By Force of Arms

Glossary

Note: See diagram of brig for names and illustrations of all sails and spars.

aback: said of a sail when the wind is striking it on the wrong side and, in the case of a square sail, pressing it back against the mast.

abaft: nearer the back of the ship, farther aft, behind.

abeam: at right angles to the ship's centerline.

aft: toward the stern of the ship, as opposed to fore.

afterguard: men stationed aft to work the aftermost sails.

backstay: long ropes leading from the topmast and topgallant mastheads down to the channels. Backstays work with shrouds to support the masts from behind.

beakhead: a small deck forward of the forecastle that overhangs the bow. The crew's latrine was located there, hence in current usage the term head for a marine toilet.

beam reach: sailing with the wind abeam.

belay: to make a rope fast to a belaying pin, cleat, or other such device. Also used as a general command to stop or cancel, e.g. "Belay that last order!"

belaying pin: a wooden pin, later made of metal, generally about twenty inches in length, to which lines were made fast, or "belayed." They were arranged in pinrails along the inside of the BULWARK and in FIFE RAILS around the masts.

bells: method by which time was marked on shipboard. Each day was generally divided into five four-hour "watches" and two two-hour "DOGWATCHES". After the first half hour of a watch, one bell was rung, then another for each additional half hour until eight bells and the change of watch, when the process begun again.

binnacle: a large wooden box, just forward of the helm, housing the compass, half-hour glass for timing the watches, and candles to light the compass at night.

bitts: heavy timber frame near the bow to which the end of the anchor cable is made fast, hence the term bitter end.

block: nautical term for for a pulley.

boatswain (bosun): warrant officer in charge of boats, sails, and rigging. Also responsible for relaying orders and seeing them carried out, not unlike a sergeant in the military.

boatswain's call: a small, unusually shaped whistle with a high, piercing sound with which the boatswain relayed orders by playing any of a number of recognizable tunes. Also played as a salute.

boatswain's chair: a wooden seat with a rope sling attached. Used for hoisting men aloft or over the side for work.

boom: the SPAR to which the lower edge of a fore-and-aft sail is attached. Special studdingsail booms are used for those sails.

booms: spare spars, generally stowed amidships on raised gallows upon which the boats were often stored.

bow: the rounded, forwardmost part of a ship or boat.

bow chaser: a cannon situated near the bow to fire as directly forward as possible.

bower: the two primary anchors stored near the bow, designated best bower and small bower.

bowline: line attached to a bridle, which is in turn attached to the perpendicular edge of a square sail. The bowline is hauled taut when sailing close-hauled to keep the edge of the sail tight and prevent shivering. Also, a common knot used to put a loop in the end of a rope.

brace: line attached to the end of a yard, which, when hauled upon, turn the yard horizontally to present the sail at the most favorable angle to the wind. Also, to perform the action of bracing the yards.

break: the edge of a raised deck closest to the center of the ship.

breaching: rope used to secure a cannon to the side of a ship and prevent it from recoiling too far.

brig: a two-masted vessel, square-rigged on fore and main, with a large fore-and-aft mainsail supported by boom and gaff and made fast to the after side of the mainmast.

bulwark: wall-like structure, generally of waist height or higher, built around the outer edge of the weather decks.

bumboat: privately owned boat used to carry vegetables, liquor, and other items for sale out to anchored vessels.

buntlines: lines running from the lower edge of a square sail to the yard above and used to haul the bunt, or body of the sail, up to the yard, generally in preparation for furling.

cable: a large, strong rope. As a unit of measure, 120 fathoms or 240 yards, generally the length of a cable.

cable tier: a section of the lowest deck in a ship, in which the cables are stored.

cap: a heavy wooden block through which an upper mast passes, designed to hold the upper mast in place against the mast below it. Forms the upper part of the DOUBLING.

caprail: wooden rail that is fastened to the top edge of the bulwark.

capstan: a heavy wooden cylinder, pierced with holes to accept wooden bars. The capstan is turned by means of pushing on the bars and is thus use to raise the anchor or move other heavy objects.

cascabel: the knob at the end of a cannon opposite the muzzle to which the breeching is fastened.

cat-o'-nine-tails (cat): a whip with a rope handle around an inch in diameter and two feet in length to which was attached nine tails, also around two feet of length. 'Flogging' with the cat was the most common punishment meted out in the navy.

cathead: short, strong wooden beam that project out over the bow, one on either side of the ship, used to suspend the anchor clear of the ship when hauling it up or letting it go.

ceiling: the inside planking or 'inner wall' of a ship.

chains: strong links or iron plates used to fasten the deadeyes to the hull. The lower parts of the chains are bolted to the hull; the upper ends are fastened to the chainwale, or CHANNEL. The are generally referred to as forechains, mainchains, and mizzenchains for those respective masts.

channel: corruption of chainwale. Broad, thick planks extending from both sides of the ship at the base of each mast to which the shrouds are attached.

clear for action: the process by which a ship is prepared for an engagement. Also the order that is given to prepare the ship.

clew: either of the two lower corners of a square sail or the lower aft corner of a fore-and-aft sail. To clew up is to haul the corners of the sail up to the yard by means of the clewlines.

clewlines: lines running from the clews of the square sail to the yard above and used to haul the clews up, generally in preparation for furling. On lower, or course, sails the clewlines are called clew garnets.

close-hauled: said of a vessel that is sailing as nearly into the wind as she is able, and her sails are hauled as close to her centerline as they can go.

conn: to direct the helmsman in the steering of the ship.

course: the largest sails; in the case of square sails, those hung from the lowest or course yards and loose footed. The foresail and mainsail are courses.

crosstrees: horizontal wooden bars, situated at right angles to the ship's centerline and located at the junction of the lower and upper masts. Between the lower and the topmasts they support the TOP, between the topmast and the topgallant mast they stand alone to spread the shrouds and provide a perch for the lookout.

dead reckoning: from deduced reckoning. Calculating a vessel's position through an estimate of speed and drift.

deadeye: a round, flattish wooden block pierced with three holes through which a LANYARD is rove. Deadeyes and lanyards are used to secure and adjust standing rigging, most commonly the SHROUDS.

dirk: a small sword, more like a large dagger, worn by junior officers.

dogwatch: two-hour watches from 4 to 6 P.M. (first dogwatch) and 6 to 8 P.M. (second dogwatch).

doubling: the section where two masts overlap, such as the lower mast and the topmast just above the top.

fall: the loose end of a system of blocks and tackle, the part upon which one pulls.

fathom: six feet.

fife rail: wooden rails found generally at the base of the masts and pierced with holes to accept belaying pins.

first rate: the largest class of naval ship, carrying one hundred or more guns. Ships were rated from first to six rates depending on the number of guns. Sloops, brigs, schooners, and other small vessels were not rated.

flemish: to coil a rope neatly down in concentric circles with the end being in the middle of the coil.

fore-and-aft: parallel to the centerline of the ship. In reference to sails, those that are set parallel to the centerline and are not attached to yards. Also used to mean the entire deck encompassed, e.g. "Silence, fore-and-aft!"

forecastle: pronounced fo'c'sle. The forward part of the upper deck, forward of the foremast, in some vessels raised above the upper deck. Also, the space enclosed by this deck. In the merchant service the forecastle was the living quarters for the seamen.

forestay: standing rigging primarily responsible for preventing the foremast from falling back when the foresails are ABACK. Runs from under the fore top to the bowsprit.

forward: toward the bow, or front of the ship. To send an officer forward implied disrating, sending him from the officers' quarters aft to the sailors' quarters forward.

frigate: vessels of the fifth or sixth rate, generally fast and well armed for their size, carrying between twenty and thirty-six guns.

furl: the process of bundling a sail tightly against the YARD, stay, or mast to which it is attached and lashing it in place with GASKETS.

futtock shrouds: short, heavy pieces of standing rigging connected on one end to the topmast shrouds at the outer edge of the TOP and on the other to the lower shrouds, designed to bear the pressure on the topmast shrouds. When fitted with RATLINES, they allow men going aloft to climb around the outside of the top, though doing so requires them to hang backward at as much as a forty-five degree angle.

gangway: the part of the ship's side from which people come aboard or leave, provided with an opening in the bulwark and steps on the vessel's side.

gantline: a line run from the deck to a block aloft and back to the deck, used for hauling articles such as rigging aloft. Thus, when the rig is "sent down to a gantline", it has been entirely disassembled save for the gantline, which will be used to haul it up again.

garboard: the first set of planks, next to the keel, on a ship or boat's bottom.

gasket: a short, braided piece of rope attached to the yard and used to secure the furled sail.

gig: small boat generally rowed with six or fewer oars.

glim: a small candle.

grapeshot: a cluster of round, iron shot, generally nine in all, wrapped in canvas. Upon firing, the grapeshot would spread out for a shotgun effect. Used against men and light hulls.

grating: hatch covers composed of perpendicular, interlocking wood pieces, much like a heavy wood screen. They allowed light and air below while still providing cover for the hatch. Gratings were covered with tarpaulins in rough or wet weather.

gudgeon: one-half of the hinge mechanism for a rudder. The gudgeon is fixed to the sternpost and has a rounded opening that accepts the PINTLE on the rudder.

gunwale: the upper edge of a ship's side.

halyard: any line used to raise a sail or a yard or gaff to which a sail is attached.

headsails: those sails set forward of the foremast.

heave to: to adjust the sails in such a way that some are full and some aback so as to stop the vessel in the water.

heaver: a device like a wooden mallet used as a lever for tightening small lines.

hogshead: a large cask, twice the side of a standard barrel. Capacity varied but was generally around one hundred gallons.

holystone: a flat stone used for cleaning a ship's decks.

hoy: a small vessel, chiefly used near the coast, to transport passengers or supplies to another vessel.

hull down: said of a ship when her hull is still hidden below the horizon and only her masts or superstructure is visible.

jolly boat: a small workboat.

lanyard: line run through the holes in the DEADEYES to secure and adjudt the SHROUDS. Also any short lines used to secure or adjust an item on shipboard.

larboard: until the nineteenth century the term designated the left side of a vessel when facing forward. The term port is now used.

leech: the side of a square sail or the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail.

leeward: downwind.

letters of marque: a commission given to private citizen in times of war to take and make prizes of enemy vessels.

lifts: ropes running from the ends of the yards to the mast, used to support the yard when lowered or when men are employed thereon.

limber holes: holes cut through the lower timbers in a ship's hull allowing otherwise trapped water to run through to the pumps.

line: term used for a rope that has been put to a specific use.

log: device used to measure a vessel's speed.

longboat: the largest boat carried on shipboard.

lugsail: a small square sail used on a boat.

mainstay: standing rigging primarily responsible for preventing the mainmast from falling back when the mainsails are aback. Runs from under the maintop to the bow.

make and mend: time allotted to the seamen to make new clothing or mend their existing ones.

marline spike: an iron spike used in knotting and splicing rope.

mizzen: large fore-and-aft sail, hung from a gaff abaft the mizzenmast.

mizzenmast: the aftermost mast on a three-masted ship.

painter: a rope in the bow of a boat used to tie the boat in place.

parceling: strips of canvas wrapped around standing rigging prior to SERVING.

partners: heavy wooden frames surrounding the holes in the deck through which the mats and CAPSTAN pass.

pawls: wooden or iron bars that prevent a windlass or capstan from rotating backward.

pintles: pins attached to the rudders, which fit in the GUDGEONS and form the hinge on which the rudder pivots.

post: in the Royal Navy, to be given official rank of captain, often called a post captain, and thereby qualified to command a ship of twenty guns or larger.

privateer: vessel built or fitted out expressly to operate under a LETTER OF MARQUE.

quadrant: instrument used to take the altitude of the sun or other celestial bodies in order to determine the latitude of a place. Forerunner to the modern sextant.

quarter: the area of the ship, larboard or starboard, that runs from the main shrouds aft.

quarter gallery: a small enclosed balcony with windows located on either side of the great cabin aft and projecting out slightly from the side of the ship.

quarterdeck: a raised deck running from the stern of the vessel as far forward, approximately, as the mainmast. The primary duty station of the ship's officers, comparable to the bridge on a modern ship.

ratline: pronounced ratlin. Small lines tied between the shrouds, parallel to the deck, forming a sort of rope ladder on which the men can climb aloft.

reef: to reduce the area of sail by pulling a section of the sail up to the yard and tying it in place.

reef point: small lines threaded through eyes in the sail for the purpose of tying the reef in the sail.

rigging: any of the many lines used aboard the ship. Standing rigging is employed to hold the masts in place and is only occasionally adjusted. Running rigging is used to manipulate the sails and is frequently adjusted, as needed.

ring stopper: short line on the CATHEAD used to hold the anchor prior to letting it go.

ringbolt: an iron bolt through which is fitted an iron ring.

ringtail: a type of studdingsails rigged from the mainsail gaff and down along the after edge of the mainsail.

round seizing: a type of lashing used to bind two larger lines together.

running rigging: see RIGGING.

sailing master: warrant officer responsible for charts and navigation, among other duties.

schooner: (eighteenth-century usage) a small, two-masted vessel with fore-and-aft sails on the foremast and mainmast and occasionally one or more square sails on the foremast.

scuppers: small holes pierced through the bulwark at the level of the deck to allow water to run overboard.

scuttle: any small, generally covered hatchway through a ship's deck.

service: a tight wrapping of spunyarn put around standing rigging to protect it from the elements.

sheets: lines attached to the CLEWS of a square sail to pull the sail down and hold it in place when the sail is set. On a fore-and-aft sail the sheet is attached to the BOOM or the sail itself and is used to trim the sail closer or farther away from the ship's centerline to achieve the best angle to the wind.

ship: a vessel of three masts, square-rigged on all masts.

short peak: indicates that the vessel is above the anchor and the anchor is ready to be pulled from the bottom.

shrouds: heavy ropes leading from a masthead aft and down to support the masts when the wind is from abeam or farther aft.

slings: the middle section of a yard.

sloop: a small vessel with one mast.

sloop of war: small man-of-war, generally ship rigged and commanded by a lieutenant.

slop chest: purser's stores, containing clothing, tobacco, and other items, which the purser sold to the crew and deducted the price from their wages.

snatch block: a block with a hinged side that can be opened to admit a rope.

spar: general term for all masts, yards, booms, gaffs, etc.

spring: a line passed from the stern of a vessel and made fast to the anchor cable. When the spring is hauled upon, the vessel turns.

spring stay: a smaller stay used as a backup to a larger one.

spritsail topsail: a light sail set outboard of the spritsail.

spunyarn: small line used primarily for SERVICE or seizings.

standing rigging: see RIGGING.

starboard: the right side of the vessel when facing forward.

stay: standing rigging used to support the mast on the forward part and prevent it from falling back, especially when the sails are ABACK. Also, to stay a vessel means to tack, thus missing stays means failing to get the bow through the wind.

stay tackle: system of blocks generally rigged from the MAINSTAY and used for hoisting boats or items stored in the hold.

stem: the heavy timber in the bow of the ship into which the planking in the bow terminates.

step: the process of putting a mast in place. Also, a block of wood fixed to the bottom of a ship to accept the base or heel of the mast.

stern chasers: cannons directed aft to fire on a pursuing vessel.

stern sheets: the area of a boat between the stern and the aftermost of the rowers' seats, generally fitted with benches to accommodate passengers.

sternway: the motion of a ship going backward through the water, the opposite of headway.

stow: as relates to sails, the same as FURL.

tack: to turn a vessel onto a new course in such a way that her bow passes through the wind. Also used to indicate relation of ship to wind, e.g. a ship on a "starboard tack" has the wind coming over the starboard side.

taffrail: the upper part of a ship's stern.

tarpaulin hat: wide, flt-brimmed canvas hat, coated in tar for waterproofing, favored by sailors.

tender: small vessel that operates in conjunction with a larger man-of-war.

tholes: pins driven into the upper edge of a boat's side to hold the oars in place when rowing.

thwart: seat or bench in a boat on which the rowers sit.

tiller: the bar attached to the rudder and used to turn the rudder in steering.

top: a platform at the junction of the lower mast and the topmast.

top-hamper: general term for all of the spars, rigging, and sails; all the equipment above the level of the deck.

train tackle: arrangement of BLOCKS and tackle attached to the back end of a gun carriage and used to haul the gun inboard.

truck: a round button of wood that serves as a cap on the highest point of a mast.

trunnions: short, round arms that project from either side of a cannon and upon which the cannon rests and tilts.

tween decks: (corruption of between decks) the deck between the uppermost and the lowermost decks.

waist: the area of the ship between the quarterdeck and the forecastle.

waister: men stationed in the waist of the vessel for sail evolutions. generally inexperienced, old, or just plain dumb seamen were designated waisters.

warp: a small rope used to move a vessel by hauling it through the water. Also, to move a vessel by means of warps.

water sail: a light-air sail set under a boom.

wear: to turn the vessel from one TACK to another by turning the stern through the wind. Slower but safer than tacking.

weather: the same as windward, thus "a ship to weather" is the same as "a ship to windward". Also describe the side of the ship from which the wind is blowing.

weather deck: upper deck, one that is exposed to the weather.

whip: a tackle formed by a rope run through a single fixed block.

woolding: a tight winding of rope around a mast or yard.

worming: small pieces of rope laid between the strands of a larger rope to strengthen it and allow it to better withstand chaffing. Also the process of putting worming in place.

yard: long, horizontal stars suspended from the masts and from which the sails are spread.