Practical Boat-Sailing Part 15

OVERHAULING.--To haul a rope through a block; to examine any thing thoroughly; to gain upon a vessel or object ahead.

PAINTER.--A short rope in the bows of a boat by which she is secured.

TO PART.--To tear asunder; i.e., the cable has parted; the main-sheet has parted.

TO Pa.s.s A LASHING.--To wind a rope round a spar or sail.

PAY.--To rub on pitch or tar with a large brush.

TO PAY OFF.--To make a yacht's head recede from the wind by hauling the jib to windward, and easing off the main-boom to leeward.

TO PEAK UP.--To elevate the outer or after end of a gaff, so that the sail may set better.

PLYING.--Turning to windward.

p.o.o.pING.--A yacht is said to be p.o.o.ped when she is struck by a sea that comes on board over the stern or quarter.

PORT.--_See_ larboard.

PREVENTER.--Any thing to secure or take off the strain, as preventer jib-sheet.

PENNANT.--A long narrow flag.

QUARTER.--That part of the yacht's side contained between the beam and stern.

RAKE.--The sheer of masts from the perpendicular.

RANGE OF CABLE.--A sufficient length overhauled and ready so as to allow the anchor to reach the bottom without fouling.

TO REEF.--To reduce a sail by fastening it down to a boom or jack-stay by means of reef-points.

TO REEVE.--To pa.s.s a rope through a block.

TO RIDE.--To be held at anchor.

TO RIGHT.--A yacht is said to right when she rises to an upright position again, after having been thrown on her beam-ends by a sudden squall.

TO RIGHT THE HELM.--To put it amidships, so that the rudder will be in a line with the keel.

TO RUN DOWN.--When one yacht sinks another by running over her.

SCANT.--The wind is said to be scant when a yacht will barely lay her course.

SCOPE.--To pay out more of the cable when at anchor.

TO SCUD.--To run before the wind in a storm.

TO SCUTTLE.--To make holes in a yacht's bottom to sink her.

TO SERVE.--To wind any thing round a rope so as to save it from chafing.

TO SEIZE.--To make fast or bind.

TO SHEER.--To vary to the right and left from a direct course.

TO SHIP.--To place or receive any thing on board; as, to ship a sea, to ship a crew.

TO SHIVER.--To make the sails shake in the wind's eye.

SHOAL.--The land beneath the water that approaches near the surface, or is left bare at low water.

THE SLACK OF A ROPE.--The part that hangs loose.

TO SLIP A CABLE.--To let it run out overboard, and release the yacht from the anchor, being first generally buoyed so as to be recovered.

TO SLUE.--To turn any thing about.

SNUB.--Used in reference to the cables, in checking the yacht, after they have been paid out.

TO SOUND.--To ascertain the depth of water by means of a lead-line.

TO TAKE A SPELL.--To relieve any one at any duty; as, to take a spell at the wheel.

TO SPILL.--To take the wind out of a sail by easing off the sheets or otherwise, so as to remove the pressure of the wind.

TO SPLICE.--To join two ropes together by interweaving the strands.

TO SPRING A MAST.--To crack or split it.

A SPRING.--A rope made fast to the cable, and taken on board aft, in order to haul the yacht's side in any direction.

SPRING-TIDES.--The highest tides, which occur at the full and change of the moon.

TO STAND ON.--To keep on in one's course.

TO STAND BY.--To be ready.

STARBOARD.--The right side of a yacht, the observer looking from aft forward.

TO STEER.--To control the yacht with the rudder and tiller.

STRANDED.--A yacht is said to be stranded when she is so far on sh.o.r.e that she cannot be floated.

TO STRIKE.--To beat against the bottom; to hit suddenly any object below the surface of the water.

SWIG OFF.--To take a turn with a rope at a cleat, and then pull upon it laterally, so as to gather in all the slack.

TO TACK.--To advance by a series of angles toward the direction from which the wind proceeds.