THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ 132 133 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 Pilled – Pillaged. Pillow - A block of timber used to support the inboard end of the bowsprit. Pilot - The temporary navigator taken on board on the approaches to an unfamiliar harbour, whose local knowledge would prevent mishap - usually. Also used on leaving, when he would be dropped off to a pilot boat offshore. Pilotage - The act of piloting a vessel. Pilotage authority - The official body controlling pilots, such as Trinity House. Pilotage waters - Any area where a pilot is needed. Pilot Boat, Launch, Cutter- Vessels employed in the Pilot Service. Pilot book - See Pilot. Pilot Books provide local knowledge of routes and landmarks, which would typically be provided by a local marine pilot. Pilot cutter - Fast sea-going vessel that cruises on a specific pilot station waiting for an incoming vessel that requires piloting. Pilot jack - Union flag with a white border, flown to indicate the ship was under control of a pilot and not the captain. Pilot Service Pilot's luff - See half board Pilot's water, Pilot-water - See Pilotage water. Pilot vessel - See Pilot cutter. Pin – The steel axle of a block sheave. Pinch Gut Money - Savings made by the Purser, at the expense of full rations BDD Pinching- SMS Pine - In Elizabethan times used for pineapple. Pineapple knot – A knob knot similar to a Turk’s head, but resembling a pineapple. Pine sheathing - Used before copper sheathing was adopted for the protection of ship's hulls under water. Pink, Pinke- A three-masted 200 to 300 ton coastal cargo ship used from 15 to 19c in the Mediterranean region. Pinker - A straight marlin spike. Pink Stern - Opposite of square Pinnace - 1. A small boat or ship, usually with oars and sails, made of spruce (Pinus in Latin means spruce). 2. A small armed three-masted ship about 115ft (35m) long with about 18 guns, up to 30 guns, employed like Frigates in 16 and 17c. Pin rack – A rail mounted at various positions with holes through which belaying pins are mounted. Another name for a rack or fife rail. Pin rail - A longer pin rack. Pins - Iron or wooden bars to which running rigging is secured. Pintado - A cloth painted or printed in colours. Pintle - One of the vertical bronze bolts bracketed off the rudder that fit into the gudgeons on the stern post, to form a hinge. Separate on later ships, hence Rudder Gudgeons and Stern Gudgeons. Pipe – 1. The whistle or call used by the boatswain to signify various evolutions, or activities, that were to commence or cease. 2. A signal sounded on the boatswain’s call. More usually called pipe call. 3. A large cask of wine or water, of about half a tun. Pipe calls, or pipes – Orders sounded on a boatswain’s call or whistle. They included the following: all together; avast; away …; away galley; belay; dinner; d’ye hear there; haul; haul and veer; haul away; haul taut; hoist; heave round the capstan; high enough; light to; pipe down; pipe still; pipe the side; reelers; supper; sweepers; veer and haul; walk back. Piped Pipe down – A pipe call meaning: 1. the crew to come down from aloft, or 2. the crew to turn in, or 3. the crew are no longer needed until further orders, or 4. The order to be silent. Hence seamen's slang for shutting up. Pipe, giving the- SMS Pipes- Nickname for the boatswain. Also Tommy Pipes. Pipe still – A pipe call meaning: the crew to stand at attention, or at least to stand still. Pipe the side – A pipe call given as a naval salute to Royal or naval visitors of appropriate rank and never to others, or to a coffin, at the gangway, by sounding a call on a boatswain’s pipe as he/it leaves or boards the ship. Often called ‘piping the side’. The tradition started originally when visitors would be hoisted aboard by means of a boatswain’s chair, controlled by pipe calls. Piping hot - If food was collected from the galley as soon as the appropriate pipe signal was made, then it would be served piping hot. Piping the eye – Crying. Piracy - Unlawful armed robbery at sea of a ship or her goods. Piragua – a forty to fifty foot long canoe with one big bow gun and many men, used by south American Spanish coastguards/pirates (the terms were often interchangeable) as support vessels on raids. Pirate Round – The annual course taken by most 18c pirates: from W Indies in early summer up to Newfoundland, where many new crew were enlisted, back to the Leeward Isles and Barbados for Christmas, then to Africa and Brazil and then the Indian Ocean and back to the W Indies. Pirate Shares- The Captain Had two full shares of any profits; the quartermaster one and a half; the doctor, gunner boatswain and master one and a quarter and everyone else one share. Pirates Piss-dales – Runs built into a ship for urine to be drained away. Pistol Pistole Spanish gold coin more accurately called double escudo, worth 17s 6d. Pitch – 1. The rapid drop of a vessel's bows into a trough between waves, at which action the bow would be pitching. Compare with ‘scend, when the bows were going the other way. 2. A resinous substance distilled from tar. Used in caulking and to protect rigging against the effects of the weather. Pitched Within and Without" Pitching - SMS Pitchpoling – The method by which the lance was thrust into a whale, by pitching it in an arc to ensure maximum penetration. Pitch up - Arrive. Pivoting point – The point about which a vessel pivots when turning. Also turning centre. & Portsmouth. Consequently, ticket holders would often be tempted to cash them in, at greatly reduced value, with local publicans, who would then expect the cash to be spent on his premises, usually without being disappointed. Pazaree - See Passaree. Pea – An anchor bill. Pea jacket – A short double-breasted coat made from heavy coarse woollen material. Peak – 1. The reduced uppermost end of a gaff, at the opposite end to its throat. 2. Top aft corner of a fore and aft sail. Peak downhaul - A rope rove through a block at the outer end of a gaff, to haul it down. Peak earring thimble(tge) Peaked flukes – The moment when a whale has lifted its tail and body into a vertical position, prior to diving deep. Peak halliard, halyard - A purchase made up with a number of blocks and used to hoist and control the peak of a fore-and-aft sail. Peak piece(tge) Peak purchase - A purchase on the standing peak halyards to hoist the peak up tight. Peak span - The span used to support the peak of a spar, from its mast. Peak tye - The wire or chain from the lower masthead to the peak of a gaff. Pea Soup Pease Peason - Peas. Peck- "Brought on board a peck of apples" Pecooes - Currency unit Peecul - Currency unit Peek - See Peak. Peg or two, To take down – Naval ships displayed their ensigns hoisted at various heights, depending on their status in the fleet, with the flag halyards belayed on a number of pins for differing heights. When encountering a superior vessel, the inferior would dip its ensign in salute, by belaying it on alternative pegs, thus having been “taken down a peg or two”. A phrase that has come ashore to mean having been reminded of ones lower status in life. Peg to windward – To beat to windward. Peggy – 1. Seamen's nickname for the seaman detailed to clean the mess. 2. Any messenger. Often this was a peg-legged veteran. Pelorus - A dumb compass dial set by hand on a suitable mounting to observe the bearings of objects obscured by the true compass’s position. Pencil – Early name for a pendant. Pendant – A short rope attached under the shrouds and hanging from the head of the mainmast or the foremast, with a block or an eye and thimble at its lower end to take main, fore and other tackles. Pendant, Pennant - The flag on the tallest mast denoting a naval vessel. Narrow P; Broad P; Long P. Pennons Penteconters People Peotta- A fast sailing despatch ship used by Italians until 17c. Similar to Shallop. Percy Grainger - Check out his music. Perforated sails - For a time, sails were penetrated with holes about three feet in diameter, intended to relieve the theoretical cushioning effect of the wind in the belly of a sail. Perforst man – A merchant seaman removed from his ship to serve on a Royal Navy ship. Periagna-rig ERR Perier - 16c large calibre light gun firing stone shot at low velocity. Later came to mean a gun that would suit a low charge. Perigee Period of a light - The interval of a complete cycle of a light signal. Period of roll- SMS Periplus – Ancient Mediterranean sailing instructions. Perique – A ‘prick’ of tobacco. Perry wind - A half gale Persian-See Sybarite Peruvian Bark- Partial treatment for Malaria until mid 19c. Peso - A Spanish coin, the well known 'piece of eight', valued in Elizabethan times at about 4s. 3d. Petard - ?Bomb. Peterboats - ?? Petition Writer at the Admiralty Gates Petitions-WW119 Petty officer – A non-commissioned officer in charge of ratings. Petty Warrant Beer- Weak beer. Also Harbour Beer. Pewter – Seamen’s name for prize money. Pewterizing – Making prize money. Usually applied to the undertaking of a cruise in order to do so. Pharology – The science of lighthouse construction, from The Pharos of Alexandria. Built in 300 BC and destroyed by an earthquake in 1300 AD. Phoenix - A name used to refer to a skilled seaman who could make his ship 'fly'. Physician Piahiap- A small two-masted pirate boat used in the Moluccan region Picaroon, Pickaroon – Privateer or pirate. Pick – Seamen’s term for an anchor or its bill. Picket Duty - ?(Piquet) Picking-up rope – A light line used to temporarily moor a vessel until a heavier mooring can be attached. Also catching-up rope. Pickpocket Piedmont Ice- Ice. Pier - A structure built into the water to provide a mooring alongside for a vessel. Pier-head jump - To make the ‘Pier-head jump’ was to join a ship at the moment she leaves port, from the pier head. Piggin – A small bucket shaped bailer. Pig-Pen Pigtails- Became fashionable about 1780, stopped about 1820. Pile driving – Pitching and plunging heavily into wave troughs. Pile up – To run a vessel aground. Pillar – A vertical column of wood used to support a vessel's decks and beams or superstructure, or a boat’s thwart, and give strength to the whole frame assembly. These were usually turned or similarly decorative. Pillar Box Steering Gear CTC
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