THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ 152 153 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 between two visible objects. The primary use of a sextant is to measure the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon for the purposes of celestial navigation. Shackle – A semi-circular ring of iron with an eye at each end, through which an iron bolt passes to close the opening, used to hook a tackle or to join lengths of chain. Shackle bolt – A bolt with a shackle at one end. Shackle crow – A tool shaped like a crowbar but with a shackle at one end, used to withdraw bolts. Shackle key – A key with a square end, used to screw flush-headed shackle pins. Shaft – The longest section of an oar; namely the rounded middle section between the loom and the blade. Shag Breeches- Long napped rough cloth breeches. Shagreen Shake - The term used by shipwrights for a split or crack in timber, caused by the weather or by drying out in the sun. Shake down, Shakedown Cruise - A short cruise immediately after launching or a refit, when everything is in place and settles down, including the crew - with any luck. From. It has come ashore to mean the period during which a new installation is allowed to operate before being put into full service, to find the usual teething troubles. This is from the need for the rigging in a newly rigged ship to stretch and settle and then be tightened up before the ship could perform well, together with the action of sand and gravel ballast, when first loaded. Shaken- Cask reduced to constituent parts for storage and return to cooper. Shake out a reef – Take out a reef and reset the sail. Shakes - The term used by shipwrights for timbers that are badly split and unfit for use and so of little value. Shaking down casks- SMS Shaking out reefs- SMS Shakings- The dust and pieces falling from working ropes, and odd scraps of yarn, sacking and canvas, traditionally the mate's perquisites for selling. Also Junk. Shakos Shallop- A term used in European navies for the largest or second largest rowing or sailing boat carried on board ship, replaced in the Royal Navy by the name Longboat. Shamal - A cloudless, very hot and dry NW summer wind in the Persian, or Arabian, Gulf. Shamfered – To be damaged or to have the edge taken off something, as would happen in a warship on the receiving end of an enemy broadside. From 'chamfered'. Sham Gallery - A sham gallery. Shamrock knot - A knot of three overlapping hitches used in jury rigs, similar to a jury knot. Shanghai – The seamen’s name for Crimping around the Pacific Basin; namely, to abduct a sailor, usually by getting him drunk or drugged, and enlisting him on a ship other than his own while he was insensible. Shank - Shaft forming the main part of an anchor, joining the fluke-arms to the stock Shank painter – The short rope or chain used to secure the anchor to its billboard when stowed. Shank Painter Chain - held fluke of anchor on deck CTC Shanty – A song sung on board to ensure the hands work in unison. Sometimes inaccurately called a chanty. These were not allowed in the later RN. Shape Course Shareman – A trawlerman who was being paid under the system by which he only received a share of the profit – or a share of the loss on a bad trip. Shares Shark Meat- A dead slave Shark's mouth - A dip in an awning, where it is stretched locally to avoid a rope or some other part of the rigging. Sharp end - The technical term for the bow of a vessel. The front of a ship, where most of the action is on going into battle. Compare with its opposite number, blunt end. Sharp trimmed – 1. The yards of a square-rigger braced as far forward as possible. Also sharp up. Sharp up – 1. The yards of a square-rigger braced as far forward as possible. Also sharp trimmed. Sharqui - A SW wind in the Persian, or Arabian, Gulf. Sheath- Ship's encasement against worm. Sheathing - The covering nailed over the outside of the parts of a ship's bottom that would normally be under water, to protect it against marine growth and fouling, usually of copper but originally of soft timber planking. Sheathing nail - A nail cast from a copper and tin alloy, used to fasten copper sheathing to a wooden hull. Sheave – A solid grooved pulley fixed inside a block, over which the rope runs. Sheave hole – The aperture in a block into which the sheave is fastened. Sheep's feet- SMS Sheepshank – A method of shortening a rope by looping the rope back on itself with each loop end taken round the standing part in a half hitch. Sheer – 1. The angle between the ship and the anchor cable when riding at a single anchor. 2. (v) To stray off course because of incorrect or difficult steering of the vessel. 3. The longitudinal curve of a vessel's decks or sides. Sheer batten - A wooden or metal bar lashed across the shrouds, immediately above the deadeyes, to prevent the shrouds from twisting. This batten was usually fitted with belaying pins. Also sheer pole or stretcher. Sheer, breaking- SMS Sheer head lashing - The very strong lashing, similar to seizing on a larger scale, holding together the two arms of sheer legs. Sheer Hulk Sheering- SMS Sheer lashing - See Sheer Head Lashing. Sheer legs – A canted tripod made of three masts lashed together and guyed, used to lift heavy loads. Sheer line - The line formed by a vessel's main or upper deck, where it meets the side. Sheer mast – One of the spars forming sheer legs. Sheer off – To move a vessel away at an angle. Sheer plan - A ship construction drawing showing all side view horizontal and vertical sections of a vessel. Sheer-pole - A timber or metal spar running across the foot of the standing rigging, serving as a lower ratline and also preventing the rigging from twisting when being set up. See Sheer batten. Sheer rail - The lowest continuous line of planking in the bulwarks. Sheer strake – 1. A plating strake that runs alongside the line of a deck. 2. A boat’s top strake or plank, onto which the gunwale and capping are attached. Also sometimes called the saxboard. Sheer, The- Upward curve of the Hull towards bow and stern. Sheet - A rope shackled to the clew of a sail and used to control the clew of the sail when transferring from tack to sheet, and vice versa, i.e. when going about. Sheet(vb) Sheet & bower anchors (hgv) Sheet Anchor - The second or third, after the best bower and second bower, and usually largest anchor, shipped next to the fore channel at all times, kept in readiness for the emergency of the best or second bower anchors giving way. Being heavier (it weighed 8400lbs), it was not used unnecessarily, the usual practice being to use the bower anchors. When they were used, they had to be relied on, as there was no further expedient after the sheet anchor, hence the use of the term in everyday modern language to denote someone reliable. Sheet Anchor Man Sheet bend – A knot comprising a loop made in one rope and the end of another taken up through it, round both parts of the looped rope and then back through its own bight. Sheet Bitts- Strong posts to which ropes from sails were secured. See Bitts. Sheet cable – The cable attached to the sheet anchor. Sheet Fairlead CTC Sheet home – 1. To haul the sheets as taut as they can be. 2. The order given to give a final haul on the sheets. Sheet quarter block(hgv) Shelf (or shelf piece) - Heavy fore-and-aft timbers fixed to the insides of a vessel's frame, to form the support for the deck beams. Shell – 1. The outer casing of a block. 2. A vessel's external planking. Shellback - A long-serving sailor, who is suspected of having barnacle shells encrusted on his back from his long immersion in the sea business. Shell lugs - Short pieces of angle, fitted between deck stringer plates and the outside plating. Shell plating - The plates covering the outside of a vessel's hull. Shies - Beach palisades Shift - Change clothes. Shifting – 1. Separating the blocks of a choked tackle. 2. The action of a loose cargo moving from side to side under the motion of the ship. Shifting backstay - An unreliable supposed oppo. Shifting boards – Planks temporarily fixed to the centre hold pillars to prevent bulk cargoes or the ballast from shifting. Shifting flying jibboom- SMS Shifting masts, etc- SMS Shifting Sails - The operation of removing a ship's sails, and replacing them with others. Shift of butts - The staggered positioning of butt joints. Shift Off His Turn - To avoid proposing, and hence paying for, a toast, which is usually taken in turn around the table. Shift of wind - SMS Shift tack - To change ones mind. Shimmer – The silver glitter under the water of fish caught in the net, looked for by driftermen to indicate that they had a catch. Shiners - Coins (Yankee). Shinbreaker - Whaleman's name for steering gear. Shingle ballast- SMS Shingles, hollow top(tge) Ship (vb) - 1. To send someone or something by ship. 2. To fix something in its place. Shipbreach - Shipwreck. Shipentine - US term for Four-masted barque rig Ship fever – Typhus on board ships, caused by unhygienic conditions on long voyages. Ship handling – The art of getting a vessel to go where it is wanted. Ship house - Medieval winter housing for warships. Ship husband, ship’s husband – The owner’s representative on a merchant vessel, responsible for contracts in port, recruiting the crew, etc. Originally he was the boatswain. 2. The owner of a ship chartered to the East India Company, or similar. Ship husbandry - Maintaining, provisioning and looking after a ship. A ship's husband is the boat swain, who does just that. Ship it green - Take unbroken waves along a ship's upper deck in heavy weather. Shipkeeper - Caretaker of a ship in harbour. Shipmaster – Whoever is in charge of a vessel; sometimes used instead of master. Ship Money – Originally a tax on coastal towns and counties, used to pay for royal ships that defended them in time of war. In 1633 Charles I extended it to cover all counties and caused a furore that contributed to his downfall and to the Civil War. Ship Money was also used to create the first generation of professional naval officers, rather than gentlemen adventurers. Ship of the Line- See Line of Battle. Ship Rig – Three masts each with square sails.
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