THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ 166 167 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 Stink Pots - A popular weapon with eastern pirates and privateers made from saltpetre, limestone, asafoetida(a noisome gum resin) and decayed matter, usually fish, packed in earthenware jugs. These were ignited and thrown from the mast tops onto an enemy ship, where the awful smell discouraged the enemy from fighting, or at least weakened their fighting spirit. Sometimes Stink Pots were hung from the Yardarms And cut loose to fall on the enemies deck when their ship came alongside. Stirk - A young bullock or heifer. Stirrup - A short rope used to attach the footrope, on which the sailors stand when aloft, to a yard. The foot-ropes were passed through eyes in the lower ends of the stirrups, which were firmly fastened to the yard. Stitch Through Nose- A dead man was sewn into his hammock, with the final stitch through his nose. It was alleged that it was a final check that he was not faking his demise. Stitch up - A set-up, aimed at embarrassing an oppo, from the old trick of sewing up his trouser legs. Stiver St. Nick’s Clerks – French privateers. Stock – The cross arm fitted at the top of an anchor’s shank right angles to the arms, by which the anchor was made to tilt up and let the flukes dig into the ground and not simply drag flat along the ground. Stock-a-bate - Pocket money. A term originally used by fishermen, from the expression for those poorer parts of the catch that were kept out of the main auction sale and sold off ‘on the side’, thus raising pocket money for the crew. Stockfish - Dried cod. Stockholm tar - Dark liquid gum. See Tar. Stock lashing- SMS Stocks - The whole structure of the slipways, on which the cradle and, consequently, the vessel is built. Stock tackle – The tackle used to keep the anchor stock vertical and away from the ship’s side whilst it was being fished. Stokers- SMS Stomach-Piece - 1. Curved timbers of uniform section, fixed below the stem and above the leading end of the keel. Also Apron. Stone-bow - A cross-bow or catapult for throwing stones. Stone frigate - Seamen's slang name for a shore establishment. Stoned - Drunk. No connection with drugs. Stonehouse Hospital-Plymouth, completed 1762, 2 years to build Stonnicky - Seamen's name for a rope's end used to chase the unenthusiastic crew members. Stood – Travelled. Stool ERR Stool bed(hgv) Stool(hgv) Stop – (v) Lightly tie up a sail, or anything else, with spunyarn. Stoppage - A punishment, by withdrawal of a privilege, such as leave. Stopper – A short length of rope secured at one end and used to relieve the strain on a loaded rope or cable. Stoppering – Holding part of a rope under tension by using a short rope stopper, leaving that part of the rope not under strain to be handled easily. Stopper knot – A type of crown knot made near the end of a stopper, by walling a three-stranded rope against the lay and whipping the ends. Stoppermen Bittmen Stoppermen or mast party. Stoppers before all – When weighing anchor, the order given to temporarily hold the anchor cable by means of stoppers, while the anchor is stowed. Stopping - 1 Something used to seal a leak. 2 The securing of a furled sail. Stopping a tide- SMS Stopples - Seamen's name for items used to temporarily stop holes in ship's hull. Could mean wadding, maybe Dutch Stops – 1. The turns of spunyarn taken round the end of a rope in order to fasten it to another rope. 2. Projections on the topgallant mast to hold the rigging in place. Storekeeper – The crew member responsible for all the stores on a merchant vessel. Storeroom Storm bonnet- SMS Storm Canvass Storm gaff(ecr) Storm glass - Seamen's name for early water barometers. Storm-jib cf Jibsail Storms - SMS Storm sails – A set of smaller but heavier sails used in bad weather conditions. Storm staysails- SMS Stove in - Said of a cask, boat or barrel that has been damaged by external force, such as when a plank has been smashed. Stow - 1. Put away neatly and securely. 2. To properly arrange a cargo, or any article, for carrying. 3. To furl sail to make a "Neat Harbour Stow". Stowage – 1. The disposition of a ship’s cargo. 2. The branch of seamanship concerned with economically and safely loading cargoes in holds in such a way as to protect them and ensure a good trim for the ship. Stowaway – Any person who hides on board ship to get free passage. If found he would be made to work his passage and would risk being turned over to the relevant authorities when the ship reaches port. Stowboat - Inshore fishing boat using nets but whilst anchored in the tidal flow. Stowing anchor- SMS Stow it - Seamen's slang for shut up. Strachan, Sir Richard – AKA ‘Mad Dickey’. Straddle - Fire a gun to each side of a target, in order that the third shot is bang on target. Similar to ranging, but the other way. Stragglers Straight hand spike(tge) Straight rush - Boiled meat and vegetables, cooked, served and eaten in a hurry. Straights, The- Straits of Gibraltar, sometimes The Med. Strain bands - Reinforced bands of canvas used to strengthen the belly of the sail. Straining screw – A threaded cylinder with a swivel at one end and an eye at the other, used on awning ridge ropes, guard chains, or similar. Strake - 1. A continuous strip of planking running horizontally along a ship's side, stretching from bow to stern of the hull. Also streak. Strand – Any twist of rope yarn laid up with others to form a rope. Strangers Strap a Shoe-Block Strap-bound block – A type of block with rope or iron strap fitted into grooves from top to bottom of the cheeks. The strap would hold the device by which the block would be slung. Stray Line- Thin line 20 Fathoms long, used to get Log-ship clear of wake. Streak - See Strake. Stream anchor – A spare anchor of about one third the size of a bower anchor, carried at the stern of a ship and used where there is insufficient room for the ship to turn with wind and tide. Stream current – A narrow, deep, fast-flowing current. Streaming the buoy- SMS Stretch – (v) To sail close-hauled with all sails set. Stretcher – The heavy wooden batten in a boat’s bottom, against which the oarsman would brace his feet when rowing. See Shear batten. Stretchers & Cudgels Stretching the weather wheel rope- SMS Stretch off the land - Seamen's slang name for a short nap, from the fact that a crew could relax on the seaward leg of a tack along the coast. Stretch your eyes - Said of something that will make your eyes pop in surprise or wonder. Strike (vb) - 1. Generally, to let down a flag, sail, topmast or yard. 2. Crews would often strike the sails to prevent a ship from leaving port until they were paid. Hence it was an organised stoppage of labour, and the term is applied to all such events today on land. 3. To lower something. Specifically, to lower the colours as a signal of surrender to an enemy. 4. To hit the shore or touch bottom when passing over shallows. Strike colours – To surrender a ship, signified by striking the colours. Strike down - Lower something into a hold. Sometimes ‘Strike into hold’. Striker – 1. Assistant, from the habit of mates who would hit out frequently, at those considered tardy. 2. A right-angled paintbrush used to get into difficult places. Strike-ropes, strikes - A type of brail. Strike sail – To lower a sail as a salute or a mark of respect. Strike Topsail- Salute to HM ships by merchantmen and foreigners. String - The highest range of side planks on a vessel's interior. Stringer - A longitudinal structural member, joining frames. Stringer plate - Horizontal plates riveted to the ends of deck beams and along the vessel's sides. Stringers - Fore-and-aft timbers fixed across the inside of a vessel's frames, for strengthening and to form supports for the decks. Strip the Ship - Send down all spars and ropes Strip to a gantline – To remove all upper works and rigging, leaving only the lower masts with gantlines rigged, ready for re-rigging. Stroke – 1. The complete action of an oar from entering the water until it emerges again. 2. The distance that a single oar stroke achieves through the water. 3. The aftermost oarsman, responsible for setting the rhythm of the stroke. 4. The name of the oar wielded by the stroke oarsman. Stroke & Away Stroke oar - See Stroke. Strongback – A long spar used in a stowed boat to support a boat cover. Strop - The piece of rope spliced into a wreath surrounding the body of a block in order to suspend it. Also came to refer to someone wanting a fight, being an abbreviation of obstreperous. Strop and toggle – A quick release device used on slings and similar devices. Strop, the, putting on - A game. A strop is a grommet or rope ring. The two players kneel down facing each other, the strop is placed over their heads, and the men then try to pull each other over by the strength of their neck muscles. Strop - A grommet of rope formed into one or more rings. Struck down - When Beat to Quarters is called, everything not needed during the fray was struck down to the hold, to avoid it becoming matchwood, and a danger to all from flying splinters. Studding Sail (Stun's'l) Studding sail, etc- SMS Studding-sail boom - A spar rigged from the yards in light winds, upon which studding sails are set. Usually called stunsail booms. Studding-sail halyard bend – A bend used to fasten the halyard by passing two turns around the yard, with the end taken round the standing part of the rope and back through the two loops. Studs of chain cable- SMS Stuff - The mixture of materials used to cover the bottom of a ship, such as tar, oils, varnish, etc. Stum - To fumigate a cask with sulphur to stop contained liquor from fermenting. Stump head(ecr) Stump mast - A lowermast rigged without tops and with no masts above it. Stump topgallant mast - A topgallant mast with no royal mast above it. Stumpy A type of barge Stunsail booms - Studding sail booms. Suahili - A strong SW wind in the persin Gulf. Subaltern- (Am)? Sub-celestial point – The point on the Earth’s surface where a celestial body is directly overhead at a given moment in time. Also geographical position. Submerge – The event that is the aim of seamen to avoid happening. Submergent Shore – Or shore of submergence. The geographical term for irregularly indented, offshore islands, rocks, etc. Sea water erodes them. Submit- (Respectfully) Success - In Elizabethan times, fortune, whether
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