|
Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
|
|
“Sabby the Lingo?” Maritime Language – IX
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!
|
 |
| E - Echo - International Meaning: I am directing my course to starboard. |
|
|
- Ease, Ease Off - To let out a line or sail slowly; to slacken or relieve tension on a line; to take pressure off.
- Ease the Sheets - To let the sheet (a line controlling a sail) out slowly while maintaining control.
- East Wind, Easterly Wind - A wind coming from the east.
- Ebb, Ebb Tide - The falling tide when the water recedes out to the sea and the water level lowers; a period or state of decline.
- Ensign - (1) A nautical version of the national flag of the country usually flown at the stern. (2) Adopted by the United States Navy in 1862, the rank of a young officer equivalent to that of midshipman
|
- Entry - The shape of the fore-body of a ship as it thrusts through the sea. A vessel with a slim bow is said to have a fine entry.
- EPIRB - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. An emergency device that uses a radio signal to alert satellites or passing airplanes to a vessel's position.
- Equinoctial - The great circle on the celestial sphere in the plane of the earth's equator; also called the celestial equator. The sun is on the equinoctial twice a year, on the equinoxes, March 21 and September 23. On these days the sun rises at 6 a.m. and sets at 6 p.m. (local time) at every place on earth.
- Estimated Position - A position based on estimations of a boat's position using estimated speed, currents, and the last known position/fix - of the boat.
- ETA - Estimated time of arrival
- ETD - Estimated time of departure
- Even Keel - When a boat is floating on its designed waterline, upright without any list to either side, it is said to be floating on an even keel.
|
 |
| F – Foxtrot - International Meaning: I am disabled; communicate with me. Navy Meaning: On aircraft carriers: Flight Operations underway |
|
|
- Fair Wind - Term applied to the direction of the wind when it is favorable to the course being steered.
- Fairway - A navigable channel in a body of water.
- Fake - One circle of a coil or rope. To coil or arrange a rope ornamentally with each fake flat, or almost flat, on the deck, usually in a circle or figure-of-eight pattern. Sometimes called "Cheesing down".
- Farewell Buoy - Buoy at seaward end of channel leading from a port.
- Fast - Said of an object that is secured to another; attached, fixed, secured.
- Fasten - To make secure
|
- Fathom - A unit of measurement relating to the depth of water or to the length of line or cable; one fathom is 6 feet or 1.83 meters
- Fend Off - To prevent contact with an object while bringing the ship alongside.
- Fender - A protective cushion of durable material hung from the sides of a boat to protect it from rubbing or chafing against a dock or another boat
- Fid - A pointed tool used to separate strands of rope.
- Fiddle - A small rail on tables and counters used to keep objects from sliding off when the vessel rolls and pitches.
- Fiddler's Green - A sailor's paradise where amusements were plentiful, and the women were accommodating.
- Flake - (1) To lay a line out in coils so that it can run without fouling. (2) Folding a sail in layers on the boom.
- Flame Arrester - A safety device used to prevent or stop unwanted flames.
- Flare - (1) The outward curve of a vessel's sides near the bow. (2) A distress signal.
- Flying Dutchman - Old legend of a Dutch skipper who, in a strong gale, swore by Donner and Blitzen that he would beat into Table Bay in spite of God's wrath. His ship foundered and he was condemned to go on sailing eternally in his attempt to reach Table Bay. There was a superstition among sailors that anyone who set eyes upon this "ghost ship" would die by shipwreck.
- Following Sea - A sea with waves approaching from the stern of the boat; a sea in which the waves are moving in the same direction as the vessel
- Fore - Towards, near, or at the bow; Prefix denoting at, near, or toward the bow.
- Fore and Aft - In a line parallel to the ship's keel.
- Forecastle - Also fo'c'sle or fo'csle. Pronounced "foke-sul". The most forward below decks area of a vessel; The crew quarters on a traditional sailing ship forward of the main mast.
- Forepeak - A space or compartment in the bow of a vessel - The compartment farthest forward in the bow of the boat. Often used for anchor or sail stowage.
- Fouled - Any piece of equipment that is jammed, clogged, entangled, or dirtied.
- Founder - When a vessel fills with water and sinks.
- Free Pratique - Clearance by the Health Authorities.
- Freeboard - The distance from the gunwale to the water. Most often this will vary along the length of the boat.
- Full and By - Sailing as close to the wind as possible with all sails full and drawing.
- Furniture - The essential fittings and equipment of a ship, such as anchors, rigging, masts, davits, derricks, winches, etc., excluding her consumable stores such as water, fuel and victuals.
More in the weeks ahead…!
|
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…”
|
| <-- click there to tweet, post or otherwise distribute to the 'net
|
|