A short piece of line spliced into the end of the clapper by which the bell is struck. Traditionally it is finished off with a double wall knot crowned in its end.

The north end of the earth's axis and also called North Geographic Pole. The direction indicated by 000

Imaginary lines drawn through the north and south poles on the globe used to measure distance east and west of the prime meridian at Greenwich, England (designated as 0

Heavy, linked chain secured to an anchor for mooring or anchoring.

A term commonly used in connection with a bill of lading. It involves the transfer of rights, title and interest in order to assign goods by endorsing the bill of lading.

Any point of sail with the wind coming from the side of the boat. If the wind is coming from directly over the side, it is a beam reach. If the wind is coming from forward of abeam it is a close reach. If the wind is coming from over the quarter, it is ca ...

Forward. The opposite of abaft.

A ship drives when her anchor fails to hold and she is at the mercy of wind and tide, or when she can make no progress against the wind.

Money paid by shipper to Master of ship for diligence in care of cargo. Not now paid to Master, but added to freight. Amount was usually about 1% of freight.

A pair of additional backstays temporarily rigged to provide extra support to the masts of square rigged vessels when sailing downwind.

To coil flat down on deck, each fake outside the other, beginning in the middle and all close together.

Area of high barometric pressure where the wind circulates clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, and counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. These are fair weather systems with light or moderate winds.

On older sailing ships, a heavy piece of curved timber projecting from the bow for the purpose of holding anchors in position for letting go or for securing them after weighing.

see Bream

On square-rigged ships, an additional sail set in good weather outside the square sails when the wind was abaft the beam.

Heavy weight,which gives a ship stability when the vessel is not carrying cargo.

Shipment of goods to a foreign country.

The largest circle which can be inscribed on a sphere by a plane that cuts through the center of the sphere. On the earth, the equator is a great circle, as are all the meridians of longitude which pass through both poles. The shortest distance between tw ...

To reach the end; to bring one object hard up against another, as when two blocks in a block and tackle arrangement are brought together.

A multihulled boat with three hulls.