Share some sailing terms ...

[Curious Sailor]

Bigwigs: 
Senior officers in the English Navy were known as "bigwigs" because they  wore huge wigs. Bigwig officers aboard ships were often disliked. Today it is still used to refer to the most important person in a group or undertaking and is often used in a derogatory manner.


Scuttlebutt
The scuttlebutt is a cask on a ship containing the vessel's drinking water. It was named this as the container was traditionally a small barrel, the so-called "butt," which had been "scuttled" -- had a hole made in it -- so water could be accessed. As sailors would often gather around the scuttlebutt to chat, the word has also taken on a slang meaning of rumor or gossip.

At a loose ends:
A nautical term for a rope when unattached and therefore neglected or not doing its job. Thus 'tying up loose ends' indicates having done a complete job or having dealt with all the details. 

Barge in: The word barge refers to the more common, flat-bottomed workboat which is hard to maneuver and difficult to control.  They would bump and bang into other boats thus the term . . . "barge in."

Loose Cannon: Today the term "loose cannon" refers to someone who is out of control, unpredictable, and who may cause damage, just as the canons would do if they were to break loose on the decks of the old sailing vessels. 

Bitter End: 
The last part of a rope or final link of chain. The end attached to the vessel, as opposed to the "working end" which may be attached to an anchor, cleat, other vessel, etc. Today the term is used to describe a final, painful, or disastrous conclusion (however unpleasant it may be).

Three sheets to the wind: This expression meant that one did not have control of the vessel because one had lost control of the sheets or lines. Today the expression is used to refer to someone who is drunk or does not have control of himself or herself.  

http://curioussailor.blogspot.com/

[Freedom77]

BRASS MONKEY: A device made to hold cannon balls on deck of Man O' War, usually 4x4. When it got extremely cold the brass would contract and the cannon balls would roll off, thus it would get cold enough to FREEZE THE BALLS OFF A BRASS MONKEY

THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND: Common term for being drunk. Referred to untended sheets flying free in the wind, not tied down.

American and British naval uniform has three stripes on back flap. They represent the Battle of Nile, The Battle of Copenhagen and the Battle of Trafalgar in which Lord Nelson fought. The Black necktie is in mourning for same. The distinguishing feature of U.S. uniform is the 13 buttons on the pants, one for each of the original colonies

Sailors used to wear their hair in a que or pigtail which they would coat with tar. Thus the slang term tar for sailors. The back flap on the uniform was originally a scarf worn to keep the tar off of their shirts.

More to come.

[kmclemore]

RAIL MEAT.

View the video

(Note, in the video above you'll see I had to slow down and head to port half way through... a kayaker turned and paddled right across my path! But at least you can see why I love my little Boston Whaler Harpoon... watch it run the pants off the competition in the early part of the video...)

[WASP18]

TAR in today's US Navy means "Training and Administration of Reservists". The TAR Program represents full-time active duty naval reservists who maintain small reserve bases and who are committed to train weekend warriors, TAR's will often spend twenty years in this program and then retire. They are similar to the full-time National Guard civilian-technician members who maintain armories and equipment on weekdays.

[Catigale]

Make it Bristol....

Bristol England has very high tides, which makes ships tip over and roll anything loose overboard. To " make it Bristol" is to secure everything for high tidal range.

Now it means to make everything look like KMacs cars....

[kmclemore]

Make it Bristol....

... Now it means to make everything look like KMacs cars....

I resemble that comment!

[dlandersson]

Loose Cannon - If you call someone a loose cannon, you mean that their behaviour is unpredictable and could cause problems. He was also getting a reputation for being a loose cannon; an accident waiting to happen. Thomson can be a loose cannon — he's not easy to control. Note: This expression refers to the cannons which used to be carried on the decks of warships. If one of the cannons was not properly fastened down, it could spin round and make a hole in the ship.

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/loose+cannon%2C+a

[adudinsk]

A LEAGUE:

In the late 18th century the league also came to refer to the distance a cannon shot could be fired at menacing ships offshore. This resulted in the 3-mile offshore territorial limit.



“There was a young sailor named Bates,

Who danced the fandango on skates.

He fell on his cutlass,

Which rendered him nutless,

And practically useless on dates.”

[dlandersson]

“There was a young sailor named Bates,

Who danced the fandango on skates.

He fell on his cutlass,

Which rendered him nutless,

And practically useless on dates.”

[Stickinthemud57]

In youth I remember Mad magazine doing a spoof on sailing. Among the terms they defined:

ASTERN - Overly serious, not given to frivolity or humor. "He never laughed or told jokes. He was astern captain.

[Russ]

I've always been fond of the term "bitter end". So appropriate.

[adudinsk]

been to the Bitter End YC in BVI...
Very cool place!
(before it was wiped out and rebuilt... )
Rented a Norseman 430 "MAGIC" (long ago) and did 2 weeks in BVI


AD

[dlandersson]

You like the bar in New York city?

"Bitter end" - the part of a rope used to form a knot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_end

I've always been fond of the term "bitter end". So appropriate.

[Herschel]

OK, I'll bite. How about "splice the main brace" and "the sun is over the yardarm" for signifying that it is time to have an alcoholic beverage. Can't imagine how this one got left out in a sailing/Mac forum!

[dlandersson]

Where does the saying the sun is over the yardarm come from?
The expression is believed to have originated in the north Atlantic where the sun would rise above the upper mast spars (yards) of square sailed ships around 11am. This coincided with the forenoon 'stand easy' when officers would go below and enjoy their first rum tot of the day.

OK, I'll bite. How about "splice the main brace" and "the sun is over the yardarm" for signifying that it is time to have an alcoholic beverage. Can't imagine how this one got left out in a sailing/Mac forum!