THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ 138 139 THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF PETER TURNER 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 Putting the King/Queen to bed - Evening colours and Sunset ceremonials. Put to the Hoop Puttoc shrouds Futtock shrouds Put your ears back - Seamen's slang for eating to the full, usually said to a guest. Pye, Port Adm. at Portsmouth - "Nozey". PZX triangle – The basis of much maritime navigation, comprising a spherical triangle abounded by the pole, the observer and the heavenly body, joined by zeniths. Also navigational triangle. Quack - Seamen's friendly nickname for the ship's doctor. Quadrant – 1. Davis's or Hadley's. John Hadley's Reflecting Q (90deg) was invented in 1731, then developed into modern Q (120deg) in 1757 by John Campbell. 2. The fitting at the head of the rudder stock onto which the steering chains are fixed. Quadrant, Reflecting Quadrat Quadrilateral jib – A modern jib with two sets of sheets used on racing craft. Also double-clewed jib. Quadrireme - An ancient Roman oared warship, which probably meant it had four tiers of rowers stepped above each other. It could have simply meant it had four men on each oar (Latin quadri means four and remus means oar). Quadroon - An expression for a shade of mulatto, used by the Spanish. Quaker - Dummy cannon muzzles, used when guns moved away from ports to give the impression of being fully armed. Quant – A long pole with a shoulder piece at one end and a flat disc at the other, used for punting or driving small vessels and to propel barges and wherries in east coast shoals, when the wind was insufficient. Quarantine – The isolation of a vessel with an infectious disease on board, or that has come from a port known to be infected, usually for 40 days. The ship was required to display the flag Q, or yellow jack, and she had to get a doctor’s clearance before being allowed to leave port. Quarter - SMS Quarter Check all uses Quarter – 1. The part of a ship between mainchains and stern. 2. A fourth of one point of compass. A compass has 32 points, each of 11°15', so a quarter is 2°48'45". Quarterbill - The Watchbill used to show everyone's place during action. Quarter blocks - Blocks fixed to bands at mast or yard quarters. Quarter block – See thick and thin block. Quarter boards - Boards temporarily erected around the quarterdeck and poop, when a ship is sailing with a heavy following sea, to prevent waves breaking inboard. Quarter Boat - A light ship's boat carried on davits over the ship's quarter, usually used as the Captain's gig*. Quarter boat – A boat kept clear and ready on the quarter davits of a ship, for immediate use at sea in case of emergency. Quarter Cask - Half a hogshead, or twenty seven to twenty eight gallons. Quarter-cloths - Painted canvas strips rigged along a ship's quarterdeck sides to keep out sea spray. Quarter davit(hgv) Quarterdeck - Upper deck between stern and main-mast, where officers have quarters. Known to seamen as the bit near the back, where the officer's prowl. Quarterdecker - Seamen's slang for an officer excessively conscious of his status and position, and the prerogatives that come with them. Quarterdeckman - SMS Quartered - Said of guns rigged to fire aftwards. cf bowed. Quarter-fast - Moored with a rope leading from the quarter to the shore or buoy. Quarter-gallery - The small balcony on each quarter, often connecting to the stern gallery. Quarter gasket – The braided cord located halfway between the yardarm and the mast, used to fasten a sail to its yard when furled. Quarter-Gunner -(Am?) Quartering - The 16c practice of contriving the broadside great guns to fire as far aftwards as they could. cf Bowing. Quartering sea - See Head sea. Quartering wind – A wind blowing from a vessel’s quarter. Quarter iron - A fitment attached about two thirds of the way along a yard, from the yard-arm, and used to take a studding-sail boom. Quarterly accounts - White patches on the uniform collar of a midshipman. Also called the mark of Cain. Quartermaster – In the Royal Navy, the petty officer responsible for the helmsman, who sometimes steers the ship. In a merchant ship he is the helmsman and is responsible for the navigational equipment. In port, the quartermaster would be on duty at the gangway. Quarter netting - Hammock netting on the quarterdeck. Sometimes just the netting was rigged, without the hammocks being stored there. Quarter of a yard - The distance between the slings and the half-way point to the end of a yard. Quarter-rails - A safety barrier formed of narrow planks, along the sides of the quarterdeck. Quarters -Action Stations Quarters - Masts, yards and spars are divided into 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters, of equal length. Quarter timber - The frame members located at a ship's quarters. Quarter wind - A wind blowing from the quarter. Quay - A harbour structure alongside which a vessel could be moored. Queen of the road - Seamen's slang for a ship close-hauled and having the right of way. Queen's - The drop of rum left in the fanny after the messdeck has had its tot. The rum bosun would insert a large thumb in the measure when serving, to ensure short measures for all, and so plentiful Queen's for himself - if he wasn't caught! Queen's hard bargain - A seaman who enlisted in the Navy instead of going to prison. Now applies to a retired seaman, whose time drawing retirement pay exceeds his time served. Queue - Hair style mid 18c. Questingstone - Medieval name for a lodestone. Quick-match - Used to fire explosives. Quick saver – A rope span attached to the fore Q Quakers and Quoins
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