3 Terms
Contributors in General boating
General boating
Brail
Boat; General boating
To furl or truss a sail by pulling it in towards the mast, or the ropes used to do so.
Counterflood
Boat; General boating
To deliberately flood compartments on the opposite side from already flooded ones. Usually done to reduce a list.
Hand over fist
Boat; General boating
To climb steadily upwards, from the motion of a sailor climbing shrouds on a sailing ship (originally "hand over hand").
Lay
Boat; General boating
To come and go, used in giving orders to the crew, such as "lay forward" or "lay aloft". To direct the course of vessel. Also, to twist the strands of a rope together.
Fall off
Boat; General boating
To change the direction of sail so as to point in a direction that is more down wind. To bring the bow leeward. Also bear away, bear off or head down. The opposite of heading up.
Three sheets to the wind
Boat; General boating
On a three-masted ship, having the sheets of the three lower courses loose will result in the ship meandering aimlessly downwind. Also, a sailor who has drunk strong spirits beyond his capacity.
