ratline: pronounced ratlin. Small lines tied between the shrouds, parallel to the deck, forming a sort of rope ladder on which the men can climb aloft.
reef: to reduce the area of sail by pulling a section of the sail up to the yard and tying it in place.
reef point: small lines threaded through eyes in the sail for the purpose of tying the reef in the sail.
rigging: any of the many lines used aboard the ship. Standing rigging is employed to hold the masts in place and is only occasionally adjusted. Running rigging is used to manipulate the sails and is frequently adjusted, as needed.
ring stopper: short line on the CATHEAD used to hold the anchor prior to letting it go.
ringbolt: an iron bolt through which is fitted an iron ring.
ringtail: a type of studdingsails rigged from the mainsail gaff and down along the after edge of the mainsail.
round seizing: a type of lashing used to bind two larger lines together.
running rigging: see RIGGING.
sailing master: warrant officer responsible for charts and navigation, among other duties.
schooner: (eighteenth-century usage) a small, two-masted vessel with fore-and-aft sails on the foremast and mainmast and occasionally one or more square sails on the foremast.
scuppers: small holes pierced through the bulwark at the level of the deck to allow water to run overboard.
scuttle: any small, generally covered hatchway through a ship's deck.
service: a tight wrapping of spunyarn put around standing rigging to protect it from the elements.
sheets: lines attached to the CLEWS of a square sail to pull the sail down and hold it in place when the sail is set. On a fore-and-aft sail the sheet is attached to the BOOM or the sail itself and is used to trim the sail closer or farther away from the ship's centerline to achieve the best angle to the wind.
ship: a vessel of three masts, square-rigged on all masts.
short peak: indicates that the vessel is above the anchor and the anchor is ready to be pulled from the bottom.
shrouds: heavy ropes leading from a masthead aft and down to support the masts when the wind is from abeam or farther aft.
slings: the middle section of a yard.
sloop: a small vessel with one mast.
sloop of war: small man-of-war, generally ship rigged and commanded by a lieutenant.
slop chest: purser's stores, containing clothing, tobacco, and other items, which the purser sold to the crew and deducted the price from their wages.
snatch block: a block with a hinged side that can be opened to admit a rope.
spar: general term for all masts, yards, booms, gaffs, etc.
spring: a line passed from the stern of a vessel and made fast to the anchor cable. When the spring is hauled upon, the vessel turns.
spring stay: a smaller stay used as a backup to a larger one.
spritsail topsail: a light sail set outboard of the spritsail.
spunyarn: small line used primarily for SERVICE or seizings.
standing rigging: see RIGGING.
starboard: the right side of the vessel when facing forward.
stay: standing rigging used to support the mast on the forward part and prevent it from falling back, especially when the sails are ABACK. Also, to stay a vessel means to tack, thus missing stays means failing to get the bow through the wind.
stay tackle: system of blocks generally rigged from the MAINSTAY and used for hoisting boats or items stored in the hold.
stem: the heavy timber in the bow of the ship into which the planking in the bow terminates.
step: the process of putting a mast in place. Also, a block of wood fixed to the bottom of a ship to accept the base or heel of the mast.
stern chasers: cannons directed aft to fire on a pursuing vessel.
stern sheets: the area of a boat between the stern and the aftermost of the rowers' seats, generally fitted with benches to accommodate passengers.
sternway: the motion of a ship going backward through the water, the opposite of headway.
stow: as relates to sails, the same as FURL.
tack: to turn a vessel onto a new course in such a way that her bow passes through the wind. Also used to indicate relation of ship to wind, e.g. a ship on a "starboard tack" has the wind coming over the starboard side.
taffrail: the upper part of a ship's stern.
tarpaulin hat: wide, flt-brimmed canvas hat, coated in tar for waterproofing, favored by sailors.
tender: small vessel that operates in conjunction with a larger man-of-war.
tholes: pins driven into the upper edge of a boat's side to hold the oars in place when rowing.
thwart: seat or bench in a boat on which the rowers sit.
tiller: the bar attached to the rudder and used to turn the rudder in steering.
top: a platform at the junction of the lower mast and the topmast.
top-hamper: general term for all of the spars, rigging, and sails; all the equipment above the level of the deck.
train tackle: arrangement of BLOCKS and tackle attached to the back end of a gun carriage and used to haul the gun inboard.
truck: a round button of wood that serves as a cap on the highest point of a mast.
trunnions: short, round arms that project from either side of a cannon and upon which the cannon rests and tilts.
tween decks: (corruption of between decks) the deck between the uppermost and the lowermost decks.
waist: the area of the ship between the quarterdeck and the forecastle.
waister: men stationed in the waist of the vessel for sail evolutions. generally inexperienced, old, or just plain dumb seamen were designated waisters.
warp: a small rope used to move a vessel by hauling it through the water. Also, to move a vessel by means of warps.
water sail: a light-air sail set under a boom.
wear: to turn the vessel from one TACK to another by turning the stern through the wind. Slower but safer than tacking.
weather: the same as windward, thus "a ship to weather" is the same as "a ship to windward". Also describe the side of the ship from which the wind is blowing.
weather deck: upper deck, one that is exposed to the weather.
whip: a tackle formed by a rope run through a single fixed block.
woolding: a tight winding of rope around a mast or yard.
worming: small pieces of rope laid between the strands of a larger rope to strengthen it and allow it to better withstand chaffing. Also the process of putting worming in place.
yard: long, horizontal stars suspended from the masts and from which the sails are spread.