To temporarily stop all movement of a line through a block by placing the hauling part across the sheave of the block. This jams the sheave and holds it tight, and a pull on the hauling part will release it.

A metal fitting with an arm that uses a spring to close automatically when connected to another object.

The North Star; visible in the northern hemisphere and indicates the direction of north. In the southern hemisphere the Southern Cross is used to find the direction of south.

A sudden and violent gust of wind.

The wind direction indicator on the masthead.

Another term for a marine railway.

The point (speed of sound) at which air flow through an orifice can not increase regardless of pressure drop.

Small struts or spars extending toward the sides from one or more places along the mast. The shrouds cross the end of the spreaders, enabling the shrouds to better support the mast. Also known as crosstrees in older vessels.

On a wooden vessel, the outermost deck plank covering the gunwale. also called Covering Board

Statement on the condition of the vessel. The sufficiency of a vessel in materials, construction, equipment, crew and outfit for the trade in which it is employed. Any sort of disrepair to the vessel by which the cargo may suffer, overloading, untrained o ...

Railcars grouped in a train by destination so that segments (blocks) can be uncoupled and routed to different destinations as the train moves through various junctions. Eliminates the need to break up a train and sort individual railcars at each junction.

Placing a container where required to be loaded or unloaded.

The imaginary line running from bow to stern along the middle of the boat.

The location from which the boat is steered, usually in the middle or at the stern of the boat.

Abbreviation for:- Port of Loading.- Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants.

Specially designed for the transport of chemicals.

Heavy-weather practice of pouring oil on the sea so as to form a film on the surface, thus preventing the seas from breaking. To smooth out some difficulty.

To bleed is the operation of draining any water out of a buoy which may have seeped inside after long use at sea.

The anti-corrosive paint used on and above the waterline.

That part of the water which is diverted from the main stream of a current and as a result flows in the opposite direction.