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 ...

O (Book O)

To OBserve.

Is to take the height of Sun, or Star, with any instru∣ment, whereby we know in what degree of latitude, the Ship is: I need not say much of this, for it would require many lines, and is taught in every book of Navigation.

Ockham.

Is nothing but old-roapes, or others untwisted, and so pulled out as it were into loose flax againe, also, toe, or flax being so imployed about a Ship, is called white Ock-ham; The use of this is to drive into the seames, and to •…•…ll parts where they suspect water may come in, as the heads of the treenells, &c. White Ock-ham is best to drive first into the seame next the water, when it is rowled-up, so as when the calker drives it, in it is rowled a thred of Ock-ham.

The Offing.

By this is means, as much as to say, out in the open sea, from the shore-ward; as if I be at sea in a Ship, the shore on one side me, and on the other side to sea boord, an other ship, she is in the offing: So if a ship be faileing into the sea-ward fore-ward the shore, we say she stands for the offing; So when a ship (as in our Channell) keepes in the middle of the Channell and comes not neere the shore, we say she keepes in the offing.

Off-ward.

Is a terme used, when a ship is ashore, and heeles to the water-ward, from-wards the shore, they say, she heeles to the off-ward: Or if her sterne lie towards the sea, we say her sterne lies to the off-ward, and her head to the shore-ward.

Orlopp.

The Orlopp, is no other but the Deck (as we say) the lower Deck, the second Deck; so you may as well say the lower Orlopp, or the second Orlopp: and indeed it is commonly held the proper speech to call them the first Orlopp and the second Orlopp: for this word Orlopp seemes to be appropriated only to these two Decks: for if a ship have three Decks, they never call the upper-most, which is the third, by the name of Orlopp, but by the name of Deck, as to speake of them they will say, she hath a tire of Ordnance, on the first

and second Orlopp, and also the upper Deck.

Over-sett.

When a Ship at sea, with bearing too much saile is borne-over on a side and so founded in the sea, we say she was over∣sett: Sometimes with an extraordinary wind, the ship may be over∣sett, with nothing but the power which the wind may have over her Hull (especially if the wind and current goe contrary: I have heard some say, that disemboa-guing out of the Indies, by Cape Florida (where the current ever setts very strong to the North-ward) that if they have met with a gust at the North, the wind having power over the Hull of the ship a-loft, and the current setting to wind-ward, h•…•…∣ving power of the Hull alone, they have beene in great danger of f•…•…∣dring: Also the turning over of the Cabell or small roape which is quoi∣led-up, is called over-setting; as over-set the Cabell, &c.

Over-throwe.

When a Ship, that is brought to be trimmed a-ground doth fall-over on a side, we call it over-throwne, and not over∣set; the reason whereof is, her want of floore to beare her upon, and sometimes it may happen by the indiscretion of those who bring the ship a-ground, heeling to the off-ward, if the ground be too steepie, whenas they should heele her to the shore-ward, to prevent which, we have no way but to shoare her up with her top-mast and yard.

The Out-licker.

Is a small peece of timber (some •• or •• yards long, as they have occasion to use it) and it is made fast to the top of the Poope, and so stands right out a-sterne, at the outward most end, there is a hole, into which the standing part of the sheate is made fast, and so being reeved through the block of the sheate; is neeved againe through an other block, which is seased to this peece of timber neere the end, and so the use of this is to hale-downe the Missen sheat to it. This is seldome used in great ships, but the cause why in any-ship it is used, is for that the Missen-mast is placed so far aft, that there is not roome enough within-boord, to hale downe the sheace flat, and so are forced to use this without-boord. The small French Burtons and Al∣lownes, doe use this most of any ships which I have seene; and generally all New-castle Carnels have them.

Oze, or Ozie.

Is a soft slimy, muddy ground, this is no good ground to ride at Anchor in, for the Anchors will not hold her in great stresses: but the best way to make them hold, is to shooe them, and in some places that will not serve neither: Besides this is very

bad ground for rotting of Cabels; if a man would have a ship lie long a-ground, it is best laying her in Oze, for there she will lie very soft and easily; for she will quickly Duck her selfe there: It is very bad also for rotting the Planekes, and the Ocham, which is in the seames.