Green Ghost, Blue Ocean

by Jennifer M. Smith

  chain hook – A hook that securely attaches to a link on a chain. [3]

  chain plate – A metal plate which is bolted to the side of a ship and to which the shrouds are fastened. [3]

  chartplotter – An electronic device used in marine navigation that integrates Global Positioning System (GPS) data from a GPS receiver with an electronic navigational chart (ENC) and displays both the ENC and the position, heading and speed of the ship on a screen typically located at the helm station or the navigation station of a vessel. The chartplotter may also display other data from radar, automatic information systems (AIS), or other sensors. Source: www.web.archive.org/web/20110204212414/ http://www.marinegpschartplotter.co.nz/what-is-a-chartplotter.html Accessed March 12, 2020

  circumnavigate/circumnavigation – To go completely around especially by water. Among offshore sailors the term usually implies a sailing trip that involves transiting every longitude of the globe. A circumnavigation is completed when you cross your outbound track. [1, 3]

  clew – The lower aft corner of a sail, or a metal loop attached to the lower corner of a sail. [1]

  clevis pin – Part of a strong u-shaped metal fastener used in sailboat rigging. Holes at the ends of the prongs on the u-shaped clevis accept a bolt-like pin, the clevis pin. The combination of a clevis and a clevis pin is commonly called a shackle.

  close-hauled – See beating.

  close reach/close reaching – A tack sailed by a ship with the wind well forward of the beam but not as close-hauled as possible. This sailing course lies between beam reaching (when the wind is perpendicular to the side of the vessel) and beating (when the vessel’s course is as close to the direction of true wind as possible). This point of sail allows a vessel to travel upwind, diagonally to the wind direction. [1, 3]

  cockpit – A space or compartment from which a boat is steered, piloted, or driven. On a sailboat, usually an open well located aft in which the helmsman sits to steer, and which offers some protection and safety for the crew. [1, 3]

  cockpit coaming – A vertical surface or raised frame designed to prevent entry of water. It usually refers to a raised section of deck or a low rim around an opening in the deck of a ship such as around a hatchway, or, in this case, around the cockpit. [1, 3]

  companionway – A ship’s stairway from one deck to another. [1]

  compression post – A vertical stainless steel post that stands between the base of the mast and the keel. The post, which supports deck-stepped masts, transfers the weight of the mast to the keel and prevents deck damage (compression) from the weight of the mast and from the pumping forces of the mast. [3]

  cutless bearing – Or shaft bearing, is a bearing on the driveshaft of a marine vessel, usually made of brass with an inner fluted or grooved rubber lining. The bearing is lubricated by the surrounding water that enters the grooves when the shaft is rotating. Source: www.cruisingworld.com/how/check-shaft-bearing-hard/ Accessed March 12, 2020

  Dall’s porpoise – A black-and-white porpoise of temperate and arctic waters of the rim of the North Pacific Ocean. [1]

  davits – A small crane that projects over the side of a ship, for lifting and lowering, lifeboats, anchors, or cargo. In the case of a recreational sailboat, usually in pairs, used for lifting, lowering, and stowing the dinghy. [1, 3]

  depth sounder – An instrument for measuring the depth of the water beneath a ship, may be mechanical or electrical. [1, 3]

  dodger – A hood or windscreen forward of the cockpit that protects the crew and the companionway from wind and spray. Can be soft and removable; made with a metal frame and canvas material, or hard and permanent; constructed from wood, metal or fibreglass. [3]

  doldrums – A part of the ocean near the equator abounding in calms. Also called the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). [1]

  dorade – A horn- or scoop-shaped opening in the deck of a ship which allows fresh air to flow below deck while preventing water from entering. [3]

  downwind – In the direction the wind is blowing. [1]

  downwind pole – A spar used on sailboats to support and control a headsail (a spinnaker, genoa, or jib) when sailing downwind. This pole may be a fixed length or telescoping. One end of the pole is attached to a track on the front of the mast, the other end is attached to the clew (aft corner) of the foresail. If the pole is telescoping, it can be adjusted for the amount of sail unfurled. When sailing downwind, it is advantageous to “pole out” the foresail because the roll of the vessel in following seas will cause the foresail to repeatedly fill and collapse. This causes stress on the sail, the rig, and the mental well-being of the crew. When deployed, the pole supports the sail, gives it some shape, and prevents it from collapsing. A downwind pole isn’t a mandatory piece of gear, but it is desirable on a cruising sailboat. On Green Ghost our downwind pole is about 3 metres long when not extended, and weighs about 60 pounds. [3]

  drogue – Also called a storm drogue; a cone-shaped device made of flexible material that is dragged from the stern of a boat on a long line. Its purpose is to provide resistance to stabilize and decelerate the vessel, particularly in heavy weather. A drogue prevents broaching by keeping the hull perpendicular to the waves and prevents pitch-poling by preventing the vessel from speeding down the slope of a large wave and burying its bow into the back of the next one. [1, 3]

  drop the hook – An expression that means to lower the anchor. [3]

  ease – To lessen the pressure or tension especially by slackening (as in “ease the sheets”), lifting, or shifting, to maneuver gently or carefully, to moderate or reduce especially in amount or intensity; or to allow the helm to turn back a little after being put hard over (as in “ease the helm”). [1]

  ebb tide – The state of the tide when it is falling; the period of time during which the tide is falling. [1]

  EPIRB – An acronym for an emergency position-indicating radio beacon. [3]

  evaporation plates – Part of a compression refrigeration system; specifically, the plates that are installed inside the area to be cooled, that is, inside the insulated refrigerator or freezer space. The evaporation plates draw heat from the area to be cooled. [3]

  eye of the wind – The direction from which the wind is blowing. [3]

  foil – Part of a roller furling system. The stiff length of extruded plastic or metal that is attached to the entire leading edge of the sail to be furled. [3]

  foredeck – The part of a ship’s main deck that is near the bow. [1, 3] foresail – The sole or principal headsail on a sloop, cutter, or schooner. [1]

  forestay – The cable, line, or stay that runs from the head of the foremast to the foredeck or bow of a ship, used to support the mast. [1, 2, 3]

  foretriangle – The triangular space formed by the foredeck, the foremast, and the forestay of a sailing vessel. [3]

  forward – At, toward, or near the bow of a vessel. [1, 3]

  furl (verb) – To wrap or roll a sail close to or around a spar or a foil. [1, 2, 3]

  furled (adjective) – Wrapped or rolled closely around a spar or a foil. [1, 3]

  furling line guard – A part of a rolling furling system. A guard that prevents the furling line from coming off the furling drum. [3]

  furling system – A system that allows the furling or reefing of a sail by rolling it around a rotating spar or foil. Roller furling is often used on foresails, but may also be used for mainsails. [3]

  G&T – A gin and tonic. [3]

  galley – A kitchen or cooking apparatus in a ship or plane. [1]

  gallows/boom gallows – A U-shaped structure that supports the boom when the mainsail isn’t in use. [3]

  genoa – A large foresail, or jib, that substantially overlaps the mainsail. [1, 3]

  Gouda – A mild cheese of Dutch origin that is similar to Edam but contains more fat; or the smell of our boat after fourteen days at sea in the tropics. [1, 3]

  GPS – An acronym for Global Positioning System. A navigational system using satelli
te signals to fix the location of a radio receiver on or above the earth’s surface, also referring to the electronic instrument so used. Garmin is one name brand of GPS instruments. [1, 3]

  green flash – A momentary green appearance of the uppermost part of the sun’s disk at sunrise or sunset that results from atmospheric refraction. The green appearance lasts for no more than a fraction of a second. [1, 3]

  ground tackle – All of the parts of the anchoring system: the anchor, chain, cable, or rope and other tackle used to secure a ship at anchor. [1, 3]

  gybe/gibe – The act of changing a vessel’s course when sailing downwind, steering the stern of a boat (and the leech of the sail) through the eye of the wind, causing the sail and boom to swing from one side of the vessel to the other. [1, 3]

  halyard – Any line used to vertically hoist or lower gear (a spar, a sail, a flag, etc.). [1, 3]

  HAM radio – Also known as amateur radio, is the use of a specific part of the radio frequency spectrum for the purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages. The amateur community is well recognized as providing valuable communications assistance during times of disaster and emergency.

  Source: www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10281.html Accessed March 12, 2020

  harness – A safety device worn by seamen which can be fastened to lifelines, shrouds, or jacklines to prevent the seaman from going overboard. [3]

  harden – To take in, or to take up any slack in (as in “harden the sheets”), the opposite of ease. [3]

  hardware – The item of equipment necessary for a particular purpose; metal ware such as tools, fittings, cutlery, or utensils. [1]

  hatch – An opening in the deck of a ship, or the covering for such an opening. [1]

  head – Specifically a ship’s toilet, but often used in reference to the room in which the toilet is located. [1, 3]

  head (of a sail) – The uppermost corner of a sail. [3]

  headsail – A sail set forward of the forward-most mast. [1, 3]

  heave to/hove to – To halt the headway of a ship by positioning the jib aback and the rudder turned sharply to windward. This action is generally used to take a break from weather or sea conditions, or to provide time to attend to matters other than sailing the boat. The action is performed by steering the bow through the eye of the wind without tacking the foresail. The foresail is instead allowed to back (the wind pressure is on the forward side of the sail). The helm is then turned hard over in the opposite direction (as if to tack back again) and fixed in this position. It may be necessary to ease the mainsail slightly to further prevent forward motion [1, 3]

  heel – (noun) A tilt (as of a sailing vessel) to one side; the extent of such a tilt. [1]

  heel/heeled over – (verb) To lean or tip temporarily as from the action of wind or waves. [1]

  helm – A lever or wheel controlling the rudder of a ship for steering; the position on the vessel where the steering device is located. [1, 3]

  HF radio – High Frequency radio is the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) designation for the band of radio frequency electromagnetic waves between 3 and 30 MHz. Used aboard boats, HF radios allow for long-distance radio communications. Source: www.web.archive.org/web/20131031020427/ http://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/v/R-REC-V.431-7-200005-I%21%21PDF-E.pdf Accessed March 12, 2020

  hot bunking – A term to describe using the same bunk for two people working shift work on opposite shifts. While one person sleeps, the other is on watch. When the watch changes, the sleeper vacates the bed to go on watch and the worker going off shift lies down in a bunk still warm from the other person’s body. [3]

  hull speed – The maximum speed attainable by a displacement hull vessel. [3]

  Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) – A belt of low pressure encircling the Earth near the equator where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge, also known as the doldrums. Source: www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Inter_Tropical_Convergence_Zone_(ITCZ) Accessed March 12, 2020

  iron genny – Also iron jenny. A tongue-in-cheek phrase used to describe a vessel’s engine. [3]

  jackline – A rope or line that leads from the cockpit of a vessel along the decks to the bow. The line is securely fastened at both ends. The line is used as a safety device. Using a carabiner attached to a safety tether that is attached to his/her safety harness, a seaman can clip onto the jackline and move freely fore and aft along the jackline, always being securely attached to the vessel. [3]

  jib – A small triangular headsail set forward of the staysail and mounted to the forestay. [1, 3]

  jury rig – (noun) A piece of equipment made in a makeshift fashion. [1]

  jury rig – (verb) To erect, construct, or arrange in a makeshift fashion. [1]

  kedge/kedging – To move a vessel by means of a line attached to a small anchor dropped at the distance and the direction desired, accomplished by taking an anchor and rode (still attached to the vessel) in a smaller vessel (dinghy) out to the desired location, and deploying it. The crew aboard hauls in the rode, usually with the aid of an anchor winch, drawing the vessel toward the anchor. [1, 3]

  knot – A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, or 1.852 kilometres per hour (approximately 1.15078 mph). [1, 3]

  lee/leeward – The side of a ship or area that is sheltered from the wind; the lee side, the side opposite the windward side. [1]

  lee cloth – A piece of cloth held taut in a vertical position along the open side of a sleeping berth, used to secure a sailor at rest in his/her bunk. [3]

  leech – The trailing edge of a fore-and-aft sail. [1]

  lie ahull/lying ahull – The act of waiting out a storm by dousing all sails and simply letting the boat drift. [2]

  lifeline – A line along the outer edge of the deck of a boat or ship, supported by stanchions to help prevent crew and passengers from falling overboard. [1, 3]

  lines – Any rope used for a specific task on board a boat. [1, 3]

  line brake / line clutch – A mechanical device that holds a line (rope) securely and does not allow it to move. [3]

  luff – (noun) The forward (leading) edge of a fore-and-aft sail. [1]

  luff – (verb) To turn the head of a ship toward the wind. When close to the eye of the wind, the sails will take air on the lee side and begin to ruffle in the wind. When luffing, a sailboat eases and slows. [1, 3]

  MV – An abbreviation for Motor Vessel. [3]

  Melmac – A brand name of durable plastic dinnerware known to be virtually unbreakable. [3]

  main/mainsail – An abbreviation for mainsail/the principal and largest sail on the mainmast. [1]

  mainsheet – The line by which the mainsail is trimmed and secured. [1]

  motu – A Polynesian reef islet with vegetation. [1]

  nautical mile – Abbreviated NM. The length of one minute of arc of a great circle on the surface of the earth. An international unit equal to 6076.12 feet or 1.15 statute miles, or 1.85 kilometres. [1, 3]

  navigation lights – The lights required to be displayed from a boat or ship at night, including a port sidelight (red), a starboard sidelight (green), a steaming light (white facing forward, if underway using engines), and a stern light (white facing aft). [3]

  navigation station/navigation table – An area with a seat and a large desk surface on which navigational charts can be unfolded and used, or more typically in modern-day sailing, where a navigational computer would be located, together with other instrument displays, where all systems of a vessel may be monitored. [3]

  over-canvassed – An expression meaning that too much sail is up for the wind conditions, referring to a time when all sails were made of canvas. [3]

  PACTOR modem – A special type of device that converts digital signals (such as those produced by a computer) to radio signals (such as those produced by an SSB radio). The modem is used to send and receive digital information, for example e-mails, by radio. [3]

  Panga – A low-cost, modest-sized,
lightweight, open fibreglass skiff used by fishermen in the developing world, designed specifically to use minimum outboard horsepower. Other key design features include a high bow, a narrow waterline beam, a flotation bulge (structural foam) along the gunwale, and a flat peak which makes the boat easy to pull up onto a beach and quick to plane at low hoursepower. [3] and Source: www.allmandboats.blogspot.com Accessed March 12, 2020

  PGD – Post-guest depression, an acronym we used in jest for the feeling that descended upon us after guests left Green Ghost, a feeling of boredom, melancholy, and restlessness. [3]

  pitch-pole – To capsize by being turned end over end. [1]

  plane – (verb) To skim across the surface of the water. [1]

  pole – See downwind pole.

  port/port side – Refers to the left side of a vessel when looking forward. [1]

  port tack – The tack on which the wind comes from the port side of a sailing vessel. [1]

  porthole/sliding porthole – An opening such as a window in the side of a ship to admit light and air. Portholes are usually small with a sturdy weather-tight closure that may be a hinged glass cover or, in some cases, a sliding glass pane. [1, 3]

  preventer – A control line rigged from the boom to a fixed point on the boat’s deck to prevent or moderate the effects of an accidental gybe. [2]

  Profurl – The brand name of French-made furling systems for yachts. [3]

  pulpit – A railing around the bow of a vessel, useful as a secure handhold at the bows for a seaman on lookout or tending to the anchor or the sails. [3]

  pushpit – See stern rail.

  quarter – The stern area of a ship’s side. [1]

  radar – An acronym for radio detection and ranging. A system consisting of a synchronized radio transmitter and receiver that emits ultra-high frequency electromagnetic (radio) waves and processes their reflections for display. Used for detecting the presence, direction, distance, and speed of other vessels and for detecting and locating surface features. It is particularly useful for vessels operating in reduced visibility. [1, 3]