The sea-mans dictionary, or, An exposition and demonstration of all the parts and things belonging to a shippe together with an explanation of all the termes and phrases used in the practique of navigation / composed by Henry Manwaring ...

F (Book F)

FAddom.

A faddom is six foot, which though every one know, is set down to give notice that we measure the length of all our roapes, by Faddoms, and not by any other measure, as we doe the compasse of the roapes by inches; for we say, a Cabell or Hawfier is so many faddome long, or so many inches about; also we reckon in sounding by Faddomes.

A Facke.

Is one circle of any roape, a cabell that is queiled up round; and so when they veere out a cabell, they many times aske, to know how much is left behind within-boord, how many Fakes are left.

Fall-off.

When a ship (under saile) doth not keep so neere the wind, as we appoint, we say that the ship falls-off: This happens ma∣ny times by the negligence of the steenes-man, but many times the fault is in the ship, which happens, either because she may be light a-head, or that her masts may be stayed too fore-ward on, for these two things make a ship head fall from the wind.

Falls.

When we mention the Falls of a ship (as to say) a ship hath a fall, or many falls, it is meant by the raising or laying some part of the Deck higher, or lower then the other, also the small roapes which we hale-by mall tackles, is called the fall of the tackle; as to say, over-hale the Fall of your maine tackle, or cleefe the fall of your tackle (only the wanding tackle hath no fall.

To Farthell.

Or farchelling a saile, is when we wrap-up a saile close together, and so bind it with the Casketts to the yard, but towards the yard-arme we use mape yarnes, for the saile is not very waighty; this manner we use only to the maine-saile, fore-saile and sprit-saile.

Farthelling-lines.

Are small lines which are made fast to all the top-sailes, top-gallant-sailes, and also the missen yard-armes, the missen hath but one, the other one, on either side; by these we farthell those sailes, but the top-sailes have not the bunt bound up to the yard, as the

maine and fore-sailes have, but is laid on the top, and so bound fast to the head of the mast; this we call stowing the top-saile.

The Fashion Peeces.

Are the two timbers, which doe describe the bredth of the ship a-sterne, and are the outwardmost timbers of the ships sterne on either side (excepting aloft where the Coconter is connted.

Fender-Bolts.

Vide Bolts.

Fenders.

Are many peeces of old cabels, roapes or billets of wood, which are hung over the ships side to keep an other ship or boate from rubbing on the ships side, that they may not breake her bends, or rub off the stuffe when she is new trimmed; boates have the same, to save them from much beating against the ships side; in the boate, the men have also little short staves, which they call Fenders, hence we say, Fend the boate, that is, save her from beating against the ships side.

Fidd.

Is as it were an Iron pin, made tape-ring and sharpe at the lower end, which is to open the strands of the roapes when we splise two roapes together; but when we splise cabells we use fidders of wood, in the same forme and nature but much-bigger, which if they were made of Iron, would be too heavy to work withall; The pin in the heele of the top-mast which beares it upon the Ches-trees, is a fidd.

Fidd-hammer.

Is a Fidd made sharpe at one end, to splise a roape, and a Hammer at the other end, with a head and a claw, to drive or draw a Naile.

Fightts.

The mast-cloathes which hang round about the ship to hinder men from being seene in fight, are called the Fightts; also any bulke-head, afore or abast, out of which they may use Murderers, or small shot, or generally any place wherein men may cover themselves, and yet use their Armes, are called close fightts.

Fire-works.

Are any kind of artificiall receipts, applyed to any kind of Weapon, Engine or Instrument, whereby we use to set-on-fire the Hulls, sailes or Masts of a ship in fight, whereof there are many sorts, but the most commonly used at sea are these, fire-pots, fire-balls, fire-Peekes, Truncks, Brasse-balls, Arrowes with fire-workes, and the like; to say, all that might concerning these, will require too long a dis∣course for this that I here pretend

A Fish.

Is any peece of timber or plancke, which we make fast, either to Mast or Yard, to succour and strengthen it, when it is in danger

to breake, then we command the Carpenter to fish the Mast or yard, which is done, first hollowing it fit for the place, and then nailing it with speakes, and woulding it about with roapes, (This fish is very dry meate.

The Fish-block.

The block, is the block that belongs to the fish, and is called the fish-block.

The Fish-hooke.

Is the hooke belonging to the Fish, and is called the Fish-hooke.

The Fish.

Is a Tackle hung at the end of the Davie, by the strap of the block, in which block there is a runner with a hooke at the end, which doth hitch the flooke of the Anchor, and so they hale by the fall that belongs to it, and so raise the flock to the bow, or chainewale of the ship.

Flaggs.

These are not only used at sea for distinctions of Nations, or Officers of Fleets (as that the Admirall should have his in the Maine-top, the Vice-Admirall in the fore, and the Reare-Admirall in the Mis∣sen-top,) but also for distinctions and signes what ships must doe, ac∣cording as they have directions from the chiefe Commander, as to chase, to give over, to come to counsell, or the like; At sea, to lower, or strike ones Flagg in fight is a token of yeelding, but otherwise of great obedience and respect: And to be made to take it in perforce, the grea∣test disgrace that can be; when they would have the flag out, they say, heave out the Flagg, that is, to wrap it close about the staffe; To strike the Flagg, is to pull it downe upon the Cap, and so let it hang over loose.

Flaire.

When a ship is a little howled in neere the water, and above that the work doth hang over againe, and is layed out broader-aloft, they say, that the worke doth Flaire over, this makes a ship more roome within boord, for a man of War, but it is not so sightly, nor by the most common opinion hold to be wholesome for a ship; yet I have seene the experience, and am of opinion, that it can wrong a ship but little, if her bearing be laid high enough.

Floane.

When any of the Sheates be not haled home to the Blocks, then they say that the sheate is floane; but when they say, let flie the sheate, that is to let it goe amaine, or as farre as it will: This is most commonly used in great Gusts, for feare of spending the top-masts, or over-setting the ship; for the sheates being floane, doth hold no wind:

I have seene in an extraordinary gust, that when the ship hath beene downe on the quick-side in the water, we have to make her right a∣gaine let flie the sheate, but the gust hath fluttred all the saile to peeces, leaving not any jot, or but some raggs in the bole-roapes.

Flood,

It is flood when the water begins to rise, young-flood, quarter-flood, halfe-flood, are all termes commonly known.

The Flooke.

This is the broad part of the Anchor, which takes hold in the ground; as also those of the Crapnels, which have foure flookes.

Flote.

We say, any thing doth flote that swimmes above water, not touching ground, as the ship is aflote, that is, when it is borne up cleere from the ground by the rising of the water; A floaty-ship, is a ship which drawes but little water.

Flowe.

When the water doth rise or heighten, we say it doth flow: But note, that ever in all places (Seas or Rivers) where it flowes, it flowes by the shore, before it flowes in the offing or midle of the streame, and so it doth ebbe by the shore, before it doth in the streame; the reason is, for that the water is of most force and weight where it is deepest, and so is hardlier returned, being once bent away: When we say it flowes at London-bridge, South-west, or at any other place South or West, or as it happens: by this is meant, that when the Moone is at the full, or else new Moone, then upon that day, the Sun being in the South-west point, which is three of the clock in the after-noone, it is high wa∣ter at London-bridge.

The Floore.

The floore of a ship, is so much of the bottom of her, as she doth rest upon when she is a-ground; and therefore those which have long and broad floores, lie fast and safest with the ground, and the others are crank and dangerous, both to wring themselves, and to overthrow.

Flush.

When a Deck is lay'd from Stem to Sterne without any falls or risings, we say her Deck lies flush, fore and aft, and this word is not used in any other sence.

The Flie.

Is that part of the Compasse whereon the 32. points of the winds are described; to which underneath is the Needle made fast.

To Free.

When a ship hath much water in her, we say, the Pump will free her, or will not free her; Or when we bale out the water, that is called freeing the ship: Also, when the boate hath water in her, we

command them to free the boate; so that this word (Free) is not used in any other respect about a ship, but to get out the water, nor there is not any other word used so properly, for the getting-out of the water of ship, or boat, as this.

Fresh-shott.

When any extraordinary land-water comes downe a River suddainly, or else when any great River comes into a sea, so as that the water is fresh a mile or two (as in many places it is) we say it is a great fresh-shott.

The Fore-foote.

There is no such place of a ship which is termed her fore-foote; but it is a word used in this kind, when two ships saile, so that one doth lie with her stem so much a-weather the other, that keeping their courses, that ship which doth so lie, will goe-out a head with the other, then we say, that she doth lie with the fore-foote of the other, as she stands or comes with her fore-foote; but being once so past out before her a-head, and by her, we doe not say she is past by her fore-foote, but thus, she is gone-out a-head; so that this word fore-foote, implies no more, but one ships lying, or sayleing a-crosse an other ships way.

Fore-locks.

Are little flat peeces of Iron, made like wedges, which are put into the holes at the ends of bolts, to keepe the bolts from draw∣ing out or slipping back, all these keep downe, and fast the cap-squares of the Carriages.

Fore-mast,

Vide Mast.

A Former.

Is a peece of wood, turned round, somewhat lesse then the bore of the Peece for which it is made; as a Saker Former, a Mi∣mon Former, &c. The use whereof, is to make upon it Paper Carthra∣ges, or Linnen Carthrages.

Fore-Reache.

When two ships saile together, or after one ano∣ther, she which sailes best (that is fastest) doth Fore-reach upon the other. If two ships saile both one way by a wind, one may keep the better wind, the other may fore-reach, then he that doth fore-reach, if he would speake with the other, as suppose he be a Man of War, the o∣ther a Marchant, he must cast about when he is so far fore-reached upon her, that he may lie with her fore-foote.

Fore-Saile,

Vide Saile.

Fore-Top-Mast,

Vide Top-Mast.

Fore-Yard,

Vide Yard.

Foule.

When a ship hath been long untrymmed, so that grasse, or any filth be growne or got about her, she is foule: Also when any roape which we should hale, is hindred by an other, or tangled in it selfe (as Top-saile, Halliards, Tackle, Falls and the like may be) or any thing else so that it cannot run, we say the roape is foule, as the Sheates are fowle of the Ordnance; the Halliards, Clew-lines, or the like, are foule and so must be cleered before they can be made to run.

Foule-Water.

When a ship (under saile) comes into shallow wa∣ter, so that she raises the mud or sand with her way, (which she may doe, though she doe not touch the ground, but come very neere it) we say she makes foule-water. Note that a ship in Showle-water, when she sailes with her Keele neere the ground, cannot feele her Helme, as well as in deep water: The reason is, for that neere the ground, the water hath not that weight and force as it hath when it is deep: and also by reason of an Eddy, which is made betwixt the ground and the bottom of the ship, being so neere together, the water cannot come so swift to the Rudder, as it doth in deeper-waters: And note also, that the swifter the water comes to the Rudder, the better the ship doth steere, or feele her Helme.

Fownder.

When a ship by any extraordinary leake, or else by any great sea that hath broaken into her, is halfe full, or full of water, so that we cannot free the water forth, we say, she is foundred. The word is significant, for just as a foundred Horse cannot goe, so a ship which is full, or neere full of water, will not feele her Helme, that it will nei∣ther veere nor steere, but drive away with the sea, just like a log of wood.

Furr, or Furr'd

There are two kinds of furring, the one is after a ship is built, to lay on an other planck upon the side of her (which is called planck,) The other, which is more eminent, and more properly furring, is to ripp off the first plancks, and to put other timbers upon the first, and so to put on the plancks upon these timbers: The occasion of it is, to make a ship beare a better saile, for when a ship is too narrow, and the bearing either not laid out enough, or too low, then they must make her broader, and lay her bearing higher; They commonly Furr some two or three strakes under water and as much above, according as the ship requires, more or lesse: I thinke in all the world, there are not so many ships Furd, as are in England:

and it is pitty that there is no order taken, either for the punishing of those who build such ships; or the preventing of it; for it is an infinite losse to the owners, and an utter spoiling and disgrace to all ships that are so handled.

Futtocks.

This word is commonly pronounced, but I thinke more properly it should be called Foote-hookes; for the Futtocks are those compassing timbers, which give the bredth and bearing to the ship, which are scarfed to the ground-timbers: and because no timbers that compasse, can be found long enough, to go up through all the side of the ship, these compassing-timbers are scarffed one into the other, and those next the keele, are called the lower or ground Futtocks, the other are called the upper Futtocks.