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 afish-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. (See page 59.)
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. (SeeStopper.)
Deep-sea-lead.(Pronounceddipsey.) (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 buntin, 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. (SeeWatch.)
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. (SeePlate I.)
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 saildrawswhen 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. (See page 89.)
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 legs of the crow-foot to an awning are extended. (SeeUvrou.)
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 aring-bolt.
An Eye-spliceis a certain kind of splice made with the end of a rope. (SeePlate 5and page 45.)
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 isfaggedwhen 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 areboworhead,breast,quarter, andsternfasts.
Fathom.Six feet.
Feather.To feather an oarin 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 hung 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.(SeeHead.)
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 the mouldings, between the edges of the fish-front and the sides of the mast.
Filler.(SeeMade 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. (SeeMade 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 tofalling-homeortumbling-in.
Flat.A sheet is said to be hauledflat, 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 hauledtwo-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.(SeeFrench-fake.)
Flemish-eye.A kind of eye-splice. (SeePlate 5and page 45.)
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. (SeePlate 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 an anchor, terminating in a point called thebill.
Fly.That part of a flag which extends from the Union to the extreme end. (SeeUnion.)
Foot.The lower end of a mast or sail. (SeeFore-foot.)
Foot-rope.The rope stretching along a yard, upon which men stand when reefing or furling, formerly calledhorses.
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 toaftorafter.
Fore-and-aft.Lengthwise with the vessel. In opposition toathwart-ships. (SeeSails.)
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. (SeePlate 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. (SeePlate 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.
Fore Mast.The forward mast of all vessels. (SeePlate 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. (SeeForereach.)
Formers.Pieces of wood used for shaping cartridges or wads.
Fother, orFodder. 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 vesselfounders, when she fills with water and sinks.
Fox.(See page 52.) Made by twisting together two or more rope-yarns.
A Spanish foxis 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 goingfree, when she has a fair wind and her yards braced in. A vessel is said to befree, when the water has been pumped out of her.
Freshen.To relieve a rope, by moving its place; as, tofreshen the nipof 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 aFlemish 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 lower 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.(SeePlate 3.) Those timbers between the floor and naval timbers, and the top-timbers. There are two—thelower, which is over the floor, and themiddle, which is over the naval timber. The naval timber is sometimes called theground futtock.
Gaff.A spar, to which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is bent. (SeePlate 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 theweatherorlee gage.
Galley.The place where the cooking is done.
Gallows-bitts.A strong frame raised amidships, to support spare spars, &c., in port.
Gammoning.(SeePlate 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.(SeePlate 1.) That part of a vessel's side, amidships, where people pass in and out of the vessel.
Gantline.(SeeGirtline.)
Garboard-streak.(SeePlate 3.) The range of planks next to 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 abunt,quarter, oryard-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, orGaub-line. A rope leading from the martingale inboard. The same asback-rope.
Goodgeon.(SeeGudgeon.)
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.(See page 52.) 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. (SeePlate 3.) A vesselgripeswhen 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.(SeePlate 5and page 46.) 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, orGuess-rope. 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. (See page 54.)
Gunwale.(Pronouncedgun-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.(Pronouncedjibe.) To shift over the boom of a fore-and-aft sail.
Hail.To speak or call to another vessel, or to men in a different part of a ship.
Halyards.Ropes or tackles used for hoisting and lowering yards, gaffs, and sails.
Half-hitch.(SeePlate 5and page 48.)
Hammock.A piece of canvass, hung at each end, in which seamen sleep.
Hand.Tohanda sail is tofurlit.
Bear-a-hand; make haste.
Lend-a-hand; assist.
Hand-over-hand; hauling rapidly on a rope, by putting one hand before the other alternately.
Hand-lead.(See page 17.) A small lead, used for sounding in rivers and harbors.
Handsomely.Slowly, carefully. Used for an order, as, "Lower handsomely!"
Handspike.A long wooden bar, used for heaving at the windlass.
Handy Billy.A watch-tackle.
Hanks.Rings or hoops of wood, rope, or iron, round a stay, and seized to the luff of a fore-and-aft sail.
Harpings.The fore part of the wales, which encompass the bows of a vessel, and are fastened to the stem. (SeePlate 3.)
Harpoon.A spear used for striking whales and other fish.
Hatch, orHatchway. An opening in the deck to afford a passage up and down. The coverings over these openings are also calledhatches.
Hatch-baris an iron bar going across the hatches to keep them down.
Haul.Haul her wind, said of a vessel when she comes up close upon the wind.
Hawse.The situation of the cables before a vessel's stem, when moored. Also, the distance upon the water a little in advance of the stem; as, a vessel sailsathwart the hawse, or anchorsin the hawseof another.
Open hawse.When a vessel rides by two anchors, without any cross in her cables.
Hawse-hole.The hole in the bows through which the cable runs.
Hawse-pieces.Timbers through which the hawse-holes are cut.
Hawse-block.A block of wood fitted into a hawse-hole at sea.
Hawser. A large rope used for various purposes, as warping, for a spring, &c.
Hawser-laid, orCable-laidrope, is rope laid with nine strands against the sun. (SeePlate 5and page 43.)
Haze.A term for punishing a man by keeping him unnecessarily at work upon disagreeable or difficult duty.
Head.The work at the prow of a vessel. If it is a carved figure, it is called afigure-head; if simple carved work, bending over and out, abillet-head; and if bending in, like the head of a violin, afiddle-head. Also, the upper end of a mast, called amast-head. (SeeBy-the-head. SeeFast.)
Head-ledges.Thwartship pieces that frame the hatchways.
Head-sails.A general name given to all sails that set forward of the fore-mast.
Heart.A block of wood in the shape of a heart, for stays to reeve through.
Heart-yarns. The centre yarns of a strand.
Heave short. To heave in on the cable until the vessel is nearly over her anchor.
Heave-to.To put a vessel in the position of lying-to. (SeeLie-to.)
Heave in Stays.To go about in tacking.
Heaver.A short wooden bar, tapering at each end. Used as a purchase.
Heel.The after part of the keel. Also, the lower end of a mast or boom. Also, the lower end of the stern-post.
To heel, is to lie over on one side.
Heeling.The square part of the lower end of a mast, through which the fid-hole is made.
Helm.The machinery by which a vessel is steered, including the rudder, tiller, wheel, &c. Applied more particularly, perhaps, to the tiller.
Helm-port.The hole in the counter through which the rudder-head passes.
Helm-port-transom.A piece of timber placed across the lower counter, inside, at the height of the helm-port, and bolted through every timber, for the security of that port. (SeePlate 3.)
High and Dry.The situation of a vessel when she is aground, above water mark.
Hitch.A peculiar manner of fastening ropes. (SeePlate 5and page 48.)
Hog.A flat, rough broom, used for scrubbing the bottom of a vessel.
Hogged.The state of a vessel when, by any strain, she is made to droop at each end, bringing her centre up.
Hold.The interior of a vessel, where the cargo is stowed.
Hold water.To stop the progress of a boat by keeping the oar-blades in the water.
Holy-stone.A large stone, used for cleaning a ship's decks.
Home.The sheets of a sail are said to behome, when the clews are hauled chock out to the sheave-holes. An anchorcomes homewhen it is loosened from the ground and is hove in toward the vessel.
Hood.A covering for a companion hatch, skylight, &c.
Hood-ends, orHooding-ends, orWhooden-ends.Those ends of the planks which fit into the rabbets of the stem or stern-post.
Hook-and-Butt.The scarfing, or laying the ends of timbers over each other.
Horns.The jaws of booms. Also, the ends of cross-trees.
Horse.(SeeFoot-rope.)
Hounds.Those projections at the mast-head serving as shoulders for the top or trestle-trees to rest upon.
House.Tohousea mast, is to lower it about half its length, and secure it by lashing its heel to the mast below. (See page 37.)
To house a gun, is to run it in clear of the port and secure it.
Housing, orHouse-line. (Pronouncedhouze-lin.) A small cord made of three small yarns, and used for seizings.
Hull.The body of a vessel. (SeeA-hull.)
In-and-out.A term sometimes used for the scantline of the timbers, the moulding way, and particularly for those bolts that are driven into the hanging and lodging knees, through the sides, which are calledin-and-out bolts.
Inner-post.A piece brought on at the fore side of the main-post, and generally continued as high as the wing-transom, to seat the other transoms upon.
Irons.A ship is said to bein irons, when, in working, she will not cast one way or the other.
Jack.A common term for thejack-cross-trees. (SeeUnion.)
Jack-block.A block used in sending topgallant masts up and down.
Jack-cross-trees.(SeePlate 1.) Iron cross-trees at the head of long topgallant masts.
Jack-staff.A short staff, raised at the bowsprit cap, upon which the Union Jack is hoisted.
Jack-stays.Ropes stretched taut along a yard to bend the head of the sail to. Also, long strips of wood or iron, used now for the same purpose.
Jack-screw.A purchase, used for stowing cotton.
Jacob's Ladder.A ladder made of rope, with wooden steps.
Jaws.The inner ends of booms or gaffs, hollowed in.
Jeers.Tackles for hoisting the lower yards.
Jewel-blocks.Single blocks at the yard-arms, through which the studdingsail halyards lead.
Jib.(SeePlate 2.) A triangular sail set on a stay, forward.
Flying-jibsets outside of the jib; and thejib-o'-jiboutside of that.
Jib-boom.(SeePlate 1.) The boom, rigged out beyond the bowsprit, to which the tack of the jib is lashed.
Jigger.A small tackle, used about decks or aloft.
Jolly-boat.A small boat, usually hoisted at the stern.
Junk.Condemned rope, cut up and used for making mats, swabs, oakum, &c.
Jury-mast.A temporary mast, rigged at sea, in place of one lost.
Keckling.Old rope wound round cables, to keep them from chafing. (SeeRounding.)
Kedge.A small anchor, with an iron stock, used for warping.
To kedge, is to warp a vessel ahead by a kedge and hawser.
Keel.(SeePlate 3.) The lowest and principal timber of a vessel, running fore-and-aft its whole length, and supporting the whole frame. It is composed of several pieces, placed lengthwise, and scarfed and bolted together. (SeeFalse Keel.)
Keel-haul.To haul a man under a vessel's bottom, by ropes at the yard-arms on each side. Formerly practised as a punishment in ships of war.
Keelson.(SeePlate 3.) A timber placed over the keel on the floor-timbers, and running parallel with it.
Kentledge.Pig-iron ballast, laid each side of the keelson.
Kevel, orCavil.A strong piece of wood, bolted to some timber or stanchion, used for belaying large ropes to.
Kevel-heads.Timber-heads, used as kevels.
Kink.A twist in a rope.
Knees.(SeePlate 3.) Crooked pieces of timber, having two arms, used to connect the beams of a vessel with her timbers. (SeeDagger.)
Lodging-knees, are placed horizontally, having one arm bolted to a beam, and the other across two of the timbers.
Knee of the head, is placed forward of the stem, and supports the figure-head.
Knight-heads, orBollard-timbers. The timbers next the stem on each side, and continued high enough to form a support for the bowsprit. (SeePlate 3.)
Knittles, orNettles. (See page 51.) The halves of two adjoining yarns in a rope, twisted up together, for pointing or grafting. Also, small line used for seizings and for hammock-clews.
Knock-off!An order to leave off work.
Knot.A division on the log-line, answering to a mile of distance. (See page 17.)
Labor.A vessel is said to labor when she rolls or pitches heavily.
Lacing.Rope used to lash a sail to a gaff, or a bonnet to a sail. Also, a piece of compass or knee timber, fayed to the back of the figure-head and the knee of the head, and bolted to each.
Land-fall.The making land after being at sea.
A good land-fall, is when a vessel makes the land as intended.
Land ho!The cry used when land is first seen.
Lanyards.Ropes rove through dead-eyes for setting up rigging. Also, a rope made fast to anything to secure it, or as a handle, is called alanyard.
Larboard.The left side of a vessel, looking forward.
Larbowlines.The familiar term for the men in the larboard watch.
Large.A vessel is said to be goinglarge, when she has the wind free.
Latchings.Loops on the head rope of a bonnet, by which it is laced to the foot of the sail.
Launch.A large boat. TheLong-boat.
Launch ho!High enough!
Lay.To come or to go; as,Lay aloft!Lay forward!Lay aft!Also, the direction in which the strands of a rope are twisted; as, from left to right, or from right to left.
Leach.(SeeLeech.)
Leachline.A rope used for hauling up the leach of a sail.
Lead.A piece of lead, in the shape of a cone or pyramid, with a small hole at the base, and a line attached to the upper end, used for sounding. (SeeHand-lead,Deep-sea-lead.)
Leading-wind.A fair wind. More particularly applied to a wind abeam or quartering.
Leak.A hole or breach in a vessel, at which the water comes in.
Ledges.Small pieces of timber placed athwart-ships under the decks of a vessel, between the beams.
Lee.The side opposite to that from which the wind blows; as, if a vessel has the wind on her starboard side, that will be theweather, and the larboard will be theleeside.
A lee shoreis the shore upon which the wind is blowing.
Under the leeof anything, is when you have that between you and the wind.
By the lee.The situation of a vessel, going free, when she has fallen off so much as to bring the wind round her stern, and to take her sails aback on the other side.
Lee-board.A board fitted to the lee side of flat-bottomed boats, to prevent their drifting to leeward.
Lee-gage.(SeeGage.)
Leeway.What a vessel loses by drifting to leeward. When sailing close-hauled with all sail set, a vessel should make no leeway. If the topgallant sails are furled, it is customary to allow one point; under close-reefed topsails, two points; when under one close-reefed sail, four or five points.
Leech, orLeach. The border or edge of a sail, at the sides.
Leefange.An iron bar, upon which the sheets of fore-and-aft sails traverse. Also, a rope rove through the cringle of a sail which has a bonnet to it, for hauling in, so as to lace on the bonnet. Not much used.
Leeward.(Pronouncedlu-ard.) The lee side. In a direction opposite to that from which the wind blows, which is calledwindward. The opposite ofleeisweather, and ofleewardiswindward; the two first being adjectives.
Lie-to,is to stop the progress of a vessel at sea, either by counter-bracing the yards, or by reducing sail so that she will make little or no headway, but will merely come to and fall off by the counteraction of the sails and helm.
Life-lines.Ropes carried along yards, booms, &c., or at any part of the vessel, for men to hold on by.
Lift.A rope or tackle, going from the yard-arms to the mast-head, to support and move the yard. Also, a term applied to the sails when the wind strikes them on the leeches and raises them slightly.
Light.To move or lift anything along; as, to "Lightout to windward!" that is, haul the sail over to windward. Thelight sailsare all above the topsails, also the studdingsails and flying jib.
Lighter.A large boat, used in loading and unloading vessels.
Limbers, orLimber-holes. Holes cut in the lower part of the floor-timbers, next the keelson, forming a passage for the water fore-and-aft.
Limber-boardsare placed over the limbers, and are movable.
Limber-rope.A rope rove fore-and-aft through the limbers, to clear them if necessary.
Limber-streak.The streak of foot-waling nearest the keelson.
List.The inclination of a vessel to one side; as, alistto port, or alistto starboard.
Lizard.A piece of rope, sometimes with two legs, and one or more iron thimbles spliced into it. It is used for various purposes. One with two legs, and a thimble to each, is often made fast to the topsail tye, for the buntlines to reeve through. A single one is sometimes used on the swinging-boom topping-lift.
Locker.A chest or box, to stow anything away in.
Chain-locker.Where the chain cables are kept.
Boatswain's locker.Where tools and small stuff for working upon rigging are kept.
Log, orLog-book. A journal kept by the chief officer, in which the situation of the vessel, winds, weather, courses, distances, and everything of importance that occurs, is noted down.
Log.A line with a piece of board, called thelog-chip, attached to it, wound upon a reel, and used for ascertaining the ship's rate of sailing. (See page 17.)
Long-boat.The largest boat in a merchant vessel. When at sea, it is carried between the fore and main masts.
Longers.The longest casks, stowed next the keelson.
Long-timbers.Timbers in the cant-bodies, reaching from the dead-wood to the head of the second futtock.
Loof.That part of a vessel where the planks begin to bend as they approach the stern.
Loom.That part of an oar which is within the row-lock. Also, to appear above the surface of the water; to appear larger than nature, as in a fog.
Lubber's Hole.A hole in the top, next the mast.
Luff.To put the helm so as to bring the ship up nearer to the wind.Spring-a-luff!Keep your luff!&c. Orders to luff. Also, the roundest part of a vessel's bow. Also, the forward leech of fore-and-aft sails.
Luff-tackle.A purchase composed of a double and single block. (See page 54.)
Luff-upon-luff.A luff tackle applied to the fall of another.
Lugger.A small vessel carrying lug-sails.
Lug-sail.A sail used in boats and small vessels, bent to a yard which hangs obliquely to the mast.
Lurch.The sudden rolling of a vessel to one side.
Lying-to.(SeeLie-to.)