J

A universal name for a sailor. The union of the national flag. (See Union.) A horizontal bar…

A block kept hooked aloft through which to reeve the topgallant and royal yard ropes when…

A small bolt screwed through the flange of a bonnet or cover against the other part, to aid in…

Iron cross-trees such as are to be seen at the head of the topgallant mast. (See Jack.)…

The name given to the cook's helper.

One of the crew, who acts as an assistant to the pay-master's yeoman.

(See Corposant.)

The foot of some fore-and-aft sails is secured to the boom by a line called a jack rope,…

An instrument consisting of a screw and nut used for moving heavy weights.

(See Jack.)

A short staff, or flag-pole, shipped at the bowsprit cap, and on which the jack is displayed.

Long strips of wood or iron bolted on to the top of a yard to bend the head of a square sail…

A universal name for a seaman.

A cornucopia-shaped canvas bag stuffed with oakum, and thrust into the hawse pipes when at sea…

A brigantine-rigged vessel that carries the fore-topmast and the fore-topgallant mast in one…

The covering of a cylinder, boiler or pipe. (See Steam Jacket.)

A basket placed on the top of a pole to mark a shoal or cluster of rocks.

The forecastle deck.

A ladder with rope sides and wooden rungs, used for getting into the lower rigging on vessels…

Also known as Cross Staff. An old reflecting or mathematical instrument used for taking…

A vessel is said to be jammed on the wind when she is sailing close-hauled.

To enclose anything between two bodies so that it is immovable.

A fishing float used in some of the countries of South America.

The span attached to the jaws of a gaff, and sometimes to a boom, on which little hard wooden…

The power of speech. To clap a stopper on one's jaw tackle is to cease talking.

The inner ends of a gaff, also of some booms, being pieces bolted on to the sides of the spar.…

The bitts to which the jeers are belayed.

Double or treble blocks belonging to the jeer falls.

The capstan placed midships and between the fore and main-masts for general use.

The ropes rove through the jeer blocks, which together form the jeers.

A heavy purchase for hoisting and lowering the lower yards.

A Red Sea coasting boat.

An Egyptian trading vessel.

Goods thrown from a vessel and found floating upon the sea or cast up on the shore. (See…

The act of heaying overboard the cargo of a vessel in order to save the ship.

A kind of dyke constructed of timber, earth, stone, etc., at the entrance to river harbors,…

Small blocks at the yard-arms for the studding-sail halliards to reeve through.

The peculiar-shaped shackle which connects the cable with the anchor ring.

A triangular sail which sets on a stay forward the foremast.

A safety netting under the jib-boom, which is seized to the jib-boom guys and the whiskers.…

A stay forward the foremast on which the jib is set.

A triangular sail which sets on a stay forward the foremast.

The large iron ring that the tack of a cutter's jib is made fast to. The ring goes around the…

To decoy a vessel ashore by exhibiting a ship's side light on the beach. The light is carried…

A spar supported on and rigged out beyond the bowsprit through the bowsprit cap. (See Jib-boom…

Ropes for steadying the jib-boom sideways, leading from the end of the spar through the…

To shift the booms from one side of the vessel to the other in sailing; to bring the wind on…

The term applies to the cut of the sail, and means that the head of it is shaped like that of…

A triangular sail carried on some merchant schooners which sets on the last stay forward of…

An extra purchase made fast to one end of the throat and peak halliards. The bight of the…

A designation for an abortive contrivance, or an unseamanlike piece of work performed on board…

A handy-billy tackle used about decks; a sail that sets on a jigger-mast.

The aftermost mast on a four-masted vessel; the small mast carried at the stern on yawls.

A nickname for the master-at-arms.

A sailor's name for the devil.

A name for a Scotch seaman.

A sailor jockeys a yard when he sits on it with his legs dangling on either side.

To work the pump handles.

A sailor's name for dried fish.

The name of a fish.

A term applied to French seamen, meaning Johnny Toad. The armorial bearings of France once had…

A term applied to a novice on shipboard. (See Johnny Raw.)

A sailor's term for a green hand on board ship. (See Johnny Newcome.)

A small boat used for all kinds of work, such as for marketing, washing the ship round, etc.…

A name for the fancy sails which tradition tells us were carried on the very lofty ships of ye…

A pirate's flag.

A pirate or pirate vessel; also a pirate flag, or device, bearing the traditional skull and…

A member of the crew, or one of the passengers, who is accredited with bringing ill fortune to…

The log-book is sometimes termed a sea-journal.

A reform of the calendar was introduced in Rome by Julius Caesar, and adopted and used by all…

The date of the commencement of the Julian calendar, January 1st, 46 years B. C.

A cycle of 7,980 years, dating from 4713 B. C.

The year, equal to 365 1/4 days, adopted in the Julian calendar.

A short, quick sea.

A vessel is said to jump her masts out of her when, from the terrific nature of the sea, her…

A rope leading from the outboard ends of the whiskers to the martingale to prevent the former…

Extra stays leading from the lower mastheads to the sides of the vessel, where they are set up…

When seamen desert a ship they are said to jump it. (See Pier Head Jump.)

A Chinese vessel; also old rope, canvas, iron, etc.

When guns or other heavy weights are used as anchors they are termed jury anchors. This has…

A temporary mast rigged up at sea to the stump of a mast that has been carried away.

A temporary rudder rigged at sea in order to steer the vessel in the event of injury to the…

The fibre of an East Indian plant, and in use for making rope, matting, etc.

A rope made from the fibre of a plant grown in the East Indies.