THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ THE READERS’ DICTIONARY OF SAILING SHIP TERMINOLOGY ___________________________________________________________________________ 76 77 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 baggage of a seaman. 2. Wooden blocks used to protect items of cargo from shifting in the hold or from damage or leakage. Dusk – The darker parts of twilight in the morning or evening. Dusty - Jack Dusty, or Jack o' the Dust, was the seaman assigned to issue �lour. Dusseuil's jury rudder - SMS Dusty, Jack - Nickname of Purser's Steward, employed in the Bread Room. Dutch Auction Dutch Bilander Dutch Built Dutch Courage Dutch East India Company Dutch hoy - ERR Dutchman, Flying - Evil ghost ships, the �irst legend starting about 1660, but name applied to many similar phenomena since. Dutchman's log - Any small �loating object thrown overboard to determine the ship's speed. cf Chip-log. Dutch picaroons - privateers Dutchy - A nickname used for foreigners generally. Dutiable Dyce - Steer just as at present? Dydle – A net attached to a hoop on a long handle, with which �ish that have fallen out of the �ishing net are picked up. Also called a lade-net. D’ye hear there – A long pipe call followed by the spoken words, used before any other long pipe call or other announcement, to ensure that listeners were alert. Eagre – A steep and sometimes violent tidal wave in a river, caused where it narrows and the depth decreases. Also bore or tidal bore. Earring – Short lengths of line used to attach the top corners of a square sail to the yard arm. Earring cringle - A cringle in the upper corner of a sail. Earring jackstay- SMS Earn your salt - Earn your pay. Ear pounding - A heavy telling off. Earring Rope Earthkins – Models of planet Earth, made from lodestone in 16c, on which magnetic variation was studied. First for Dr Wm Gilbert, who called them Terellas. Ease away – The order given to the hands working a rope to gradually slacken the rope or its tackle. Ease off – (v) To gradually slacken the pressure on a taut rope. Ease springs - To pass water, from springs being mooring lines that get strained when a ship moves at anchor. Ease the helm – A helm order given when the conner wanted the helm to come more amidships. Easing - See Dropping, Easing the helm - SMS Easterland - The territory of the Hanse merchants on the Baltic. Easterlings - Old English name for the Hanseatic League. Easterly - Dreaded wind in the English Channel, because it delayed home-coming ships. East India Company-Honourable; Dutch; Prussian, 1st fleet 1601 East Indiaman East Indian yaws - SMS Easting down - Seamen's slang for the longer route to Australia, via the Cape of Good Hope. Eastland Company, The – Established 1579, trading finished cloth with Baltic countries and Poland, for timber and naval supplies. Easy – Take care, or take less effort at a task. Eat my Hat Eat the wind - Seamen's slang for taking an opponent's wind. Ebb Ebb tide – The movement of water away from the shore, or downstream, caused by the falling tide. Also re-flux. Ecliptic – The apparent yearly path of the sun amongst the stars. It is a great circle at an angle of 23°27’ to the celestial equator. Ecliptic coordinate system – A navigational system devised with reference to the ecliptic. Ecod! Egad! - By God Eddy – The circular movement of water. Eddystone Efficient deck hand – The modern term for a certified competent seaman. Ekeing - 1. A piece of timber used to lengthen another, such as a supporting beam. From this comes the expression 'to eke out'. 2. The moulding and carving of a quarter-gallery. Ekeing rail - (tge) Elbow - The second step towards a foul hawse, when a ship riding by two anchors turns through 360° and the cables cross a second time. Elbow round turn Elbow in the cables - SMS Elchie - An ambassador. Elephanta - Strong wind off the Malabar Coast, usually in September to October. Elevating screw - (hgv) Elevation - Of guns, the level that the barrel is raised to increase range. Elevation - The height of land above the datum plane. Ell - An old measure of length, of 45 inches. Elliott's eye - SMS Elm – Did not rot if kept immersed – hence used for keels. Elm tree pump - Elsinore cap – A seaman’s hat made in the shape of a cap and made from dog’s skin with the hair still attached. Embayed - Unable to pass out of a bay or basin due to wether or heavy seas. Embezzlement – In maritime terms, the illicit breaking of a cargo on being boarded by a privateer. Embrail – Brail up a sail by using the brails. Emergent Shore – Or shore of emergence. The geographical term for a regular, flat, shoreline with offshore bars, etc. Sea water dumps onto them. Emigration Ships - From 17c, ships settlers emigrants to America and Australia. Encumbered vessel – Said of a vessel so heavily laden that she could not sail efficiently. End for end – The action of reversing a worn rope, to bring the unworn end into use or to reduce chafing on the worn end. End on – Said of a ship viewed directly from the bows, or any object viewed from the front. End ring - A metal strap fastened around the ends of yards, to prevent splitting. En Flute - 'Like a flute', i.e. with gun-ports empty. Engine - An old name for a trawl net. English log - See Common log, Englishmen's Strait - The name given by the Spanish and others to the unfound north west passage around America, for which the English constantly searched. English sennit – A simple plait of three strands, formed by the left and right outer strands being alternately brought into the middle, crossing the inner strand each time and laid tightly parallel to the preceding strand. English splice - SMS Ensign - Two Ensigns flown during action, with a third one in reserve. Red ensign denotes full Admiral, centre position. White ensign denotes Vice Admiral, in the van. Blue ensign denotes Rear Admiral, rear position. After 1864 the white ensign denotes RN, the red ensign denotes merchant marine and the blue ensign denotes E Earrings and Eyes
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