B
BACK of the post to BALANCE of the mizen
BALANCE of the boom sail to BARK
BARNACLE to BEAMS
BEAMS to BED of a river
BED of a cannon to BIGHT
BILANDER to BLACK-STRAKES
BLADE to Trim the BOAT!
To bale the BOAT to BOLT-ROPE
To bale the BOAT
Moor the BOAT!
BOATS OF A SHIP OF WAR
BOAT-HOOK
BOATSWAIN
BOB-STAY
BOLD
BOLSTERS
BOLT
BOLT-ROPE
BOMB to BOTTOM
BOTTOM to BOX-HAULING
BOXING to To BREAK-UP
BREAK-WATER to BRIDLES of the bowline
BRIG, or BRIGANTINE to Ship-BUILDING
Ship-BUILDING to BUNTINE
BUNTLINES to BUTTONS
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BOB-STAY
BOB-STAY, (sous-barbe, Fr.) a rope used to confine the bowsprit of a ship downward to the stem, or cut-water. It is fixed by thrusting one of it's ends through a hole bored in the fore-part of the cut-water for this purpose, and then splicing both ends together so as to make it two-fold, or like the link of a chain: a dead-eye is then seized into it, and a laniard passing through this, and communicating with another dead-eye upon the bowsprit, is drawn extremely tight by the help of mechanical powers. See BOWSPRIT.The use of the bob-stay, is to draw down the bowsprit, and keep it steady; and to counteract the force of the stays of the fore-mast, which draw it upwards. The bowsprit is also fortified by shrouds from the bows on each side; which are all very necessary, as the fore-mast and the upper-part of the main-mast are stayed and greatly supported by the bowsprit. For this reason, the bob-stay is the first part of a ship's rigging which is drawn tight to support the masts. To perform this task more effectually, it is usual to suspend a boat, anchor, or other weighty body, at the bowsprit end, to press it downwards during this operation.
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© Derived from Thomas Cadell's new corrected edition, London: 1780, page 41, 2003
Prepared by Paul Turnbull
http://southseas.nla.gov.au/refs/falc/0169.html