Stove: Broken in.
Stow: To put in place.
Stowaway: A person illegally aboard and in hiding.
Strake: A continuous planking or plating fitted out to and from stem to stern of a vessel’s side.
Strand: A number of yarns, twisted together and which in turn may be twisted into rope; a rope is stranded when a strain is broken; rope may be designated by the number of strands composing. Rope is commonly three-stranded. A vessel run ashore is said to be stranded.
Strap: A ring of rope made by splicing the ends, and used for slinging weights, holding the parts of a block together, etc. A rope, wire or iron binding, encircling a block and with a thimble seized into it for taking a hook. Small straps used to attach a handybilly to the hauling part of a line.
Strongback: A light spar set fore and aft on a boat, serving as a spread for the boat cover.
Surge: To ease a line to prevent it from parting or pulling, meanwhile holding the strain.
Swab: A mop.
Swamp: Sink by filling with water.
Swell: A large wave.
Swing ship: The evolution of swinging a ship’s head through several headings to obtain compass errors for the purpose of making a deviation table.
Swinging over: Swing of the boom from one side of the ship to the other when the tack is changed.
Taffrail log: The log mounted on the taffrail and consisting of a rotator, a log line and recording device (to measure distance run through the water).
Tail shaft: The after section of the propeller shaft.
Take a turn: To pass a turn around a belaying pin or cleat.
Take in: To lower and furl the sails.
Taking on more than you can carry: Loaded with more cargo than a ship can safely navigate with. Drunk.
Tanker: A ship designed to carry various types of liquid cargo, from oil and gasoline to molasses, water, and vegetable oil.
Tarpaulin: Heavy canvas used as a covering.
Taut: With no slack; strict as to discipline.
That’s high: An order to stop hoisting.
Thimble: An iron ring with a groove on the outside for a rope grommet or splice.
Three sheets to the wind: Sailing with three sheet ropes running free, thus making the ship barely able to keep headway and control. Drunk.
Throwing a Fish: Saluting
Thwart: The athwartships seats in a boat on which oars-men sit.
Thwartships: At right angles to the fore and aft line (across the ship).
Toggle: A small piece of wood or bar of iron inserted in a knot to render it more secure, or to make it more readily unfastened or slipped.
Top-heavy: Too heavy aloft.
Tow: To pull through water; vessels towed.
