Bum Boats to By the Head

Market boats which come alongside of a vessel in port with vegetables, fruit, etc., to dispose of to the crew.

A log fender hung over the side.

This word is spelled in two other ways, namely: boomkin and bumkin. They are short horizontal spars projecting out from the vessel's sides to board the fore tack to, and from each quarter to secure the main brace blocks to.

(See Coal. Bunkers.)

The middle of a square sail that lies on top of the yard when the sail is furled.

(See Gasket.)

A purchase used for lifting the bunt of heavy square sails to the yard in furling.

A whip employed for lifting up the bunt of light square sails to the yard in furling.

Woolen stuff of various colors out of which flags are manufactured.

A piece of rope having two legs with a thimble spliced into the end of each, and made fast to the topsail-tye; through the thimbles the buntlines reeve, the former acting as fairleaders.

Ropes toggled to the foot of square sails, and used for lifting the foot of the sail to the yard. The buntlines lead through blocks above the yards, thence down on deck.

A floating shape anchored to the bottom to mark out a channel; also floated over a shoal, or near a rock, as a warning to mariners. The following names distinguish the various styles of buoys in use: Can, Spar, Bell, Nun, Cask, and Whistling, which are defined under their respective headings. (See Beacon.)

A buoy is said to watch when it floats upon the water over its anchor.

To stream a buoy is to drop it into the water before the anchor leaves the cat head.

The connecting rope between the buoy and its anchor.

A swallow-tailed piece of bunting.

A tackle used for various purposes.

A single Spanish burton is made of three single blocks.

A double Spanish burton is made of three double blocks.

A piece of metal set into a wooden block sheave to prevent wearing away the wood where the pin runs through.

The ends of deck and outside planks where they meet are termed butt ends. To start a butt means that one of the plank ends has become loose. This sometimes happens to the outside planking when the vessel is straining and laboring heavily.

When, after a period of calm, a sudden and violent wind strikes the vessel, it is said to come butt end first.

A sailor's name for a Dutch seaman.

The rounding of the vessel's body abaft, which is bounded by the fashion-pieces, and at the upper part by the wing-transom.

Over the ship's side; overboard.

A vessel is said to be by the head when she draws more water forward than she should do to be in proper trim with relation to her draught aft.