by Alaric Bond
Forereach
To gain upon, or pass by another ship when sailing in a similar direction.
Forestay
Stay supporting the masts running forward, serving the opposite function of the backstay. Runs from each mast at an angle of about 45 degrees to meet another mast, the deck or the bowsprit.
Foretack
Line leading forward from the bowsprit, allowing the clew of the forecourse to be held forward when the ship is sailing close to the wind.
Founder
Verb, to sink without touching land of any sort, usually during bad weather.
Frapping/Frapped
When not in service the gun, carriage and breaching tackle are lashed together, or Frapped.
Futtock shrouds
Rigging that projects away from the mast leading to, and steadying, a top or crosstrees. True sailors climb up them, rather than use the lubber's hole, even though it means hanging backwards.
Gaff
Spar attached to the top of the gaff sail.
Gaff sail
Fore and aft quadrilateral shaped sail, usually set at the mizzen.
Gallouts or Guffies
SL Marines. Also Jollies.
Gammoning
Wrapping line about a mast or spar e.g.: the lashing that holds the bowsprit against upward pressure, to the knee of the head.
Gasket
Line or canvas strip used to tie the sail when furling.
Gewgaws
SL Trinkets.
Gig
Medium sized boat.
Gingerbread
Gilding usually to the stern of a ship.
Glass
Telescope. Also, hourglass: an instrument for measuring time. Also barometer.
Glim
SL Lantern.
Go-about
To alter course, changing from one tack to the other with the wind crossing the bows.
Goose winged
A sail set with the lower corners pulled down to the yard below, while the centre remains furled, an alternative to reefing.
Gore
The lower edge of a sail, usually scalloped, in the case of a main or forecourse. In warships the gore is deeper (more round). Also Roach.
Grape
Cannon shot, larger than case.
Grappling-iron
Small anchor, fitted with four or five flukes or claws, Used to hold two ships together for boarding.
Groat
SL Fourpence.
Grog
Rum mixed with water (to ensure it is drunk immediately, and not accumulated). Served twice a day at ratios differing from three to five to one.
Ground tackle
Anchors and cables etc.
Guard ship
Usually a third rate, party manned, armed and stored, used as the first line of reserve. Commissioned, and available for full service relatively quickly.
Gudgeons
Fixings on the stern post to pintles on the rudder.
Gunpowder
A mixture of charcoal, salt petre and sulphur.
Half deck
Area immediately between the captain's quarters and the mainmast.
Halyards
Lines which raise: yards, sails, signals etc.
Handspike
Long lever.
Hawse
Area in bows where holes are cut to allow the anchor cables to pass through. Also used as general term for bows.
Hawser
Heavy cable used for hauling, towing or mooring.
Head
Toilet, or seat of ease. Sited at the bows (head) to allow the wind to carry any unpleasant odours away.
Head braces
Lines used to adjust the angle of the upper yards.
Head rope/line
Line sewn into the edge at the head of a sail.
Headway
The amount a vessel is moved forward, (rather than leeway: the amount a vessel is moved sideways), when the wind is not directly behind.
Heave to
Keeping a ship relatively stationary by backing certain sails in a seaway.
Hogging
The sag in the backbone of a ship, where the bows and stern droop to lower than that of the middle. Often caused when a vessel has been at sea for some time.
Hollands
Gin.
Holy Joe
SL Chaplain, also Bish.
Holy-stone
SL Block of sandstone roughly the size and shape of a family bible. Used to clean and smooth decks. Originally salvaged from the ruins of a church on the Isle of Wight.
Hounds
Top of a section of mast, where the shrouds run from.
Hoxton
The Naval asylum in North London. Hopeless cases are transferred to Bethlem. One in 1,000 seamen go mad, (National average is 1 in 7,000) The constant banging of heads on beams is often blamed.
Hulled
Describes a ship that, when fired upon, the shot passes right through the hull.
Idler
One who does not keep a watch, cook, carpenter, etc.
Interest
Backing from a superior officer or one in authority, useful when looking for promotion to, or within, commissioned rank.
Jack Corse
SL Bonaparte.
Jack Dusty
SL Purser's steward, also Jack of the dust.
Jacob's ladder
Rope ladder (often used for boarding from boat).
Jakes
Privy, pot, or seat of ease.
Jape
SL Joke.
Jaunty
SL Master at arms.
Jeer bits
Stout timber frame about the mast, these extend deep into the ship.
Jeers
Thick lines which raise the lower yards. Supported by:
Jib-boom
Boom run out from the extremity of the bowsprit, braced by means of a Martingale stay, which passes through the dolphin striker,
John Company
SL The Honourable East India Company (H.E.I.C.).
Johnathan
SL An American.
Johnnie Newcome
SL A new member of the crew.
Johnny Crapaud
SL The French equivalent to John Bull.
Jollies
SL Marines. Also Guffies.
Jolly Boat
Small cutter usually with a crew of 7.
Junk
Old line used to make wads, etc.
Jury mast/rig
Temporary measure used to restore a vessel's sailing ability.
Kedging
To move a ship by pulling alternately on two anchors that are continually dropped ahead of the ship by the ships boats. Similar to warping (towing against solid objects).
Kelson
The inner keel, on which the mast step rests.
Kite
SL Sail.
Landsman
The rating of one who has no experience at sea.
Langridge
Shot consisting of irregular iron pieces linked together.
Lanthorn
Lantern.
Lanyard
Short piece of line to be used as a handle. Also decorative tassel to uniform.
Larboard
Left side of the ship when facing forward. (Later known as Port.)
Lasking
A variation of the attack in column, where each ship, instead of aligning its heading with the line of battle axis, steers slightly up wind, thus allowing its broadside to fire with effect, while permitting the wind to carry the ship down to a more effective range.
Lateen rig
Triangular sail attached to a yard hung obliquely to the mast. Commonly found on the mizzen in square rigged ships until the adoption of the gaff.
Launch
Large ship's boat, crew of 40-60.
Leeward
The downwind side of a ship.
Leeway
The amount a ve
ssel is pushed sideways by the wind, (as opposed to headway, the forward movement, when the wind is directly behind).
Legs and wings
SL A surgeon's 'offcuts'.
Lifts
Lines that keep the yards horizontal, each lift leads from the mast, through a block at the yard arm, and back through another block at the head of the mast, and down to the deck, where it is secured.
Liner
SL Ship of the line – Ship of the line of battle (later battleship).
Lining
Part of a sail that is reinforced, usually at an important point, with a double thickness of canvas.
Linstock
The holder of slow match which the gun captain uses to fire his piece when the flintlock mechanism is not working/present.
Loblolly men/boys
Surgeon's assistants.
Long toggies
SL A young landsmen.
Lubberly/Lubber
SL Unseamanlike behaviour; as a landsman.
Luff
Intentionally sail closer to the wind, perhaps to allow work aloft. Also the flapping of sails when brought too close to the wind. The side of a fore and aft sail laced to the mast.
Main tack
Line leading forward from a sheave in the hull allowing the clew of the maincourse to be held forward when the ship is sailing close to the wind.
Martingale stay
Line that braces the Jib-boom, passing from the end, through the dolphin striker, to the ship.
Master-at-Arms
Senior hand, responsible for discipline aboard ship.
Men in lue
Men carried in press tenders to replace the sailors taken from homebound merchantmen. They are often pretty poor sailors themselves, thus avoiding the press. Also Ticket Men.
Neaped
A ship that has gone aground on a spring tide is said to be neaped. It may have to wait up to six months for another suitable tide.
Nettles
Lines to either end of a hammock.
Nippers
Light line which attaches an anchor cable, or any heavy line, to the capstan messenger. SL ships boys, (who tie and untie the nippers when raising anchor).
Oakum
Unravelled line fibres, mixed with tar to act as stopping between planks. See Caulking.
Old Nobbs
SL King George III.
Oldster
SL Midshipman who has failed to pass through to lieutenant.
One legged
spider
SL Popular sailor's description of a marine climbing aloft.
Open order
In fleet sailing, 3 - 4 cables apart.
Ordinary
Term used to describe a ship laid up; left in storage, with principle shipkeepers aboard, but unfit for immediate use.
Ordinary seaman
One who can make himself useful on board, although not an expert, or skilful sailor.
Orlop
Deck directly above the hold, and below the lower gun deck - from the Dutch word to overlap. A lighter deck than the gun deck (no cannon to support) and usually level or below the waterline. Holds warrant officers' mess, and midshipmen's berth, also carpenters' and sail makers' stores. Used as an emergency operating area in action.
Over threes
SL Referring to a captain of over three years seniority, and entitled to wear both epaulettes (after the uniform changes of 1795)
Paddy's Reef
SL A hole in a sail.
Palm-and-pricket men
Sailmaker's assistants.
Parbuckle
The rig, consisting of two looped lines, used to drag barrels etc. on board without using a davit.
Parbuckle rails
Rails, often near the entry port, that aid items entering the ship, see above.
Pariah-dogs
SL Men who change mess so often they are forced to mess alone, or with others of their kind. They are usually unpopular for a number of anti-social reasons.
Parrels
Bread shaped pieces of wood that help to keep the yard against the mast, and allow for its adjustment.
Peak halyard
Line that secures the extreme end of a gaff.
Peter Warren
SL Petty Warrant Victuals, fresh food sent from the shore to ships staying in harbour for some time.
Pickthank
SL Teller of tales, causer of trouble.
Pinance
Boat powered by oars or sail. Smaller than a barge.
Pintles
Fixing on the rudder to gudgeons on the stern post.
Pointing the ropes
The act of tapering the end of a line to allow it to pass easily through a block.
Poop
Aft most, and highest, deck of a larger ship.
Pooped
The breaking of a heavy sea over the stern or quarter of a vessel when she is running before the wind. A common cause of foundering.
Popham's Code
The RN signalling code, using flags, usually four to a hoist.
Pox
SL Venereal Disease, Common on board ship; until 1795 a man suffering had to pay a 15/- fine to the surgeon, in consequence, many cases went unreported. Treatment was often mercurial, and ineffective.
Preaching Jemmy
SL Admiral James Gambier.
Protection
A legal document that gives the owner protection against impressment.
Provisions
Naval rations.
Puddening
The protective wrap of line about the shank of an anchor.
Pumpdale
Gully that crosses a deck, carrying water cleared by a pump.
Purser
Officer responsible for provisions and clothing on board.
Purser's dip
Tallow lantern allowed below deck.
Purser's eights
Term used to describe the purser's practice of only issuing 14 ounces for every pound of provisions.
Pusser
SL Purser.
Quarterdeck
Deck forward of the poop, but at a lower level. The preserve of officers.
Queue
A pigtail. Often tied by a man's best friend (his tie mate).
Quoin
Wedge for adjusting elevation of a gun barrel.
Quota men
Those who entered the RN to "relieve themselves of public disgrace" - usually sent by a magistrate. Also Lords Mayors, or Billy Pitt's men.
Ratlines
Lighter lines, untarred, and tied horizontally across the shrouds at regular intervals, to act as rungs and allow men to climb aloft.
Redbreasts
SL Bow Street Runners who patrol the rougher areas of a port or town.
Reef
A portion of sail that can be taken in to reduce the size of the whole.
Reefing points
Light line on large sails which can be tied to reduce sail in heavy weather.
Reefing tackle
Line that leads from the end of the yard to the reefing cringles set in the edges of the sail. It is used to haul up the upper part of the sail when reefing.
Reinforces
Bands about the barrel of a gun.
Rigging
Tophamper; made up of standing (static) and running (moveable) rigging, blocks etc. SL Clothes.
Roach
The lower edge of a sail, usually scalloped, in the case of a main or fore course. In warships the roach is deeper (more round). Also Gore.
Robbands
Lines passing through the holes in the sail, and tied over the top of the yard. The outer ends are stretched along the yard by the earrings.
Rondey
SL The Rendezvous where a press is based and organised.
Round houses
The enclosed (private) heads at the stem of the ship. Larboard side for midshipmen, warrant officers and mates, starboard for patients in the sick bay.
SL Means of complaint open to crew against their officers, a petition to the admiral commanding the station. The names of the petitioning seaman are written in a circle so that no man's is at the top to identify the ring-leader.
Running
Sailing before the wind.
Sailor's joy
SL A home made drink so potent that even men accustomed to drinking grog on a regular basis soon become maniacs under its influence.
Samson post
A stout wooden prop or pillar midway between the centre line and the bulwarks.
Sauve-tete
