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William Falconer's Dictionary of the MarineReference Works
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Table of Contents

S

SADDLE to To strike SAIL

SAILING to SALUTE
SAILING
Order of SAILING
SAILING (navigation)
SAILOR
SAIL-YARD
SALLY-PORT
SALVAGE
SALUTE

SALUTE to SCHOONER

SCOOP to SEA-COAST

SEA-CLOTHS to SENDING

SENNIT to SHANK

SHANK-PAINTER to SHEET

SHEET-ANCHOR to SHIP

SHIP to SHIP-SHAPE

SHIPPING to SHOT

SHOT to SLAB-LINE

SLACK-WATER to SNATCH-BLOCK

SNOTTER to SPILL

SPILLING-LINES to SPRING A LEAK

SPRINGING THE LUFF to SQUALL

SQUARE to STANDING-WATER

STARBOARD to STEM

STEMSON to STEWARD

STIFF to STRAKES or STREAKS

STRAND to STUDDING-SAILS

STUFF to SWEEPER of the sky

SWEEPING to To SWING


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SAILING (continued)

The ships h and q, steering S.E. and S.W. have the wind six points large, or more properly on the quarter; which is considered as the most favourable manner of sailing, because all the sails co-operate to increase the ship's velocity: whereas, when the wind is right aft, as in the ship m, it is evident, that the wind, in its passage to the foremost sails, will be intercepted by those which are further aft. When the wind is on the quarter, the fore-tack is brought to the cat-head; and the main-tack being cast off, the weather-clue of the main-sail is hoisted up to the yard, in order to let the wind pass freely to the fore-sail; and the yards are disposed so as to make an angle of about two points, or nearly 22�, with the keel.

The ships i and p of which the former sails S.E. b S. and the latter S.W. b S. are said to have the wind three points on the larboard or starboard quarter: and those expressed by k and o, two points, as steering S.S.E. and S.S.W. in both which positions. the yards make nearly an angle of 16� or about a point and an half, with the ship's length.

When the wind is one point on the quarter, as in the ships l and n, whose courses are S. b E. and S. b W. the situation of the yards and sails is very little different from the last mentioned; the angle which they make with the keel being somewhat less than a point, and the stay-sails being rendered of very little service. The ship m sails right afore the wind, or with the wind right aft. In this position the yards are laid at right angles with the ship's length: the stay-sails, being entirely useless, are hauled down : and the main-sail is drawn up in the brails, that the fore-sail may operate; a measure which considerably facilitates the steerage, or effort of the helm. As the wind is then intercepted, by the main, top-sail and main-top-gallant-sail, in its passage to the fore top-sail and fore top-gallant-sail, these latter are by consequence entirely becalmed, and might therefore be furled, to prevent their being fretted by flapping against the mast, but that their effort contributes greatly to prevent the ship from broaching-to, when she deviates from her course to the right or left thereof.

Thus all the different methods of sailing may be divided into four, viz. close-hauled, large, quartering, and afore the wind; all which relate to the direction of the wind with regard to the ship's course, and the arrangement of the sails. See also DRIFT and LEEWAY.


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© Derived from Thomas Cadell's new corrected edition, London: 1780, page 254, 2003
Prepared by Paul Turnbull
http://southseas.nla.gov.au/refs/falc/1124.html