USS Holder - Tin Can Sailor Talk

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PLANKOWNER : a man who has been on board since ship was commissioned.	GANGWAY : An opening in the rail or bulwarks, giving access to a ship.	KINK : A twist which disturbs the lay of line and wire.
PURCHASE : A combination of one or more blocks reeved with a line or wire. Also called TACKLE, BLOCK AND TACKLE, or when reeved with a chain, a CHAIN FALL.	SILENCE : Command given by any member of a gun crew who observes a serious casualty that requires immediate attention. All members freeze and remain silent until the gun captain or other responsible person issues an order.	FRAMES : The athwartships strength members of a ship's hull. Numbered from bow aft, and used as reference points to locate fittings, compartments, etc.
MEET HER : Slow the swim of a ship by putting on opposite rudder.	INBOARD LIFELINES : Temporary lifelines erected inboard of the permanent lifelines during heavy weather.	FRAPPING LINES : Lines passed around boat falls to steady the boat when hoisting or lowering.
DARKEN SHIP : Blacking out the ship so that no lights show outboard.	COXCOMBING : A type of fancy work consisting of coils of line worked around a tiller handle, stanchion, etc.	VERY'S PISTOL(or Very) : A device for firing small pyrotechnics into the air as signals.
WINDLASS : A power driven machine used for heaving in or paying out anchor chain.	MIND YOUR RUDDER : An order to the steersman to steer the proper course.	BATTLE LANTERN : A battery-powered lantern for emergency use.
CHOCK : A metal casting which serves as a lead for lines to a pier or to other ships. They may be open or closed.	SAMSON POST : A vertical timber on the forward deck of a boat used in towing and securing.	WALK AWAY : haul on a line by taking hold and walking down the deck, rather than hand over hand.
PILOTHOUSE : enclosure on the bridge centerline housing the main steering control. Also called the WHEELHOUSE.	LIGHT SHIP : A command or word passed which permits lights to be shown as the ship is secured from being darkened.	BORE : The interior diameter of a gun barrel. The caliber. The opening inside a gun, from the after part of the rifling to the muzzle.
LEFT-HANDED : Counterclockwise. Extended to mean "not the right way" or "backwards".	AGROUND : When any part of the ship is resting on the bottom. A ship runs aground or goes aground.	HAWSER : A heavy line over 5 inches in circumference used for towing or mooring.
WATCH : One of the 4-hour periods into which the 24-hour day is divided.	HEAVE : to throw, as to "heave a lead" or to "heave a heaving line". To haul on a line or wire.	STERN HOOK : Member of a boat's crew who stands aft and makes the stern of the boat secure.
LAY : Expresses the idea of "to move oneself", as "lay (yourself) up on the main deck" or "lay (yourself) aft". The direction of the twist of strands of a rope.	PELICAN HOOK : a hook used to provide a quick release. It can be opened while under strain by knocking away a locking ring which holds it closed.	DAVIT : one of a pair of strong arms by means of which a boat is hoisted in or out. The pair is called a set of davits. Any similar hoisting device.
DRAFT MARKS : The figures fastened to the stem and stern, the lower edges of which indicate the draft of the ship.	LONG SPLICE : Joining the ends of two lines in such a manner that the splice does not enlarge the line and it will pass freely through a block.	ADRIFT : Loose from moorings and unable to make headway. Applied in a general sense to anything not in its proper place.
SPECIAL SEA DETAIL : Men assigned on a Navy ship to special duties connected with entering or leaving port.	KNOT : (1) A unit of speed equal to 1 nautical mile (6080 feet) per hour. (2) A collective term for hitches and bends.	BRIDLE : A span of rope, chain, or wire with both ends secured and the strain taken on the mid-part.
HITCH : Method of securing a line to a hook, ring, or spar.	JACKBOX : Receptacle, usually secured to a bulkhead, into which telephone plugs or jacks are fitted.	RENDER : Expresses the idea of "to travel freely through or around," as a fall which renders around the blocks in a tackle.
JEW'S HARP: Ring at upper end of shank of an anchor to which anchor chain is secured.	MACNAMARA LACE : Fancy curtains and trimming for barges and gigs worked from unlaid canvas threads.	LIFELINE : In general, the lines erected around the edges of decks. Specifically, the top line. From top to bottom, the lines are named lifeline, housing line, and foot rope.
JACK : The blue, white-starred flag flown at the bow (jackstaff) of a ship at anchor or moored.	FIELD DAY : A day devoted to general cleaning, usually in preparation for inspection.	PAY OUT : To slack off or ease out a line.
THWARTS : The cross seats or planks in a boat just below the gunwales.	BARGE : (1) A large, blunt-ended, scow-type craft, usually non-self-propelled. (2) A motorboat assigned for the personal use of a flag officer.	THIMBLE : A metal ring grooved to fit inside an eye splice.

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