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Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
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“Sabby the Lingo?” Maritime Language – XXVIII
As noted prior, each discipline has a language and that language conveys competency to the listener. This column is part of a series of maritime vocabulary words. So you can sound like the salty ol’ mariner you are… We’ll run enough of these to get the major concepts and phraseology from Alpha to Zulu in front of you!
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| X - X-ray International Meaning: Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals. Meaning in a Sailing Regatta: Individual Recall |
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- Xebec - An old three-masted vessel used in the Mediterranean.
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| Y – Yankee International Meaning: I am dragging anchor. Navy Meaning: Ship has visual communications duty. Meaning in a Sailing Regatta: Wear Life Jackets |
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- Y Valve - Liquid flows through into the valve and flows out through one of two tubes which is selected by changing the angle of a lever.
- Yacht - A sailboat or powerboat used for pleasure, not a working boat.
- Yankee - (1) A fore-sail flying above and forward of the jib, usually seen on bowsprit vessels. (2) A foresail used on yachts similar to a genoa, but cut narrower, with its leech not overlapping the mainsail, and a higher clew.
- Yar - Fit and beautiful (describing a boat)
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- Yard - A spar from which a square sail is hung. A long spar, tapered at the ends, attached at its middle to a mast and running athwartships at right angles to the mast; used to support the top of a square sail. The yard can pivot (be braced) around the mast. At rest (braced square) the yard runs athwartships. Each yard takes its name from the section of mast that supports it, and the sails take their names from the yards.
- Yardarm - That part of yard that lies between the lift and the outboard end of the yard.
- Yarn - A tall tale sea story
- Yaw - Swinging off course, usually in heavy seas. The bow moves toward one side or the other of the intended course.
- Yawl - A two masted sailboat with the shorter mizzen mast placed aft of the rudder post. A ketch is similar, but the mizzen mast is forward of the rudder post.
- Yawl Boat - Smaller powered boat used to provide steerage-way when not under sail.
- Yellow Jack - Slang name for the Q Flag. Also an old term for yellow fever.
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| Z – Zulu International Meaning: I require a tug. Meaning in a Sailing Regatta: 20% Scoring Penalty |
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- Zebra Mussel - A small freshwater mollusk that was accidentally introduced to North American waters via ballast water from a transoceanic vessel. The zebra mussel has had significant negative economic and ecological effects: It clogs water intake pipes and attaches to and fouls boat hulls, dock pilings and other objects.
- Zenith - The point of the celestial sphere which is directly overhead.
- Zenith Angle - The angle between the zenith and a heavenly body.
- Zephyr - A gentle breeze; the slightest movement of air.
- Zincs - Sacrificial anodes placed on a vessel to prevent electrolysis of vital metal parts.
- Zulu - Used to indicated times measured in Coordinated Universal Time, a successor to Greenwich Mean Time. A time standard that is not affected by time zones or seasons.
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Well, there you go! Now, you wouldn’t go to a doctor who told you, “you’re not well because your watchamacallit isn’t working with your doohickey”, would you? So, why go to sea without a proper vocabulary either?
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BTW, if you are interested in being part of USCG Forces, email me at JoinUSCGAux@aol.com or go direct to the D1SR Human Resources department, who are in charge of new members matters, at DSO-HR and we will help you “get in this thing…”
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