Aft:
behind or toward the back of the ship.
Aloft:
up the ship’s mast.
Astern:
at the back of or behind the ship.
Ballast:
heavy material—usually gravel or lead—placed in the bottom of the ship for greater stability.
Beam ends:
a ship on her beam ends is lying so far over she is in danger of capsizing.
Beat to Quarters:
drummer’s signal to men to report to their duty stations for battle.
Bilge:
lowest depths of the ship’s hold. Usually foul with wastewater.
Boatswain or Bos’n:
a petty officer, usually a good sailor, who inspects ship’s sails and rigging.
Boom:
a long spar that extends perpendicular to the mast.
Bow:
front of the ship.
Bowsprit:
a long spar sticking out from the bow of the ship.
Broach:
suddenly and uncontrollably veering around when running before the wind. Very hazardous; the ship can roll over or lose a mast or spars.
Bulkhead:
partition inside a ship. Best if watertight.
Clewed-up:
pulled up to the yards by lines attached to lower corners of the square sails.
Close-hauled:
sails pulled in as tight as possible to allow ship to sail close to the wind.
Collier:
ship carrying coal.
Con:
to give directions on sailing the ship.
Course:
the lowest and largest sad on the mast of a square-rigged ship.
Coxswain or cox’n:
helmsman of a small boat.
Fall off:
steer away from the direction of the wind.
Fantail:
overhang on the end or stern of the ship.
Fore-and-aft rig:
the sails are set up to run the length of the ship, as opposed to square-rigged.
Forecastle or fo’c’sle:
Raised deck at front of the ship. Also used to describe crewmen—fo’c’sle hand—whose quarters were below this deck.
Foremast:
the mast farthest forward on a ship.
Furl:
to roll or fold sails on a spar or boom.
Futtocks:
iron plates attached to the mast to secure the shrouds or stays that run down to the sides of the ship.
Gaff rig:
a fore and aft sailing rig that runs up the mast and extends out along a spar at the top and a boom at the bottom.
Gallant:
on a square-rigged ship, the third highest sail, above the course and top sail.
Galley:
where meals are prepared aboard ship.
Halyards:
ropes used to pull up sails.
Heel:
when the ship leans over in the wind.
Helmsman:
the sailor who steers the ship.
Jibe:
when a ship is running before the wind and changes direction, the booms and spars have to be swung from one side of the ship to the other. If badly performed, the ship will broach.
Knot:
a measurement of speed over the water, slightly faster than miles per hour. Derived from knots tied in a line at fixed intervals (every forty-seven feet, three inches). Streamed over the side, timed against a twenty-eight-second sand glass, the line measures “knots,” or nautical miles per hour.
Lateen:
a type of fore and aft rig, a triangular-shaped sail hung from a diagonal yard.
Lee shore:
a shore that is downwind. A ship can be pushed down on a lee shore by a gale.
Leeward:
the side of a ship that is away from the wind.
Mainmast:
in a three-masted ship, the center mast.
Mainsail:
The main course.
Main topmast:
the mast of a square-rigged ship was often built in three pieces, each fixed on top of the other (a lower mast, then a top-mast, then a topgallant mast).
Main topsail yard:
the spar fixed across the mast from which hangs the main top sail, the second highest sail (above the course and below the topgallant).
Mizzenmast:
on a three-masted ship, the rear mast.
Nor’easter:
wind out of the Northeast. A Nor’easter on the Atlantic coast is often gusty and accompanied by clouds and rain.
Poop deck:
on a large man-of-war, the furthest aft deck, behind the quarterdeck.
Privateer:
a privately owned warship given permission—a so-called letter of marque—by the government to capture enemy ships and keep any prizes they seize.
Quarterdeck:
raised deck at the back of the ship, from which the captain and officers give orders. On bigger ships, in front of and lower than the poop deck.
Ratlines:
small ropes, attached lengthwise, that seamen use as steps to climb the rigging.
Reef:
a ship in a strong wind will roll up, or reef, a portion of its sails to reduce windage.
Royal:
in a square-rigged ship, the topmost sail, above the course, the topsail, and the gallant.
Rudder:
a swinging fin hanging off the rear of the ship that guides the direction of the vessel. The rudder is attached by ropes and pulleys to the helm.
Run before the wind:
to sail with the wind coming over the stern.
Ruse de guerre:
trick played in wartime to fool the enemy. Typically, sailing under a false flag of another country.
Schooner:
a fore-and-aft-rigged ship, usually with two masts, built for speed.
Scupper:
an opening cut through the ship’s bulwark, allowing water that comes in over the side to flow overboard.
Shallop:
a boat powered by oars used close to shore. Sometimes has a small mast.
Sheets:
ropes attached to the sail used to pull in or let out the sail depending on the direction of the wind.
Shrouds:
ropes that help hold up the mast, attached to the sides of the ship.
Sloop:
a smaller ship-of-war than a frigate.
Slops:
rough, ready-made clothing worn by the ship’s men.
Spars:
the poles in the ship’s rigging—masts, booms, yards, bowsprits, gaffs.
Squall:
a brief, severe storm of wind, usually accompanied by rain and lowered visibility.
Square-rigged:
a vessel with yards set across the mast.
Staysail:
small fore-and-aft sail hoisted on a stay running between or in front of the mast.
Stern:
back of the ship.
Strike:
take down, as in “strike the flag” or “strike a sail.”
Studding sails:
small sails extended on booms sticking out from the yards to provide more sail area.
Tack:
the course of a ship sailing close to the wind. Since a sailing ship cannot get closer than 45 degrees off the wind, she sails against the wind by “tacking” or “beating,” sailing on one tack, then coming about on to the other tack.
Taffrail:
the rail on the fantail.
Tarry ropes:
ropes used as stays or shrouds were often covered with tar to make them stronger and not fray.
Tiller:
a long wooden bar or pole attached to the head of the rudder, used to steer the ship.
Topgallant:
the mast above the topmast.
Topsail:
the second highest sail above the deck, set above the course.
Trim:
pulling on the sheets to adjust the angle of the spars to the direction of the wind.
Windward:
on the side or direction from which the wind is blowing.
Yard:
long, narrow pole or spar slung across the mast on a square-rigged ship. Sails hang from yards.