Shipbuilding Terms and Phrases
The following definitions are from United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation publication The Building of a Wooden Ship by Charles G. Davis (1918), a long out-of-print book that we have republished and is available on Amazon. They will be very handy when reading the works of such authors as Davis, Howard I. Chapelle, V.R. Grimwood, and others I will reference in this blog. In some cases, I have added further clarification to a definition in the form of editor's notes. These are in italic, contained in parentheses, and attribute the modern author of the clarification.
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CABIN: that part of a vessel in which officers or passengers live or have quarters. A room in a ship for an officer or passenger.
CABLE: a rope or chain attached to the anchor; a term applied to a wire rope. "Wire cable," a term applied to a dimension of length equaling 120 fathoms, or 720 feet, "a cable length."
CABLE-TIER: the room, compartment or location on a ship where cable is stowed; the chain locker.
CABOOSE: the house on the deck where the galley is located. The house where the cooking is done.
CALKER (CAULKER): an artisan or man who makes the seam in the deck or planking on ship's side water-tight, either wood or metal.
CALKING (CAULKING): in wood shipbuilding the process of spreading apart the seams between two planks and filling them with cotton or oakum, and forcing it in tight with a wooden mallet or beetle and special calking tools. This process makes these seams water-tight. In metal the process of calking is done in the following manner: upsetting or turning the inner edge of the outside sheet of metal against the outside face of the inside sheet of metal, using special calking tools, thus making the joint water-tight.
CALK SEAM (CAULK SEAM): the seam formed by the joint between two timbers, planks, etc., which have been specially prepared to receive the calking. To make a calk seam the planks must be slightly beveled about 1/16" for each 1" depth of seam.
CAMBER: the athwartship curvature of a deck; a term signifying the fore-and-aft curvature of a keel, sometimes called "round-up," usually a true arc of a circle.
CANT: a term indicating that a thing has an inclination from a horizontal line; a sloping, slanting or tilted position.
CANT-FRAME: a frame not square, or at 90 degrees to the line of keel.
CANT-HOOK: a wooden lever with an iron hook hinged near one end. Used for canting or turning over heavy logs or timber.
CANT-RIBBANDS: the ribbands that are not square and level or horizontal with the middle line, but are nearly square with the timbers, as the diagonal ribbands.
CANT-TIMBERS: fore-and-aft timbers, whose planes are not square with or perpendicular to the keel or middle line of a vessel.
CANVAS: the woven material from which awnings, sails, etc., used on a vessel, are made. The material is generally cotton duck of varying weight.
CAPS: the long timbers or stringers laid across the top of piles in a wharf or shipbuilding way, the upper block of oak forming the top of the keel block. The keel is laid on the cap or top block of the keel blocks when starting the construction of a ship.
CAP-SCUTTLE: a small hatch framing, composed of coamings and head ledges, raised above the deck, similar to the regular hatch coaming. The top edge of coaming is rabbeted to receive a hatch cover.
CAPSIZE: to upset or overturn.
CAPSTAN: a revolving mechanical device used for heaving in hawsers, cables and anchor chains.
CARGO: the freight carried by a vessel.
CARGO BOOM: a heavy round or oval spar, generally attached near the foot of a mast. Fitted with a topping lift, guy lines and suitable cargo-blocks attached to the outer end. This device is used for hoisting cargo in and out of vessel's hold.
CARLING: a fore-and-aft timber at the side of a hatch, extending across and supporting the ends of short beams and decks, where cut to form a hatchway. All fore-and-aft deck supporting beams or members- are called "carlings."
CARRICK-BEND: a type of rope knot, used for joining or securing two hawsers together.
CARRICK-BITTS: the bitts which are sometimes located forward near the windlass; some-
times called "towing-bitts."
CAT-BLOCK: a double or triple block, part of the tackle used in catting or stowing the anchor.
CAT-CRANE: an iron or steel overhanging davit, used in catting or stowing the anchor.
CAT-HEAD: horizontal timbers projecting from the vessel's bow and to which the anchor is raised and secured after it has been hove in. Not generally used on wooden steamships.
CAT-HOOK: a large hook fitted on the strop of the cat-block, which is hooked into the anchor-ring when catting, raising or securing the anchor, after it has been hove in.
CAT OR CATTING-TACKLE: the tackle used to cat or fish the anchor.
CATTING THE ANCHOR: see Fish the Anchor.
CAVIL: a long cleat made of timber which is bolted fore-and-aft to the inside face of two or more bulwark stanchions. Heavy ropes and hawsers are belayed or attached to this device.
CAVIL CHOCK: a wooden mooring ring or chock made by padding in solid with hardwood between the timber heads and cutting or fitting a mooring ring chock into the packing or through the planking of the bulwark rail.
CAVIL HEADS: the heads or tops of frames when they are used as cavils or bitts.
CEILING: the inside planking or skin of a vessel, attached to the inside face of the frame, between the center keelson and the upper deckbeams.
CENTER LINE: the middle or axis line of the ship from stem to stern.
CENTER OF BUOYANCY (CENTER OP DISPLACEMENT, CENTER OF IMMERSION;): the center of gravity of the water displaced by the immersed portion of the hull. This is determined solely by the shape of the under-water portion of the hull or wetted surface.
CENTER OF GRAVITY (CENTER OF MASS): in the case of a body or a system of bodies, as in a vessel with its machinery, stores, cargo, etc., the theoretical point about which all the parts or bodies exactly balance each other, which being supported, the body or bodies as a whole system will remain at rest or in balance in any position.
CHAFING-GEAR: mousing or marlin, rope, canvas, leather, etc., placed upon standing rigging and spars, to save them from being badly chafed or worn.
CHAIN: a chain is composed of welded links of iron or steel, which are connected together so as to form one unbroken line. On board vessels it usually refers to the heavy chain attached to the anchor, although chains are also used at the lower ends of stays, or on blocks and cargo booms, and in other places where it is desirable to secure a strong, flexible metal attachment. Anchor chains or cables are generally made with stud-link chain.
CHAIN-BOLT: a bolt generally threaded on one end with an eye on the other; the eye is generally forged around the end link of the chain. This bolt is used to make a perma-
nent attachment of the end of a chain to some part of the vessel.
CHAIN-HOOK: a small iron or steel rod with one end forged into a hook, the other end forged to form a handle. This hook is used to stow the anchor chain neatly in the chain-locker or on the deck.
CHAIN-LOCKER: a compartment forward under the forecastle deck in the lower portion of the vessel in which anchor chains are stowed. This is generally located forward of the fore peak-tank.
CHAIN-PIPE: the iron bushing of a deck hole through which the anchor chain passes. The chain-pipe leads from the deck to the chain-locker. This is sometimes a wooden box.
CHAIN-PLATES: iron plates or straps attached to the outside topside planking of a vessel, to which the shrouds or ropes that guy the masts are secured.
CHAIN-STOPPER: an iron toggle that stops and secures the anchor or cable from paying out through the hawse-pipes.
CHALK LINE: a cord covered with chalk; when drawn taut is used for marking a straight line.
CHAMFERING: a small bevel edge worked on to a sharp edge of a plank or timber. Chamfering is used to prevent splintering of the edge of a timber where subject to excessive wear.
CHANNELS: a term applied to that point on a vessel's side where the shrouds are
attached.
CHANNEL-WALES: thick strakes of planking worked into the side to reinforce and strengthen the ship where shrouds are attached.
CHART HOUSE: a small room near the bridge used by the navigating officer for charts and navigating instruments.
CHEEK-BLOCKS: the half shell of a tackle-block, which is bolted to the side of a spar or timber and contains a sheave.
CHEEK-PLATES: the heavy metal plates fastened at the sides of the propeller boss on the stern-post. This plate is generally large enough to cover the hood ends of the planking terminating in the rabbet on the stern-post and also the several parts composing the stern-post at the boss.
CHEEKS: the wooden or metal sides of a sheave or tackle-block.
CHESTRESS: piece of hardwood bolted to any part of a vessel containing a sheave; not
used on modern steamships.
CHINE: the thick raised part of the timber waterways.
CHINSE: to chinse is to calk lightly with a knife or chisel, seams that will not stand the force required to calk in the usual manner.
CHOCK: a heavy piece of metal or wood fastened to a vessel's deck or to a wharf, or to a similar thing, having jaws between which a rope or cable may be passed, or which may serve as a guide; also a block or wedge of wood or other material used to prevent the limit of motion of a thing; to form a support or to fill a cavity, as by wedging under a wheel, under a timber, or a bilge of a barrel; the support for the ship's boats when stowed on deck. These are usually wooden plank frames sawed to fit the contour of the hull of the ship's boat.
CHUCK: a tool used on a revolving arbor or shaft to hold a tool or drill securely, so that it will revolve with the chuck. A device used to hold augers or reamers to a revolving arbor or shaft of an air-drill, or electric-drill.
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| Illustration of clamps |
the frames under and supporting the shelves; heavy parallel timbers gained and clamped onto the head of a wharf pile or another timber and bolted securely into position; a mechanical device for forcing or compressing timbers or other things together into place, holding or bending together two or more parts, until they can be fastened or secured.
CLAW-STOPPER: see Clow-Stopper.
CLEAN: a descriptive term used to indicate the acuteness of a vessel's bow or stem: "she has a clean stem or run."
CLEAT: a wooden or metal fitting attached to the deck, bulwark, house, mast, boom, etc., having arms or projections, by which a rope or line may be secured.
CLEW: see Clue.
CLEW-GARNET: see Clue-Garnet.
CLINCHING (CLENCHINIG)- the process of expanding or riveting the point of a bolt or
metal fastening over a ring by striking it sharply with a round-nosed hammer or top maul.
CLINCH RINGS (CLENCH RINGS): a ring of iron or steel over which the ends of bolts or
metal fastenings are expanded.
CLUE: the comer of a square sail or awning; also the after lower corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
CLUE-GARNET: the rope by which the clues are secured to the boom, yard or awning
stanchion.
COAKING: a method of joining two pieces of timber, such as attaching beams or knees
together with coaks or tenons, the purpose being to unite them solidly, so they will
not pull or slip apart.
COAL PORTS: the opening or large hole in the vessel's side above the water-line used for receiving coal into the bunkers.
COAMING: the top of the raised boundary of a hatch, scuttle or skylight; in wooden ships generally made of hard, tough timber. The coaming is usually rabbeted at the top inside edge, to receive the hatch covers.
COLLAR: the strap or grommet used to seize a deadeye; also the eye end of a shroud of the standing rigging that slips over the masthead.
COLLISION BULKHEAD: a strong partition built athwartships across the hull near the
stem or bow of a vessel and usually used to prevent the water flooding the forward
compartments of the vessel if the bow is stove in.
COMPANION: a protection or hood over the ladder leading through a hatch or opening to
the lower deck. Its purpose is to keep the rain and spray from beating down the
hatchway.
COMPANIONWAY: the passageway or stairway leading from one deck to another.
COMPARTMENT: a sub-division of space in the interior of a vessel; a room in a vessel.
COMPASS: an instrument used on board ship to indicate the magnetic meridian, magnetic
north or the direction of objects with reference to the magnetic meridian. Mariner's or ship's compass consists of three parts, viz.: the bowl, the card and the needle.
The bowl, which holds the card and the needle, is usually a hemispherical brass receptacle, suspended by a concentric brass ring, called gimbal ring, with pivot or trunnions set at 90 degrees. This gimbal supports the bowl in such a manner that notwithstanding the pitching or rolling of the ship in any direction, the top of the bowl is kept in a horizontal position.
The circular card is divided into 32 equal parts by lines drawn from the center to the circumference. These 32 parts are called the "points of the compass." The interval between the "points of the compass" is also divided into quarters and halves, so that the entire circumference of the circle is divided into 128 equal parts. In the whole circumference of 360 degrees the angle between any two adjoining points of the compass is 11degrees 15 minutes. The four principal divisions are North, East, South and West and are called the cardinal points. The names of the others are compounded of these, and if the direction or bearing referred to lies between any two points, quarter or half points are added, as “Northeast by East half East.” Points of the compass are as follows: North, North by East, North Northeast, Northeast by North, Northeast, Northeast by East, East Northeast, East by North, East, East by South, East Southeast, Southeast by East, Southeast, Southeast by South, South Southeast, South by East, South, South by West, South Southwest, Southwest by South, Southwest, Southwest by West, West Southwest, West by South, West, West by North, West Northwest, Northwest by West, Northwest, Northwest by North, North Northwest, North by West.
COMPASS TIMBERS: the timbers which are curved or arch-shaped.
COMPOSITE SHIP OR VESSEL: a vessel constructed partially of steel and partially of
wood, the stem, stern, keel, frames, etc., being of fabricated steel and the planking and ceiling being of wood.
COMPRESSED AIR: air compressed by mechanical force into a state of more or less
increased density. The power obtained by the expansion of greatly compressed air in a
cylinder, on being released, is used in many applications in and around a shipyard, as a substitute for that of steam or any other force, as in the operation of airdrills, hammers, small saws, etc.
COMPRESSOR: the friction brake on a windlass; the machine used to compress air.
CONCLUDING-LINE: the small rope forming part of the rope structure of a Jacob's ladder.
CONVERSION: the process of moulding planking and timber with the least possible waste.
COPING: the method of turning the ends of iron lodging-knees so as to hook into beams.
COPPERSMITH: a man who fits or installs copper pipes and fittings. His work differs from that of the plumber and pipefitter in that he must make large pieces of pipe and bends and also form large special pieces, such as condenser heads, exhaust connections from sheet copper, etc. He must be artisan enough to do dovetailing, brazing and flanging.
CORDAGE: a term which is applied in a broad way to all standing and running rigging
made of vegetable fibre, such as manila, hemp or sisal.
CORNER LOG: a timber inserted in the corner where planking and shelves meet, also used at the angle where bulkhead and ceiling or deck join.
COUNTER OR QUARTER: a portion of the stern structure, consisting of several parts, the lower counter being the arched part of the stem directly above the wing transom.
Above the lower counter is the second counter, the upper part of which forms the
lower part of the lights or windows. Counters are generally parted by rails: the lower counter springs from the tuck-rail and terminates at the upper part of the lower counter-rail. The second or upper counter terminates on the upper rail, which is directly under the lights or windows. Also the after overhang of the stem of a vessel.
COUNTER-RAIL: the rail, sometimes ornamented, across a vessel's stern, on which the
lower or second counter terminates.
COUNTERSINK (COUNTERSUNK): the tapered enlargement of a hole to receive the taper of a flush-headed rivet or bolt.
COUNTER-TIMBERS: the extreme after timbers which form the stern and support the counter.
COVE: the concave or grooved molding sunk in the edge of the plank.
CRAB: a small hand capstan or winch.
CRADLE: the wooden frame fitted and placed under a vessel, forming a sled on which the vessel's weight is carried when the vessel rides down the ways into the water during launching operation.
CRANK: a term applied to vessels that are top-heavy, a condition generally caused by improper designing or stowing of the cargo.
CRIBBING (GRIDIRON, BUTTRESS BLOCKING ):several tiers of blocks or wood timbers laid parallel, in which each tier of blocks is set at right angles to the one below.
CRINGLE: see Luff-Cringle.
CROAKY: a term applied to a plank much curved, twisted or with much sny.
CROSS CHOCKS: short pieces of timber fayed across the deadwood, and fastened to the half or cant frames, to strengthen the weakness of the frames where they are fastened to the deadwood.
CROSS PIECE: a piece of timber framed across the two horns of a bitt.
CROSS SPALLS (SPAULS, SPALES): a temporary transverse wooden brace used to hold the two horns of a frame to their exact breadth during construction, before the hold-
beams, ceiling or planking have been built into the hull.
CROWFOOT: a number of small lanyards or lines which support an awning. These lines
are sometimes spliced in or bent on to thimbles on the awning backbone.
CROW'S-NEST: a basket or platform near the top of a mast of sufficient size to hold one or two men. This device is protected with weather curtains or screens to protect the men as much as possible in heavy weather. The weather curtains or screens are fitted with pockets in which are kept the lookouts' oilskins, sou'westers, binoculars or marine glasses. A crow's-nest is used as a station for the lookouts. During war times, most ships have a crow's-nest on at least two masts, which are occupied by lookouts all the time while passing through the danger zone. On some ships the crow's-nest is connected with the bridge by a telephone or a speaking tube. They also have electric connections for alarm bells which are located in different parts of the vessel, to alarm the crew and call them to quarters if there is danger of a torpedo attack.
CRUTCH: a post, saddle piece or stanchion secured to the deck and forked at the upper end, to receive and form a rest for the outer end of a spar or boom when not in use.
CUCKHOLD NECK: a rope knot by which a rope is secured to a spar; this knot is so made
that the two parts cross underneath the bight and are seized together.
CUP: a solid piece of iron let into the capstan step in which the lower end of the shaft or spindle of the capstan is held in position.
CUT SPLICES: a term applied to a rope splice. It is made of one short and one long length of rope. The short length has both its ends spliced into the bight of the long length, thus forming a kind of eye-splice.
CUTTING-DOWN-LINE: the elliptical curved line representing the upper side of the floor timbers at the middle line of a vessel. This line is the same to the frames as the bearding-line is to planking.
CUTWATER: the timber bolted on the forward side of the stem, extending from the top
of the stem down to the gripe or to the keel when no gripe is used.
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