The Sailor's Word-Book Part 99

FLOOR-PLANS. In naval architecture, are longitudinal sections, whereon are represented the water-lines and ribband-lines.

FLOOR-RIBBAND. This is an important fir-timber which runs round a little below the floor-heads, for the support of the floors.

FLOOR-RIDERS. Knees brought in from side to side over the floor ceiling and kelson, to support the bottom, if bilged or weak, for heavy cargo.

FLOORS, OR FLOOR-TIMBERS. Those parts of the ship's timbers which are placed immediately across the keel, and upon which the bottom of the ship is framed; to these the upper parts of the timbers are united, being only a continuation of floor-timbers upwards.

FLOOR-SWEEPS. The radii that sweep the heads of the floors. The first in the builder's draught, which is limited by a line in the body-plan, perpendicular to the plane of elevation, a little above the keel; and the height of this line above the keel is called the _dead-rising_.

FLOP, TO. To fall flat down: as "soused flop in the lee-scuppers."

FLORY-BOATS. A local term for boats employed in carrying pa.s.sengers to and fro from steamers which cannot get alongside of a quay at low-water.

FLOSH. A swamp overgrown with weeds.

FLOSK. The _Sepia loligo_, sea-sleeve, or anker-fish.

FLOTA. A Spanish fleet. (_See_ GALLEON.)

FLOTAGES. Things accidentally floating on seas or rivers.

FLOTA NAVIUM. An old statute term for a fleet of ships.

FLOTE. An old English term for wave: thus Ariel tells Prospero that the dispersed ships--

"All have met again, And are upon the Mediterranean flote."

FLOTE-BOTE. An old term for a yawl--a rough-built river boat.

FLOTERY. Floating, used by Chaucer and others.

FLOTILLA. A fleet or squadron of small vessels.

FLOT-MANN. A very early term for sailor.

FLOTSAM. In legal phraseology, is the place where shipwrecked goods continue to float and become derelict property. Sometimes spelled _flotson_.

FLOUNDER. A well-known pleuronect, better to fish for than to eat.

Called also _floun-dab_.

FLOW. In tidology, the rising of the tide; the opposite of ebb. Also, the course or direction of running waters.

FLOWER OF THE WINDS. The mariner's compa.s.s on maps and charts.

FLOWERING. The phenomenon observed usually in connection with the sp.a.w.ning of fish, at the distance of four leagues from sh.o.r.e. The water appears to be saturated with a thick jelly, filled with the ova of fish, which is known by its adhering to the ropes that the cobles anchor with while fishing, for they find the first six or seven fathom of rope free from sp.a.w.n, the next ten or twelve covered with slimy matter, and the remainder again free to the bottom; this gelatinous material may supply the new-born fry with food, and protect them by clouding the water.

FLOWING-HOPE. _See_ FORLORN HOPE.

FLOWING-SHEET. In sailing free or large, is the position of the sheets or lower clues of the princ.i.p.al sails when they are eased off to the wind, so as to receive it more nearly perpendicular than when they are close-hauled, although more obliquely than when going before the wind; a ship is therefore said to have a flowing-sheet, when the wind crosses the line of her course nearly at right angles; that is to say, a ship steering due north with the wind at east, or directly on her side, will have a flowing-sheet; whereas, if the sheets were hauled close aft, she would sail two points nearer the wind--viz. N.N.E. This explanation will probably be better understood by considering the yards as plane faces of wedges--the more oblique fore and aft, the less head-way force is given, until 22 before the transverse line or beam. This is the swiftest line of sailing. As the wind draws aft of the beam the speed decreases (unless the wind increases), so that a vessel with the wind abeam, and every sail drawing, goes much faster than she would with the same wind before it.

FLUCTUATION OF THE TIDE. The rising and falling of the waters.

FLUE. _See_ FLUKES.

FLUES. In a steamer's boiler, are a series of oblong pa.s.sages from the furnaces for the issue of heated air. Their object being, that the air, before escaping, shall impart some of its heat to the water in the boiler, thereby economizing fuel.

FLUFFIT. The movement of fishes' fins.

FLUID COMPa.s.s. That in which the card revolves in its bowl floated by alcohol, which prevents the needle from undue vibrations. The pin is downwards to prevent rising, as in the suspended compa.s.s-card. The body, or card, on which the points of the compa.s.s are marked, is constructed of two segments of a globe, having a diameter of 7 inches to the (double) depth of 1 inch at the poles.

FLUKES. The two parts which const.i.tute the large triangular tail of the whale; from the power of these the phrase obtained among whalers of _fluking_ or _all-a-fluking_, when running with a fresh free wind.

Flukes, or palms, are also the broad triangular plates of iron on each arm of the anchor, inside the bills or extreme points, which having entered the ground, hold the ship. Seamen, by custom, drop the _k_, and p.r.o.nounce the word _flue_.

FLUMMERY. A dish made of oatmeal, or oats soured, &c.

FLURRY. The convulsive movements of a dying whale. Also, a light breeze of wind shifting to different points, and causing a little ruffling on the sea. Also, hurry and confusion.

FLUSH. An old word for even or level. Anything of fair surface, or in continuous even lines. Colloquially the word means full of, or abounding in pay or prize-money.

FLUSH-DECK. A continued floor laid from the stem to the stern, upon one range, without any break.

FLUSHED. Excited by success; flushed with victory.

Fl.u.s.tERED. Performing duty in an agitated and confused manner. Also, stupefied by drink.

FLUTE, OR FLUYT. A pink-rigged fly-boat, the after-part of which is round-ribbed. Also, vessels only partly armed; as armed _en flute_.

FLUTTERING. Used in the same sense as _flapping_.

FLUVIAL, OR FLUVIATILE. Of or belonging to a river.

FLUVIAL LAGOONS. Contradistinguished from marine lagoons, in being formed by river deposits.

FLUX. The flowing in of the tide.

FLY OF A FLAG. The breadth from the staff to the extreme end that flutters loose in the wind. If an ensign, the part which extends from the union to the outer part; the vertical height, to the head-toggle of which the halliards are bent, or which is next to the staff, is called the _hoist_; the lower (which is a rope rove through the canvas heading, and into which the head-toggle is spliced) is the long tack; on this rope the whole strain is sustained.

FLY, OR COMPa.s.s-CARD, placed on the magnetic-needle and supported by a pin, whereon it turns freely. (_See_ COMPa.s.s.)

FLY-AWAY. Fict.i.tious resemblance of land; "Dutchman's cape," &c. (_See_ CAPE FLY-AWAY.)

FLY-BLOCK. The block spliced into the topsail-tye; it is large and flat, and sometimes double.

FLY-BOAT. A large flat-bottomed Dutch vessel, whose burden is generally from 300 to 600 tons. It is distinguished by a remarkably high stern, resembling a Gothic turret, and by very broad b.u.t.tocks below. Also, a swift ca.n.a.l pa.s.sage-boat.

FLY-BY-NIGHT. A sort of square-sail, like a studding-sail, used in sloops when running before the wind; often a temporary spare jib set from the topmast-head to the yard-arm of the square-sail.

FLYER. A fast sailer; a clipper.