Every specialist subject has its own terminology. Sailing is an ancient calling with a rich vocabulary. Whereas some words are gradually falling into disuse, a surprising number have been assumed into everyday language. This list includes some terms that are specific to sailing trawlers and the East Coast, and are not necessarily common parlance amongst all sailors. AAback: when the wind has got on the `wrong' side of a sail Abaft: behind. Aft: towards the back Aloft: in the rigging Athwart or Athwartships: across the ship Avast! or `vast!: stop what you are doing! BBack (1) (to): slacken off or pay out a rope or cable Back (2) (to): the wind is said to 'back' when it shifts anti-clockwise Bear off or Bear away (to): turn the bows away from the wind Bear up (to): turn the bows towards the wind Becket (1): eye on the end of a rope, or eye on the tail of a block, to take the standing part of the purchase Becket (2): anything to confine loose rope, oars, spars, etc., usually consisting of a short length of rope with an eye at one end and a toggle or knot at the other Belay (to): make fast and secure a rope Belaying Pin: pin upon which to belay a rope Below: downstairs Bend on (to): tie a rope on to something. Bight: hanging loop or slack pant in the middle of a rope. Block: ship's pulley Bobstay: purchase to hold down end of boom (not usual on Lowestoft smacks) Boltrope: rope that is sewn round the perimeter of a sail Boom: spar to spread the foot of a fore-and-aft sail Bowse (or Bouse) down (to): haul downwards, e.g, a tack, or the bobstay Bow: front end Bower anchor: heaviest anchor Bowline: rope to hold the foresail to windward. Bowsprit (pronounced "bo'sprit"): spar sticking out the front Breast: mooring warp at right angles to the quay (that requires frequent attention if in a tidal berth) Bulkhead: wall below decks Bullseye: round block without a sheave, also called a ‘blind pulley’ - usually used to give a fair lead Bulwarks: parapet round the perimeter of the deck C Cable (1): one tenth of a nautical mile, 100 fathoms or 200 yards (185 metres) Cable (2): chain or rope to which the anchor is shackled Capstan: vertical-axis drum used to haul ropes Cast off!: let go! Cat (to): secure the anchor in a position ready for use Caulk (to): wedge material between planks to make the seam waterproof Caulking: material that has been used to make a seam waterproof Carvel (adjective): plank-on-frame form of hull construction, as used for "Excelsior" Cavils or Cavil Rails: horizontal timbers upon which ropes are made fast, usually carrying belaying pins Chafe (to): abrade or wear Chain Plate: metal strap joining the shrouds to the hull Check (to): stop veering momentarily Chock-a-block: when two blocks are touching and a purchase can be hauled no more Cleat: two-armed timber upon which to belay a rope (N.B. cleat is a noun not a verb!) Clew: corner of a sail to which the sheet is attached Clinker-built: overlapping-plank hull construction, as used for wherries or ships' boats Close-hauled: sailing as near to the wind as possible Coamings: raised surround to a deck opening Companion Way: narrow ladder or passage Counter: the overhanging part of the stern of a ship Cringle: an eye in the boltrope of a sail Crosstrees: timber crossing mast at the hounds to spread the topmast shrouds Crop: Lowestoft term for the camber of a deck Crown: 'top' or head of a block DDandy: rope from the aft trawl head that stands in for the aft bridle when it is unshackled Dandy Score: fairlead on port quarter where the dandy comes over the rail Davit: Lowestoft term for wooden crutch to push off fish tackle when catting the anchor so that flukes do not scrape the hull Dayman: someone who is not part of the watch system and keeps normal hours Deadeyes: blocks of wood that act as pulleys but without sheaves Deadman (1): fairlead with a horizontal sheave (as on top of the pawl bit) Deadman (2): fail-safe device Dead-rise: angle between the midships floor and the horizontal. "Excelsior" has a 'good' (i.e. large) dead-rise, which makes her a fleet (q.v.) ship Deck-head: ceiling Devil: on smacks, seam under the counter where the planks from each side meet Dill: Lowestoft term for space below the sole Dill Room: Lowestoft term for the largest space below the sole in the forepeak Dolly: Lowestoft term for fairleading post Doubling: protective softwood sheathing Douse (to): lower as quickly as possible (and get the wind out of the sail) Dummy: fairlead with a vertical sheave EEase (to): let a rope go out, a little at a time and under control F Fall: hauling end of a rope Fairlead: means of diverting a rope in a different direction Fathom: 6 feet (1.8 m) Fish (to): reinforce a spar with a batten (see 'main gaff') Fish an anchor (to): secure an anchor at the rail (hence 'fish tackle') Flake out or flake down (to): lay a rope or cable up-and-down and/or back-and-forth, ready to run Fleet: fast Floor: bottom element of a frame Fluke: pointed part of the anchor that digs in Foot: bottom edge of a sail Fore-and-aft: in line with the centre line For'ard: towards the front Foresail: Lowestoft term for main staysail on smacks, and mainsail on drifters Forepeak: the space below decks right in the bow Frame: curved rib of a carvel (q.v.) built ship Frapping: passing of rope or cordage around something Freeing Port: hinging opening in the bulwarks to help seawater drain off the decks 'Full and By': expression for sailing close to the wind, but with all the sails drawing Futtock: an element of a frame other than a 'floor' (q.v.) or a 'timberhead' (q.v.) GGaff: spar carrying the head of a four-sided fore-and-aft sail Galley: kitchen Gasket: rope to tie around a sail when furling Gimbals: mounting of concentric rings that allows something to remain horizontal, whatever the motion of the ship (e.g. the compass) Girt: essential tension in a gaff sail between the peak and the tack - shows as creases in the canvas from the peak towards the tack Grommet (1): rope or line worked into a ring (e.g. to reinforce a hole through canvas) Grommet (2): Lowestoft slang for ship's boy Guy: rope or tackle to steady somthing H Halyard: rope to haul up a sail Hand: crewmember Hand (to): take in (a sail) Handsomely: carefully Harden (to): tighten a rope, for example a sheet Haul: pull Haulbowlin: three-stranded tarred cord for medium seizings Hawse Pipe: hole through the port knightshead for the anchor cable Head: upper edge of a four-sided sail Heads: loo, toilet, W.C. Heave to (to): take the way off the ship by putting the foresail aback Heaving: ship's motion in a vertical plane Helm: control of the ship's steering Hoodway; covered hatch through the deck for personnel Horse: thwartships bar across the foredeck to carry the fores'l sheet Hounds: area of a mast where the shrouds are attached House (to): run in and make snug the topmast or bowsprit I'In Irons': expression used when tacking if the head of the ship will not fall off the wind either way J Jackstay: Safety line rigged along the deck in bad weather Jaws: curved timbers at the inboard end of a gaff, that help keep it against the mast Jib: three-sided fore-and-aft sail set on a bowsprit Jibe (to): allow the wind to get on the opposite side of a sail when running Jewel Block: small block at the end of a spar, such as that at the end of the mizzen gaff for the ensign halyard K Kedge (to): move ship by rowing out an anchor and warping the ship to the anchor Kedge anchor: lightweight anchor for short-term use when there is not much tide or sea running - also for kedging off Kentledge: permanent internal iron ballast Knightshead: large timber in the bulwarks either side of the stem L Lanyard: rope acting as a handle Lash (to): stop something from moving by securing with rope Leach: leeward or trailing edge of the sail Leach Line: rope from the middle of the ground rope of the trawl, used to help haul the net on board Lee Ho!: warning that the helm is over and the ship is about to tack Leeward (pronounced "loo'ard"): down wind Lizard: short length of rope suspending something Loom (1): inboard portion of a sweep or oar Loom (2): beam of a distant light visible before the light itself comes over the horizon Luff: windward edge of a sail Luff (to): put the ship's bow into the wind M Make fast (to): secure a rope Marlin: hard tarred yarn for light seizings Marlin: continuous hitching as used to bend a sail to a gaff, or to make a selvagee strop (q.v.) Mouse (to): prevent something from coming un-hooked or undone by securing with small line or seizing wire N Navel Pipe: hole through deck for anchor cable Nautical Mile: distance swept on the surface of the Earth by an angle of 1 minute (= 1/60 of a degree) at the Earth’s centre - approximately 6080 ft (1850 m) Nettles: small line used to secure the trawl warp at the tow post - it is intended to part if the trawl comes fast upon something O Oakum: vegetable fibre used to caulk planks Oar: one of a pair, used by one person (cf. 'sweep') On deck: upstairs Outhaul: Purchase to take traveller to the end of the bowsprit Overhaul (1) (to): overtake another vessel Overhaul (2) (to): pull apart a purchase that has become chock-a-block, so that it can haul again P Painter: mooring rope for ship's boat Pawl: part which engages on a ratchet wheel to ensure rotation in one direction Pay (to): fill seams to stop the caulking coming out. (past: payed) Pay out (to): let out a rope (past: paid out) Peak: top corner of the sail Pitch (1): hard but slightly flexible tar used to pay seems Pitch (2): vertical motion of the ship about a thwartships axis Point (noun): 111/4° or 1/32nd of the compass or 1/32 of a circle Port: left Purchase: arrangement of rope and blocks to achieve mechanical advantage R Rail: white-painted top of the bulwarks Ratlin: small three-stranded tarred rope used for ratlins and heavy seizings Ratlins: rope `rungs' up the shrouds Ready about!: instruction to prepare to tack Rib: small steamed timber fixed inside, and at 90° to, the planking of a boat RIB: Rigid Inflatable Boat Rolling: ship's motion about a fore-and-aft axis Rudderstock: main axle post of the rudder Rudder Trunk: hole through which the rudder stock passes Run (to): sail with the wind aft Running (adjective): shifting or moving (cf. 'standing') S Scuppers: small gap between the washboards and the deck Seam: edge joint between planks, or sail-cloths Seize (to): bring two things together by passing a rope or wire around them many times Selvagee Strop: soft strop of marled spunyarn Sheave: pulley wheel Serve (to): protect something by frapping spunyarn around it Sheet: rope to control the set of the sail Sheer: dipping curvature of the deck when viewed from the side (cf. 'reverse sheer') Sheer Pole: bar to stop shrouds twisting, which is also the first step into the rigging Shroud: stout wire to support mast in a thwartships direction Sole: floor Splice (to): join two ropes by interweaving their strands Spring (to): put a spring in tension with the aid of the engine or the tide, to manoeuvre the bow or the stern Spring(s): mooring warps leading for'ard or aft within the length of the ship Sprung: split or started but not broken Spunyarn: (pronounced "spunyun") soft tarred yarn for servings, or for seizing sails to hanks or mast hoops Stanchion: post Standing (adjective): fixed (cf. 'running') Starboard: right Stay: wire to support mast in a fore-and-aft direction Staysail: three-sided fore-and-aft sail set on, or in place of, a stay Steeve: angle of a bowsprit above the horizontal, so that it does not catch in the sea ("Excelsior's" bowsprit has no steeve and has to be ‘housed’ as the sea rises) Stern: back end Stop (to): the act of passing a stopper (you `put a stop' to an object, not an action) Stopper: rope or line to secure something temporarily Strake: one run of planking from the stempost to the sternpost or devil Stream (to): let something trail away from the ship, e.g, an anchor, a trawl, a log line Stream Anchor: main anchor for every day use on the (port) bow Strom Box: strainer around the suction pipe to a pump Surge (to): allow a rope to slip on a capstan or warping drum Sweep: oar that is worked singly by one or more people Swig on (to): gain slack in a rope by pulling at 90° to the direction of the rope Swifter (1): bottom ratline of slightly larger size Swifter (2): aftermost shroud T Tack: lower windward corner of a sail Tackle: arrangement of rope and blocks Taff rail: top rail of the bulwarks going round the stern Tail (to): take up the end of a rope and stop any of it from running out Throat: upper windward corner of a four-sided sail Thwartships: across the ship Tail on (to): control the end of a rope and take up the slack Tiller: beam by which the rudder is turned Timberhead: half-futtock (q.v.) at top of a frame (q.v.) to finish it off Tompkins: Lowestoft term for tampions, which are round wooden plugs to close apertures (yes, ‘tampon' has the same derivation!) Transom: flat stern of a ship's boat Transon: horizontal thwartships timber holding the counter together (and used as a seat on "Excelsior") Traveller: sliding ring to hold jib tack to the bowsprit Trice up (to): haul something up and make it fast, e.g. the luff of the mainsail so that it spills wind Trick: a spell or time spent on a duty, e.g. at the helm Trenail (pronounced "trunnel"): wooden plank fastening Tussie: Lowestoft term for baggywrinkle, or soft material around a rope to stop it chafing something with which it could come into contact, e.g. a sail U Up Top: on deck Uphaul: purchase to lift the bobstay when slack V 'Vast!: stop! (same as avast!) Veer (to): said of the wind when it changes direction clockwise Veer away (to): slacken off or pay out a rope or cable W Wake: track left by the ship in the sea Washboard: main planking of the bulwarks - also plank shipped into hoodway opening to stop water going below Warp (to): move the ship by means of a rope Warp: rope used to move, or stop, the ship (or the trawl) Way: momentum Windlass: anchor winch Winch: a horizontal-axis drum used to haul ropes Woold (to): wind rope around something to protect it Woolding: rope protection achieved by frapping (q.v.) rope around something ('woolding' is a larger form of 'serving') YYaw (to): swing from side to side © John Wylson 2004 |
