General sailing

General sailing

Terms used to sail, navigate, and maintain a sail boat.

Contributors in General sailing

General sailing

Usually metal, placed low in a boat to provide stability. Dead weight carried to assist the stability of a vessel. A ship is said to be in ballast when she has no merchandise on board, but only sand, ...

fore & aft rig

Sailing; General sailing

The fore and aft rig, or schooner rig, required only a small crew, and was generally used in the coastal and fishing trades. Ships with this rig could point higher into the wind and were usually more ...

fidded

Sailing; General sailing

When the fid has secured the topmast or bowsprit in its proper place.

barber hauler

Sailing; General sailing

A line attached to the jib or jib sheet, used to adjust the angle of sheeting by pulling the sheet toward the centerline of the boat.

chuck to windward

Sailing; General sailing

A weather-going tide is said to chuck a vessel to windward, and the contrary a lee-going tide.

running backstay

Sailing; General sailing

Also runner, or preventive backstay. A stay that supports the mast from aft, usually from the quarter rather than the stern. When the boat is sailing downwind, the runner on the leeward side of the ...