From Richard Henry Dana's "The Seaman's Friend: A Treatise on Practical Seamanship" (1879)
DAGGER. A piece of timber crossing all the puppets of the bilge-ways to keep them together. Dagger-knees. Knees placed obliquely, to avoid a port.
DAVITS. Pieces of timber or iron, with sheaves or blocks at their ends,projecting over a vessel's sides or stern, to hoist boats up to. Also,a spar with a roller or sheave at its end, used for fishing the anchor, called a fish-davit.
DEAD EYE. A circular block of wood, with three holes through it, for the lanyards of rigging to reeve through, without sheaves, and with a groove round it for an iron strap.
DEAD-FLAT. One of the bends, amidships.
DEAD-LIGHTS. Ports placed in the cabin windows in bad weather.
DEAD RECKONING. A reckoning kept by observing a vessel's courses and distances by the log, to ascertain her position.
DEAD-RISING, or RISING-LINE . Those parts of a vessel's floor, throughout her whole length, where the floor-timber is terminated upon the lower futtock.
DEAD-WATER. The eddy under a vessel's counter.
DEAD-WOOD. Blocks of timber, laid upon each end of the keel, where the vessel narrows.
DECK. The planked floor of a vessel, resting upon her beams.
DECK-STOPPER. A stopper used for securing the cable forward of the windlass or capstan, while it is overhauled. (See STOPPER )
DEEP-SEA-LEAD. (Pronounced dipsey.) (See page 17.) The lead used in sounding at great depths.
DEPARTURE. The easting or westing made by a vessel. The bearing of an object on the coast from which a vessel commences her dead reckoning.
DERRICK. A single spar, supported by stays and guys, to which a purchase is attached, used to unload vessels, and for hoisting.
DOG. A short iron bar, with a fang or teeth at one end, and a ring at the other. Used for a purchase, the fang being placed against a beam or knee, and the block of a tackle hooked to the ring.
DOG-VANE. A small vane, made of feathers or bunting, to show the direction of the wind.
DOG-WATCHES. Half watches of two hours each, from 4 to 6 and from 6 to 8, P. M. (See WATCH.)
DOLPHIN. A rope or strap round a mast to support the puddening, where the lower yards rest in the slings. Also, a spar or buoy with a large ring in it, secured to an anchor, to which vessels may bend their cables.
DOLPHIN-STRIKER. The martingale. (See PLATE 1.)
DOUSE. To lower suddenly.
DOWELLING. A method of coaking, by letting pieces into the solid, or uniting two pieces together by tenons.
DOWNHAUL. A rope used to haul down jibs, staysails, and studdingsails.
DRABLER. A piece of canvass laced to the bonnet of a sail, to give it more drop.
DRAG. A machine with a bag net, used for dragging on the bottom for anything lost.
DRAUGHT. The depth of water which a vessel requires to float her.
DRAW. A sail draws when it is filled by the wind. To draw a jib, is to shift it over the stay to leeward, when it is aback.
DRIFTS. Those pieces in the sheer-draught where the rails are cut off.
DRIVE. To scud before a gale, or to drift in a current.
DRIVER. A spanker.
DROP. The depth of a sail, from head to foot, amidships.
DRUM-HEAD. The top of the capstan.
DUB. To reduce the end of a timber.
DUCK. A kind of cloth, lighter and finer than canvass; used for small sails.
DUNNAGE. Loose wood or other matters, placed on the bottom of the hold, above the ballast, to stow cargo upon.
EARING. A rope attached to the cringle of a sail, by which it is bent or
reefed.
EIKING. A piece of wood fitted to make good a deficiency in length.
ELBOW. Two crosses in a hawse.
ESCUTCHEON. The part of a vessel's stern where her name is written.
EVEN-KEEL The situation of a vessel when she is so trimmed that she sits evenly upon the water, neither end being down more than the other.
EUVROU. A piece of wood, by which the leg's of the crow-foot to an awning are extended. (See UVROE.)
EYE. The circular part of a shroud or stay, where it goes over a mast. Eye-bolt. A long iron bar, having an eye at one end, driven through a vessel's deck or side into a timber or beam, with the eye remaining out, to hook a tackle to. If there is a ring through this eye, it is called a ring-bolt. An Eye-splice is a certain kind of splice made with the end of a rope. (See PLATE 5.) Eyelet-hole. A hole made in a sail for a cringle or roband to go through. The Eyes of a vessel. A familiar phrase for the forward part.
FACE-PIECES. Pieces of wood wrought on the fore part of the knee of the head.
FACING. Letting one piece of timber into another with a rabbet.
FAG. A rope is fagged when the end is untwisted.
FAIR-LEADER. A strip of board or plank, with holes in it, for running rigging to lead through. Also, a block or thimble used for the same purpose.
FAKE. One of the circles or rings made in coiling a rope.
FALL. That part of a tackle to which the power is applied in hoisting.
FALSE KEEL. Pieces of timber secured under the main keel of vessels.
FANCY-LINE. A line rove through a block at the jaws of a gaff, used as a downhaul. Also, a line used for cross-hauling the lee topping-lift.
FASHION-PIECES. The aftermost timbers, terminating the breadth and forming the shape of the stern.
FAST. A rope by which a vessel is secured to a wharf. There are bnw or head, breast, quarter, and stern fasts.
FATHOM. Six feet.
FEATHER. To feather an oar in rowing, is to turn the blade horizontally with the top aft as it comes out of the water.
FEATHER-EDGED. Planks which have one side thicker than another.
FENDERS. Pieces of rope or wood bung over the side of a vessel or boat, to protect it from chafing. The fenders of a neat boat are usually made of canvass and stuffed.
FID. A block of wood or iron, placed through the hole in the heel of a mast, and resting on the trestle-trees of the mast below. This supports the mast. Also, a wooden pin, tapered, used in splicing large ropes, in opening eyes, &c.
FIDDLE-BLOCK. A long shell, having one sheave over the other, and the lower smaller than the upper.
FIDDLE-HEAD. (See HEAD.)
FIFE-RAIL. The rail going round a mast.
FIGURE-HEAD. A carved head or full-length figure, over the cut-water.
FILLINGS. Pieces of timber used to make the curve fair for tie mouldings, between the edges of the fish-front and the sides of the mast.
FILLER. (See MADE MAST.)
FINISHING. Carved ornaments of the quarter-galley, below the second counter, and above the upper lights.
FISH To raise the flukes of an anchor upon the gunwale. Also, to strengthen a spar when sprung or weakened, by putting in or fastening on another piece. Fish-front, Fishes-sides. (See MADE MAST.)
FiSH-DAViT. The davit used for fishing an anchor.
FISH-HOOK. A hook with a pennant, to the end of which the fish-tackle is hooked.
FISH-TACKLE. The tackle used for fishing an anchor.
FLARE. When the vessel's sides go out from the perpendicular. In opposition to falling-home or tumbling-in.
FLAT. A sheet is said to be hauled fiat, when it is hauled down close. Flat-aback, when a sail is blown with its after surface against the mast.
FLEET. To come up a tackle and draw the blocks apart, for another pull, after they have been hauled two-blocks. Fleet ho ! The order given at such times. Also, to shift the position of a block or fall, so as to haul to more advantage.
FLEMISH COIL. (See FRENCH FAKE.)
FLEMISH-EYE. A kind of eye-splice. (See PLATE 5.)
FLEMISH-HORSE. An additional foot-rope at the ends of topsail yards.
FLOOR. The bottom of a vessel, on each, side of the keelson.
FLOOR TIMBERS. Those timbers of a vessel which are placed across the keel. (See PLATE 3.)
FLOWING SHEET. When a vessel has the wind free, and the lee clews eased off.
FLUKES. The broad triangular plates at the extremity of the arms of ail anchor, terminating in a point called the bill.
FLY. That part of a flag which extends from the Union to the extreme end. (See UNION.)
FOOT. The lower end of a mast or sail. (See FORE FOOT.)
FOOT-ROPE. The rope stretching along a yard, upon which men stand when reefing or furling, formerly called horses.
FOOT-WALING. The inside planks or lining of a vessel, over the floor-timbers.
FORE. Used to distinguish the forward part of a vessel, or things in that direction ; as, fore mast, fore hatch, in opposition to aft or after.
FORE-AND-AFT. Lengthwise with the vessel. In opposition to athwart-ships. (See SAILS.)
FORECASTLE. That part of the upper deck forward of the fore mast; or, as some say, forward of the after part of the fore channels. (See PLATE 1.) Also, the forward part of the vessel, under the deck, where the sailors live, in merchant vessels.
FORE-FOOT. A piece of timber at the forward extremity of the keel, upon which the lower end of the stem rests. (See PLATE 3.)
FORE-GANGER. A short piece of rope grafted on a harpoon, to which the line is bent.
FORE-LOCK. A flat piece of iron, driven through the end of a bolt, to prevent its drawing.
FOREMAST. The forward mast of all vessels. (See PLATE 1.)
FOREREACH. To shoot ahead, especially when going in stays.
FORE-RUNNER. A piece of rag, terminating the stray-line of the log-line.
FORGE. To forge ahead, to shoot ahead; as, in coming to anchor after the sails are furled. (See FOREREACH.)
FORMERS. Pieces of wood used for shaping cartridges or wads.
FOTHER, or FODDER. To draw a sail, filled with oakum, under a vessel's bottom, in order to stop a leak.
FOUL. The term for the opposite of clear.
FOUL ANCHOR. When the cable has a turn round the anchor.
FOUL HAWSE. When the two cables are crossed or twisted, outside the stem.
FOUNDER. A vessel founders, when she fills with water and sinks.
FOX. Made by twisting together two or more rope-yarns. A Spanish fox is made by untwisting a single yarn and laying it up the contrary way.
FRAP. To pass ropes round a sail to keep it from blowing loose. Also, to draw ropes round a vessel which is weakened, to keep her together.
FREE. A vessel is going free, when she has a fair wind and her yards braced in. A vessel is said to be free, when the water has been pumped out of her.
FRESHEN. To relieve a rope, by moving its place ; as to freshen the nip of a stay, is to shift it, so as to prevent its chafing through. To freshen ballast, is to alter its position.
FRENCH-FAKE. To coil a rope with each fake outside of the other, beginning in the middle. If there are to be riding fakes, they begin outside and go in; and so on. This is called a Flemish coil.
FULL-AND-BY. Sailing close-hauled on a wind. Full-and-by! The order given to the man at the helm to keep
the sails full and at the same time close to the wind.
FURL. To roll a sail up snugly on a yard or boom, and secure it.
FUTTOCK-PLATES. Iron plates crossing the sides of the top-rim perpendicularly. The dead-eyes of the topmast rigging are fitted to their upper ends, and the futtock-shrouds to their Tower ends.
FUTTOCK-SHROUDS. Short shrouds, leading from the lower ends of the futtock-plates to a bend round the lower mast, just below the top.
FUTTOCK-STAFF. A short piece of wood or iron, seized across the upper part of the rigging, to which the catharpin legs are secured.
FUTTOCK-TIMBERS. (See PLATES.) Those timbers between the floor and naval timbers, and the top-timbers. There are two—the lower, which is over the floor, and the middle, which is over the naval timber. The naval timber is sometimes called the ground futtock.
GAFF. A spar, to which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is bent. (See PLATE 1.)
GAFF-TOPSAIL. A light sail set over a gaff, the foot being spread by it.
GAGE. The depth of water of a vessel. Also, her position as to another vessel, as having the weather or lee gage.
GALLEY. The place where the cooking is done.
GALLOWS-BITTS. A strong frame raised amidships, to support spare spars, &c., in port.
GAMMONING. (See PLATE 1.) The lashing by which the bowsprit is secured to the cut-water.
GANG-CASKS. Small casks, used for bringing water on board in boats.
GANGWAY. (See PLATE 1.) That part of a vessel's side, amidships, where people pass in and out of the vessel.
GANTLINE. (See GIRTLINE.)
GARBOARD-STREAK. (See PLATE 3.) The range of planks next the keel, on each side.
GARLAND. A large rope, strap or grommet, lashed to a spar when hoisting it inboard.
GARNET. A purchase on the main stay, for hoisting cargo.
GASKETS. Ropes or pieces of plated stuff, used to secure a sail to the yard or boom when it is furled. They are called a bunt, quarter, or yard-arm gasket, according to their position on the yard.
GIMBLET. To turn an anchor round by its stock. To turn anything round on its end.
GIRT. The situation of a vessel when her cables are too taut.
GIRTLINE. A rope rove through a single block aloft, making a whip purchase. Commonly used to hoist rigging by, in fitting it.
GIVE WAY. An order to men in a boat to pull with more force, or to begin pulling. The same as, Lay out on your oars! or, Lay out!
GLUT. A piece of canvass sewed into the centre of a sail near the head. It has an eyelet-hole in the middle for the bunt-jigger or becket to go through.
GOB-LINE, or GAUB-LINE. A rope leading from the martingale inboard. The same as back-rope.
GOODGEON. (See GUDGEON.)
GOOSE-NECK. An iron ring fitted to the end of a yard or boom, for various purposes.
GOOSE-WINGED. The situation of a course when the buntlines and lee clew are hauled up, and the weather clew down.
GORES. The angles at one or both ends of such cloths as increase the breadth or depth of a sail.
GORING-CLOTHS. Pieces cut obliquely and put in to add to the breadth of a sail.
GRAFTING. A manner of covering a rope by weaving together yarns.
GRAINS. An iron with four or more barbed points to it, used for striking small fish.
GRAPNEL. A small anchor with several claws, used to secure boats.
GRAPPLING IRONS. Crooked irons, used to seize and hold fast another vessel.
GRATING. Open lattice work of wood. Used principally to cover hatches in good weather.
GREAVE To clean a ship's bottom by burning.
GRIPE. The outside timber of the fore-foot, under water, fastened to the lower stem-piece. (See PLATE 3.) A vessel gripes when she tends to come up into the wind.
GRIPES. Bars of iron, with lanyards, rings and clews, by which a large boat is lashed to the ring'-bolts of the deck. Those for a quarter-boat are made of long strips of matting, going round her and set taut by a lanyard.
GROMMET. (See PLATE 5) A ring formed of rope, by laying round a single strand.
GROUND TACKLE. General term for anchors, cables, warps, springs, &c. everything used in securing a vessel at anchor.
GROUND-TIER. The lowest tier of casks in a vessel's hold.
GUESS-WARP, or GUESS-HOPE. A rope fastened to a vessel or wharf, and used to tow a boat by; or to haul it out to the swinging-boom-end, when in port.
GUN-TACKLE PURCHASE. A purchase made by two single blocks.
GUNWALE. (Pronounced gun-nel.) The upper rail of a boat or vessel.
GUY. A rope attaching to anything to steady it, and bear it one way and another in hoisting.
GYBE. (Pronounced jibe.) To shift over the boom of a fore-and-aft sail.
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