General boating

General boating

Industry: Boat

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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.