DIXON KEMP
Manual of Yacht and Boat Sailing and
Architecture
(11th and final edition, 1913)
F. G.
- Fag End.--
- When there is "nothing left of the rope but the
end." The frayed-out end of a rope.
-
- 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 is a curved line which has
no abrupt or unfair inflexions in it.
-
- Fair Lead.--
- 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, &c.
-
- 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. (See "Breast
Fast," "Bow Fast," "Quarter Fast.")
Fastenings.--
- The bolts, nails, &c., by which the framing
and planking of a vessel are held together.
-
- Fathom.--
- A sea measure of 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" &c.
-
Fetch Away.--
- To slip or move without intention. To fetch
sternway or headway is when a vessel begins to move
ahead or astern.
-
Fid.--
- 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. (See "Sister Block" and "Long Tackle
Block.")
-
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 Bend.-- See "Knots."
-
Fisherman's Walk.--
- When there is very little deck room, "Three
steps and overboard."
-
- Fishing Tackle .--
- The lines, hooks, sinkers, &c., used by
fishermen. Messrs. Hearder and Son, of 195,
Union-street, Plymouth, publish a book giving a
full description of all the lines, nets, &c.,
necessary for a yacht, with instructions for using
the same. The book can be had on application to
Messrs. Hearder.
-
- 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 been dismantled.
-
- Flag Officer.--
- An Admiral, Vice-Admiral, ore Rear-Admiral;
also the Commodore, Vice. Commodore, or
Rear-Commodore of a club.
-
- Flags.--
- Pieces of bunting of various forms, colors, and
devices, such as ensigns, jacks, burgees,
&c.
-
- Flag Signals.--
- See "Signals"
-
- Flags, the size of.--
- The size of the racing flags usually carried is
as under :
-
- Tons ft-in ft-in
- 5 1-6 by 1-0
- 10 1-9 by 1-2
- 20 2-3 by 1-9
- 40 2-9 by 2-0
- 60 3-0 by 2-3
- 100 3-6 by 2-9
- 150 4-0 by 3-3
- 200 4-6 by 3-9
- and above 200 tons the same.
-
- The burgee of a yacht 45ft. long over all would
be 2ft 6in in the fly, and 3/4in for every foot of
length of the yacht up to 130ft. over all. The
ensign would be 6ft. for a 45ft. yacht, and 1-in.
for every additional foot of length of time yacht
up to 130ft. over all.
-
- Flare.-- To project outwards, contrary to
tumbling home.
-
- Flashing Lights.-- See "Signals"
-
- 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.
-
- FIG 39.
-
- FIG 40.
-
- Many plans for floating anchors have been used,
the simplest being thus made; three spars, in
length about two-thirds the beam of the vessel,
were lashed together by their ends in the form of a
triangle; over this triangle a jib made of stout
canvas was lashed. Then to each corner of the
triangle a rope was made fast: the ends of these
ropes were then bent to a hawser, and thus formed a
kind of bridle. A weight was attached to one corner
of the triangle to keep it in a vertical position ;
veer out the hawser and ride to 30, 50, or 70
fathoms, according to the sea.
-
- But the old plan, given in "Falconer's Marine
Dictionary" (date 1789), is the most approved (see
the diagram, Figs. 39, 40); k, m, n, o, are the
ends of two iron bars formed into a cross, and
connected by a stout bolt, nut, and pin at their
intersections s. At each end of the bars is a hole
through which a strong rope is rove, hauled taut,
and well secured. Thus a square is formed, and over
the square a piece of stout canvas is laced to the
roping. Four stout ropes are made fast to the iron
bars, and make a sort of bridle or crow foot, the
other ends being bent to a ring x. The ends should
be well seized or "clinched." The hawser is bent to
this ring to ride by. To prevent the anchor
sinking, a buoy, B, is made fast attached to one
corner with 6 or 7 fathoms of drift; this buoy will
also prevent the anchor "diving" (as it would, like
a kite flies into the air) when a strain is brought
upon it. The buoy rope p should lead on hoard; h is
the hawser to which the vessel is riding, A is the
anchor, and B the buoy.
-
- To get the anchor on board haul in on the line
p; this will bring the anchor edgeways, and it can
then be readily hauled in. (See also "Oil at Sea.")
- Floating Dock.--
- Upon lakes, where there are no tides, and no
convenience for hauling a yacht up, a floating dock
may be of service to get at a yacht's bottom. The
dock would he rectangular in form, of which |__|
might be a transverse section, and its size would
depend upon the weight of the yacht that had to
bedecked. The weight of the yacht can roughly be
arrived at thus :
-
- length on load line, multiplied by beam on load
line, multiplied by draught of water to rabbet of
keel; the product in turn being multiplied by the
fraction 0.3.
-
- The decimal .3 is used, as that fairly allows
for the quantity cut away from the cube in
modelling. Say the yacht is 40ft. long, 8ft. broad,
and 6ft. deep to the rabbet in the keel, then 40 x
8 x 6, equal to 1920 cubic feet. 1920 multiplied by
0.3 is equal to 576 cubic feet. There are 35 cubic
feet of salt water to one ton, and 576 divided by
35 is equal to 16.4 tons. (There are 36 cubic feet
of fresh water to one ton.)
-
- A dock 50ft. long, 16ft. broad, and immersed
2ft., would (omitting of course the reduction by
the factor .3, as the dock would be a cube) be
equal to 45 tons; the weight of the dock made of
4-inch deal, would be, if the sides were 10ft.
deep, about 20 tons; this would leave a margin of
25 tons for floating at 2ft. draught. A false
bottom and sides 2ft. deep would have to be made in
the dock; also a door at one end hinged from its
lower edge, level with the top of the false bottom,
and rabbeted at the sides To get the yacht in the
dock lower the door and fill the false bottom and
sides with water until the dock sank low enough to
be hauled under the keel of the yacht; then close
the valve which lets the water in, shut the door,
and pump the water out of the false bottom and
sides (a hose for the pump should be used in case
the dock sank). The yacht should be shored up from
the sides of the dock before she took any list.
With caution such a contrivance could be used for
floating a deep draught yacht over shallows from
one lake to another, or through canals ; in such
eases, if the draught of water for going over the
shallows were not limited to 2ft., it would be well
to keep the false bottom full or partially full of
water.
- 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.
-
- FIG. 41.
-
- Fluid Compass.--
- A compass card in a basin of fluid, usually
spirit, 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.")
- Flukes.--
- (Pronounced "flues" by seamen). The 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.
-
- 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. (See "Yacht Racing Rules.")
-
- 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.
-
- Foot.-- The lower edge of a sail. (See
"Forefoot.")
-
- Fore.-- Front; contrary of aft; the forward
part.
-
- Fore-and-aft.-- Running from forward aft, in a
line with the keel.
-
- Fore-and-aft Rig.--
- Like a cutter or schooner; without yards, with
all the sails tacked and sheeted in a line with the
keel.
-
- Fore-body.--
- The fore part of a ship which is forward of the
greatest transverse section.
-
- Forecastle.--
- The space under deck before the mast allotted
to the seamen.
-
- 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.--
- The mast which occupies the most forward
position in a vessel.
-
- Fore Peak.--
- The forecastle, a space decked over forward in
a small boat to stow gear in.
-
- 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. A vessel is said to fore-reach or
head-reach fast that is noted for great speed when
sailing by the wind. (See "Head Reach.")
-
- 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."
- 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.
-
- Foul.--
- Entangled, not clear. To touch another
yacht.
-
- Foul Anchor.--
- When an anchor gets a turn of the cable round
its arms or stock; when imbedded among rocks,
&c., so that it cannot be readily recovered.
Also a pictorial anchor with a cable round the
shank, &c.
-
- 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, &c.
-
- Foul Hawse.--
- When moored if the cables get crossed by the
vessel swinging with the tide. (See "Hawse.")
-
- Frames.--
- The timbers or ribs of a vessel.
-
- 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.
-
- 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 side of a vessel which is above water.
- French
Nautical Terms.
-
- Fresh Breeze.-- See "Wind."
-
- 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, etc., 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.
-
- Funeral Salute.-- See " Salutes."
-
- 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.--
- The yard to which the head of a fore-and-aft
sail is bent. (See "Jaws.")
-
- 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.
-
- Galley or Galley Fire.--
- The caboose, or 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 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." (See
"Accommodation Ladder.")
-
- 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.--
- The 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. (See
"Tyers.")
-
- 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. (See "Steerage
Way.")
-
- Gawlor or Gowler.--
- An open boat which can either be rowed or
sailed, common to Portsmouth watermen. They are
very skillfully handled by the watermen, and go
backwards and forwards to Spithead and elsewhere in
ail kinds of weather, and seldom meet with mishaps.
They are sharp sterned, like the bow, and are
rigged with sprit, mainsail, and mizen, and a
foresail. They have no boom to the mainsail.
-
- 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. In gig races a boat should not be
considered a gig if she has less than 1ft. of
breadth for every 7ft. of length, and 3/4-in. depth
amidships for every foot of length. At the regatta
held at Itchen ferry by yachtmasters a "gig must
not exceed 28ft. in length, and be in the
proportions of 28ft. long, 4ft. broad, and 1ft.
8in. deep." A boat could be shorter if these
proportions were maintained.
-
- 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 hare 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,
&c., are swung on board ship. Often called
"double gimbals." In Fig. 42 a a are the axles of
the outer ring R, and x x of the inner ring M.
-
- 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.
-
- FIG 42.
-
- 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.
-
- 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. (See "Clock Calm.")
-
- Glue for Paper.--
- For joining paper, cardboard or model work, or
similar articles, a good glue can be made thus:
dissolve 2oz. of the best transparent glue in
1/4pt. of strong cider vinegar. Let it simmer
slowly by placing the dish containing it in a dish
of boiling water. When it has become liquid, add
1oz. of highest proof alcohol, and keep it tightly
corked. If cold, heat in hot water when needed for
use.
-
- 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. (See "Large.")
-
- 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.
-
- Good Conduct Money.--
- A douceur of one shilling or more a week given
to men at the end of a season for good behaviour,
and withheld for the week in which any offence or
offences were committed. (See "Conduct
Money.")
-
- Good Full.--
- Same as "Clean Full," or little fuller than
"Full and By."
-
- Gooseneck.--
- An iron jointed bolt used to fix the end of
booms to the mast, &c.
-
- 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.
-
- 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. Manufactured by Gordon,
of Southampton, and Summers and Hewitt, of
Cowes.
-
- 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 knots. (See "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, &c.
-
- 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, &c.
-
- Gravity.--
- Weight. The centre of gravity is the common
centre of a weight or weights.
-
- 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.
-
- 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.
(See "Weather helm.")
-
- Grommet or Grummet.--
- A ring formed of a single strand of rope laid
over three times. Used for strops, &c. (Fig.
43) .
-
- Grounding.--
- The act of getting aground or taking the ground
as the tide falls.
-
- FIG 43.
-
- 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, &c., 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. (See
"Braces.")
-
- FIG. 44.
-
- Gunter or Sliding Gunter (See Figs. 44 and
45).--
- Not to be confounded with the modern gunter lug
which is really a cross between a high-peaked gaff
sail and a Clyde lug. It has jaws on the heel of
the yard or gaff, which is usually curved. Either
one or two halyards are used.
-
- Gunwale.--
- 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.
-
- FIG 45.
-
- 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.
-
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© 2000 Craig O'Donnell
May not be reproduced without my permission.
Go scan your own damn dictionary.
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