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 ...

Careene.

Careening, is the best way of trimming a ship under wa∣ter, both for that the Carpenters may stand upon the scaffolds, most commodiously to caulke the seames, or doe any other thing that shall be requisite; Also for the saving of the ground timbers, which, especially in ships of great burthen and weight, must needs be much wroong, though they be laid never so strong: besides, it is a most necessary trim∣ming for great ships, which are either old or weake built, and also for any ships that have but small floate, and are built so sharpe under wa∣ter, that they will be in danger of overthrowing when they shall be brought a ground. This careening is to be done in harbour, where the slower the tide runs the better: And it is most commonly used in such places, where there are no decks to trim a ship in, nor no good places to grave a ship on, or else that it doth not ebbe so much that a ship may shew-drie; For the manner of careening, it will be too long and un∣necessary

to set downe all the particulars: In generall, it is thus, they take out all, or leave but little of the provision, Ballast, Ordnance (or the like) in the ship: and you must have a lower ship by her, with which she must be haled-downe on a side, and righted againe with tac∣kles (yet with the weight of ballast above, or below, they doe effect the chiefe force of the businesse, and so never straine the ships masts much:) Note that all ships are not of a like condition to careene; for some ships will be very hard to come downe, though they have no bal∣last in them, and those are flemmings, built with two standing streakes, these must have some weight upon the deck to help them downe, and yet these will right themselves very easie, and therefore need not much in holde to help to right them; Some, as our English built, and the like, will come downe easie, and be hard to right, and therefore we keep somewhat in all these (to right them) in holde, and having nothing on the deck, some will come-downe easie and right themselves well: Some will doe neither, so that there is not one way for all, but as we see the condition of the ship, we fit things, and worke accordingly, any kind of bringing the Ship over to lye on-one-side (she being on floate) is called careening, though it be but a few streakes; as we say, she was careened three, foure or five strakes: If a ship lie downe much with a saile, they will say, she sailes on the careene.