Rick Spilman - Hell Around the Horn

Lying a-hull– similar to being hove to except that no effort is made to maintain control of the ship's hull in relation to the wind and sea. Sails are furled and the ship is allowed to drift, generally sideways to the seas.

Madame Cashee– a brothel keeper in Callao, Peru immortalized in a sea shanty.

Main mast– the largest mast on a sailing ship. The middle mast on a three masted ship.

Main sail– the main course, the lowest square sail set on the main mast.

Mainstay– stay supporting the main mast leading forward on the centerline of the ship.

Marline– a small, usually tarred, line of two strands twisted loosely left-handed that is used especially for seizing and as a covering for wire rope.

Marlinspike– A marlinspike is a polished iron or steel spike tapered to a rounded or flattened point, usually 6 to 12 inches long, used in ropework for unlaying rope for splicing, for untying knots, opening or closing shackles and a variety of related tasks.

Marlinspike sailor– a sailor who become proficient at knot tying, splicing, ropework, sewing, and use of a marlinspike.

Meridianor line of longitude – half of an imaginary great circle on the Earth's surface terminated by the North Pole and the South Pole, connecting points of equal longitude.

Mizzen– the aftermost mast and smallest mast, the third mast on a three masted ship.

Mooring lines– lines or hawsers used to hold the ship fast against a dock.

Official Log Book– the official record of the voyage, listing crew signing on and off. A record is also kept of discipline, injuries, births or deaths that occur on the vessel, as well musters and drills.

Ordinary, ordinary seaman – a less experienced sailor not rated Able. Not trusted for tasks such as steering without supervision.

Outhaul– a line used to haul or stretch a sail on a yard or boom.

Pannikin– a small metal pan or cup.

Peggy– a sailor assigned to menial tasks.

Pierhead jumpers– the last sailors brought aboard a ship before she sails, often purchased from boarding house masters or crimps.

Pin rail– a strong wooden rail or bar containing holes for pins to which the running rigging is belayed fastened on sailing vessels usually along the ship's rail.

Pisagua, Chile– a port on the Pacific Ocean which was a major nitrate exporter from the 1870s through the early part of the 20 thcentury.

Point of sail– a sailing vessel's course in relation to the wind direction. When the wind is astern the ship is on a "run." When the the wind is coming across the side, the ship is on a "reach." When the wind is more from aft it is a "broad reach." When the wind is on the beam, it is a "beam reach" and when the wind is forward of the beam, it is a close reach. When a ship is sailing as course as close to the wind as possible it is "beating" or "going to weather.”

Poop deck– the raised afterdeck. The helm is aft on the poop deck.

Port Stanley– a port in the Falkland Islands that is the last port of refuge before rounding Cape Horn to the West.

Preussen– a German steel-hulled five-masted ship-rigged windjammer built in 1902 for the F. Laeisz shipping company. Until 2000, the Preussen was the only 5 masted ship-rigged ship ever built. She had a reputation for speed. Captain Barker bragged that he had sailed past the Preussen, although records suggest that the tow ships never crossed paths.

Ratlines– small lines secured horizontally to the shrouds of a ship every 15 or 16 inches forming rungs, allowing sailors to climb aloft.

Reach– a point of sail in which the wind is blowing across the side of the ship. When the wind is more from aft it is a "broad reach." When the wind is on the beam, it is a "beam reach" and when the wind is forward of the beam, it is a close reach.

Reef– to reduce the size of a sail by tying in ropes or gaskets in cringles in the reef-bands which are parallel to the top of the sail.

Río de la Plata– the river of silver, the Spanish name for the River Plate, so named because of the gray color of the silt in the river/estuary.

River Plate– a large estuary between between Argentina and Uruguay formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River.

Roaring Forties– the name given to strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees.

Robands– small plaited lines used to tie the square sails to the yards

Rogue wave– a large and spontaneous ocean surface wave that occurs well out to sea, and is a threat even to large ships. Rogue waves have been known to reach over 100 feet in height.

Rolling hitch– (or Magnus hitch) is a knot used to attach a rope to a rod, pole, or other rope.

Rolling the bunt– when furling a sail, rolling the middle section of the sail up on the yard to be secured with gaskets.

Royals, Royal sails– the traditionally, the highest sails on any mast. Some ships set skysails above royals.) The sails in order from the lowest to the highest – course, topsail (usually upper and lower topsail), topgallant sail (often upper and lower t'gallant sails) and the royals. Some ships set skysails above royals.

Run– the point of sail in which the wind is directly behind the ship.

Running rigging– rigging used in the raising, lowering and trimming of sails and other gear aboard ship. Running rigging is intended to move, whereas standing rigging is not.

Sailor's palm– a tool of leather and metal which fits on a sailor's hand so that he can use his palm to push a heavy sewing needle through tough material such as rope, leather and canvas.

Salt horse– sailor slang for salted beef.

Scupper– opening in the side of a ship at deck level to allow water to run off.

Serving and parceling– to protect rigging again chafe, the wrapping of canvas (parceling) over the rigging followed by tightly wound marline (serving). The rigging is them usually tarred over.

Sextant– an instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. When used to navigate at sea, the sextant is used primarily to determine the angle between a celestial object and the horizon.

Shanty– a sailor's working song used when handing sail, pumping or using the capstan.

Shantyman– a sailor who leads the singing of the shanty.

Sheet– a line used to control a sail, secured to the sail clew.

Ship-rigged– a vessel with at least three masts square-rigged on all masts.

Shroud– standing rigging supporting the mast from side to side.

Slop chest– store of clothing and personal goods carried on merchant ships for issue to the crew usually as a charge against their wages.

Sou'wester- a waterproof hat having a very broad rim behind, favored by seamen.

Spanker– a gaff rigged fore-and-aft sail set from and aft of the after most mast.

Square sail– a sail, usually four sided secured to a yard rigged square or perpendicular to the mast.