Page 613 - The Ashley Book of Knots

GLOSSARY

STANDING PART (OF A ROPE): The inactive part as . fABLING: The wide hem at the edges of a sail, to

opposed to the end and bight. which the boltrope is sewed.

START, To (A SHEET OR TACK): To slack off a bit, TACK: A tapered rope, frequently cable-laid, that

sufficiently to ease the strain on the gear. trims forward the weather clew of a course.

STAYS: Standing rigging. Fore-and-aft stays lead TACKLE: (Pronounced t:iy'kle.) A mechanism of

forward from the tops. Backstays lead to the blocks and rope for increasing power.

ship's sides abaft the shrouds. TAIL ON! or TALLY ON!: An order to grasp and

STEM: The neck of a KNOB KNOT. haul.

STICK, To: To tuck a strand. Specifically to make TAKE A TURN, To: To put a turn on a belaying

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the first tuck in an EYE SPLICE or the final pm.

tuck in a MULTI-STRAND BUTTON or STOPPER TAKE IN, To: To furl a sail.

KNOT. TAKE-UP: The amount of material expended in

STIRRUP: The strap or pennant that suspends a making a knot, splice or sinnet.

footrope which was formerly nailed to the TAPER, To: To diminish a rope gradually by

yard, but now is secured to the jackstays. scraping and teasing or by systematically cut-

STITCH MALLET: A heaver. A sailmaker's tool that ting out yarns. The surface is usually covered

is pictured in Chapter I. with needlework.

STOP, To: To seize or whip temporarily, often TAUT: Tight.

finished off with a REEF KNOT. TEASE, To (OUT STRANDS): Derived from teasel.

STOPPER: A short rope or cable with a knot at one To open the end of a rope and comb out with

end and a hook or shackle at the other for the fingers.

securing the cable to deck. TETHER, To (AN ANIMAL): To tie it out for graz-

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STOPPER KNOT: Any TERMINAL KNOT for pre- mg.

venting unreeving in which the end departs THOROUGH FOOT: A tangle in a tackle due to a

from the knot at the top. block's turning through the fall.

STOPS: Canvas bands or short ropes for furling THREAD: A yarn. Small rope is frequently desig-

fore-and-aft sails. nated by the total number of its component

STOUT ROPE: Of large circumference for its pur-
threads, as nine-thread or twelve-thread stuff.

pose. THROW, To: Pack lashing ashore is always

STRAND (OF A ROPE): Two or more yarns twisted

"thrown" from man to man or from hand to

together.
hand.

STRANDED ROPE: A rope with one broken or badly

THRUMS: Short pieces of yarn for tufting chafing

galled strand.
gear.

STRAP: (Often spelled strop, but always pro-

THUMB KNOT: The OVERHAND and WEAVER'S

nounced strap.) The wreath around a block;
KNOTS, also applied to the OVERHAND BEND.

some of them have a tail by which the block
TIE, To: About the only time a sailor "ties" is

can be lashed in the rigging.

when he forsakes the sea. Then he "ties up to"

STRETCH ALONG, To: To lay the end of a brace or
a wharf.

sheet along the deck in readiness for a number

TIER: One range of turns in a coil.
of men to lay hold.

Top: A ropemaking tool, with grooves for the
STRIKE, To: To lower something from aloft as

strands, which "lays" the rope after the
colors, mast or sail:

strands have been twisted.

STROP: See STRAP.

Tow, To: To draw (a boat or car) with a rope.

SUN, Wfl'H THE: In coiling rope, etc., the same

TRAILER: A sinnet tail on a heaver or woolder.
direction as taken by a clock hand.

TRICE, To: To haul up by a single rope or whip.
SURGE, To: To slack up suddenly on a pin, wind-

lass tackle, etc. TRIM, To: To adjust sheets and braces to a favor-

able length.
SWAG, To: To sag, as the center of a horizontal

rope. TRUSS, To: To bind, to lash, to truss up.

SWALLOW: The mortice between the cheeks of a TURK'S-HEAD: A platted wreath or ring, a section

block. of which is similar to lIinnet.

SWAY, To: To haul vertically on the fall of a TURN: One round of rope on a pin or cleat, one

tackle. Particularly to hoist upper yards. round of a coil.

SWIFT, To: To set up on the rigging. To bring TURN IN, To (A DEADEYE): To seize a shroud or

two shrouds or stays close together with a stay securely around it.

rope. TURN, To TAKE A: To belay.

SWInER: The forward lower shroud (formerly TWICE-LAm STUFF: Nettles, foxes, sinnets. Small

the after one), also the rope which holds the stuff made by hand from old cables and rope.

ends of capstan bars in place. UNBEND: To cast off.

SWIG, SWIGGING OFF: To pull on the center of a UNLAY: To open a rope.

taut rope at right angles to the fall, and to Y ANGS: Ropes with which to trim the peak of a

give the slack so gained to the man at the pin. spencer or spanker.