Ship Terminology

[Guest]

L

Labouring: The action of a vessel slowly pitching and rolling in bad weather and making little headway on course.

Lashings: All wires, ropes and chains used to secure cargo’s. Nothing to do with gravy.

Leading Block: A type of rope block used to guide and change direction of a rope usually into a Capstan.

League: Nautical measure (As in 20,000 of them!), which equals 1/20th a degree of latitude or three miles.

Lee: The sheltered side of an object which can refer to either a vessel, building or a land mass.

Leeward: On the sheltered side of a vessel.

Length Between Perpendiculars, LBP: The distance along the Summer Load Line between the forward and aft perpendiculars. The forward one is at the point where the stem cuts the waterline and the aft one is where the aft side of the rudder post or rudder stock cuts the same. Often referred to as a ships length.

Length Overall, LOA: The total length of the vessel including any extremities. There can be a significant difference in LBP and LOA on sailing vessels.

Light Displacement: The weight of the unladen vessel, measured in tonnes. The difference between the Loaded Displacement and the Light Displacement is the Deadweight.

Lightening Hole: A hole cut into any form of plate that is designed to reduce weight without sacrificing strength.

Lighter: A flat bottomed, unpowered craft for the transport of goods and cargo to and from a vessel.

Lignum Vitae: One of the very few woods that is actually denser than water. This wood was traditionally used as a stern tube and stern frame bearing material in old water lubricated bearings. This was superseded by the advent of oil filled stern tubes with stern seals but, strangely enough, the circle has turned and vessels are now using a plastic bearing material and returning to water cooled and lubricated bearings.

Load Line: A number of lines painted on the side of the vessel at the midship section which indicate the minimum allowed freeboard in a number of conditions and world wide locations. Also known as the Plimsol line and incorporates lines for the following:

Summer Load Line

Winter Load Line

Winter North Atlantic Load Line

Fresh Water Load Line

Tropical Fresh Water Load Line

Loaded Displacement: The weight in Tonnes of a vessels hull, machinery , spares, cargo, fuel, water and crew when a ship is immersed to its Summer load line.

Locking Pintle: A Rudder pintle specifically designed with a restraining collar to prevent the rudder from displacement in, for instance, heavy seas.

Loll: Also known as the Angle of Loll occurs if the centre of gravity is allowed to become above the centre of buoyancy. The vessel will “Loll” over until the centre of gravity is in line with the centre of buoyancy. If, by design, or cargo loading this cannot happen the vessel will simply capsize. Particularly significant with such things as a ships crane when the centre of gravity will instantly move upwards when a weight is lifted from a hold. The centre of gravity of the mass will shift from the bottom of the hold to the tip of the jib in the time it takes the crane to take the weight of the load.

Longitudinal Bulkhead: A bulkhead that runs from forward to aft as opposed to transversely which is across the vessel.

Luff: Opposite to Lee so it is the windward side of a vessel, building or land mass.

Luffing: Is the vertical movement of the jib of a crane, hence a “Luffing” crane is one whose jib can be moved vertically, as opposed to a “Chuffing” crane which is one that won’t move at all!!

[Guest]

Do you have to learn all this stuff off by heart Bunk?

ooo arrrr me hartys! jim lad etc etc etc.

[Guest]

You be carefull young lad or you'll be gettin' a Joggle Plate up your Transom!!!

[Guest]

ar gag ga ga ga....now wheres me put me spinach

[Guest]

excellent stuff richard.

i think it deserves a section all onits own

[Guest]

Thanks for the support gents, enthusiasm has varied somewhat during this project but I think I have broken it's back and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I will be a bit more carefull about what I taken on next time though!!

[Guest]

M

Maierform: A very distinctive bow shape with a pronounced rake.

Main Deck: The uppermost continuous deck from which all Freeboard calculations are determined.

Main Hatch: The largest and, usually, most centrally positioned hatch reserved for heaviest cargoes.

Margin Line: This is a line drawn 76mm below the upper surface of the bulkhead deck at the ships side. A passenger ship is sub divided into watertight compartments, which are designed in such a way as to not allow this line to become submerged should any two compartments become flooded.

Margin Plate: Is any plating that constitutes the outer boundaries of the double bottom spaces.

Marlin Spike: Not a ship construction term but simply a point of interest. A marlin spike is a pointed piece of metal with a screwdriver like head used for splicing steel wires. A common way of making them would be to turn down a large diameter stud bar and wrap copper wire into the thread to form a handle. If you made one of these for an AB you might get a nice carving or a decorative knot in return.

Mast: Traditionally used for attaching derricks for cargo operations or carrying a sail. Nowadays used simply to attach navigation lights and radar scanners.

Mast Step: The strengthened part of a vessels structure, possibly even in the keel where a mast would be secured.

Mast Table: A small platform attached to the mast used to support the end of the derrick.

Messenger: 1)Is a continuous rope passing from a capstan to a cable and is used to haul it on board. 2) Any form of small wire or rope attached to a much larger wire or rope to enable the larger to be hauled between the vessel and ashore for purposes of mooring the vessel.

Metacentre: The metacentre is a measurement of the vessels stability at small angles of heel. It is taken as an indication of the vessels behavior when underway such that a high metacentre would indicate the vessel would return to upright quickly and the vessel is considered as sensitive or tender.

Metacentric Height: Refer to the GM entry and the above.

Midship Area: Is the immersed area of the midship section.

Midship Section: A transverse section of the vessel taken at the midships point in the hull. It is usually the largest area of section.

Monkey Island: Is the area above the bridge where, traditionally, the vessel could be conned from if visibility was poor. All bridge equipment was usually repeated here. The name has stuck however and now refers to any deck on top of the bridge. A favourite sunbathing area on cargo ships, sometimes reserved for the Captains wife, who would usually not realize that she could be overlooked from the top of the funnel.

Moor: To tie up and secure a vessel by rope to either a quayside or a buoy.

Mooring Ring: A cast and usually oval ring set along a bulwark through which mooring lines could be led to keep them out of the way.

Mooring Winch: A winch gear driven by steam or electrically with a warping end on one of the horizontal shafts for the handling or mooring ropes.

Moulded Breadth: The largest possible breadth of the vessel taken at the midships section taken internally.

Moulded Depth: The vertical distance once again, at the midship section, from the top of the keep to the inside of the upper deck plating.

Mousing: A few additional turns taken around a cargo hook to prevent the rope eye jumping out of the hook.

Muff Coupling: Is a form of coupling between two ends of a shaft. It does not use flanges or bolts but is simply two tapered sleeves forced together hydraulically. This force causes the internal diameter to reduce and thus grips the two ends of the shafts. Used regularly in prop shafts the entire propeller load is transmitted through nothing more than frictional force between two metallic surfaces. It always impresses the hell out of me anyway!!

[Guest]

n o p q r s t u v.....w x y z...should b finished just in time for Leave.!!!!!!!

[Guest]

N

Net Registered Tonnage: Is a derivative of the gross tonnage arrived at by deducting spaces used for the accommodation of crew, navigation and propulsion machinery.

Norman Pins: Rollers that can be erected at a tugs aft bulwarks to guide the tow hawser over the aft of the vessel and prevent the tow passing over the vessels beam.

[Guest]

O

Oakum: A joint material made from tarred rope fibres used for caulking decks and sealing structures.

Observation Tank: A tank that collects condensate returns from a steam system and incorporates a weir that allows the collection of any oil contamination that may be returned from fuel tanks.

Oertz Rudder: Is a specific type of high lift or flap rudder.

Open Shelter Decker: A shelter deck vessel whereby the tonnage opening is maintained permanently open. It is specifically designed so that the registered tonnage does not include the shelter deck space even though this space could be used for the carriage of cargo.

Orlop: Not commonly used nowadays but was traditionally the lowest deck in a vessel.

Outboard: Is in a direction away from the centerline of the vessel and opposite to Inboard.

Outreach: The maximum extent cargo handling equipment can reach.

Outrigger: Is a mast extension, which effectively increases the spread of the stays to the topmast.

Overage: Is a term used to express the amount of cargo discharged in excess of the quantity declared in the manifest.

Overall Length: Is the maximum length of the vessel including all protrusions.

Oxter Plate: Is a stiffening steel plate that fits around the upper part of the rudder post.

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P

Panama Chocks: Are a type of casting with an oval opening fitted at either end of a vessel used for passing the mooring lines to the Mules when going through the Panama Canal.

Panamax: A classification of vessel of any type that is the maximum size due to its breadth that can transit the Panama Canal.

Panting: is the inwards and outwards movement of hull plating. Experienced more at the bow area as a result of wave action.

Panting Beams: Additional stiffening beams in the forward and aft sections of the hull designed to resist panting.

Paravane: Is a device incorporating a steel cable used to sever floating magnetic mine wires, allowing them to float to the surface where they could be disposed of.

Parbuckle: Is the action of rolling a round object up a ramp using a rope passed around it. The rope is looped around and the free ends are hauled on causing the object to roll upwards. The term is also used when righting a vessel or boat that may be aground. When bringing it upright.

Parbuckling: Is used mainly as a term when righting a vessel, which may be aground, and needs to be upright when a tide returns. Either external forces can be used such as the ropes described above, or internal such as movement or cargo or ballast.

Pendant: Is a short length of steel wire attached to the end of a towrope to prevent chaffing of the heavily used part of the rope.

Period of Roll: The time taken for one complete rolling cycle of the vessel measured from usually full over to port or starboard.

Permissible Length: The length between bulkheads in a vessel calculated to ensure that the vessel will remain afloat if one or more compartments should become flooded. Permissible length is a quoted fraction of the floodable length and often referred to as a factor of subdivision.

Perpendiculars: The forward perpendicular is a vertical line through the intersection of the loaded waterline and the stem frame and the aft perpendicular is a vertical line through where the aft side of the sternpost meets the loaded waterline or, if there is no post, through the center of the rudderstock.

Pig’s Ear: Is basically a funnel or tundish, which usually has an open-ended pipe running into it so that the quality of the fluid flowing can be monitored.

Pilgrim Nut: Is a patented design of a propeller securing nut. It incorporates an internal annular ring that is hydraulically operated to force the propeller up the tapered end of the shaft and therefore does away with the need of a stress inducing keyway.

Pilgrim Wire: A wire fixed at one end and passing over a pulley at the other with a weight on it. The tensioned wire is then used as a reference point for checking the alignment of such things as propeller shafts. The catenary or sag of the wire can be calculated using the modulous of elasticity and the weight and this can be incorporated into the calculations.

Pillars: Vertical internal structural supports between decks and the lower hull.

Pintles: Are the bearing hinges on which a rudder hangs.

Pitching: A rotational movement about a transverse axis of the ship as it progresses through a seaway.

Plane Sailing: An expression derived from the simplification of a navigational exercise by considering the surface to be flat rather than flowing the earth’s curvature.

Plimsol Line: See Load Line. The expression came from the name Samual Plimsol who devised the system of limiting loads after large numbers of vessels were lost at sea due to overloading.

Plummer Block: A bearing support block used mainly in propulsion shafting.

Pontoon Hatch Cover: Is a hatch cover consisting of a single removable solid piece. This type of hatch cover is found on container ships where the hatch is removed with the container crane locating in dogs set into the cover.

Poop: Is the area of superstructure on the aft upper deck.

Port: Is the left hand side of the vessel looking forward designated by a red navigation light. It could also refer to an opening in the ships side for the passage of goods or personnel.

Porthole: Circular ships window which, if fitted below the uppermost continuous deck, will incorporate a deadlight to close over it in the event of heavy weather.

Pounding: the action of the vessel when it falls onto a wave after being lifted by a previous one. This action leads to panting and can also be referred to as slamming.

Prismatic Coefficient: Is a ratio of the volume of water displaced by a ship to the volume as represented by the length of the vessel multiplied by the area of the submerged midship section.

Projected Area: The area of the blades of a propeller as projected onto a flat surface.

[Guest]

Q

Quarter Deck: Traditionally is the part of the upper deck that is aft of the main mast.

Quarters: The living accommodation part of the vessel.

Quoin: A wooden wedge put under barrels or logs to prevent them from rolling when under way.

Quoit: A disc made from wood used in the game of Deck Quoits. The disc is slid at a target with a pusher in a similar manner to bowls but of course the quoit will not roll away.

[Guest]

R

Racking: A distortion of the hull caused by collision or grounding.

Rail: Is the wooden or metal capping of the bulwarks or handrails.

Raised Foc’s’le: A superstructure at the bow built up above the normal Foc’s’le deck level.

Rake: Is a line inclined from the vertical or horizontal and is used to describe the degree of deviation. i.e. a heavily raked bow.

Rapsons Slide: A mechanism used in ships steering gear that gives the feedback of a prime mover position to the control input linkage.

Reefer Ship: Slang for a refrigerated cargo vessel.

Reeve: Is a rope passing through a wooden or metal block.

Registered Length: Is the length measured from the foreside of the stem post to the aft side of the stern post.

Reserve Buoyancy: Compartments designed within the vessels hull structure, sealed and unused, that add to the buoyancy of the vessel.

Rider: A turn of rope on the capstan or warping end, which has jumped across another turn causing the rope to lock up or jam.

Riding Lights: Another term for the Anchor Lights that must be illuminated when at anchor.

Rig: General term for a derrick or lifting gear.

Rigger: A rank referring to someone who tends to the vessels wires and ropes. Little used nowadays but common on sailing vessels.

Rise of Floor: Is the height of the bottom shell plating above the base line. The rise of the floor is measured at the moulded beam and indicates a sloping of the hull used to ensure drainage.

Rolling: Is rotational motion about a longitudinal axis.

Rolling Hatch Cover: A type of hatch cover mounted on wheels that operate on runners allowing the hatch cover to be rolled away from the hatch. Used a lot on Bulk Carriers that have an abundance of deck space.

Rope Guard: A fairing piece that covers up the joint between the propeller boss and the hull and is designed to prevent ropes from fouling the shaft. Often fitted with cutters to cut any rope that may be pulled onto it.

Rubbing Strake: A strake fitted externally to the line of the hull designed to make contact first with any other object such as a harbour wall or any other vessel and therefore allow easy repairs without having to affect the main hull plating.

Rudder: A means of steering the vessel. The three main categories are Balanced, Semi Balanced or Unbalanced and refer to the proportion of the blade forward and aft of the stock.

Rudder Bearing: The bearing within the ship that supports the weight of the rudder sometimes in conjunction with pintle bearings or sometimes it may be the only means of support.

Rudder Post: The after part of the stern frame which contains the pintle bearings for the support of the rudder. In a balanced rudder where a high percentage of the rudder is forward of the Rudder Stock the Sole Plate will be considerably more substantial.

Rudder Stock: The shaft about which the rudder is rotated by connection to the steering gear.

Rudder Stops: Physical pieces of metal that prevent the rudder being turned beyond, usually, about 38-40 degrees.

Rudder Trunk: Is a tubular structure through which the rudder stock passes into the hull and which usually houses the rudder gland.

Runner: A single rope block with a tackle on one end and a hook on the other.

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S (Part 1)

Sacrificial Anode: A Ring or piece of metal, usually zinc, placed on the underwater surface of a structure designed to corrode instead of the structure. This protects the structure itself from corrosion.

Saddle Tanks: Tanks, usually used for ballast, which are fitted over the upper surface of the main cargo tanks. They are usually triangular in transverse cross-section, increasing in depth towards the ships side. They are usually found on Bulk Carriers and Tankers and are used to increase the vessels center of gravity when the ship is not loaded.

Sagging: A condition of the hull where the center section is lower than the stem and stern. This could be brought about by a condition of loading or even wave action and is the opposite of Hogging.

Samson Post: A rigid vertical post used instead of a mast to support derricks.

Sanitary Pump (Sanny Pump): A pump used to continuously supply seawater for toilet flushing. Nowadays vacuum systems are more normal and toilets are flushed with fresh water.

Save All: A steel tray built around a piece of machinery to collect any leaks or drips and direct them to a bilge or slop tank.

Scantlings: The dimensions of the structural items in a vessel such as frames, plates stiffeners etc.

Schottel Rudder: A retractable rudder powered by a diesel engine.

Scoop Cooling: A system whereby a scoop protrudes below the hull and collects water to be used for cooling purposes in the machinery spaces. Used in conjunction with a normal seawater pump the system saves energy when the vessel is under way.

Scope: The length of free cable for a ship to swing on at anchor.

Screw Aperture: Space in the stern frame in which the propeller rotates.

Screw Effect: The sideways thrust generated by a single screw arrangement, which needs to be countered by the rudder when under way. More noticeable when manoeuvring and particularly when going astern, competent ship handlers will use the effect to steer the ship.

Screw Shaft (Tail Shaft): The aftermost section of shafting that the propeller is actually attached to.

Scrubbing: The cleaning of a gas by passing it through a device that sprays water through it. Used to remove acids from exhaust gas for either environmental purposes or to prepare the gas for use in inert cargo systems.

Scuppers: Drains in the edge of the decks, internal or external, to remove water.

Sea Anchor: A device for maintaining a boats head into the prevailing wind and waves. Usually in the form of a canvas bag looking like a parachute attached to the boat with a rope and left training in the boats wake.

Seam: A longitudinal edge joint in any plating.

Seatings: The structures built to mount any machinery such as shaft bearings, main machinery, auxiliary machinery etc.

Seaworthy: A ship with suitable strength, freeboard and stability to carry and deliver its cargo, crew and passengers to the destination in a safe and efficient manner.

Segregated Ballast: Ballast water maintained in a system that is not connected to the cargo systems in a tanker.

Self Trimming: A bulk cargo vessel that has large hatches and clear holds to permit the cargoes to self trim as it is loaded. An arrangement usually only found in smaller vessels.

Semi Balanced Rudder: A rudder arrangement whereby part of the rudder is forward of the turning axis. Usually in the region of 20-30% of the area of the rudder, if it was 50% of the surface it would be a balanced rudder.

Senhouse Slip: A quick release arrangement usually found on lifeboat gripes, designed to allow the release of the gripes without the need for tools.

Service Tanks: Tanks containing oil that has been heated and purified and is ready for service in the engine systems.

Settling Tanks: The tanks where fuel is stored prior to going through the separation process whereby the fuel is heated and any impurities and water is sludged off at the bottom.

Shackle: A device consisting of a U-shaped piece of metal with a screwed pin through the open end. Used to join rigging and lifting equipment.

Shaft Generator: A generator attached to the extended crankshaft of an engine either directly or via a gearbox or even belts.

Shaft Tunnel: A watertight compartment in the shape of a tunnel that connects the aft end of the machinery space with the Aft Peak bulkhead through which the main propulsion shafting runs.

Shear: A stress or strain that operates on the transverse planes of a loaded member that attempts to cause parallel displacement of those planes. (Honest!)

Shear Force: A force acting on a member which is tending to cause the effect described above.

Shear Pin: A pin located in a power train so designed to carry normal load but to fail under a prescribed overload condition, thereby protecting the other elements of the transmission.

Sheave: A grooved pulley wheel for use with belts or ropes in the transmission of force.

Sheave Block: A block of either wood or metal that contains a number of sheaves and are classified by the number of sheaves they contain.

Shedder Plate: A sloping plate fitted in the trough of a corrugated bulkhead in a cargo space to enable a better flow of dry bulk cargo enabling better discharge and easier cleaning in the hold.

Sheer: The longitudinal curvature of the deck between the fore and aft ends of the vessel and is actually measured from a line drawn parallel to the keel. Sheer is usually twice as much at the forward end as the aft end.

Sheer Strake: Is the line of hull plating directly below the main deck.

Shell: The outside hull plating.

Shell Expansion: A commonly referred to drawing which shows the entire hull plating laid out in a flat elevation. It contains all the plate detail such as penetrations and thickness.

Shelter Deck: A superstructure deck above the main deck, which is also continuous from stem to stern. Probably found more often in passenger ships.

Shifting Boards: These are boards of wood designed to be fitted into cargo holds when dry bulk cargo is being carried to prevent the shifting of the cargo during heavy seas.

Shoulder: The curved portion of a ships side at the break of the foc’s’le.

Shrouds: Are the wire ropes extending from the mast to the ships side to support the mast and are therefore part of the fixed rigging of the vessel. Usually attached by bottle screws so that the tension can be adjusted with age.

Side Scuttles: These are portholes or sidelights fitted in the ships hull.

Side Stringer: A longitudinal girder running alongside the inside of the shell plating.

Sill: 1) The height of an opening above the deck such as at a doorway to prevent the ingress of any water accumulated on the deck. 2) The upper edge of the base of a dock entrance that the gates locate against.

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S (Part 2)

Single Decker: A vessel with no other deck below the main weather deck.

Sister Beam: This is the main beam that runs longitudinally across a cargo hold that hatch boards would have been located on. Now superceded by the use of steel hatch covers.

Skeg: A projection from the hull of the ship that supports the end of the rudder.

Skew: This is the offset of the propeller blade from the vertical in the plane of rotation.

Skids: Runners set into the deck onto which objects can be chocked such as lifeboats or rafts.

Slamming: Occurs when the bow is lifted up by a significant wave and falls onto the face of the next one. Forces large enough to damage the vessel can result unless the speed is adjusted accordingly and is the main reason why the structure is stronger at the forward section of the hull.

Slip: Is basically the difference between the theoretical progression through the water without any losses, determined from the pitch and the RPM, compared to the actual progression.

Sluice Valve: A closing valve capable of being operated from above the loaded water line to enable the integrity of watertight compartments in the event of flooding.

Snatch Block: A single block designed to change the direction of the pull on a rope and is usually fitted with a removable side plate so that the rope can be looped over the sheeve without having to thread it through the block.

Snibs: Handles that can be operated from either side of a watertight door.

Snotter: A type of sling whereby an eye is formed at the end of a straight length for attaching a hook.

Snub: Is to turn a ship around by dropping an anchor whilst maintaining way on the vessel. Can be used for manoeuvring in an enclosed area but is more often an emergency procedure.

Soft Nosed Stem: Is a curved plate fitted above the waterline in the stem continuing the shape of the bow structure. It is designed to deform and buckle under impact thus preventing damage deeper in the ships structure.

Soot Blowers: Devices fitted in the exhaust intended to remove the build up of soot from the exhaust gasses. Usually in the form of a steam lance and usually operated once a day in the middle of the night.

Sound: (Verb) To measure the depth of liquid in a tank.

Sounding Pipe: The pipe through which a weighted tape is dropped to determine the depth of liquid in the tank.

Spectacle Frame: A frame used to support an external section of propeller shaft. Sometimes referred to as an “A” frame or a “P” frame depending on its configuration.

Spiling: Where the plate curves as it narrows to a point at either the stem or stern.

Sponson: Projections on the side of the hull added to improve stability and buoyancy quite often noted on the sides of Ro-Ro vessels to prevent excessive heeling.

Spreader: A metal or wooden beam used to splay the wires of a lift so that they lift the item vertically.

Springs: Ropes, usually wire, arranged to prevent the vessel moving forward and aft when tied up alongside as opposed to breast lines, which keep the vessel against the quay.

Spurling Pipes: These are the pipes that the anchor cables pass through from the windlass to the chain locker.

Square Propeller: A propeller where the pitch measurement equals the diameter.

Squat: An overall lowering of the hull and change in trim experienced at higher speeds. It depends on the hull form and the speed but it can play a part in draught considerations in shallow waters.

Stabiliser: These fall into the two main categories of passive and active. Passive includes such devices as bilge keels and stabiliser tanks and active includes stabiliser fins that extend from the ships hull and operate exactly as an aircraft wing to produce lift as they pass through the water and are tilted to create a righting moment on the hull.

Stanchion: A vertical support either of a deck or structure or to hold the horizontal members of handrails.

Starboard: The right hand side of the ship when facing forward and designated by a green light.

Stations: Ten equally spaced divisions along a vessels length between the aft and the forward perpendiculars. The forward one is numbered ten and the aft one is numbered zero.

Stays: Wires or ropes from the deck to the head of a mast to either provide support or prevent movement in the case of a boom.

Stealer Strake: A single wide strake of plates that replaces two narrow strakes as the width reduces towards the extremities of the hull.

Stem: The actual furthest forward part of the bow. Traditionally formed by a length of bent pipe called the stem post with strakes attached to either side of it.

Step: A circular fitting into which the foot of the mast is located.

Stern: The aft end of the vessel.

Stern Frame: A large cast piece which usually incorporates the location of the propeller stern tube, rudder pintle mountings and skeg and is attached to the aft end of the hull structure.

Stern Tube: A tube that contains the propeller shaft running in the stern bearings. Originally it would have contained wooden bearing staves of Lignum Vitae, lubricated and cooled by water but this was superseded by oil filled stern tubes with the shaft running in white metal bearings. Modern practice is returning to using plastic bearings cooled and lubricated by water.

Stiff: The opposite to tender and is a vessel with a large metacentric height and consequently a tendency to return to upright quickly.

Stiffener: A flat bar or plate attached to flat plate to reduce flexing.

Stock: A cross piece fitted to an anchor just below the ring and at right angles to the flukes to rotate the anchor on the sea bed and allow the flukes to locate. Modern practice is to use free flukes and a stockless arrangement as this is easier to house in the hull.

Stockless Anchor: An anchor without a stock so must have free flukes to be effective in operation. This type of anchor is designed so that the stock locates inside the hawse pipe.

Stokehold: In the days of coal fired boilers this was where the stockers would be feeding the coal into the boilers and the boilers would be located. Nowadays this area in an oil fired set up is called the boiler room.

Stopper: Is a short length of rope used to secure a much larger diameter rope which may be under tension whilst the larger rope is transferred to or from a winch or bollards.

Strake: Continuous longitudinal line of hull plating.

Stringers: strakes of plating at the ships sides.

Superstructure: The decked structure above the main deck, the outboard sides usually being formed by hull plating.

Swamp: Whereby a vessel is overcome with water, not necessarily however enough to sink it.

Swashplate: A longitudinal or transverse plate fitted internally in a tank to reduce the movement of the liquid in the tank and therefore the ‘Free Surface Effect”.