Every Boy's Book: A Complete Encyclopaedia of Sports and Amusements Part 48

_Buoy_, a floating cask or piece of wood.

_Cabin_, the after part of the vessel in which the officers live.

_Capstan_, a machine placed perpendicularly on deck, round which the cable is pa.s.sed, in order to hoist the anchor. It is moved round with bars of wood stuck into it, which are called handspikes or capstanbars.

_Cathead_, large pieces of wood over the bow, having sheaves within them, by which the anchor is hoisted or lowered.

_Cleat_, pieces of wood on which ropes are belayed.

_Combings_, raised woodwork round the hatches, to prevent the water going down to the hold.

_Companion_, ladder leading down to the state cabins.

_Davits_, rods of timber or iron, with sheaves or blocks at their ends, projecting over a vessel's side or stern, to hoist boats up to.

_Draught_, the depth of water which a vessel requires to float her.

_Feather, to_; to lift the blade of the oar horizontally as it comes out of the water.

_Fenders_, pieces of wood or rope hanging over the side of a boat, to keep it from chafing.

_Fathom_, six feet.

_Flat_, a sheet is said to be hauled flat, when it is hauled down close.

_Fore and Aft_, lengthwise with the vessel.

_Forecastle_, the part of the vessel before the foremast.

_Foul Anchor_, when the cable has a turn round the anchor.

_Gaff_, a spar to which the head of a fore and aft sail is bent.

_Gage_, depth of water in a vessel--this water is called "bilge water."

_Gangway_, that part of a vessel's side through which people pa.s.s in and out of the vessel.

_Gaskets_, pieces of rope or plaited stuff, used to fasten the sail to the yard when it is furled.

_Give way, to_; to row more forcibly.

_Grapnel_, a small anchor with several claws, generally four, used to secure boats.

_Gunwale_, (p.r.o.n. _Gun'el_,) the upper rail of a boat or vessel.

_Gybe_, or _Jibe, to_; to s.h.i.+ft over the boom of a fore-and-aft sail.

_Halliards_, ropes used for hoisting or lowering yards and sails.

_Hatchway_, an opening of the deck.

_Hatches_, the coverings of hatchways.

_Hawser_, a large rope.

_Helm_, the steering apparatus.

_Hold water, to_; to stop the progress of a boat, by keeping the oars in the water.

_Jib_, a triangular headsail.

_Jib-boom_, a spar rigged out beyond the bowsprit.

_Jurymast_, a temporary mast rigged in the place of a lost one.

_Lee Board_, a board fitted to the lee side of flat-bottomed boats, to prevent their drifting to leeward.

_Log_, a journal of the proceedings of a vessel; also a line with a triangular piece of board, called the log s.h.i.+p, which is cast overboard to ascertain the s.h.i.+p's rate of sailing.

_Luff, to_; to steer the boat nearer the wind.

_Lurch_, the sudden rolling of a vessel to one side.

_Marling-spike_, an iron pin sharpened at one end, to separate the strands of a rope.

_Martingale_, or _Dolphin-striker_, a short perpendicular spar under the bowsprit's end.

_Miss stays_, to fail going about.

_Oak.u.m_, pieces of yarn picked to pieces, used for caulking.

_Overhaul, to_; when a rope is pa.s.sed through two blocks, in order to make a tackle, the rope which is hauled on is called the fall; if one of the blocks gets loose, the act of hauling on the rope between the blocks, in order to separate them, is called overhauling.

_Painter_, a rope attached to the bow of a boat.

_Pendant_, a long narrow flag at the mast-head.

_Quarter_, that part of the vessel between the stern and the main chains.

_Ratlines_ (p.r.o.n. _Rat'lin's_,) ropes fastened across the shrouds, like the steps of a ladder.

_Scud, to_; to drive along before a gale with no sail, or only enough to keep her ahead of the sea. Also, low thin clouds flying swiftly before the wind.

_Spanker_, or _Driver_, the after sail of a s.h.i.+p or bark. It is fore and aft sail set with a boom and gaff.

_Splice, to_; to join two ropes together by entwining their strands; a rope is generally formed of three strands twisted together.

_Spring, to_; to split a mast.