Practical Boat-Sailing Part 12

ALL IN THE WIND.--When the sails receive a portion of the wind on both surfaces, and shake or wave like a flag.

ALL HANDS, AHOY.--A summons used to call all the crew on deck in an emergency.

ALOFT.--Up above, at the masthead.

ALONGSIDE.--Close to the side of the yacht.

AMIDSHIPS.--Any thing in a line with the keel; viz., "Put the helm amidships!"

TO ANCHOR.--To let the anchor fall overboard that it may hold the yacht; the order for which is "Let go the anchor!"

ANCHORAGE.--Ground fit to anchor on.

TO WEIGH THE ANCHOR.--To heave it up from the bottom to the bow of the yacht.

ASh.o.r.e.--On land, aground.

ASTERN.--Behind the yacht.

ATHWART.--Across.

ATHWART-SHIPS.--Any thing lying at right angles to the line of the keel, or nearly so.

AVAST.--To cease pulling, to stop.

A-WEATHER.--The helm is said to be a-weather when the tiller is put over to the windward side of the yacht; and "hard a-weather," when it is put over as far as it will go.

AWNING.--A canvas covering stretched overhead, to give protection from the heat of the sun.

BACK-STAYS.--Ropes fixed at the topmasthead, and fastened to the sides of the yacht to sustain the topmast.

BALLAST.--A quant.i.ty of heavy material placed in the hold of the yacht to give her proper stability.

BANDS.--Pieces of canvas sewn across a sail to strengthen it to sustain the reef-points, and called reef-bands.

BAR.--A shoal, usually found at the mouths of rivers and harbors that are subject to much current.

BARE POLES.--Having no sail up, on account of the severity of the wind: hence "scudding under bare poles," that is, running before the wind with no sail set.

BEAMS.--Pieces of timber across the yacht under the decks, bound to the sides by knees. A yacht is said to be on her "beam-ends" when she is hove down by any force, so that the ends of the beams point towards the ground.

FORWARD OF THE BEAM.--When the object or wind is at some position between abeam and ahead.

BEFORE THE BEAM.--When the wind or object bears on some point forward of the beam, but within the right angle formed by the keel and a line across the middle of the yacht.

ABAFT THE BEAM.--The opposite to Before the Beam.

BEARINGS.--The direction of any object by observation of the compa.s.s; also to any object, as the lighthouse bears abaft the beam.

BEATING TO WINDWARD.--Advancing in the direction from which the wind proceeds by a series of manoeuvres called "tacking."

BECALMED.--Having no wind to fill the sails. One sail is also said to becalm another when the wind is aft.

BELAY.--To make fast a rope around a cleat or pin.

TO BEND.--To fasten; as to bend the sails, bend on the cable to the anchor, bend on the colors, &c.

BIGHT.--Any _slack_ part of a rope between the ends.

BILGE.--The flat part of a yacht's bottom, where the water that she ships, or which leaks in, remains, and is called "bilge-water."

BINNACLE.--A box, fitted with lights, which contains the steering-compa.s.s.

BERTH.--An anchorage; a bunk or wooden shelf used for sleeping in.

BITTS.--Large, upright pieces of timber, with a cross-piece, to which hawsers or large ropes are belayed; also called "knight-heads."

BLOCKS.--Instruments, with sheaves or pulleys, used to increase the power of ropes.

BLOCK AND BLOCK (also called commonly "chock-a-block").--When the two blocks of a tackle have been brought as near together as possible.

TO MAKE A BOARD.--To tack.

TO MAKE A STERN-BOARD.--To move through the water stern foremost.

BOB-STAYS.--Ropes from the cut-water, or stem, to the bowsprit end, to sustain and strengthen it.

BOLT-ROPES.--Ropes sewn round the edges of the sails, to keep them from splitting.

BOOMS.--Round pieces of timber on which the foot of sails are lashed.

BOWS.--The round part of the yacht forward, ending in the cut-water, or stem.

TO BOUSE.--To haul upon.

BOWSPRIT.--A spar nearly parallel with the deck, extending out over the stem.

TO BRING UP.--To take the bottom suddenly, as brought up by a shoal; to come to an anchor.

TO BRING TO.--To make the yacht nearly stationary by stopping her headway by means of the sails set in different positions, so as to counterpoise each other in connection with the helm.

b.u.t.t END.--The end of a plank in a yacht's side; to start a b.u.t.t, i.e., to leak.

BY THE BOARD.--A mast is said to go by the board when carried away just above the deck.

BY THE HEAD.--When a yacht is deeper in the water forward than aft.

BY THE STERN.--The reverse of "by the head."