY THE WIND.--When a yacht is as near the wind as she can be sailed
without the sails shaking; also called "full and by."
CABLE.--The rope by which the yacht is secured to the anchor.
TO PAY OUT THE CABLE.--To allow more of it to pass outboard, so that the
yacht lies farther from the anchor.
CABOOSE.--Place where the food is cooked; also called the "cook's
galley."
CALL.--A silver whistle used by the boatswain to have certain orders
obeyed.
CAPSIZE.--To turn over.
TO CARRY AWAY.--A spar is said to be carried away when it is broken by
the wind.
TO CAST OFF.--To untie, to allow to go free; viz., "Cast off the
main-sheet!" "Cast off that boat's painter!"
CASTING.--To pay a yacht off on the desired tack when weighing the
anchor, by arranging the sails so as to be taken aback.
CAT BOAT-RIG.--A yacht rigged with one mast placed chock forward in the
eyes, and without stays or bowsprit, and fitted with one fore-and-aft
sail.
CAT'S-PAW.--A light breeze or puff of air seen upon the water.
TO CALK.--To drive oakum or cotton into the seams to prevent leaking,
and to "pay" the same with pitch or tar.
CENTRE-BOARD.--A movable keel that can be lowered or hoisted at
pleasure.
TO CLAW OFF.--To beat to windward from off a lee-shore.
CLEAT.--A piece of wood with two horns, fastened to the side of the
yacht or to the mast, upon which ropes are made fast.
CLEWS.--The corners of sails.
CLOSE-HAULED.--To sail as near the wind as possible.
COILING.--To gather up a rope into a circular form ready for running out
again at a moment's notice; such as, "Coil up the peak-halliards, and
have them ready for running!"
COURSE.--The point of the compass on which the yacht sails.
CROSS-BEARINGS.--The finding of the exact position of the yacht upon the
chart by taking the bearings by compass of two objects on shore.
CROTCH.--Two crossed pieces of wood in which the main boom is lashed,
when the yacht is at anchor or the sail furled, to confine it in place.
TO CUN.--To direct the helmsman how to steer.
CUT-WATER.--The timber forming the entrance of the yacht.
BOAT-DAVITS.--Pieces of strong, bent iron standing out over the side to
hoist boats up to, and secure them.
DOWN-HAUL.--A rope used to pull down the jib, &c.
DRAUGHT.--Depth of water. Thus it is said of a yacht that her draught is
three feet; i.e., she draws three feet of water.
DRIFT.--To drive to leeward; to lose steerage way for want of wind.
EARINGS.--Small ropes used for lashings.
EASE OFF.--To slacken.
EASE OFF HANDSOMELY.--To slacken very carefully.
END FOR END.--To change a rope that has been worn, and use one part
where the other was formerly used.
END ON.--To advance bow or stern on, or to have another vessel approach
in a similar manner.
ENSIGN.--The national flag, carried always at the gaff-end.
FAG-END.--The end of a rope which is frayed.
FALLING OFF.--When a yacht moves from the wind farther than she ought.
FATHOM.--A measurement six feet in length.
FID.--A tapered piece of wood used to splice ropes with, and, when made
of iron, called a "marline-spike."
TO FILL.--To have the wind strike the inner or after surfaces of the
sails.
FLAKE.--One circle of a coil of rope.
FLUKES.--The broad spade-like parts of an anchor.
FORE.--That part of the yacht nearest to the head.
FORE AND AFT.--In the direction of the keel; also vessels without square
yards. Hence a schooner is often called a "fore-and-after;" and a ship,
a "square-rigger."
FOUL HAWSE.--When the cables are twisted.
TO FOUL.--To entangle a rope; as, "The jib-halliards are foul." To run
foul of a yacht is to come in collision with another.
TO FOUNDER.--To sink.
FURLING.--Making the sails fast to the booms and spars, and stowing
them, by means of gaskets.
GAFF.--The spar that supports the head of a fore-and-aft sail.
GANGWAY.--The place where persons come on board.
GASKET.--A piece of rope or narrow canvas used to tie up sails with, or
lash any thing.
TO GO ABOUT.--To tack.
GORING.--Cutting a sail obliquely.
GRANNY-KNOT.--A foul knot,--one not tied in a proper manner.
GRIPING.--When a yacht carries too great a weather-helm.
HALLIARDS.--Ropes or pulleys to hoist up sails.
HANDS.--The crew; i.e., "Send a hand aft here!" "All hands," all the
crew. To "hand a sail," to furl it. "Bear a hand," hurry up to help.
Hand lead, instrument used for sounding.
HANDSOMELY.--Carefully.
HANKS.--Oval rings, fitted to work upon stays, to which the sail is
lashed to be hoisted or lowered.
HATCHWAY.--A square hole in the deck that communicates with the hold.
TO HAUL.--To pull.
TO HAIL.--To call out to another ship; such as "What ship is that?"
TO HEEL.--To incline to one side; i.e., she heels over too much on
account of a want of ballast.
HELM.--A tiller or wheel which controls the rudder.
TO HAUL HOME.--To pull the clew of any sail as far as it will go.
TOO HIGH.--The warning given to the helmsman when the yacht is too near
the wind.
TO HITCH.--To make fast.
THE HOLD.--The space under deck.
HULL.--The body of a yacht.
"IN IRONS."--A yacht is said to be "in irons" when she has lost steerage
way from any cause, and will not obey the helm.
JACK-STAY.--A small bar of iron, or slat of wood, fastened to a spar,
and to which the sail is bent.
TO JAM.--A knot is said to be jammed when it cannot be untied.
JUNK.--Old pieces of rope, canvas, &c.
JURY-MASTS.--Temporary masts used when others are carried away.
JIBING.--The act of passing the main-boom from one side of the yacht to
the other, whilst running before the wind.
KEEL.--That part of the yacht lowest in the water, and upon which all
her superstructure is erected.
KINK.--A twist or turn in the rope.
TO LABOR.--A yacht is said to labor when she pitches and rolls heavily
in a sea-way.
LAND-FALL.--Discovering the land.
LARBOARD.--The left side of the yacht, facing forward, now almost
obsolete, _port_ having almost wholly taken its place; larboard having
been found in practice to be too near in sound to its opposite
starboard.
LAY AFT.--The command to come aft. "Lay aloft," to go up the rigging.
"Lay out," to go out, on the bowsprit, for instance. "Lay in," to come
in.
LEACH.--The perpendicular border of a fore-and-aft sail.
LEE-LURCH.--When the yacht rolls heavily and suddenly to leeward.
LEE-SHORE.--The coast-line to leeward of the yacht, on which the wind is
blowing.
LEEWARD.--The direction towards which the wind is blowing.
LONG LEG.--A term used when the wind is not dead ahead, but so as to
cause the yacht to make a long tack and a short one. Hence, to make "a
long leg," and a short leg.
LOG.--The record of the yacht's performance each day of twenty-four
hours, as concerns weather, courses, &c., kept in a log-book. "Heaving
the log," to ascertain the speed by means of a log-line.
LOOMING.--The appearance of a distant object, such as another vessel, or
the land, especially in foggy or misty weather, when it is said to loom,
i.e., look larger, and appear nearer, than it really is.
LUBBER.--A person who is not a sailor,--a greenhorn.
LUFF.--An order to have the helmsman put the helm to leeward; the
forward part of a fore-and-aft sail attached to the mast by hoops.
LYING TO.--Bringing the yacht to the wind under small sail, and lashing
the helm a-lee, so that she may lie safely, and ride out the storm.
TO MOOR.--To secure the yacht by more than one anchor.
MOORINGS.--The place where the yacht is generally kept when in harbor,
and denoted by a buoy, which watches over them.
NEAP-TIDES.--Those tides which occur when the moon is in her quarters;
spring-tides being much higher, and occurring at the full and change.
TOO NEAR.--A warning to the helmsman that the sails are not quite full,
and that he is steering a little too near the wind.
MAIN CHAINS.--Place on the yacht's side where the shrouds and backstays
are fastened.
MISS-STAYS.--The act of failing to "go about" on the other tack.
MODEL.--The shape and form of the hull.
OFF AND ON.--Approaching the land on one tack, and leaving it on the
other.
OFFING.--Out to sea, clear of all dangers, yet near the land; sea-room.
OVERBOARD.--Out of the yacht; in the water.
OVERHAULING.--To haul a rope through a block; to examine any thing
thoroughly; to gain upon a vessel or object ahead.
PAINTER.--A short rope in the bows of a boat by which she is secured.
TO PART.--To tear asunder; i.e., the cable has parted; the main-sheet
has parted.
TO PASS A LASHING.--To wind a rope round a spar or sail.
PAY.--To rub on pitch or tar with a large brush.
TO PAY OFF.--To make a yacht's head recede from the wind by hauling the
jib to windward, and easing off the main-boom to leeward.
TO PEAK UP.--To elevate the outer or after end of a gaff, so that the
sail may set better.
PLYING.--Turning to windward.
POOPING.--A yacht is said to be pooped when she is struck by a sea that
comes on board over the stern or quarter.
PORT.--_See_ larboard.
PREVENTER.--Any thing to secure or take off the strain, as preventer
jib-sheet.
PENNANT.--A long narrow flag.
QUARTER.--That part of the yacht's side contained between the beam and
stern.
RAKE.--The sheer of masts from the perpendicular.
RANGE OF CABLE.--A sufficient length overhauled and ready so as to allow
the anchor to reach the bottom without fouling.
TO REEF.--To reduce a sail by fastening it down to a boom or jack-stay
by means of reef-points.
TO REEVE.--To pass a rope through a block.
TO RIDE.--To be held at anchor.
TO RIGHT.--A yacht is said to right when she rises to an upright
position again, after having been thrown on her beam-ends by a sudden
squall.
TO RIGHT THE HELM.--To put it amidships, so that the rudder will be in a
line with the keel.
TO RUN DOWN.--When one yacht sinks another by running over her.
SCANT.--The wind is said to be scant when a yacht will barely lay her
course.
SCOPE.--To pay out more of the cable when at anchor.
TO SCUD.--To run before the wind in a storm.
TO SCUTTLE.--To make holes in a yacht's bottom to sink her.
TO SERVE.--To wind any thing round a rope so as to save it from chafing.
TO SEIZE.--To make fast or bind.
TO SHEER.--To vary to the right and left from a direct course.
TO SHIP.--To place or receive any thing on board; as, to ship a sea, to
ship a crew.
TO SHIVER.--To make the sails shake in the wind's eye.
SHOAL.--The land beneath the water that approaches near the surface, or
is left bare at low water.
THE SLACK OF A ROPE.--The part that hangs loose.
TO SLIP A CABLE.--To let it run out overboard, and release the yacht
from the anchor, being first generally buoyed so as to be recovered.
TO SLUE.--To turn any thing about.
SNUB.--Used in reference to the cables, in checking the yacht, after
they have been paid out.
TO SOUND.--To ascertain the depth of water by means of a lead-line.
TO TAKE A SPELL.--To relieve any one at any duty; as, to take a spell at
the wheel.
TO SPILL.--To take the wind out of a sail by easing off the sheets or
otherwise, so as to remove the pressure of the wind.
TO SPLICE.--To join two ropes together by interweaving the strands.
TO SPRING A MAST.--To crack or split it.
A SPRING.--A rope made fast to the cable, and taken on board aft, in
order to haul the yacht's side in any direction.
SPRING-TIDES.--The highest tides, which occur at the full and change of
the moon.
TO STAND ON.--To keep on in one's course.
TO STAND BY.--To be ready.
STARBOARD.--The right side of a yacht, the observer looking from aft
forward.
TO STEER.--To control the yacht with the rudder and tiller.
STRANDED.--A yacht is said to be stranded when she is so far on shore
that she cannot be floated.
TO STRIKE.--To beat against the bottom; to hit suddenly any object below
the surface of the water.
SWIG OFF.--To take a turn with a rope at a cleat, and then pull upon it
laterally, so as to gather in all the slack.
TO TACK.--To advance by a series of angles toward the direction from
which the wind proceeds.
TAUT.--Tight.
TAUNT.--Long, lofty.
TENDER.--A small boat or wherry used to pass from the yacht to the
shore.
TO TOW.--To drag any thing astern behind the yacht; as, to tow the
tender.
TRUCK.--The small ball at the topmasthead, through which the
signal-halliards reeve.
TROUGH OF THE SEA.--The level of the water between two waves.
TURNING TO WINDWARD.--Tacking.
UNBEND.--To cast off, to release; as, "Unbend the anchor from the
cable!" "Unbend the mainsail!"--roll it up and put it below.
TO UNSHIP.--To take any thing from the place where it was fixed; as, to
"unship the rudder."
WAKE.--The track, or furrow, left by the yacht on the water she has
passed over.
TO WEAR.--To turn a yacht round _from_ the wind,--the direct opposite of
tacking.
TO WARP.--To move a yacht by hawsers.
WATCH.--A division of the crew into starboard and larboard watch, who
take turns in taking care of the yacht.
WATER-LOGGED.--The condition of a yacht when she is so full of water as
to be almost unmanageable, and nearly submerged.
WAY.--Progress through the water: "she has good way on." To a boat's
crew, to cease pulling, the command is given, "Way enough."
TO WEATHER A YACHT.--To get to the windward side by faster speed, or
lying nearer the wind.
WEATHER BEATEN.--Worn by the weather and exposure.
WELL OF ALL.--A command used when the several ropes of a sail have all
been hauled upon at the same time, and it is perfectly set, and means to
belay.
TO WEIGH.--To lift an anchor from the bottom.
WIND'S EYE.--The exact direction from which the wind proceeds.
TO WINDWARD.--Towards that point from which the wind blows.
TO WORK TO WINDWARD.--To tack so as to make progress in the direction
from which the wind blows.
YACHT.--A vessel used for pleasure only, and not for commerce or trade;
built for speed and comfort.
TO YAW.--To swerve suddenly and violently from the true course, in spite
of the action of the rudder.
_Franklin Press: Rand, Avery, & Co., Boston._
End of Project Gutenberg's Practical Boat-Sailing, by Douglas Frazar