General sailing

General sailing

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

Contributors in General sailing

General sailing

Technically, the ratio of length of anchor rode in use to the vertical distance from the bow of the vessel to the bottom of the water. Usually six to seven to one for calm weather and more scope in ...

cross-jack

Sailing; General sailing

The Cross-jack-yard is the lowest yard on the mizzen mast. Pronounced "cro'-jack."

dead rise

Sailing; General sailing

The approach the floor timbers of a vessel makes to a vertical. In the case of ships, the frames in the after body are called the dead-risings, because they only rise from the keel at a sharp angle, ...

sister block

Sailing; General sailing

A double block with two sheaves of the same size one above the other, and seized to the topmast shrouds of square rigged ships to receive the lifts and reef tackle pendants.

over-reach

Sailing; General sailing

To stand so long on a reach that upon tacking the vessel can fetch much farther to windward of a mark than was necessary or desirable.

shake

Sailing; General sailing

To sail a vessel so close to wind that the weather cloths of the sails shake; the bead sails generally are the first to shake, and if the helmsman does not notice it someone who does sings out, "All ...