2008 REED’s East Coast Edition - Planning
Deadweight The carrying capacity of a vessel, measured by its displacement.
Deckhead Underside of a deck; the roof of a ship’s cabin.
Deep Unmarked soundings of the lead line.
Diurnal A tide having only one high water and one low water occur during a tidal day.
Dolphin A structure built of a pile or collection of piles.
Down helm Order to helmsman to put tiller away from the wind; up helm is toward the wind.
Dowse (a) To extinguish a light; (b) To lower sail or spar quickly; (c) To spray with water.
Draft The depth of water occupied by a vessel at any time.
Drogue A sea anchor — a cone-shaped canvas bag to which the vessel lies in heavy weather to keep the
bow pointing into the waves, or towed from the stern to slow the speed when running.
EBB The movement of a tidal current away from the shore or down a tidal river or estuary.
Eddy Circular motion of the water unconnected with general water movement.
Ensign The flag, usually carried at the stern, that denotes a vessel’s nationality.
Equatorial
Tidal Currents Tidal currents occurring semimonthly as a result of the Moon being over the equator.
Equatorial
Tides Tides occurring semi- monthly as the result of the Moon being over the equator.
Eye of
the wind That point from which the wind is blowing toward the observer.
FAIRWAY Shipping channel, normally the center of an approach channel.
Fathom Nautical measurement of depth of six feet, or 1.83m.
Fender Soft material usually formed in a cylindrical or spherical shape that prevents chafe between
vessels, or vessel and pier.
Fetch (a) To make, arrive at a desired point; (b) The distance from weather shore to ship.
Flare The outward spread of a vessel’s topsides; also a distress signal.
Fix A position obtained by observing directions and distances to objects of known locations.
Flashing Navigation light with duration of light less than dark, operating at regular intervals.
Flood
Floor Athwartship structural member fastened to keel and lower ends of frames.
Foot The lower edge of a sail.
Fore and aft In line with the centerline — lengthways of the ship.
Forward Toward the bow.
Foul Opposite of clear, as “foul berth,” “foul anchor,”or ‘’foul bottom.”
Freeboard The distance from the waterline to the deck outboard edge.
Freshen The wind “freshens” when it increases.
Full and by Close-hauled, but with the sails continuously well filled.
Furl Gathering in sail and securing it to its spar.
GIMBALS Two concentric rings to hold the compass or stove horizontal at all times.
Go about To tack by putting the bow through the wind.
Ground (a) A ship touching bottom is said to ground; (b) Groundswell is long coastal swell.
HARDEN UP To bring the vessel closer to the wind.
Hawser A heavy line used for mooring, kedging, towing, or as a temporary anchor line.
Head Forward in a ship; headsails are those set forward of the foremast.
Head sea Sea from ahead. (A beam sea is caused by wind blowing from abeam.)
Heave
the lead To take soundings with a lead line.
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