BOWLINE-CRINGLE. An eye worked into the leech-rope of a sail; usually in that of a fore-sail two, a main-sail three, and the fore-topsails three, but the main-topsail four. By these the sails are found in the dark, by feeling alone.
BOWLINE HAUL. A hearty and simultaneous bowse. (_See_ ONE! TWO!! THREE!!!) In hauling the bowline it is customary for the leading man to veer, and then haul, three times in succession, singing out one, two, three--at the last the weight of all the men is thrown in together: this is followed by "belay, oh!" When the bowlines are reported "bowlines hauled, sir," by the officer in command of the fore-part of the ship, the hands, or the watch, return to their duties.
BOWLINE-KNOT. That by which the bowline-bridles were fastened to the cringles: the bowline-knot is made by an involution of the end and a bight upon the standing part of a rope. A further involution makes what is termed a bowline on a bight. It is very difficult to explain by words:--holding the rope some distance from the end by the left hand, the end held in the right is laid on the main part, and by a twist given screw-fashion to the right, a loop or kink is formed inclosing this end, which is then passed behind, and back in the same direction with the former, and then jammed home. It is rapidly done, easily undone, and one of the most seamanlike acts, exhibiting grace as well as power. It can be made by a man with but one arm.
BOW-LINES. In ship-building, longitudinal curves representing the ship's fore-body cut in a vertical section.
BOWLING-ALONG. Going with a free wind.
BOW-LOG TIMBERS. A provincial name for hawse-wood.
BOWMAN. In a single-banked boat he who rows the foremost oar and manages the boat-hook; called by the French "brigadier de l'embarcation." In double-banked boats there are always two bowmen. Also an archer, differently pronounced.
BOW-OAR. The foremost oar or oars, in pulling a boat.
BOW-PIECES. The ordnance in the bows; also in building.
BOW-RAIL. A rail round the bows.
BOWSE, TO. To pull upon any body with a tackle, or complication of pulleys, in order to remove it, &c. Hauling upon a tack is called "bowsing upon a tack," and when they would have the men pull all together, they cry, "Bowse away." Also used in setting up rigging, as "Bowse away, starboard;" "Bowse away, port." It is, however, mostly a gun-tackle term.--_Bowse up the jib_, a colloquialism to denote the act of tippling: it is an old phrase, and was probably derived from the Dutch _buyzen_, to booze.
BOWSPRIT, OR BOLT-SPRIT. A large spar, ranking with a lower-mast, projecting over the stem; beyond it extends the jib-boom, and beyond that again the flying jib-boom. To these spars are secured the stays of the fore-mast and of the spars above it; on these stays are set the fore and fore-topmast staysails, the jib, and flying-jib, which have a most useful influence in counter-balancing the pressure of the after-sails, thereby tending to force the ship ahead instead of merely turning her round. In former times underneath these spars were set a sprit-sail, sprit-topsail, &c.
BOWSPRIT, RUNNING. In cutter-rigged vessels. (_See_ CUTTER.)
BOWSPRIT-BITTS. Are strong upright timbers secured to the beams below the deck; they have a cross-piece bolted to them, the inner end of the bowsprit steps between them, and is thus prevented from slipping in. The cross-piece prevents it from canting up.
BOWSPRIT-CAP. The crance or cap on the outer end of the bowsprit, through which the jib-boom traverses.
BOWSPRIT-GEAR. A term denoting the ropes, blocks, &c., belonging to the bowsprit.
BOWSPRIT-HEART. The heart or block of wood used to secure the lower end of the fore-stay, through which the inner end of the jib-boom is inserted. It is seldom, if ever, used now, an iron band round the bowsprit, with an eye on each side for the fore-stays, being preferred.
BOWSPRIT-HORSES. The ridge-ropes which extend from the bowsprit-cap to the knight-heads.
BOWSPRIT-LADDER. Skids over the bowsprit from the beak-head in some ships, to enable men to run out upon the bowsprit.
BOWSPRIT-NETTING. The netting placed just above a vessel's bowsprit, for stowing away the fore-topmast staysail; it is usually lashed between the ridge-ropes.
BOWSPRIT-SHROUDS. Strong ropes or chains leading from nearly the outer end of the bowsprit to the luff of the bow, giving lateral support to that spar.
BOW-STAVES. Early supplied to our men-of-war.
BOW-TIMBERS. Those which form the bow of the ship.
BOX. The space between the back-board and the stern-post of a boat, where the coxswain sits.
BOXES OF THE PUMPS. Each ordinary pump has an upper and lower box, the one a fixture in the lower part of its chamber, the other attached to the end of the spear or piston-rod; in the centre of each box is a valve opening upwards.
BOXHAULING. Is an evolution by which a ship is veered sharp round on her heel, when the object is to avoid making a great sweep. The helm is put a-lee, the head-yards braced flat aback, the after-yards squared, the driver taken in, and the head-sheets hauled to windward; when she begins to gather stern-way the helm is shifted and sails trimmed. It is only resorted to in emergencies, as a seaman never likes to see his ship have stern-way. With much wind and sea this evolution would be dangerous.
BOXING. A square piece of dry hard wood, used in connecting the frame timbers. Also, the projection formerly left at the hawse-pieces, in the wake of the hawse-holes, where the planks do not run through; now disused. The stem is said to be boxed when it is joined to the fore end of the keel by a side scarph. (_See_ BOXING OF RUDDER.)
BOXING OFF. Is performed by hauling the head-sheets to windward, and laying the head-yards flat aback, to pay the ship's head out of the wind, when the action of the helm alone is not sufficient for that purpose; as when she is got "in irons."
BOX THE COMPASS, TO. Not only to repeat the names of the thirty-two points in order and backwards, but also to be able to answer any and all questions respecting its divisions.
BOYART. An old term for a hoy.
BOYAUX. The zig-zags or tortuous trenches in the approach of a besieger.
BOYER. A sloop of Flemish construction, with a raised work at each end.
BRAB. The sheaf of the young leaves of the Palmyra palm (and also of the cocoa-nut), from which sinnet or plait for hats is made.
BRAB-TREE. The Palmyra palm.
BRACE. The braces are ropes belonging to all the yards of a ship; two to each yard, rove through blocks that are stropped to the yards, or fastened to pendants, seized to the yard-arms. Their use is either to square or traverse the yards horizontally; hence, _to brace the yard_, is to bring it to either side by means of the braces. In ship-building, braces are plates of iron, copper, or mixed metal, which are used to bind efficiently a weakness in a vessel; as also to receive the pintles by which the rudder is hung.
BRACE ABACK. To brace the yards in, so as to lay the sails aback.--_To brace about_, to turn the yards round for the contrary tack, or in consequence of a change of wind.--_To brace abox_, a man[oe]uvre to insure casting the right way, by bracing the head-yards flat aback (not square).--_To brace by_, to brace the yards in contrary directions to each other on the different masts, to effect the stopping of the vessel. (_See_ COUNTER-BRACE.)--_To brace in_, to lay the yard less oblique, as for a free wind, or nearly square.--_To brace round_, synonymous with brace about.--_To brace sharp_, to cause the yards to have the smallest possible angle with the keel, for the ship to have head-way: deemed generally to form an angle of 20 deg. with the keel.--_To brace to_, is to check or ease off the lee braces, and round in the weather ones, to assist in the man[oe]uvre of tacking or wearing.--_To brace up_, or _brace sharp up_, to lay the yards more obliquely fore and aft, by easing off the weather-braces and hauling in the lee ones, which enables a ship to lie as close to the wind as possible.
BRACE OF SHAKES. A moment: taken from the flapping of a sail. I will be with you before it shakes thrice.
BRACE PENDANTS. Are lengths of rope, or now more generally chain, into which the yard-arm brace-blocks are spliced. They are used in the merchant service to save rope, to give the blocks more freedom for slewing to their work, but chiefly because when the brace is let go, the falling chain will overhaul it, making it easier to haul in the other brace.
BRACE UP AND HAUL AFT! The order usually given after being hove-to, with fore or main top-sail square or aback, and jib-sheet flowing, _i.e._ haul aft jib-sheet, brace up the yards which had been squared, for the purpose of heaving to.
BRACK. The Manx or Gaelic name for mackerel.
BRACKETS. Short crooked timbers resembling knees, fixed in the frame of a ship's head to support the gratings; they likewise served to support and ornament the gallery. Also, the two vertical side-pieces of the carriage of any piece of ordnance, which support it by the trunnions. Called also cheeks. Also, triangular supports to miscellaneous things.