A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

I (India)  "I am altering my course to port."**  Icing.  A serious hazard where cold temperatures (below about -10°C) combined with high wind speed (typically force 8 or above on the Beaufort scale) result in spray blown off the sea freezing immediately on contact with the ship.   Idlers. On shipboard, those who, being liable to constant duty by day, are not subjected to keep the night watches; such are the carpenter, sail maker, etc. But they have to come up with the rest of the crew when "all hands" are called.   IMCO. International Maritime Consultative Organization. A forum in which most major maritime nations participate and through which recommendations for the carriage of dangerous goods, bulk commodities, and maritime regulations become internationally acceptable.   IMDG Code. International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. The regulations published by the IMO for transporting hazardous materials internationally.   IMO. The International Maritime Organization, formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959. The IMCO name was changed to IMO in 1982. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, the IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations with 169 Member States and three Associate Members. The IMO's primary purpose is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit today includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping. IMO is governed by an Assembly of members and is financially administered by a Council of members elected from the Assembly. The work of IMO is conducted through five committees and these are supported by technical subcommittees. Member organizations of the UN organizational family may observe the proceedings of the IMO. Observer status is granted to qualified non-governmental organizations. The IMO is supported by a permanent secretariat of employees who are representative of its members. The secretariat is composed of a Secretary-General who is periodically elected by the Assembly, and various divisions such as those for marine safety, environmental protection, and a conference section. In. Inboard. Within the ship, in contradistinction to outboard, which is without her; the board being the side of a vessel. Thus a bowsprit which projects outboard may be reeved (drawn) inboard. So also, that portion of an oar or skull which is within the boat when used in the act of rowing lies inboard.   Inboard motor. An engine mounted within the hull of a vessel, usually driving a fixed propeller by a shaft protruding through the stern. Generally used on larger vessels. Also see sterndrive and outboard motor.   Inboard-Outboard drive system. See sterndrive.   Inducement. Placing a port on a vessel’s itinerary because the volume of cargo offered at that port justifies the cost of routing the vessel.   Inglefield clip. A type of clip for attaching a flag to a flag halyard.   In-haul. A rope or purchase for rigging-in, that is for drawing in a spar or sail, just as an outhaul is for rigging it out. Thus, in a cutter yacht, the jib, which is set flying (that is, not on a stay), is hauled out along the bowsprit by an outhaul, and brought in by an inhaul.  Inland Carrier. A transportation line that hauls export or import traffic between ports and inland points. INMARSAT. Satellite systems operated by the Inmarsat, overseen by IMSO, International Mobile Satellite Organization are also important elements of the GMDSS. The types of Inmarsat ship earth station terminals recognized by the GMDSS are: Inmarsat B, C and F77. Inmarsat B and F77, an updated version of the now redundant Inmarsat A, provide ship/shore, ship/ship and shore/ship telephone, telex and high-speed data services, including a distress priority telephone and telex service to and from rescue coordination centers. Fleet 77 fully supports the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and includes advanced features such as emergency call prioritisation. The Inmarsat C provides ship/shore, shore/ship and ship/ship store-and-forward data and email messaging, the capability for sending preformatted distress messages to a rescue coordination center, and the Inmarsat C SafetyNET service. The Inmarsat C SafetyNET service is a satellite-based worldwide maritime safety information broadcast service of high seas weather warnings, NAVAREA navigational warnings, radionavigation warnings, ice reports and warnings generated by the USCG-conducted International Ice Patrol, and other similar information not provided by NAVTEX. SafetyNET works similarly to NAVTEX in areas outside NAVTEX coverage. Inner post. In shipbuilding, a timber upon which one of the transoms is usually fixed.   Inner turns. (See Outer turns.)   Inshore. By the shore, towards the shore, as "Let us get inshore," that is "Let us get nearer to the shore."   Inrigged. Rigged or fitted within or on the side of a boat. The row-locks of row-boats are either inrigged or outrigged, the former when on the gunwale, as in the ordinary way, the latter when extended on light iron brackets as for racing purposes.   In the eye of the wind. In sailing, a vessel making progress at an acute angle with, or, in other words, very close to, the wind is said to be "in the eye of the wind".   In stays. The position of a sailing vessel when head to wind while going about from one tack to another.   .  International Code of Signals. A system of signalling by flags and the morse code, particularly for ships of different nationalities, published in 7 languages. The first edition was issued in 1857 and the last revision made in 1969. (See Signals.)   Inwale. (See Wale.)   In-water survey. A method of surveying the underwater parts of a ship while it is still afloat instead of having to drydock it for examination of these areas as was conventionally done.   Irish hurricane. Also Paddy's hurricane A sailor's name for a flat calm, when no wind blows.   lrish pennants. Rope yarns or any fagged old rope ends hanging about the rigging of a vessel which give the ship a bedraggled appearance. The term is used as one of opprobrium.   Iron. Anything made of iron may be called "an iron", as boom iron, end irons, etc.   In irons. 1. A punishment on shipboard; the old term for handcuffed or chained up. 2. (In sailing). If a vessel miss-stays in tacking and cannot be cast one way or the other, she is said to be "in irons", or "hung up in the wind". (See Tack.)   Iron-bound shore. A dangerous and rocky part ofthe coast. lronclad. The name once given to a vessel of war, because she was clad in iron or steel.   Iron-sick. A term signifying the state of an old vessel when her iron work becomes loose in her timbers; and it mayalso be applied to the condition of a "composite vessel when her iron fastenings become rotten through the galvanic action which arises between them and the copper sheathing". (See Composite.)   Preservation of iron. Iron is found to he so liable to rust on exposure to the salt air of the sea that various plans have to be employed in preserving it. The most effective of these methods is galvanising. Immersion while hot in boiling oil also preserves the surface, while the simplest method is to paint it. In yachts, in the fitting out of which expense is not considered, brass or gun-metal takes the place of iron wherever possible.   Island. The superstructure of an aircraft carrier. A carrier that lacks one is said to be flush decked.   ISPS. International Ship and Port Security Code. It is an amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention (1974/1988) on minimum security arrangements for ships, ports and government agencies. Having come into force in 2004, it prescribes responsibilities to governments, shipping companies, shipboard personnel, and port/facility personnel to “detect security threats and take preventative measures against security incidents affecting ships or port facilities used in international trade.”     .  A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z .    J (Juliet)  "I am on fire and have dangerous cargo on board: keep well clear of me, or I am leaking dangerous cargo."   Jack. 1. The term "jack" is applied somewhat indiscriminately by sea-faring men to various spars, sails, ropes, etc. It would appear, speaking generally, to mean something small. 2. Also Jack Tar. A sailor.  Jack (in flags). "Something shown, a signal." (Brande and Cox.) The (small) national flag flown from the jackstaff of a warship when at anchor. The Pilot Jack of Britain is the Union, enclosed in a border of white, one-fifth the width of the flag. It is sometimes flown at the jackstaff in British merchant ships. When flown from the fore­mast it was a signal for a pilot.   Jack-ass rig. 1. A three-masted topsail schooner. The name sometimes given to the ordinary form of three-masted schooner which sets square topsails on the foremast. It is possible that this name has been given to distinguish the rig from that which may, in this instance, be called the true three-masted schooner; the latter sets no square sails.   2. A fourmasted sailing vessel that is square-rigged on the fore and main masts, and fore and aft rigged on the two af ter masts.   Jack-block. A block sometimes used in sending up a top mast.   Jack cross-trees. 1. In a ship, single iron cross-trees at the head of long top-gallant masts, for the sup­port of royal or sky sail masts. 2. In fore-and-aft rigged craft, iron cross­trees which foId up, so as to admit of a mast being lowered. They are of ten seen in topsail barges, the masts of which have to be lowered in passing under bridges.   Jack Dusty. A naval stores clerk.   Jack in the basket. A name given by fishermen to a basket placed on a beacon for marking a shoal or channel.   Jack-ladder. A ladder with wooden rungs and rope sides.   Jack-pin. A belaying pin in a fiferail.   Jack-staff. A flag pole erected at -the stem head, or bowsprit cap, for flying a jack.   Jack stay. An iron rod, wooden batten, or taut wire on the upper side of a yard, to which the head of a square sail is bent. It also serves as a hand-grip for men on the footrope. 2. A stay acting also as a traveller. 3. A thin rope used to hold the luff of a gaff top-sail to its mast: it is rove through a cringle about midway down the luff of the sail, and passing through a sheave or grommet on the mast, is then brought down on deck and belayed. The jack stay may, therefore, take the place of the lacing of a jib­headed topsail to its mast.   Jack topsail (sometimes called a jacket or donkey topsail). A fore­and-aft topsail bent (i.e., attached) to a jack yard, which carries the sail up above the head of the mast. This sail is a little awkward to manipulate, but it has a certain advantage in light winds, in that it reaches higher than do most other topsails; and as it may be set on a pole mast, it is frequently applied to small boats, and hoisted above a balance lug sail.   Jack yard. Generally speaking, a yard or pole which extends either the head or the foot of a topsail beyond some other spar. Applied to the head of a jack topsail, it stands, when set, in a vertical position, carrying the head of the sail up byond the head of the mast, and is kept in this situation by hauling down the foot of the yard, which, in this case, secures the tack of the sail. Applied to the foot of a topsail the jack yard carries it out beyond the peak. In ships we find a cross-jack yard (pronounced "crojeck" or "crutched" yard), which is the lowest yard on the mizzen mast. It is always hung; not hoisted with halyards.   Jacket. 1. A double or outer coat, in the planking of a vessel. 2.The jack topsail of a fore-and-aft rigged boat is sometimes called the jacket.   Jacketting. A scolding. Sometimes an infliction of the rope end. Lifejacket. (See under Life.)   Jacob's ladder. A rope ladder having wooden rounds. A jack ladder.   Jaegt. Typical sailing boat of the Norwegian coast, now virtually obsolete. See also Femboringer.  Jaws. The horns at the end of a boom or gaff. (See Gaff.)   Jaw-rope. A rope passed through and across the jaws of a gaf!, to hold the spar to the mast. It is generally threaded through wood en beads or trucks to prevent jamming, and thus becomes a parrel.   .  USS Jeannette in Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, 1874 . Jeannette. The first USS Jeannette was originally HMS Pandora, a Philomel-class gunvessel of the Royal Navy, and was purchased in 1875 by Sir Allen Young for his arctic voyages in 1875-1876. The ship was purchased in 1878 by James Gordon Bennett, Jr., owner of the New York Herald; and renamed Jeannette. Bennett was an Arctic enthusiast, and he obtained the cooperation and assistance of the government in fitting out an expedition to the North Pole through the Bering Strait. On June 18, 1884, wreckage from Jeannette was found on an ice floe near Julianehåb (now Qaqortoq) near the southern tip of Greenland. This suggested to Fridtjof Nansen the hypothesis that the ice of the Arctic Ocean was in constant motion from the Siberian coast to the American coast. To prove this, Nansen planned and executed the Fram expedition 1893-1896, which confirmed the motion of the Arctic sea-ice.  Jears, or Jeers. Tackles by which the lower yards of a ship are swayed or struck (i.e., hoisted or lowered).   Jenny. See Genoa.  Jetsam (in law). Goods cast from a ship and sunk, in contradis­tinction to flotsam and lagan.   Jettison (in law) (evidently from the French jettez-en). To jettison is to cast goods overboard, whether to lighten or get a vessel upon an even keel when aground, and thus aid in floating her again, or - on the high seas - that she may ride more easily when in distress.   Jetty. A small pier or landing place.   Jewel block. In square rig, a block at a yard arm for the halyard of a studding sail.   Jib. One of the head sails in a sailing vessel-triangular in shape. In large vessels it was split into an Outer jib and Inner jib for ease of handling. It is bent to a stay, called the jib-stay, which extends from the fore-top-mast head to the end of the jib-boom; but in small craft generally it is set, either standing or flying (according to the rig of the boat), between the lower mast head and the end of the bowsprit. In the cutter and yawl, both of which have reeving bowsprits, the jib is set flying; in the sloop, which has a fixed bowsprit, it is set standing, on the jib-stay, and usually extends aft almost to the mast, thereby doing away with the fore-sail. In either case it is the most forward of all the sails. The jib, not withstanding the fact that it is small and stands out-board, is a very important agent in sailing. It steadies the boat in her course, helps her round when she is put about, prevents her running suddenly up into the wind, and acts as a good guide to the helmsman, when sailing in the eye of the wind, for by its tendency to chaffer (or shiver) it tells him when he is sailing too close. Its virtue lies in its position as the foremost of all the sails, and on this account we have the following rule for working jib and foresail: When a vessel is going about, the jib acts before the foresail, but its power is soon expended. It is, therefore, brought over first (as soon as its effort is seen to be finished) and sheeted home, while the foresail, by laying aback, completes the work of bringing the vessel's head round. This is an operation which requires nice judgment and some little experience. The mistake of bringing the head sails over too soon is particularly to be avoided: it may almost be said, indeed, that it is better to be too slow than too quick, though much, of course, must depend upon the general behaviour ofthe craft.   Jibs, in seagoing craft, are of various sizes, to suit all weathers. A large jib will tend in a breeze to bury a boat's head; and some boats are incapable of standing a large one at any time. In the latter case the sail is sometimes cut obliquely at the foot, so as to run upwards from the bowsprit, and this has been found to lift the boat better. Occasionally the head is cut square and fitted with a small batten, called a head-stick; this acts well where the bolt rope of the sail tends to kink.   Besides the jib in common use, we have the following:   Balloonjib. A racing sail of enormous size, extending from the topmast head to the bowsprit head. Sometimes the spinnaker is carried forward as a balloon jib in racing. (See Balloon canvas.)   Flying jib. A jib set out on a jib-boom ahead of the jib. It is used on schooner yachts and trading vessels.   Genoajib, or Yankeejib. A large jib whose clew extends well abaft the mast.   Inner jib. In ships, the jib next the fore-stay sail.   Jib of jibs (only in large ships). "A sixth jib," only known to flying-kite men.   Jib topsail. A jib running on the topmast stay in a cut­ter or yawl, and set above the other head sails. In these boats it has sometimes been called the flying jib, though this is hardly a correct name,   as that sail belongs to schooners and other large vessels.   Middle jib. A jib belonging to schooners and large trading vessels. It is set flying from the foretop mast or the fore top-gallant mast to the end ofthe jib-boom.   Spitfire. A name given to a very small jib used in boats; really a sort of trysail, answering the same purpose as the storm jib - i.e., for use only in dirty weather, or to keep steerage way on a boat.   Standing jib. A jib set standing.   Stormjib. One for bad weather or winter use; it is made of stout canvas, and often, even for yachts, tanned.   Jib-headed sail. A sail the shape of a jib-i.e., one pointed at the head. Such is the jib-headed topsail. (See Topsail.)   The following spars and ropes refer also to jibs:  .   Jib-boom. A spar running out beyond the bowsprit to carry a flying jib.   Flying jib-boom. A boom run out beyond the jib-boom for the flying jibs.   Jib down-haul, or in-haul; Jib out-haul. The ropes by which the jib is hauled out or in along the bowsprit. Both are attached to the traveller: the out-haul runs through a sheave at the bowsprit head and then inboard; the down-haul, or in-haul, comes from the traveller directly inboard.   Jib guys. (Only in large vessels.) Stays supporting a foremast against the pressure of jibs.   Jib halyard. The halyard which elevates the jib. In large vessels it is often of chain, and is provided with a rope purchase on one side, the chain belaying on the other. In fore-and-aft rigged craft, such as yachts, smacks, etc., this rope takes its origin near the mast head: it runs downwards and through a movable block af ter which it goes upward again through a fixed block on the mast, and thence down to the deck, where, in small craft, it belays, usually on the port side of the mast. When the jib is to be set, its tack is shackled to a traveller (an iron ring) which runs it out on the bowsprit; and its head to the lower block of the halyard, after which it is hauled up taut. In a sloop, the bowsprit being a.fixture, and the forestay made fast to its end, the jib runs up the forestay on hanks; but in a cutter or a yawl, the forestay being carried only to the stem-head, the jib is set flying, and the jib halyards then act as a great stay to the bowsprit-more so, indeed, than does the topmast forestay. They must, therefore, he swigged up very taut when sail is made, as this helps to strengthen the bowsprit.   Jibe. See Gybe.   Jib-iron. Commonly called the traveller. An iron ring running on the bowsprit, for setting the jib.   Jib sheets. The ropes which work the jib. They are usually composed of one rope doubled half-way, and fastened at the bight (or bend) to the clew of the sail; and each part is brought down on either side of the forestay, and through fairleads, to be belayed, either amidships; or (in boats) within reach of the helmsman. In small craft the jib sheets are usually distinguished from the fore-sheets by being thicker, and by being belayed aft of the fore-sheets. A stopper knot should be made at the end of each jib sheet when it is rove through its fairlellds, to prevent their being jerked away. A figure-of-eight knot answers this purpose well, and is easily made. (See Knots.)   Jib-stay. A stay upon which a jib is set. In fore-and-aft rig it is peculiar to the sloop, being run out to the head of the fixed bowsprit, and taking the place of the forestay of a cutter in supporting the mast. This arrangement constitutes the difference between cutter and sloop rig. In the cutter, however, we also find that which is sometimes called the jib-stay, though, so far as the staying of any spars is concerned, it is no stay at all, and is more correctly called the jib out-haul, its office being to haul out the jib along the bowsprit; and to effect this it is usually connected with a traveller, or ring on the bowsprit. Being attached to this traveller, it is passed through a sheave at the bowsprit end and then brought in and belayed either by the bowsprit bitts or by the mast. When the jib is to be set it is shackled on to the tra veIler, and, being hauled about half-way up the mast, is then run out by the jib-stay, which is then belayed, while the jib-halyard is set up and swigged upon.   Jigger. Usually a small spar, or an extra mast. A bumpkin is often spoken of as a jigger or jigger-boom. The small mast in certain barges, fitted to, and the sail of which works with, the rudder is sometimes called the jigger. So also any very small mast and sail (though usually one working with the rudder) may be called by the same name: for which latter reason we occasionally hear a fishing boat, carrying such a mast and sail, but otherwise sloop-rigged, called a jigger, or jigger-rigged. The fourth mast in a four-masted ship is the jigger-mast. (See under Mast.)   Jigger block. A tail block (See Block) or a block to clap on to a rope.   Jigger tackle. A small tackle on a halyard or some other rope, to increase the purchase. Also, a tackle holding a cable taut as it leaves a capstan. It consists usually of no more than a single and a double block.   Jockey pole. A metal spar used to prevent the spinnaker guy rope fouling the stanchions on a modern yacht of beamy design. The jockey pole runs athwartship from the mast to the guy and is rigged only when the spinnaker boom is trimmed well forward, close to the forestay.  Joggled timbers, joggle frame. When the heads, or timbers (ribs), of a boat are shaped, so as to receive the strakes of a clincher built boat, they are said to bejoggled, and to form a joggle frame.   John Dory. Jaune Doré, Fr.). A well-known fish. John Doré was a notorious French pirate.   Johnnie. The old naval term for a "bluejacket". The seamen were called the johnnies or jacks, and the marines jollies; and both these names have come into general use in familiar conversation.   Join. To join a ship is to go to and enter upon one's duty in her.   Jolly. The name given to a marine, just as bluejacket is called a johnnie or jack. The marines were called the "jolly marines", and hence, the "jollies".   Jolly boat. 1. In the Royal and Mercantile Navies, a small boat used for marketing, landing inferior persons, etc. Some have in recent years been fitted with engines. 2. In yachting, a boat, corresponding to a dinghy, but larger.   Jolly jumper. In old fuIl rigged ships, sails set above the moon­rakers, thus making seven square sails on a mast-viz., (1) main; (2) maintop; (3) top-gallant; (4) royal; (5) sky rail; (6) moonraker; (7) jumper. But they were always very rare, and only set by the most inveterate of flying kite men. (See also Light sails.)   .  Jolly Roger. The skull and crossed bones black flag of a pirate.   Jonah. A person whose presence on board is supposed to incur misfortune.   Jumbo. Name often used for the fore staysail in a fore-and-aft rigged ship. It is the largest of the foresails. Correspons to the genoa jib of the modern yacht rig.   Jump. To make a jump joint with two planks or plates of iron is to put them together (end to end or side to side) in such a manner that they will present a smooth surface. Rence in shipbuilding it is equivalent to carvel building (see Build); and when an iron vessel is so built she is said to be jump jointed or jump pointed.   Jumper. A square sail set, on very rare occasions, on certain of the old full-rigged ships: it formed a seventh square sail on each mast (see Light sails.)   Jumper stay. A familiar name for the stay called triatic, and often seen in schooners. It runs from the mast head of the main to the fore, and, therefore, takes the place of the main stay. 2. The stays which run over the jumper struts.   Jumper struts. Spreaders on a mast that are angled forward to give support fore and aft as well as athwartships.   .  Junk. 1. A ship common in China and Japan, with battened, balance-lug sails. 2. On ship­board junks are old ropes which by long usage and saturation in salt water have become hard and stiff. 3. Salt meat which has become hard from long keeping is also called junk, because it is said to resemble the old pieces of rope in its texture.   Jury. The word, as used at sea, implies a substitute. Rence, jury mast, a temporary mast, either erected in a new vessel to take her where she is to be masted, or one taking the place of a permanent mast carried away, or one employed where it is impossible to elevate the permanent mast. Barges navi­gating rivers over which bridges are numerous and low, use jury masts habitually; they were once seen daily on the London river, between bridges.   Jury rudder. A temporary or substitute rudder, or any apparatus enabling a vessel to be steered when her rudder may have been carried away.

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z . . Email: jackvanderwyk@yahoo.co.uk