THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ 104 105 THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF PETER TURNER ©2024 THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF PETER TURNER ©2024 If any reader can provide information, please send to galf@abandos.com If any reader can provide information, please send to galf@abandos.com moonsails. Jolly Roger - The flag depicting a skull and crossed bones which is recognised by all to indicate that the wearer is a pirate, although it is probable that no self-respecting pirate ever did so, this flag being the result of fertile fiction writers' minds. The more likely flag used by a pirate, if any, was a plain black flag. BDD Jollywatt - 15c ship's boat of four oars. Jonah, Jonas - Seamen's name for someone considered unlucky on board ship, from the biblical story of Jonah and the whale. Jonah's lift, or toss – A method of helping a Jonah to stop being one, by boosting him over the side on a dark night. Jonathans- Americans. Jonnick - Seamen's slang for honest, true correct or fair. Joss - Seamen's slang for fortune, as in bad joss meaning bad luck, or joss stick being an offering to bring good luck. Journal – The summarized transcription of the log book. In the Royal Navy, the journal would be forwarded to the Admiralty for analysis. Also fair log. Judas - Seamen's slang for something, particularly a piece of rigging, serving no purpose and hanging free. Judgement day - Saturday, being the day on which many ships administered justice and punishment. Jumbo wrists – Swollen wrists often experienced by trawlermen from the effects of hauling the nets. Jumper – A person who unloads cargo by jumping. Jumper guys - Ropes used to stay down the ends of the bowsprit whiskers. Jumper on yardarm - SMS Jumper stay - Any stay set up in heavy weather to prevent the yard from jumping out of place. Jumper strut - SMS Jumping – A method of lifting a load of cargo from a small boat by holding a rope attached to the load through a triatic stay and jumping off a platform, to hoist the load free of the boat. Jumping ladder - A rope ladder hanging from a ship's sides, usually only used by the crew. Jump ship – To desert ship, or leave it without permission. Jumpsurgee strop – A strong rope strop passing three times round a block and once round the thimble. Made from an unlaid rope plaited into nettles. Junior Officers - Junk - 1. The remnants of old rope, teased out, cut up and used to make oakum, swabs, mats, etc. 2. European name for three-masted Chinese sailing cargo ships. Sometimes used in suitable form as warships, pirate or fishing vessels. Junk, Junks - Pieces of boiled beef or pork. Jury knot – A knot of three overlapping hitches used in jury rigs, to attach stays and shrouds. Also a shamrock knot. Jury mast - 1 A temporary set up to replace a mast lost in battle or storm; usually by replacing it with a large spare yard or spar. 2. A temporary mast fitted in a shipyard, whilst the vessel is under construction. Jury mast knot – A knot of four overlapping hitches used in jury rigs, similar to a jury knot. Jury mat – A temporary mat made of woven rope. Jury rig - Any incomplete and unsatisfactory rig, but most often applied to a temporary set up made from available materials in an emergency. Jury-rigged - A temporary arrangement of mast, rigging, rudder, etc., from its being 'for the day', or de jour as the French say. Jury rudder - A temporary rudder rigged when the proper rudder has been damaged beyond use. Jury steering gear - A temporary steering gear rigged when the proper helm has been damaged beyond use. Jut - A push or shove. Jemmy Dux - See Jimmy Ducks. Jemmy Green - See Jimmy Green. SMS Jemmy Legs - Master-at-arms. Jenever - Jenkin's Ear (War of) – The story that it was presented, by Jenkins, to Parliament, in a jar, is a myth. Jennet - A small Spanish horse. Jenny Haniver - A fake mermaid. Jeremiad - Jerky - Jerque note – Customs clearance? Jervis(Admiral) – AKA ‘Old Jack’. Jetsam - Goods or material which has been thrown overboard, or jettisoned. See Flotsam. Jettison - To throw goods or equipment overboard, usually to lighten ship in an emergency. Jetty - A construction projecting into the water onto which a vessel can moor alongsdie. Jewel block – A light single block attached to the ends of the main and fore yardarms, through which the studding sail halyard is run. Jewing - Seamen's slang for sewing and repairing. Hence the Jewing Firm was a group of seamen running a tailoring business on board ship. Jew's harp shackle - An open shackle. One was used to fasten the anchor to its chain. Jib – A triangular sail set on a stay before the foremast and extending from the bowsprit or jibboom. Jibber the kibber - The old name for luring a ship onto the rocks, by rigging false and misleading lights. Jib-boom - A spar extending the bowsprit and taking the forward stay and the foot of the forward jib. Jib-boom outhauler - (ecr) Jib-boom saddle - (ecr) Jib downhaul - The rope used to pull the jibsail down to the jib-stay. Jibe - Jib guys - Ropes used to stay down the jib-boom against the lift of its sail. Jib halyard - The rope used to hoist the jibsail. Jib headed – The name for all triangular sails not set on a lateen yard. Jib-headed mizzen - SMS Jib-headers - Jib-head topsail - Jib iron - An iron hoop fitted loosely around the jib-boom, holding the lower foremost corner of the jib, and allowing it to travel along the jibboom. Jib-of-jib boom - An extreme extension of the bowsprit, sometimes added to the flying jib-boom. Jib of jibs – A sixth jib sometimes set at the outer end of the head sails. Jib outhaul - The rope attached to the back of the jibsail and used to pull it outwards. Jib sheet - The rope used to control and hold the clew of the jibsail. Jib-stay - The foremast stay onto which the jibsail is set. Jib, The cut of (someone’s) – Sailing warship’s would often cut down their jib sails to help them maintain point – i.e. keep their heading. When a distant ship was sighted, the cut of the jib could be a clue to the observer as to whether or not the ship was a warship, and so give them a chance to escape. A phrase that has come ashore. Jib traveller - A sliding device used instead of a block? Jiffy - Jig - Jigger - 1. The aftermost mast of a four masted ship. 2. A light tackle used to rig studdingsail booms. 3. A small tackle comprising a single and double block used to hold the anchor cable when it was being hauled. Jigger bark - ERR Jigger mast - Jigger tackle – A small light tackle comprising a single and a double block, used for general purposes. Jill - Just enough wind to jill us along Jimmie Green - See Jimmy Green. Jimmy, or Jimmy the One - The First Lieutenant. Originally Jeminy the One, but it became corrupt. Jimmy Bungs - Seamen's nickname for the ship's cooper. Jimmy Ducks, Dux - Seamen's nickname for the ship's galley boy or the butcher's assistant, who was in charge of poultry on board. Jimmy Green - A four-sided fore-and-aft sail set under the bowsprit and jib-boom by clippers in light airs. Also Jamie or Jimmie Green. Jimmy Legs - The Master-at-Arms. Jimmy the One – Jimmy. Joalies – Fishermen’s name for young herring. Jobber - Jobbery - Jobbing Captain - One who temporarily stood in for the ship's real captain who was unavailable for some reason. Job watch - See Deck watch. Jockey-roller - A roller spaced away from, but close to, the destination of a line, to ensure a more suitable angle of that line to its destination, and hence a better reaction. Joggery - Weed substitute used instead of tobacco by Lascars. Joggle shackle – A long bent shackle with a quick release pin, used when the chain cable is hauled round the bows to fit a mooring swivel. Joggled timber - A frame member shaped so that each hull plank or strake slopes outwards, and so has the appearance of having been clinker-built, although not actually overlapping each other. Joggling - The name given to the operation of shaping a plate or a frame flange to make the plate fit snugly and continuously to the frame. John Company - Seamen's nickname for The Honourable East India Company. Johnny Newcombe - Greenhorn. Joining shackle – A shackle with an oval pin fitted flush with the lugs, used to join lengths of chain cable together. Jollies - Seamen's nickname for the Royal Marines, particularly from Trained Bands. Jolly Boat - Small ship's boat used for general ferrying duties between ship and shore. From a small yawl (jolle, julle, N European terms). Jolly jumpers – Seamen’s name for all the
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