The Bosun´s Mate Glossary of Terms

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon

1. To slack a tackle and thereby increase the distance apart of the blocks in that tackle by manually running the Rope backwards through the sheaves.

2. The action of passing another vessel.

3. Sometimes used to refer to a refit of a vessel - inspecting and repaiting propulsion and mechanical systems on Board.

The direction away from the wind.

1. To lean over to one side.

2. The Aft end of the Keel and lower part of the sternpost where they are connected.

3. The bottom of a Mast, Boom, or Bowsprit. The Hell is the part of a Mast that is fitted into the keelson in masts that are steeped through the Deck or a tabernacle on Deck in the case of masts designed to be raised and lowered at will.

A favorite dish for the crew of tall ships. It could consist of almost anything, but the propper dish consisted of layers of meat, vegetables, and fish alternating with crusts of bread and/or broken biscuit - affectionately referred to as a Two or Three decker based on the number of layers.

A very common Knot used to Bend two Lines of the same diameter. If used to tie Lines of differing diameter it may slip.

All yellow signal flag meaning "My vessel is healthy and I request free passage.

Sailing with the wind coming from a direction Forward of the Beam of the vessel. A Close reach is the point of Sail between a Beam reach and Close hauled.

A figure with the complete 360° directional system displayed as a circle with each degree graduated upon it, and with the 0° indicated as True North. Also called true rose. This is printed on nautical charts to indicate the reference direction.

The collection of all equipment used to Sail a bost, including sails, booms and gaffs, Lines and blocks.

A somewhat dirogatory term from the British navy that describes a post-captain that has been promoted to admiral on retirement such that they never served at that rank.

Before 1864 the British fleet was divided into Red, White, and Blue squadrons, with the admirals taking their rank from their squadronal colour. Blue being junior to white which was in turn junior to red.

A Yellow Admiral, therefore did not fit and thus had no real rank at all.

After the Napoleonic War (1803-1815) there ...

A loading/landing platform extending at an angle from the shore.

The collection of sails (jibs and staysails) foreward of the Foremast.

Varnished woodwork or polished metal throughout the vessel

Built at Bristol in 1797 this Ship of the British Royal Navy is famed for having the "the bloodiest mutiny that ever occured in a Ship of the Royal Navy"

Her Captain, Hugh Pigot was renouned as a tyrant, and was murdered along with 9 of his officers by the mutineers, who then sailed the Ship to Spain and handed her over to the Spainiards.

She was re-captured in October 1799 by the boats of HMS Surprise under Captain Sir Edward Hamilton who cut her out from Porto Gabello.

A second Spar carried at the top of a Mast, used to fly more Sail.

A Navigation instrument used to measure the apparent height of a landmark whose actual height is known, such as the top of a lighthouse. From this information, the ship´s distance from that landmark can be calculated.

Gale force wind on the Beaufort Wind Scale