Jack Abraitis - M.L.B.W. Glossary

A

AA	1. AntiAircraft. 2. Always Afloat. 3. Air Almanac 4.
AB	1. Able Bodied seaman.
Abaft	Towards the stern.
ABDA	AmericanBritishDutchAustralian Command.
Abeam	see relative directions/bearings.
Ablation	Wasting of snow or ice by evaporation.
Abreast	Alongside of. Side by side.
Absinthe	You tell me your dreams and I'll tell you mine.
Abyss	A very deep, unfathomable place. The term is used to refer to a particular deep part of the ocean, or to any part below 300 fathoms.
Accomodation Hulk	Obsolete naval vessel converted to serve as barracks or office space.
Accomodation Ladder	Portable collapsible stairway rigged to the side of a ship, usually while she is at anchor. Provides ship's main deck access to boarding/disembarking small boat passengers. See also boat boom, jacob's ladder, pilot ladder.
A.E.F.	American Expeditionary Force (World War I); or Allied Expeditionary Force (World War II).
AEW	Airborne Early Warning (radar picket system).
Aft	At, near or towards the stern or rear of a vessel or an aircraft.
Aground	A number of armchair sailors were laughing at the efforts of a boater trying to extricate his boat after it had grounded near a public fishing pier. Nearby, a couple of old farts were watching the goings on. One old wag turned to another and said "A feller that ain't never been aground, ain't been very far."
After steering	Compartment where the steering motor(s) is/are connected to the rudder head(s). Compartment where quartermasters go when they want to skate.
(Dead) Ahead	(Directly) in front of a vessel or aircraft. see relative directions/bearings. straight ahead; to go/move forward.
AK47	"when you absoulutely, positively have to kill every mother fucker in the room."
Akadama Red	A fine wine... got to know it in Sasebo.
Alee	When the helm is in the opposite direction from that in which the wind blows.
Alidade	Non-magnetic metal ring fitted with a telescopic sight. The ring is formed to fit snugly over the top of a compass bowl or a gyrocompass repeater, about which it can be turned in any direction. As an observer sights an object through the reticle in the telescope, a prism arrangement that reflects the object's bearing from the compass card enables the observer to sight the object and it's bearing simultaneously. A famous boxer from Florida.
Aloft	Above the deck.
Am-Int	American International Shipbuilding Corp., Hog Island, Pa.
American Bureau of Shipping	Abbreviation: ABS - American classification society which has established rules and regulations for the classification of seagoing vessels or equipment.
Amidships	At or in the middle of a vessel.
Anchor	Heavy object, usually a shaped iron weight with flukes, lowered by cable or chain to the bottom of water to keep a ship from drifting.
Anchor, A. C. 14	Stockless non-fouling. British design for use by ULCCs and VLCCs.
Anchor, Bruce	Stockless. Non-fouling. Heavy, clumsy for it's size but it's unbreakable and really holds well with little scope. Hard to stow. Used by many including the Outward Bound School's Hurricane Island Pulling Boats.
Anchor, CQR Plough	Stockless. Highly recommended. Non-fouling. At times, a large nickel plated anchor housed either under or alongside the bow-pulpit/duck-bill protruding fom the bow of large, air-conditioned power cruisers that never seem to leave the dock because they are hard aground on a pile of gin bottles.
Anchor, Danforth	Stockless, folding type. Very popular and the design is imitated by many. I keep a model 5H in MudHen.
Anchor, Herreshoff	An improved Kedge.
Anchor, Kedge	The old-fashioned design, prone to fouling the anchor rode because of the exposed fluke, seen at many historic seaports. It is spoken of highly by those who habitually anchor on rocky bottoms.
Anchor, Mushroom	Stockless. Tremendous holding power when they have been down long enough to get really imbedded in the bottom. Popular choice for a permanent mooring. Fishermen use the small ones as a lunch hook. The really large ones are on the old light ships that are occasionally found languishing in urban seaport museums.
Anchor, Navy stockless	Reviled by yachtsmen who prefer the CQR/Plough. The design is of two types, the Baldt and the Dunn. The Navy's version, the Norfolk, is of the Dunn type. Easy to stow; once it's in the hawsepipe, it's ready for use again. Notorious for dragging when mud-balled but it's weight alone is enough to hold a ship.
Anchor, Northill	A lightweight, stocked anchor of improved design. A 12 pound Northill can outhold a 300 pound Navy Stockless. It has many protrusions and is not easily stowed.
Anchor, Sand	a kedge type, with very small and sharp flukes. Once it's set, you have to almost dig them out.
Anchor, Yachtsman	Another improved Kedge.
Anchor watch	In the merchant service - a small watch of one or two men, kept aboard while in port. In the Navy - when a ship is at anchor, one man is assigned during each watch to the area of the anchor windlass. His duty is to inform the quarterdeck watch of any unusual conditions with the ground tackle, windlass or position of the chain in relation to the ship.
Antirolling devices	Certain artificial methods are sometimes used to reduce a ship's roll. Rolling keels or bilge keels are built up structures of roughly triangular cross section attached outside the hull near the turn of the bilge and extending part of the length of the ship. These false keels have the function of damping the roll of the ship. More effective devices are antirolling fins (Sperry Gyro-Fin or Denny-Brown Stabilizer), which are adjusted by machinery inside the hull, and passive antiroll tanks, which use the force of contained liquid, moving out of phase with the ship's motion, to dampen the ship's roll.
ANZAC	Australian-New Zealand Force.
Armageddon	The plain of Megiddo, the biblical place where the last, decisive battle between the forces of good/light and evil/darkness is to be fought before the Day of Judgement: Rev, 16:16 - see Judgement Day.
ASROC	AntiSubmarine ROCket.
(Dead) Astern	(Directly) behind a vessel or an aircraft. see relative directions. Backward; in a reverse direction.
ASW	AntiSubmarine Warfare.
Athwartships	Across the vessel, that is, from side to side. Said of cargo stowed in this way, as opposed to lengthwise.
(A) 'Vast	Stop or halt.
avgas	aviation gasoline.
Awash	Situated so that the top is intermittently washed by waves or tidal action..
Azimuth Circle	Similar to bearing circle but extra sighting vanes allow it to sight on and take bearings of celestial objects.

B

The letter "B" used as a prefix to a hull number indicates that the ship was built by the United States for a British Comonwealth Navy.

Balespace

The balespace of a vessel is the capacity of cargo spaces under deck (including hatchways but excluding void spaces behind cargo battens and beams) expressed in cubic metres or cubic feet.

Ballast

Materials, solely carried to improve the trim and the stability of the vessel. In vessels, water is usually carried as ballast in tanks that have been specially designed for that purpose.

Ballast Point

Near the sub piers.

Ban Dao Tien Sa

aka Monkey Mountain - mountain ridge on peninsula (Vung Danang) to the south and east of the approach track to Danang Harbour.

Barber's Point

Old NAS down the road from Ewa.

Barbette

Battens

sail edge stiffeners.
Members protruding from the inside walls of a vessel's hold or a (thermal) container to keep away the cargo from the walls to provide an air passage. They may be integral with the walls, fastened to the walls or added during cargo handling.

beam ( b. )

maximum width of a vessel.

Beaufort scale

A scale of wind force used by members of the WMO.

Beaufort number	Miles per hour	International description
0	up to 1	Calm
1	1 - 3	Light air
2	4 - 7	Light breeze
3	8 - 12	Gentle breeze
4	13 - 18	Moderate breeze
5	19 - 24	Fresh breeze
6	25 - 31	Strong breeze
7	32 - 38	Moderate gale
8	39 - 46	Fresh gale
9	47 - 54	Strong gale
10	55 - 63	Whole gale
11	64 - 72	Storm
12 - 17	73 - 136	Hurricane

Bearing

A direction relative to one's own position or to the compass.
- Bp stg c - bearing per steering compass
a support or supporting part.

Bearing Circle

Similar in use to an alidade. Instead of a telescope, open sight vanes on opposite sides the ring are used to obtain a terrestrial object's bearing.

Beeman's Center

In Pearl Harbor.

Belt

Berth

A built in bed or bunk.
A location in a port where a vessel can be moored, often indicated by a code or name.
A position, place, office or job in a ship.

Beset

Surrounded so closely by sea ice that steering control is lost.

Bilge keel

brake horsepower ( bhp b.h.p. )

Binnacle

A stand, of nonmagnetic material, in which a magnetic compass is mounted. It houses various trays and tubes for compensating magnets, mechanisms to raise and lower those recepticles, flinder's bar, quadrantal spheres and in some cases, degaussing compensating coils.

Bitt

Cylindrical metal post, usually cast in pairs, located along the edges of a ship's main deck in the neighborhood of chocks and somewhat inboard of them, and are usually used to secure mooring lines which have been led through the chocks. The upper end of a bit is larger than the lower end or is fitted with a lip to keep lines from slipping off accidentally. As bitts are often required to take very heavy loads, extra frames are worked into their foundations to distribute the strain. Bitts are sometimes built and installed ruggedly enough so that the ship may be towed or tow by them. When built in pairs, each bitt is sometimes called a horn.

B.L. (gun)

BLT

1. Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich.
2. Blank Loaded Tracer round.

Blue water navy

operate on the open ocean.

Boat(s)

"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing --
absolutely nothing --
half so much worth doing as simply
messing about in boats."
-- Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows --

Boat Boom

Boat crew (Navy)

see Bowhook, Coxswain, Sternhook, Boat Engineer.
In some boats, the coxswain operates the engine himself. In the motor whaleboat and in others, the engine is located amidships, while the coxswain is stationed aft at the tiller. In this type of craft the boat engineer operates the engine according to bell signals received from the coxswain.
The skills required by a boat crew depends on how the boat is used. To operate an Admiral's barge or a liberty boat requires one set of skills. To beach a landing craft or tank lighter in heavy surf requires another set of skills.
In summary, the individuals in the crew should be strong, agile and steady. Their duties require them to deal with or dodge swinging crane hooks and davit falls when hoisting or lowering boats in a calm or when the sea is running. They must hook onto and release from accommodation ladders and boat booms and perform aerial acrobatics just to gain access to a boat stowed in a davit or moored alongside.

Boat Engineer

Member of a boat crew. Operates and cares for the engine.

Boatswain's Mate

Abbreviation: Bo'sun's Mate. Member of a ship's Deck Department - aka "boats" or "deck ape".

Boiler

Bollard

Post, fixed to a quay or a vessel, for securing mooring ropes/lines or towing hawsers.

bom

"builders old measurement."

Booby Hatch

a covering over a hatchway or opening in a ship's deck. Usually, the covering is water-tight and mounts a water-tight-door.

Boom (port defence)

Bosun's chair

A short wooden plank, used to seat a man going aloft or over the side, suspended at the 4 corners with rope strapping which is seized together at a point app. 2' above the plank, and is then fastened to a line for hoisting or lowering.

Bosun's locker

One or more compartment(s) in a ship where they keep the spare cordage, seizing wire and wire cutters, pliers, blocks and tackle, block straps, block sheaves, sheave pins, turnbuckles, fairlead sheaves, hooks, shackles, shackle pins, belaying pins pilfered from the flag bags, chipping hammers, scrapers, needle guns, grinders, sanders, various lengths/sizes of small gauge link chain, wire brushes, compressed air hose and manifolds, spanners, sledges, axes, pelican hooks and stoppers, various lifeline terminators, boat hooks and fenders, thrumming mats, serving mallets, beeswax, extension cords stolen from the snipes, marlinspikes, fids, rolls of leather, canvas and duck, sail needles, sewing palms, marline and thread, geedunk and combat rations pilfered from general cargo, contraband (usually household goods like fine china, carpeting, consumer optics and electronics) purchased in foreign ports to be excluded from custom's duties.
Smells of oakum, hemp, tar, burnt and fresh paint and machine oil.
Usually contains the only sewing machine on the ship. Where you go to get the side seams of your liberty dress blue jumper taken in or the inside seams of your dungarees, blues, and whites pegged so that the bell bottoms hang well and everything fits tightly and looks salty.
Where the deck apes go when they want to skate.
A dark and shadowy compartment deep in the forward part of a ship where the Chief Bo'sun's Mate sends the newest SA to get 5 fathoms of nine-thread... usually during a rainstorm in the middle of the night when the ship is horsing at her anchor like a $50 whore.

Bouguer's halo

A faint white circular arc of light of about 39º radius around the antisolar point. Also called White Rainbow, False White Rainbow, Fogbow, Ulloa's Ring.

bow

Bowhook

Member of a boat crew. Handles forward lines, falls and boathook when making fast or letting go, casts off the sea painter, and acts as forward lookout when under way. In a landiing craft (LCVP, LCM), also handles the bow ramp winch.

Boxing the Compass

Courses on ships are normally given in degrees. Boxing the Compass helps to give a sense of direction. Essentially, it's stating in order the names of the 32 points (and sometimes the half and quarter points) of the compass. See the Mariner's Compass in the Appendices.

Break Bulk Cargo

General cargo conventionally stowed as opposed to unitized, containerized and Roll On-Roll Off cargo.
- Synonym: Conventional Cargo.

Breast out

Bridge

A catwalk spanning the open space between the tops of the sidewheels (side mounted paddle wheels) on steamships.
An enclosed/open platform above the main deck of a ship, from which it is controlled, as by the commanding officer or qualified mate.

Brocken bow

glory.

Brown, Dale

American author of Sky Masters and the Old Dog series.

Brown water navy

operate in littoral waters.

Buchhheim, Lothar-Günther

German author of Das Boot.

Budd, Billy

The Jesus story... on a ship.

BUFF

Big Ugly Fat Fucker... pejorative term for B-52 strategic bomber.

Bulk Carrier

Single deck vessel designed to carry homogeneous unpacked dry cargoes such as grain, iron ore and coal.

Bulkhead

see Hull.
Upright partition dividing compartments on board a vessel. The functions of bulkheads are:
- To increase the safety of a vessel by dividing it into watertight compartments.
- To separate the engine room from the cargo holds.
- To increase the transverse strength of a vessel.
- To reduce the risk of spreading fire to other compartments.

Bunker

1. A reinforced hole in the ground.
2. (Tank) spaces on board a vessel to store fuel.

BUSHIPS

Bureau of Ships (now NSSC).

BWAD

Brackish Water Arrival Draft.

BWDD

Brackish Water Departure Draft.

C

Cable

A unit of distance originally equal to the length of a ship's anchor cable, but now generally considered to be about 600 feet. In the British Navy it is 608 feet, or exactly one-tenth of a British natical mile. In the U.S. Navy it is a unit of distance equal to 720 feet.
A chain or very strong fiber or wire rope used to anchor or moor vessels or buoys.
One or more stranded conductors laid up with a strong waterproof covering.

caliber (cal.)

Cam Ranh Bay

One of the finest harbours on the South China Sea.

Camel

Brand of cigarettes.
Midlle eastern love object.
A sacrificial timber raft used to separate a ship from a ship/pier/wharf/bulkhead.

Call

The visit of a vessel to a port.

CAP

Combat Air Patrol.

Cap St. Jacques

The old name of Vung Tau.

Capstan

A spool shaped cylinder.

Captain's Mast

A navy ritual. A formal hearing before a ship's captain usually held on the quartedeck. It's pupose is to mete out punishment/justice to members of the ship's company who are guilty of minor infractions of naval regulations.

Case

Manufacturer of sturdy, high quality pocket and folding knives. A Case knife is balanced and smooth while a Buck is gaudy and angular. It's like comparing a hogleg Ruger to a little nickel plated belly gun... a Harley Pan-Head to a dayglo colored rice grinder....

Casemate

Ceiling

The inside sheathing of a vessel.

Cell

Location on board of a container vessel where one container can be stowed.

CENTO

Central Treaty Organization.

Chain Locker

An oddly shaped compartment in a ship that is used to house the anchor chain.

Chelsea

Clock manufacturer.

Childers, Erskine

English author of "The Riddle of the Sands" -- first of the "spy thriller" genre.

China Beach

Near Marble Mountain.

Chock

Found in the neighborhood of bitts, cleats and padeyes, chocks are some of the most numerous and useful fittings found aboard ship. They generally take the form of castings, weldments or forgings welded to the hull near the side along the weather decks and are used for the purpose of guiding lines led aboard. The most common form is the open chock that has an opening on top through which the line is dropped and two curved parts called horns hold it in. If the horns meet and the line must be led through the opening, it is called a closed chock. The heavy closed chock built at the extreme bow of destroyers and other light vessels for guiding a towline is commonly known as the bullnose. The inner surfaces of chocks are smoothed and rounded to avoid chafing the lines. Some have rollers fitted on each side for the same purpose, in which case they are known as roller chocks.

Chu Lai

A shallow harbor on the South China Sea. Accessible only to shallow draft vessels... over the bar, left hard rudder and up the river.

CIC

Command Information Center.

CinCLant

Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

CinCPac

Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Circle William

1. An obscure dance step?
2.

CIWS

Close In Weapon System... pronounced "see-whiz".

Clancy, Tom

American author of Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising and other great techno-thrillers.

Cloud(s)

visible assemblage of numerous tiny droplets of water or ice crystals formed by condensation of water vapor in the air with the base above the surface of the earth.

Classification/Group	Type
high clouds (mean lower level above 20,000')
	cirrus
	cirrocumulus
	cirrostratus
middle clouds (mean level 6,500' to 20,000')
	altocumulus
	altostratus
low clouds (mean upper level under 6,500')
	stratocumulus
	stratus
	nimbostratus
1. clouds with vertical development 2. heap clouds
	cumulus
	cumulonimbus

Clover leaf

A deck fitting used to hold the foot of a turnbuckle or gripe.

CNO

Chief of Naval Operations.

C.O.

Commanding Officer. (Wears a small wreathed gold star on the right jacket lapel or right shirt pocket flap).

Cofferdam

1. A town in Holland?
An empty space on board of a vessel between two bulkheads or two decks separating oil tanks from each other and/or the engine room or other compartments.

Com

Commander.

ComCruDesPac

Commander of Cruisers and Destroyers in the Pacific.

Compartment

An enclosed space or room in a ship. Also see Deck, Hull.

Compartment number(s)

Every space in a warship (except for minor spaces such as cleaning gear lockers, mess gear lockers) is considered a compartment and assigned an identifying letter number symbol. This symbol is placed on a label plate secured to the door, hatch or bulkhead of the compartment. There are two systems of numbering compartments, one for ships built prior to March 1949, the other for ships built after March 1949.

Compass, Dumb

A pelorus. Device used to take relative bearings.

Compass, Flux Gate

A gyro compass containing a magnetic direction sensitive element called a flux-gate. See Boxing The Compass.

Compass, Gyro

A compass having 1 or more gyroscopes as the directive element, and tending to indicate true north. See Boxing The Compass.

Compass, Standard

A magnetic compass designated as the standard for a vessel. It is located in a favorable position and is accurately calibrated. See Boxing The Compass.

Compass, Steering

A magnetic compass by which a craft is steered. See Boxing The Compass.

complement

C.T. (conning tower)

Conrad, Joseph

Polish author of "Victory", "Heart of Darkness", "The Nigger of the Narcissus", "Lord Jim" and many others.

Corinthian

Amateur.

CortRon

esCORT squadRON.

Coxswain

A member of a boat crew. He is in command of the boat, subject to the supervision of any assigned boat officer, or the senior line officer present in the boat.

crane

Cru

Cruiser(s).

CSA

Confederate States Army.

CSN

Confederate States Navy.

CSS

Confederate States Ship.

CTF

Commander Task Force.

CTG

Commander Task Group.

CTU

Commander Task Unit.

Cwt.

hundred weight.

C.Z.

Canal Zone.

D

Dana, Richard Henry	Author of "Two Years Before The Mast", wherein he described the joys of sailing off the southern California coast.
Danang	Seaport on South China Sea - the new name of Tourane.
DASH	Drone AntiSubmarine Helicopter.
Davao	Seaport in SE Mindanao.
Davit	Davits are set in sockets which allow them to be removed or rotated. They are made of heavy pipe or plates and are angled so that the upper end or head of the davit will plumb some space below it at a distance from the davit's base. A tackle is rigged at the the davit head so that weights can be lifted and swung as the davit is rotated. The most common use for davits is to carry the ready lifeboat(s), but they can be rigged to lift or lower weights over the side or out of trunks and holds. See Crescent davit, Quadrantal davit, Radial davit, Sheath Screw Boom, Welin Gravity davit.
DC	Damage Control man - Naval Rating - Carpenter, Plumber, Pipefitter, Electrician and Welder all rolled into one. aka - turd chaser.
Deadhead	1. A block of wood used as an anchor buoy. 2. A bollard. 3. Grateful Dead groupie.
Deadload	The difference between the actual and calculated ship's draft.
Deadweight	Abbreviation: DWT - The total weight of cargo, cargo equipment, bunkers, provisions, water, stores and spare parts which a vessel can lift when loaded to her maximum draught as applicable under the circumstances. The deadweight is expressed in tons.
DECCA	British term similar to "cuppa"? A radio navigation system by which hyperbolic lines of position are determined by measuring the phase differences of continuous wave signals from synchronized transmitters.
DECCA Chain	A system of 3 slave transmitting stations disposed about a master DECCA station.
Deck	1. Any extended horizontal structure in a vessel or an aircraft, serving as a floor and structural support, covering partially or fully, a portion of the vessel or aircraft. 2. Decks are used primarily to provide structural strength, shelter, working spaces and living quarters; secondarily, they subdivide the hull horizontally into a greater number of compartments. For transversely framed ships the decks are supported by deep fore-and-aft members called deck girders, and by athwartship members called deck beams. Deck girders are in turn supported by stanchions which provide the decks with support additional to that supported by the bulkheads. For longitudinally framed ships the decks are supported on longitudinal members that in turn are supported by transverse bulkheads and by athwartship girders. These girders extend between web frames on the side shell and have intermediate stanchion support. The highest deck extending from stem to stern is called the main deck. A partial deck above the main deck at the bow is called the forecastle deck; at the stern, poop deck; amidships, upper deck. The name upper deck, instead of forecastle deck, is applied to a partial deck extending from the waist to either bow or stern. A partial deck above the main, upper, forecastle, or poop deck and not extending to the side of the ship is called a superstructure deck. A complete deck below the main deck is called the second deck. Two or more complete decks below the main deck are called the second deck, third deck, fourth deck, etc. A partial deck above the lowest complete deck and below the main deck is called a half deck. A partial deck below the lowest complete deck is called a platform deck. Where there are two or more partial decks below the lowest complete deck is called the first platform, the next is called the second platform, etc. Decks which for protective purposes are fitted with plating of extra strength and thickness are further defined for technical purposes as protective and splinter in addition to their regular names.
Deck number(s)	see Deck. Picture of Deck Numbering on Navy Ships.
ded.	diesel electric drive.
DeeDeeMaoFucker	Vietnamese for "Get ata here! Mother Fucker!!!"
Deep Tank	Tank fitted and equipped for the carriage of vegetable oil (e.g. palm oil and coconut oil) and other liquids in bulk. By means of oil-tight bulkheads and/or decks it is possible to carry different kinds of liquid in adjacent tanks. Deep tanks may be equipped with heating facilities in order to carry and discharge oil at the required temperature
derrick	.
Des	Destroyer(s).
DesDiv	Destroyer Division.
DesRon	Destroyer Squadron.
DEW	Distant Early Warning System (a radar network across upper North America).
DGPS	Differential Global Positioning System. US Coast Guard maintained system to provide SPS GPS users with a corrected GPS signal. DGPS equipped receivers can obtain a position estimate accurate to within 1-10 meters. See GPS, GLONASS.
Dick, Moby	Either a naturalistic story about a whale hunt or a profound allegory.
Dinky dao	Drunk, nuts, crazy.
Displacement (dp.)	1. The weight of the quantity of water displaced by the vessel is called her "displacement" and is normally expressed in long tons. A cubic foot of seawater weights 64 pounds, and of fresh water 62.5 pounds. Thus, a ton is equal to 35 cubic feet of seawater or 35.9 cubic feet of fresh water. Displacement tons are 2240 pounds in the British units now in general use. Metric tons, used by many nations, are equivalent to 1000 kilograms or 2205 pounds. The displacement of the vessel on her light draft represents the weight of the vessel ready for use including stores, etc. 2. n. - normal (displacement).
Distance	Los Angeles to Yokohama - 5252 Los Angeles to Honolulu - 2200 San Diego to Honolulu - 2228 Honolulu to DaNang (through one of the passages in the Luzon Strait (Bashi Channel, Babuyan Channel, Balintang Channel) between Taiwan (Formosa) and Luzon) - 5271
Div (div.)	Division.
Dixie Cup	Pejorative term for a Navy Sailor.
DMZ	DeMiltarized Zone.
Dock	1. The slip or waterway between two piers used for the berthing of ships. 2. dock - floating: see floating dock. 3. dock - graving:
Dog watch	See Watch. Used so as to break up the watch cycle on board ship.
Dogging wrench	A short length of iron pipe used as a purchase to tighten or loose the dogs on a watertight door. A dogging wrench is mounted in brackets on both sides of a watertight door.
Double Banking	Two vessels moored alongside each other on a certain berth.
Draft (dr.)	1. An annoying breeze. 2. The draft of a vessel is the vertical distance between the waterline and the underside of the keel of the vessel. During the construction of a vessel the marks showing the draft are welded on each side of the vessel near the stem, the stern and amidships. - Synonym: Draught. see also BWAD BWDD FWAD FWDD SWAD SWDD
drifter	.
Dunnage	Stowage material, mainly timber or board, used to prevent damage to cargo during carriage.

E

Egyptian cotton	High quality canvas or duck woven of cotton grown in Egypt or north Africa. Used in the manufacture of sails. It is no longer available and is considered to be mythical or legendary.
ehp	estimated horsepower.
ends	.
EngineMan	Member of a Ship's Engineering Department - aka "snipe".
Escape trunk	A watertight vertical shaft running from a ship's deepest working spaces to the main deck. It is equipped with a ladder and is accessible through a water tight door from every lower deck it passes through. On the main deck, access is through a deck scuttle.
Even Keel	Said of a vessel which is balanced in such a way that the draft forward and aft is the same as the draft in the midship of the vessel on both sides.
Ewa	A town on the road to Barber's Point.
Ex-marine	No such creature... there are only marines and old marines.

F

Fairlead	a ring or a block of wood with a hole in it though which rigging is passed to hold it in place or to prevent it from snagging or chaffing.
Fairway	A navigable channel for vessels, often the regular or prescribed track a vessel will follow in order to avoid dangerous circumstances.
Fake	A turn of rope in a coil. To fake or flake down is to coil a line down with ends overlapping so it will run freely without fouling.
Fall wind	A cold wind blowing down a mountain slope. See Foehn.
FAST	Fast At Sea Transfer equipment.
Fathom	A unit of length equal to 6'. This unit is used principally as a measure of depth of water and the length of lead lines, anchor chains, and cordage.
FB	Farrel-Birmingham Co., N.Y.
Fed	Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Kearny, N.J.
Fender	1. An appliance made of rubber, timber and/or rope or other materials normally attached to a dock or quay used to prevent damage to the hull of a vessel especially during mooring and un-mooring operations. 2. An appliance made of rubber and/or rope and is temporarily (in the case of a ship) or permanently (in the case of a tug) attached to the hull and is used to prevent damage to the hull of a vessel especially during mooring and un-mooring operations.
fighting top	.
Fire Control	.
Fire Control Technician	Member of a ship's Gunnery Division - aka "queer gunner's mate".
Fire Control Top	.
Fire Director	.
Firing range	The distance between a firing craft and a target at the instant of firing.
First light	The beginning of morning nautical twilight, i.e., when the center of the morning sun is 12° below the horizon.
Fish hook	A broken strand in laid wire. When handling wire, a sailor should wear good gloves.
Fittings	Fittings are various structures and appliances attached to the hull to assist in handling the ship or performing the ship's work, to provide for the safety and comfort of the crew, or merely for ornamental purposes. They may be affixed solidly to the hull or may be capable of a limited amount of motion. They may be operated by hand or power. They may be found in any part of the ship, including the underwater body, although the commonest and most useful are generally encountered around the weather decks. See Bitts, Chocks, Cleats, Cloverleafs, Cranes, Davits, Padeyes, Eyebolts, Ringbolts, Awning and Lifeline stanchions, Sockets, Ports, Winches, Hawsepipes. Also see Frame Numbers.
Floating Dock	A floating structure which can be partially submerged to enable vessels to enter and to leave and which can be raised for use as a dry dock.
Floor	athwartships structural member that ties together the bottoms of a frame pair with the keel/son.
Flot	flotilla.
Foehn	A warm, dry wind blowing down the leeward slope of a mountain and across a valley floor or plain. See Fall wind.
Fog bank	A well defined mass of fog observed at a distance, most commonly at sea.
Fore	Forward, in the front.
Forecastle	Abbreviation: Fo'c's'le. Forward part of a vessel where stores, ropes and anchor chains are located.
foremast	.
Forester, C. S.	Author of "The Man in the Yellow Raft", the Horatio Hornblower series of historical novels, the "African Queen" and others that I haven't gotten around to.
FORTRAN	acronym for FORmula TRANslator. A computer programming language invented by IBM so they could sell punch cards to engineers.
Forward	At, near or towards the bow or front of a vessel or an aircraft.
FRAM	Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernization.
Frame	see Hull.
Frame numbers	The location of fittings and other fixed objects on a ship is normally identified by the numbers of the closest ship's frame. Certain frames, usually every fifth one (and sometimes every one), have their numbers cut, stamped, painted or welded in an accesible location on each side of the ship. Intermediate frames can be located by measuring from a marked frame in multiples of the frame spacing or the distance between frames, which is usually uniform. The number of frames in the hull and the length of the frame spacing are useful knowledge to have about any ship.
Frap	1. A dessert/drink. 2. A trapeze act used to test deck apes. 3. What they sometimes do to doubled-up mooring lines.
Freeboard of a Vessel	Vertical distance from the main deck to the surface of the water measured at the middle of the vessel's length.
Fully Cellular Containership	Abbreviation: FCC - A vessel specially designed to carry containers, with cell-guides under deck and necessary fittings and equipment on deck.
funnel(s)	.
FWAD	Fresh water Arrival Draft.
FWDD	Fresh Water Departure Draft.

G

Gangway

Bridge laid from an opening in the railing or side of a vessel to the shore or to a platform with the purpose of giving access to and from the vessel.

'Gator navy

Sometimes on the beach and at other times somwhere in between the Blue and the Brown water navys.

Gate 9

Near the Mole pier and leads to National City.

GLONASS

Global Positioning System. This satellite navigation system is funded by the CIS and controlled by the Russian Space Forces and was designed for and is operated by the Russian Military. The system consists of a constellation of 24 satellites sending out radio signals. Depending upon the type of receiver, a user can obtain a 3-dimensional position estimate, velocity and a time estimate.
Military and goverment approved receivers use the High Precision (HP) while other users use the Standard Precision (SP) radio signals.

accuracy	HP	SP
horizontal (meters)		57-70
vertical (meters)		70
time (mks)		1
velocity (cm/s)		15

The first GLONASS type satellite (COSMOS 1413) was launched on Oct. 12, 1983. The satellites are constantly replaced as they have a life span of 3-5 years. The constellation of 24 satellites is arranged in 3 orbital planes whose ascending nodes are 120° apart. An earth-bound user has access to a minimum of 5 satellites at any time world wide. See GPS, DGPS.

Glory

1. Many seek it but few find it.
2. A series of concentric colored rings around the shadow of an observor's head as cast upon a fog bank or cloud. It is produced by diffraction. See Brocken Bow, Ulloa's Ring.

Gunner's Mate.

GMDSS

Global Maritime Distress Safety System

Goat Locker

Chief's Quarters... where E-7s and above hold court.

Godown

A warehouse or cargo shed. This term is often used in the Far East.

Go fer

Term assigned to someone whose duties involve "go for..." or "go and get...".

GPS

Global Positioning System. This satellite navigation system is funded and controlled by the US Dept. of Defense (DOD) and was designed for and is operated by the US Military. The system consists of a constellation of 24 satellites sending out radio signals. Depending upon the type of receiver, a user can obtain a 3-dimensional position estimate and a time estimate.
Military and goverment approved receivers use the Precise Positioning System (PPS) while civil users use the Standard Positioning System (SPS).

accuracy	PPS	SPS
horizontal (meters)	22	100
vertical (meters)	27.7	156
time (nanoseconds)	100	340

SPS accuracy is intentionally degraded by the DOD by the use of Selective Availability (SA). This degradation is negated by the US Coast Guard's Differential GPS system. See DGPS.
Users (surveyors) equipped with carrier tracking GPS receivers can obtain position accuracies in the millimeter/sub-centimeter range. See DGPS, GLONASS.

Gray Funnel Line

the British Navy.

Gripe

Boat lashing.

Ground tackle

The anchors, anchor chains or rode, fittings such as pelican hooks, turnbuckles, mooring shackles and swivels, detachable links, etc., used for anchoring a vessel.

Gulf

Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., Chickasaw, Ala.

gundeck (gd.)

1. shabby workmanship; to cut corners.

Gut

A narrow passage or contracted strait connecting 2 bodies of water.

H

Hatch Cover	Watertight means of closing the hatchway of a vessel.
Hatch Way	Opening in the deck of a vessel through which cargo is loaded into, or discharged from the hold and which is closed by means of a hatch cover.
Hawse	.
Hawsepipe	.
Hayden, Sterling	American actor and author of "Voyage".
HBF	Harmless Bulk Fertilizer.
HBM	His (Her) Britannic Majesty's.
Head	1. Toilet in a ship. 2. Doper.
Helm	The machinery by which a vessel is steered, including the rudder, tiller, wheel, etc.
Helmsman	Bridge/wheelhouse watch stander who attends to the ship's helm.
helo.	helicopter.
Herbert, Frank	Author of the incredible Dune series of Sci-Fi novels... Arrakis and watercounters and spice and stillsuits... all imagined.
High-line	Used during Underway Replenishment.
HIJMS	His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship.
HMAS	His (Her) Majesty's Australian Ship.
HMCS	His (Her) Majesty's Canadian Ship.
HMNZS	His (Her) Majesty's New Zealand Ship.
HNMS	Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship.
Hogged	Loading condition of a vessel in such a way that the centre of the vessel is slightly raised (arch-wise in the centre).
hoist (ammunition)	.
Hold	The space below the deck of a vessel, used to carry cargo.
Home Port	The port of registration of a vessel.
horsepower	A unit of measurement to measure the power of motors/engines. 1hp = 746 watts or to a rate of 33,000 foot-pounds per minute (the force required to raise 33,000 pounds at the rate of 1 foot per minute).
hulk	.
Hull	Outer shell or main body of a vessel, exclusive of masts, superstructure, etc., made of steel plates or other suitable material to keep water outside the vessel. The hulls of various types and classes of vessels are basically similar, with certain modifications to suit the mission of the vessel. A very important part of the framing of any vessel is the bottom centerline longitudinal, known as the centerline keelson. This assembly is generally made up of vertical and horizontal members, the vertical member being called the center vertical keel, the bottom horizontal member and the flat-keel being known as the keel rider plate. These three members form a deep girder type of structure of longitudinal continuity and strength which will withstand the various severe loadings to which the ship is subjected, as when it is dryddocked or inadvertantly grounded. This girder is often referred to as the backbone of the ship. All parts of the keelson are continuous from the forward end, where it joins the stem, to the after end, where it joins the stern post, or stern-post assembly if the stern post does not exist. Radiating from the keel is a series of frames which give the hull it's shape and act as supports for the shell plating, decks, etc. The frames, together with the longitudinals, constitute a framing system. The framing system is said to be longitudinal if the fore and aft members are closely spaced and continuous. Naval surface vessels generally use a longitudinal framing system. A transverse framing system consists of closely spaces transverse deck beams. Merchant ships use both longitudinal and tranverse framing systems and sometimes a combination of both. Prior to the development of welding techniques, all portions of the ship's structure were joined by riveting. This practice has given way almost entirely to welding. There is a saving in weight of almost 10 to 15 percent when welding is used. It gives a better surface that is better able to resist corrosion and to reduce skin friction in the underwater body of a ship. The use of welded construction does, however, call for a very controlled assembly sequence in order to minimize locked in stresses. Specifications for larger vessels sometimes call for a combination of welded and riveted construction. The riveted joints are located at the gunwale and bilge strake to act as crack arrestors. Larger ships are usually fitted with inner bottoms which extend to the sides of the ship. Large combatant ships are often fitted with heavy armour plate surrounding the machinery spaces and other vital spaces from slightly above the waterline to several feet below the waterline. The ship is further sub-divided into as many small compartments as is practical, consistent with the mission of the vessel, in order to minimize leakage and flooding if the outer hull is damaged. Transverse bulkheads are used to subdivide the ship's interior longitudinaly into watertight compartments for the preservation of buoyancy and stability. Also see Deck.
Hull shape	The power characteristics, such as speed, of a ship depend to a great extent on the shape of her hull below the waterline, that is, the underwater body. The widest part of the hull is near the halfway point between the bow and stern, and the hull in this vicinity is called the middle-body section. The bottom and sides in the midship section are joined by a curve which completes an approximate right angle and which is called the turn of the bilge. From the middle-body section the lines of the hull slope smoothly to the bow and stern in what may become a hollow or reverse curve at some point before reaching them. The narrowing part of the underwater body forward of the middle-body section is called the entrance. The corresponding part aft is called the run. A ship that has a long and tapering entrance and run and a proportionally short middle-body section is said to have fine lines. A fast man-of-war generally has fine lines. A ship with a great extent of parallel middle body combined with a relatively short entrance and run--such as large, slow bulk carriers is said to have a full form. Her boxlike middle-body section is comparitively long to give her greater capacity. If the sides slope outward from near the turn of the bilge towards the deck level, they are said to be flared. If they slope inward, the amount of the slope is called tumblehome. If a deck slopes from the centerline to the side, it is said to be cambered. There are many refinements on this general scheme of the underwater body as there are ship designs and special uses for ships. Generally, the run is somewhat longer than the entrance, and the after portion of the run is narrowed for a greater distance to allow for the installation of rudder(s) and propellor(s). The keel may be shortened aft, and the stern post may slant from the end of the keel to the waterline for the same reasons.These characteristics are known as reduced after deadwood. The lines of some ships, instead of coming to a sharp edge at the bottom of the stem, expand at that point into a rounded shape extending from the keel to a few feet below the waterline. This shape is known as a bulbous bow and enables a vessel so fitted to attain greater speeds at or near full power than a vessel not so equipped. (The stem at and a few feet on each side of the waterline is a sharp edge.) In addition, bulbous bows can be used as oceanographic observation spaces or as fairings for sonar. The shape of a vessel's underbody explains the great differences between shipbuilding and ordinary construction. Each frame member must be fitted to the desired contour of the hull, and side plates must be bent to the proper shape before being fastened to the frames in order that the completed ship may have her designed characteristics.
Hull piping systems	1. Firemain System: The firemain system in large ships forms a loop throughout the the greater portion of the ship. Cross-connections are installed between mains in most main transverse watertight sub-divisions. The loop may be arranged in a horizontal or vertical plane. In aircraft carriers, a bypass main is installed below the uppermost service mains, thus incorporating the features of both the horizontal and vertical loop. In small ships, such as ocean escort types, a single main is provided on the damage control deck. In combatant ships, the firemain can be segregated into smaller independent sections so as to minimize loss of pumping capacity in event of localized sytem damage. 2. Sprinkling System: The magazines of a warship are divided into groups, according to location. Each group is supplied by a separate sprinkling system connection leading from the firemain at a convenient location and controlled by a group control valve. The group control valves are operated from remote control stations, hydraulically, or mechanically. Sprinklers may also be actuated automatically by a thermostat when there is a temperature rise in the magazine. 3. Merchant Ship Sanitary Piping: On merchant ships, separate sanitary piping systems are installed. Current regulations prohibit discharge of raw sewage overboard. Holding tanks and/or sewage treatment plants are threfore installed. 4. Flushing System: For sanitary spaces, flushing water at pressures around 30 psi is supplied. Present practice is to provide branches from the firemain, via stop valves and reducing valves, wherever flushing services are required. 5. Damage Control Flooding System: 6. Ballasting System: 7. Fresh Water System: 8. Drainage System: 9. Compressed Air System: 10. Fuel-oil System: 11. Aircraft Fuel System:

I

indicated horsepower ( i.h.p. ihp )	.
Irish penant	A loose thread.
ITC	International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships.
Iwakuni	A seaport on the Naikai.

J

Jacob's ladder	A ladder made of rope with round wooden rungs. See Pilot Ladder.
Jar Head	Pejorative term for a marine.
JCS	Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Jettison	The act of intentionally throwing cargo overboard e.g. with the objective of lightening a vessel, which has run aground, such for the common good of all interests: vessel, crew and remaining cargo.
Jetty	A mole or breakwater, running out into the sea to protect harbour or coast. It is sometimes used as a landing-pier.
Judgement Day	1. The sound of The Archangel Gabriel's trumpet will signal the end of the world. 2. The second coming of Christ... it's got an acronym now... JC2C. 3. according to pyramid (Kufu's great pyramid) watchers... sometime in 1998. 4. according to a letter given to Pope Pius XII (by eldest child in Fatima miracle)... sometime in 2011. 5. according to the Mayan calendar... Sunday, December 23, 2012.

K

Kaneohe Bay	Shallow bay on the east coast of Oahu. Surrounded by steep vertical cliffs covered with dark green verdant foliage... when I was there, it was raining and the tops of the cliffs were obscured by low clouds. My impression is that the bay was formed when the seaward wall of an old volcano collapsed and the crater was flooded by the sea. The shallow bottom of the bay is covered with coral. It contains a narrow tortuous channel that was blasted through the coral to provide access to the Marine Air Station located on the southern part of the bay.
Keel	Longitudinal girder at the lowest point of a vessel from which the framework is built. Also see Hull.
Keeper Bars	"Yagotta remember ta remove them fuckers before ya lowers the davits".
Kent, Alexander	Author of the Richard Bolitho series of historical novels.
Knife edge	.
Knot (kt.)	Unit of measurement for the speed (of a vessel) equal to a nautical mile (= 1852 metres or 6076.11549 feet) per hour. See nautical Mile.

L

Ladder

In a ship... stairs. Also see accomodation, pilot, Jacob's ladder.

Lash

1. To hold goods in position by the use of e.g. wires, ropes, chains and straps.

LASH ship

Lighter Aboard SHip... A barge carrier.

Latitude

The angular distance of a position on its meridian north or south from the equator, measured in degrees ('a vessel at 25 degrees north latitude').

Leadsman

1. A person using a sounding lead to determine the depth of water.

Lee helmsman

1.Leona's illegitimate son.
2. Bridge/Wheelhouse watch stander who attends to the annunciator (engine room telegraph) and Propellor shaft RPM indicator. Sometimes doubles as Messenger of the Watch and general "go fer".

LeGuin, Ursula K.

Author of The Compass Rose.

length between perpendiculars or between perpendiculars ( bp bp. b.p. lbp lbp. l.b.p. )

length overall or length over all ( loa loa. l.o.a. )

maximum longitudinal length of a vessel including appendages such as stern-ramps, bowsprit, etc.

length waterline or length water line ( lwl l.w.l. wl w.l. )

longitudinal length of a vessel's hull through the plane of it's designed water line.

Let Go

To release, untie.

Letting Go the anchor

When the bale shackle pin is removed, the bale shackle of the chain stopper is knocked off the pelican hook with a sledge. The pelican hook swings open and the anchor chain, riding free on the wildcat, roars out of the chain locker, around the capstan on the windlass, and down through the hawsepipe. Depending on the size of the ground tackle, the accompanying noise, dust, flying rust and paint chips (and sparks if it's done at night) makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

Light(s)

charted light characteristics.

Alt. - alternating.
Alt F Fl - alternating fixed and flashing.
Alt F Gp Fl - alternating fixed and group flashing.
Alt Fl - alternating flashing.
Alt Gr Fl - alternating group flashing.
Alt Gp Occ - alternating group occulting.
Alt Occ - alternating occulting.
Exting - extinguished.
F - fixed.
F Fl - fixed and flashing.
F Gp Fl - fixed and group flashing.
Fl - flashing.
Gp - group.
Gp Fl - group flashing.
Gp Occ - group occulting.
I Qk - interrupted quick.
I Qk Fl - interrupted quick flashing.
Occ - occulting.
Qk Fl - quick flashing.
Rot - rotating, revolving.
S Fl - short flashing.
S-L Fl - short long flashing.
U - unwatched.

Light-line

Used during Underway Replenishment.

Lizard

Load line markings

In accordance with the International Load Line Convention (1966), which became effective in July, 1968, load lines were established for all new vessels 79 feet or more in length and for all existing vessels 150 gross tons or over, which engage in foreign voyages or international voyages by sea (other than solely on Great Lakes voyages) and fly the flag of a country adhering to the convention. (Exceptions to this are: ships of war; fishing vessels; pleasure craft [yachts] not used or engaged in trade or commerce; new vessels less than 79 feet in length; and existing vessels of less than 150 gross tons.) See Plimsoll marks.
Special load lines for vessels engaged in voyages on the great lakes and in coastwise voyages by sea are in conformity with the Coastwise Load Line Act of 1935 (as amended).
Picture of Load Line markings for cargo ships and tankers.

Load line mark symbols for cargo ships and tankers:
TF - Tropical Fresh water load line	S - Summer load line
F - Fresh water load line	W - Winter load line
T - Tropical load line	WNA - Winter North Atlantic load line

Lock

For marine purposes: A space, enclosed at the sides by walls and at each end by gates, by which a vessel can be floated up or down to a different level.

Locker

A compartment, in a shed or on board of a vessel, used as a safekeeping place to stow valuable goods, which can be secured by means of a lock.

Log Book

The daily report of all events and other relevant particulars of a vessel and attested by the proper authorities as a true record.

Longitude

The angular distance of a position on the equator east or west of the standard Greenwich meridian up to 180° east or west.

Loran

1. a nice girl.
2. LOngRAngeNavigation. The designation of a family of radio navigation systems by which hyperbolic lines of position are determined by measuring the difference in the times of reception of synchronized pulse signals from 2 fixed transmitters.

Loran chain

1. a system or combination of 3 or more Loran A stations, forming 2 or more pairs of stations for Loran A navigation.
2. a system or combination of a master Loran C station and 2 or more Loran C slave stations , forming 2 or more pairs of stations for Loran C navigation.

Lower Low Water

the lower of two low tides occurring during a tidal day.

Lubber's line

A fixed line on the compass of a ship that is aligned with the vessel's longitudinal axis.

Luzon

An island in the Philipine archipelago.

M

MAC(V)	Military Airlift Command (Vietnam).
"Mad Dog" Sweet	A nickname once earned by an Ensign, named Mr. Sweet, who, during target practice, literally blew up a seagull with a single round from a .50 cal machine gun.
Magazine	Where they keep explosives and/or ammunition.
mast	1. mainmast - 2. tripod mast - 3. lattice mast - 4. mizzen mast -
Make Fast	To tie up with/to.
Manila	Seaport in SW Luzon - capitol of Philipines. Manila Hemp - rope/cordage made from fibers of the abaca plant.
Marble Mountain	near China beach.
Marine (M)	.
M.C.	Maritime Commission.
M.C.E.	Maritime Commission Emergency Ship Program ("Liberty" ships).
McKenna, Richard	American author of Sand Pebbles.
M.C.V.	Maritime Commission Victory Ship Program ("Victory" ships).
M.D.A.P.	Mutual Defense Assistance Program.
Melville, Herman	American author of White Jacket, Moby Dick, Billy Budd and other wondrous works.
Messenger of the Watch	In port or at sea, wakes up the relieving watch, keeps the wheelhouse/quarterdeck tidy, keeps an eye out for roaming Officers and Chiefs, makes the Twelve O'Clock reports and acts as general "go fer". In port, assists with hoisting or lowering the colors and the jack, trades duties with the fantail/bow watch if present.
Michener, James Albert	American author of The Bidges at Toko-Ri.
Mindanao	an island in the Philipine archipelago.
MinDiv	Mine Division.
MinFlot	Mine Flotilla.
MinLant	Mine Force Atlantic.
MinPac	Mine Force Pacific.
MinRon	Mine Squadron.
Mole	A massive structure of masonry or large stones serving as a breakwater or pier or both.
Monkey Mountain	new name of Ban Dao Tien Sa... where I learned TaiChi.
Monsaratt, Nicholas	Author of The Cruel Sea.
"Moored... Shift Colors."	a command, passed over a ship's 1mc p.a. system, the momemt the first mooring line is slipped onto a pierside bollard or the anchor digs into the bottom or the moor to a buoy is complete. At the same time, the ensign (flag, not junior officer) is lowered from the the mast, and hoisted on a short staff on the stern of the ship. Also, the jack (blue and stars from flag) is hoisted on a staff on the bow of the ship. The time is recorded in the quartermaster's notebook. A snipe, usually one of the engineering fire watch, notes the entry in the logbook and passes this on to whoever is running the "Anchor Pool". Why was it always a snipe?
Mooring buoy	Any large, flat-topped buoys usually located on the edge of a fairway (main channel) and are used to moor a ship. The buoy has app. 4' of freeboard, is app. 12' diameter, with a wooden coaming at the edge of the deck, and a wooden fender (rub rail) about 2' below the edge of the deck running around the buoy. There is a large elliptical ring attached to a swivel in the center of the deck of the buoy. The ship's mooring-wire/anchor-chain is either fastened to this ring with a large shackle or the wire/chain is reeved through the ring and hove up onto the ship's deck where it is secured. To do the fastening/reeving, a seaman is put on the buoy by boat or lowered over the bow. He has to pass a messenger line (one end is connected to the wire/chain which is hanging at the water's edge) through the ring on the buoy and pass the other end to the anchor detail on the fo'csle. To get to this ring he has to plow through a 2" - 3" thick layer of sun-baked,mushy seagull/pelican shit... ahh yes... life on the jolly rolling deep. As soon as a strain is placed on the mooring, the buoy is upset (tilted... violently sometimes).
M.S.C.	Military Sealift Command (formerly MSTS).
MSTS	Military Sea Transportation Service (now Military Sealift Command).
MudHen	The name of my 17', cat-rigged, double-ended sharpie.
Mud berth	a berth where a vessel rests on the bottom at low water.
Music	Rolling Stones, Credence Clearwater Revival, Leonard Cohen, Leo Kotke, Lou Reed/Velvet Underground, John Fahey, Van Morisson, Bruce Springsteen, Four Tops, Temptations, Bob Dylan, Miracles, Little River Band, Marvin Gaye, Judy Collins, B.B. King, Meatloaf, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Niel Young.

N

Naikai	The Inland Sea of Japan.
NAR	Naval Auxiliary Reserve.
NAS	Naval Air Station.
NATO	North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
NATS	Naval Air Transport Service.
Nautical mile	Usually considered to be one minute of any great circle of the earth, the meridian being the great circle most commonly used. In 1929, the IHB proposed an international standard length of 1852 meters; the US DoD and DoC adopted this standard on 7/1/54. With the the yard/meter conversion standard at that time, The intrnl. nautical mile was = 6076.10333'. Since then, the yard/meter conversion factor changed on 7/1/59 and the intrnl. nautical mile is now = 6076.11549'. See Sea Mile.
Navigation	The act of determining position, location and course to the destination of an aircraft or a vessel.
Navigator's balls	see quadrantal spheres.
NavSea	Naval Sea Systems Command (formerly NSSC and Naval Ordnance Systems Command).
NavSyd	naval shipyard.
NavSyd-Bos	Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston, Mass. (formerly Boston Navy Yard).
NavSyd-Bklyn	New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y. (formerly New York Navy Yard).
NavSyd-Charl	Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C. (formerly Charleston Navy Yard).
NavSyd-Hunt	Hunters Point Div., San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard, San Francisco Calif.
NavSyd-LBeach	Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach, Calif.
NavSyd-MI	Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Calif .
NavSyd-Norfolk	Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Norfolk, Va. (formerly Norfolk Navy Yard).
NavSyd-Pearl	Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (formerly Pearl Harbor Navy Yard) .
NavSyd-Phil	Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, Pa. (formerly Philadelphia Navy Yard).
NavSyd-Ports	Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, N.H. (formerly Portsmouth Navy Yard).
NavSyd-Puget	Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton; Wash. (formerly Puget Sound Navy
Nha Trang	site of Naval Academy.
Nimitz, Chester	Fleet Admiral, USN and author of Sea Power.
9 thread	Fiber rope, usually ½" diameter. Three strand laid rope, each strand laid with 3 threads.
NNV	National Naval Volunteers.
NOB	Naval Operating Base.
NOTS	Naval Overseas Transportation Service.
NROTC	Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps.
nsp.	non-self-propelled.
NSSC	Naval Ship Systems Command (formerly BUSHIPS, now part of NavSea).
Numah 1	good.
Numah 10	bad.
NYd	Navy yard.
NYd-Pensa	Pensacola Navy Yard, Pensacola, Fla.
NYd-Wash	Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
NYSb	New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

O

O'Brian, Patrick	Author of the Aubrey-Maturin series of historical novels. The Norton edition's cover illustrations by Geoff Hunt are painstakingly authentic in every detail.
OIC	Officer in Charge.
Oil Bulk Ore Vessel	Abbreviation: OBO-Vessel - A vessel, designed for the carriage of either dry or liquid bulk cargo.
1JV	.
Olongapo	a town in SE Luzon on Subic Bay... leave the main gate, cross the bridge, dodge the waifs brandishing shoe polish rags and decide whether you want to go deeper into town (in that case hail a jeepney) or look for a place that advertises the coldest San Miguel in town.
1MC	A ship's internal public address system and source of various alarms.
OSV	Offshore Supply Vessel - usually a type/class of vessel used to ferry workers and supplies to offshore gas/oil drilling platforms..
OTC	Officer in Tactical Command.
overall ( oa o.a. )	(length)
Overhead	the ceiling above your head.

P

Panamax Size	The maximum measurements and dimensions of a vessel capable to pass the Panama Canal.
PARPRO	Peacetime Aerial Reconnaissance Program.
Pearl Harbor	Near Pearl City and Makalapa Hill.
Phan Rang	port for Pleiku.
Phib	amphibious.
PhibRon	Amphibious Squadron.
P.I.	Philippine Islands.
Pier	A wharf extending into the water, with accomodations for ships on both sides.
Pilot	Local expert advising a vessel's captain on safe navigation in those areas where the captain is ignorant of local circumstances or where it is obligatory to take a pilot.
Pilot ladder	A ladder made of rope with flat wooden rungs usually morticed into oval cheek pieces. See Jacob's Ladder.
PIRAZ	Positive Identification and Radar Advisory Zone.
Plimsoll Mark	A mark, welded on both sides of the vessel, which gives the limit to which a vessel may be loaded, depending on the specific gravity of the water in which the vessel is situated. See Load Line Markings.
Podium	.
Point	1. a place having position but no extent. A point in motion produces a straight line; a straight line in motion in any direction except along itself produces a surface; a plane surface in motion in any direction except along itself produces a solid. 2. a tapering piece of land projecting into a body of water. It is generally less prominent than a cape. 3. one thirty-second of a circle, or 11 ¼ degrees. See Boxing the Compass. 4. a unit of rainfall equal to one one-hundreth of an inch, used in Australia. 5. a unit of length equal to 0.0074 inch in France and 0.0139 inch in England, is used to designate type size. There are app. 72 English points to an inch.
Poop	Aft part of a vessel where the steering engine is located.
Port	1. Harbour having facilities for vessels to moor and load or discharge. 2. Left side of a vessel when facing towards the front or forward end.
P.R.	Puerto Rico.
Prien, Günther	German naval officer. Commander of U-47 who penetrated the defenses of the British naval base at Scapa Flow and sank the battleship Royal Oak. Lost at sea on 3/7/41 while attacking westbound convoy OB-293.
propellor. see also screw.	.

Q

Quadrantal Spheres	Soft/annealed iron spheres mounted on brackets athwartships on the binnacle. They are used to compensate for quadrantal deviation (Coefficients D and E) in a ship's magnetic field.
Quartermaster	Petty officer or mate who attends to the ship's helm, compass, navigation, signals, etc. - aka "queer bosun's mate". See here.
Quarterdeck	1. Largely a ceremonial/arbitrary location on a navy ship.
Quarantine	The period during which an arriving vessel, including its equipment, cargo, crew or passengers, suspected to carry or carrying a contagious disease is detained in strict isolation to prevent the spread of such a disease.
Quay	A wharf of open pile construction which is intended for the mooring of vessels on one side only as the other is adjacent to or parallel to the shore.
Queue	A stored arrangement of computer data, programs or messages, waiting to be processed in the order in which they were submitted.
Quoin	Timber wedge used to secure drums against movement.

R

R and R	rest and rehabilitation.
RAF	Royal Air Force.
RAAF	Royal Australian Air Force.
RAN	Royal Australian Navy.
Ratguard	1. site of legendary norse battlefield. 2.
Raymond releasing hook	What releases a boat davit's falls from the coupling attached to a boat. See Welin Gravity Davit.
RCAF	Royal Canadian Air Force.
RCN	Royal Canadian Navy.
RCS	Revenue Cutter Service.
Reach
reduction gear	1. marine transmission... machinery used to provide connection between a ship's engine(s) and propellor(s) and reduce engine RPMs to the propellor/shaft. 2. s-g - single and double reduction gears. 3. sr - single reduction gears.
Reefer	refrigerator.
Regular Navy	not a weekend warrior who's gone active for a couple of years.
REMF	Rear Echelon Mother Fucker - a pejorative term applied to someone who's situation/job/position is easier than your's - office support staff types who tend to sport gold braided lanyards hanging on their shoulder.
RN	Royal Navy.
RNN	Royal Netherlands Navy.
RNZN	Royal New Zealand Navy.
ROK	Republic of Korea.
Roll-on Roll-off	Abbreviation: RoRo. - System of loading and discharging a vessel whereby the cargo is driven on and off by means of a stern ramp.
RON	squadron.

S

SA	Seaman Apprentice - Enlisted Naval Rating - Rank upon graduation from boot camp - Navy pay grade E2. Pejorative terms - boot, newbee, FNG (fuckin' new guy), cheese-dick, land-lubber.
SACEUR	Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.
SACLANT	Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic.
SACMED	Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean.
Sailor	an ordinary seaman. someone who works in a ship or serves in a navy.
Salvage	The saving or rescue of a vessel and/or the cargo from loss and/or damage at sea.
Samar	an island in the Philipine archipelago.
Sasebo	seaport in E. Kyushu on East China Sea. - site of dry dock #5... and many fine liberties.
School	1. a herd of fish. 2. a file of micro-fiche.
screw (Sc)	1. water screw. 2. propellor.
SCAJAP	Shipping Control Administrator, Japan.
Scuttle	1. a small opening or hatch with a movable lid in the deck or hull of a ship. 2. to cut or open one or more holes in a ship's hull in order to sink the vessel.
Search and Rescue (SAR)	Sea Air Rescue.
SEATO	Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.
seabee (CB)	Construction Battalion.
Seafarer	a brand of clothing.
SEAL	SEa Air and Land (Naval Special Forces).
Seaman	Seaman Recruit (SR) - Enlisted Naval Rating - Rank upon reporting to boot camp - Navy pay grade E1; pejorative term - boot. Seaman Apprentice (SA) - Enlisted Naval Rating - Rank upon leaving boot camp - Navy pay grade E2. Seaman (SN) - Enlisted Naval Rating - Navy pay grade E3. AB - Able Bodied seaman - min. of 12 mos. or 3 years sea service on deck in a vessel of 100 gross tons or over plying inland waters or the high seas. Length of service and where, varies with endorsement on certificate or merchant mariner's document. Ordinary - wants to be an AB so he's got to learn how to: find and then get on a vessel. figure out where his berth and stations are. deal with emergencies... man overboard, fire, collision. handle a lifeboat. stand watch as lookout/wheelsman. seize fiber rope and wire. tie knots... timber/stage/rolling/half/clove/blackwall hitch, figure-8/square/reef/wall/crown knot, sheepshank, carrick/double-sheet/single-sheet/fisherman's bend, bowline, bowline-on-a-bight, french/spanish bowline, monkey's fist, and at least a 3-strand turk's head. put a long/short/eye splice in fiber rope and wire. Coal Passer or Wiper - snipe who wants to be a Refrigerating engineer, Oiler, Watertender, Fireman, Deck engineer, Junior engineer, Electrician, Boilermaker, Machinist, Pumpman. Whales never swallow it.
Sea mile	An approxmimate mean value of the nautical mile equal to 6080' or, the length of a minute of arc along the meridian at latitude 48º. See Nautical Mile.
Seapainter	A mooring line for a ship's boat when the ship has way on. Consists of a sturdy mooring line with a short wire pendant fastened to one end of the line. The bitter end of the line is fastened to a suitable bitt/cleat on the ship's deck, passed through a chock and suspended by a lizard line along the ship's side with the eye splice on the working end of the wire pendant near the water's edge so that it can be retrieved by the boat's bowhook. The pendant must then be attached to the boat's inboard bow cleat.
Seaworthiness	Fitness of a vessel to travel in open sea mostly related to a particular voyage with a particular cargo.
Shaft Alley	A dank, ill-lit and at times very hot compartment in a ship containing a propellor shaft, it's bearings, pillow-blocks and associated support structures in addition to the "stuffing-box/packing-gland".
shaft horsepower ( shp s.h.p. )	.
Sharpie	A long, narrow, flat bottomed sail boat with a centerboard.
sheer	.
Shit in seabag	Pejorative term - stuffed green peppers.
Shit on a shingle	Pejorative term - creamed chipped beef on toast.
Shot	1. 15 fathoms of anchor chain. 2. Burned out. 3. 1 ounce of rye whiskey. 4. Solid projectile.
Singer	At one time, a manufacturer of air-cooled 40mm AA guns and foot treadle powered sewing machines.
SINS	Ships Inertial Navigation System.
6 thread	Fiber rope, usually ¼" diameter. Three strand laid rope, each strand laid with 2 threads.
Skater	A shirker or idler.
Skosh	Abbreviation of skoshi: - A town near lake Michigan? - A "little bit".
Sling Psychrometer	A complex thermometer.
Soldier's prayer	Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For I am the evilest mother fucker in the valley.
Song Bassac	River in SE Asia.
Song Cua Viet	River in SE Asia.
Song Mekong	River in SE Asia... longer than the Mississipi.
Song Saigon	River in SE Asia... tidal range of 10'.
SOPA	Senior Officer Present Afloat.
Sounding tube	.
sp.	self-propelled or speed.
Squid	A navy midshipman.
Squid school	Naval Academy.
SS or S.S.	SteamShip.
Stability	The capacity of a vessel to return to its original position after having been displaced by external forces. The stability of a vessel depends on the meta-centric height.
Stadimeter	Range finder.
Stage	A scaffold. A wooden plank (usually 2" x 12" x 8') suspended over the side of a ship's superstructure or hull to facilitate maintenance and repair. Access from deck-to-stage or stage-to-deck is by climbing down/up the suspension ropes.
Stanchion	A vertical post of various heights and diameters; a stanchion can be a permanent structural member or fitted in a hinge or socket so it can be cleared away when necessary.
Stanchion, Awning	used to rig awnings over various sections of the weather decks.
Stanchion, Lifeline	Used to rig and support lifelines.
Starboard (stbd.)	Right side of a vessel when facing towards the front or forward end.
Constellations	Andromeda - the princess, Cassiopeia - mother of andromeda, Cygnus - the swan, Orion - the mighty hunter, Pegasus - the winged horse, Perseus - rescuer of andromeda, Ursa Major - the great bear, Ursa Minor - the little bear, Aries - the ram, Pleiades - the seven sisters, Canis Major - orion's large hunting dog, Canis Minor - the small hunting dog, Gemini - the twins, Auriga - the charioteer, Taurus - the bull,
Stars in the vicinity of Cygnus	.
Stars in the vicinity of Orion	Capella, Alnilam, Rigel, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Sirius, Procyon, Pollux, Castor, Aldebaran, Menkar, Adhara, Canopus, Suhail, Miaplacidus, Avior, Polaris, Regulus, Alphard.
Stars in the vicinity of Pegsus	Markab, Alpheratz, Mirfak, Schedar, Polaris, Kochab, Deneb, Vega, Diphda, Fomalhaut, Menkar, Ankaa, Acamar, Achernar, Al Na'ir, Peacock, Hamal, Enif.
Stars in the vicinity of Ursa Major	.
Steam (St)	1. water vapor. 2. to voyage, to be underway, to move.
Steamer	1. A vessel. 2. a cooked clam. 3. a blue cotton twill baseball-type cap worn by by Navy sailors at sea.
Stem	The foremost part of a vessel.
Stern	The aftermost part of a vessel.
Sternhook	Member of a boat crew. Handles after lines, falls and boathook when making fast or letting go and keeps an eye out aft when under way.
Stockholm tar	1. A sailor from Sweden?. 2.
Strongback	1. A spar or reinforced cross-member spanning the davit arms either to keep the davit arms rigid and/or to provide a backing against which a hoisted boat can be griped. If the spar is cushioned with two puddings (fenders) built up around the spar, it is known as a pudding spar instead of a strongback.
SubDiv	Submarine Division.
SubFlot	Submarine Flotilla.
Subic Bay	On SE coast of Luzon... contains Grande Island... near Olongapo.
submerged (subm.)	under water.
SUBROC	SUBmarine ROCket.
SubRon	Submarine Squadron.
Suicide nozzle	firehose nozzle without a control valve.
Sun	Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, Pa.
Supercargo	Experienced officer assigned by the charterer of a vessel to advise the management of the vessel and protect the interests of the charterer.
SHAEF	Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces.
SHAPE	Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe.
SV or S.V.	Sailing Vessel.
Swab	a wooden handled mop... "...swab the deck..."
Swabbie	Pejorative term for a Navy sailor.
SWAD	Salt Water Arrival Draft.
SWATH	Small Waterplane-Area Twin Hull.
SWDD	Salt Water Departure Draft.

T

T	prefix indicating M.S.C. (MSTS) ship.
Take Departure	Naval Tradition - a formal entry in a ship's logbook. - "With Point Loma light bearing 085° True, range 5.5 miles, on a course of 265° True, speed 8.5 knots, took departure for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii."
Talk Between Ships (TBS)	.
Tam Ky	Port for Hue. Over the bar, try not to bounce off the dredge in the middle of the inlet and then majestically glide into the lagoon beyond the barrier islands.
Tanbark	The color of MudHen's sail.
Tanker (Tk.)	A vessel designed for the carriage of liquid cargo in bulk.
33	Bier Bapa. Southeast Asian Beer... usually served over ice. The number on the back of the label on a bottle of Old Latrobe's Rolling Rock beer.
Teetee	little, tiny.
Tehuantepecer	A violent north wind frequent in the winter in the region around the Gulf of Tehuantepec in Mexico. See Fall wind.
TEU	Twenty foot Equivalent Unit. Standard 20' shipping container.
TF	Task Force.
TG	Task Group.
Torch	An EngineMan from San Pedro.
Tourane	Seaport on South China Sea - the old name of Danang.
Tramp Vessel	A vessel not operating under a regular schedule.
Trans	transport.
TransRon	Transport Squadron.
Trolling for Squid	Trying to pick up a Navy midshipman.
TU	Task Unit.
turbine (tur.)	a machine used to convert the movement of fluid or gas to mechanical power.
turret	.
Tuy Hoa	A beach in SE Asia... where we lost a 3500 lb. Danforth, several fathoms of 2" diameter plough steel cable and part of the bottom from under the boiler room.
'Tweendeck	Cargo carrying surface below the main deck dividing a hold horizontally in an upper and a lower compartment.
12 o'clock/noon report	A navy ritual. A short speech recited to the ship's captain or his alternate at 1155 every day by the Messenger of the Watch as he hands over the ship's position, fuel and water consumption/status, and magazine temperature reports. "Good afternoon sir, the Officer of the Deck sends his respects and reports the hour of twelve. The chronometer has been wound and compared, request permission to strike eight bells on time, sir." At times, boot/gullible SAs, giving the report for the first time, have been known to memorize the speech with the phrase "... wound and compared ... " changed to "... found and repaired ...".
21 thread	Fiber rope, usually ¾" diameter. Three strand laid rope, each strand laid with 7 threads.
Tzu, Sun	Chinese Philosopher (500 BC) - author of The Art Of War. - "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself and not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle..."

U

UDT	Underwater Demolition Team.
UDT hill	aka Harbor Control hill (Danang).
U.K.	United Kingdom.
ULCC	See Ultra Large Crude Carrier.
Ullage	Free space above a liquid contained in a tank, drum or tank-container, expressed as a percentage of the total capacity. Ullage is often used to leave room for possible expansion of the liquid.
Ulloa's ring	Glory. Bouguer's ring.
Ultra Large Crude Carrier	Abbreviation: ULCC - A vessel designed for the carriage of liquid cargo in bulk with a loading capacity from 250.000 till 500.000 DWT.
Underway Replenishment (unrep)	.
uptake (to funnel(s))	.
USA	United States Army.
USAAC	United States Army Air Corps.
USAAF	United States Army Air Forces.
USAF	United States Air Force.
USAMC	United States Army Medical Corps.
USANF	United States Auxiliary Naval Force.
USAT	United States Army Transport
USCG	United States Coast Guard.
USCGR	United States Coast Guard Reserve.
USCGS	United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.
USCS	United States Coast Survey.
USMC	United States Marine Corps
USMCR	United States Marine Corps Reserve.
USMCWR	United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve.
USN	United States Navy
USNA	United States Naval Academy.
USNR	United States Naval Reserve.
USNRF	United States Naval Reserve Forces.
USNS	United States Naval Ship.
USRCS	United States Revenue Cutter Service.
USRM	United States Revenue Marine.
USS	United States Ship.
USSB	United States Shipping Board.

V

"Valley of death" prayer	Yea though we walk through the Valley of Death we shall fear no evil... for we are the evilest mfers in the valley.
Very Large Crude Carrier	Abbreviation: VLCC - A vessel designed for the carriage of liquid cargo in bulk with a loading capacity from 50.000 till 250.000 DWT.
V.I.	Virgin Islands.
ventilator	.
vt2	vertical double-expansion.
vt3	vertical triple-expansion.
vt4	vertical quadruple-expansion.
Vung Danang	The new name of Cap Tourane.
Vung Tau	The new name of Cap St. Jacques.

W

Warm Braw

A foehn in the Schouten Islands north of New Guinea.

Warrior's Way

The wild geese do not intend to cast a reflection,
The water has no mind to retain the image.

The bamboo shadows
Sweep the steps
But raise no dust.

Water tight door ( WTD wtd w.t.d. )

waterline or water line ( wl w.l. )

horizontal plane(s) through a ship's hull indicating hull measurement points and it's designed water line.

Watch

A certain portion of ship's company, appointed to stand a given length of time.
A division of time on board ship. There are seven watches in a day reckoning from 12 M. (2400) round through the 24 hours, five of them being of four hours each and the two others, called dog watches, of two hours each, viz. from 4 (1600) to 6 (1800) and from 6 (1800) to 8 P.M. (2000).

First Watch	Middle Watch	Morning Watch	Forenoon Watch	Afternoon Watch	1st-Dog Watch	2nd-Dog Watch
8pm-12m 2000-2400	12m-4am 0000-0400	4am-8am 0400-0800	8am-12n 0800-1200	12n-4pm 1200-1600	4pm-6pm 1600-1800	6pm-8pm 1800-2000

WAVES

Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service,

Welin Gravity Davit

A type of boat davit where the boat is carried in two cradles (davit arms) mounted on rollers. The davit arms are longitudinaly connected by a strongback. The rollers ride along two parallel tracks at right angles to the ship's side. After the gripes are released and the keeper bars are removed, a brake is released and the boat in the davit assembly rolls down the tracks by gravity, stopping with the boat suspended over the ship's side. At this point, the the boat's steadying/mooring lines are shifted from the boat's outboard cleats to the inboard cleats. If way is on, the seapainter is attached. If the ship is rolling and pitching, fenders are put over on the boat to minimize hull damage, additional steadying lines are attached and led well fore and aft along the deck. The davit crew on the ship, re-seat the fore and after sets of mooring and fall lines on the cleats attached to the fore and after faces of the davit tracks. The lowering process continues until the the keel of the boat is just above the water. If the boat's engine starts, the steadying lines are let go and the boat is lowered into the water, where the boat crew trip the Raymond releasing hooks and the davit falls are released from the boat's davit shackles and are then pulled up near but not against the side of the ship so as to not interfere with the boat in the water.
If the water is calm, one hand can let fly the deck lines and handle the brake to lower the boat to the water. If the wind and water aren't compliant, the davit crew requires six or more hands to perform the above described operation.

WestPac

Western Pacific.

Wharf

A place for berthing vessels to facilitate loading and discharging of cargo. Usually of solid construction and parallel to the shore. See pier, quay, mole, dock.

Wheelhouse

A compartment in a ship's superstructure that contains the helm and all the equipment related to the vessel's navigation. On some ships the wheelhouse is located 1 or more decks below the bridge and communication between the bridge watch standers and wheelhouse watch standers is through a system of voice tubes. On other ships, the wheelhouse is located on the same deck as the bridge and is either abaft the bridge or incorporated with it.

White Elephant Landing

On the waterfront in Tourane.

Wildcat

a sprocket designed to engage the links of a chain.

Windlass

A winch. A ship's windlass is designed to primarily handle anchor chain. The chain is guided up out of the chain locker or through hawsepipe over a fairlead and then around the capstan where it rides on a collar called a wildcat which can be keyed to the capstan shaft and thus to the windlass motor, or it can be allowed to run free. A brake is incorporated to control the wildcat when it is runnung free. Windlasses can be arranged in many ways and combinations and are often provided with warping heads for handling line. They can be powered or driven by an electric motor, an electro-hydraulic system, steam from the ship's boilers or by hand.

WLTOHC

(distance) WaterLine-TO-HatchCoaming.

WoodenBoat

The only magazine I read from cover to cover including the advertisements and classifieds.

Worm and Serve

The name of a bar near the main gate of the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard on Terminal Island.

WSA

War Shipping Administration.

X

X-Ray
X.25	International standard of the CCITT for packet switching.
X.400	A CCITT recommendation designed to facilitate international message and information exchange between subscribers of computer based store-and-forward services and office information systems in association with public and private data networks.
X.500	The CCITT now ITU recommendations (ISO9594) for the structure of directories for the maintenance of addresses used in electronic mail.

Y

Yawl	A vessel's small boat moved by one oar. Synonym: a jolly-boat. A small sailboat rigged fore-and-aft, with a short mizzenmast astern of the rudder-post; distinguished from ketch.
Yamaha	Manufacturer of my 10hp, long-shaft outboard motor that is sitting in the motor well of MudHen.
Yoke	A readiness condition. A symbol on an access fitting to a work space in a ship... knowing when that fitting is to be closed proves whether you've paid your dues.
Yokosuka	Seaport on Tokyo Bay... pronounced "Yakuska".
"YourMother" or "Yo'Mama"	a once popular response to someone who makes a pejorative comment to you.

Z

Zamboanga	A seaport in SW Mindanao.
Zebra	This is a drill...
Zulu	Message date/time group terminator indicating GMT or UT.

Appendices

Mariner's Compass
Naval Weapons
Naval AirCraft
US Naval Ship Classes
- Historical Ship Classes
- Airdales
  - Aircraft Carriers
- Blue Water Navy
- Submarines
- Patrol Vessels
- Auxiliaries
- Mine Warfare Ships
- Service/Yard Craft
- 'Gator Navy
  - Amphibious Warfare Ships
- Brown Water Navy
  - Combatant/Coastal Craft
War Losses
- WW II - USN