QU ARTER, that ipart of a flfip’s fide which lies towards the flern.
Quarter-cloths, long pieces of painted canvas, extended on the
outfide of the quarter-neting from the upper-part of the gallery to the
gangway.' ;
r, m
RANGE, a fufficient length of the cable, drawn- up on the -deck, before
the anchor is call loofe from the bow, to let it fink to the bottom,
without being interrupted, that the flukes may be forced thé deeper-into,
the ground, By the additional weight which the. anchor acquires- in
‘fïnkmg.':
REEF, a certain portion of a fail, comprehended between the-top or
bottom, and a row of eyelet-holes parallel thereto.
T o R eef, is to reduce the furface o f the fail in propor-tioa-t© ‘the it*-
creafe of the wind.
R eef alfo implies a chain of rocks, lying near thofurface o f the water,
RIGING, a general name given-to all the ropes employed to fupport
the mafts; and to .extend or reduce the fails, or arrange them to the
difpofition of the wind.
RIGHTING, the aft of reftoring a fhip to her upright pofitlon, after
fhe has been laid on a careen. A fhip is alfo faid to right at fea when fhe
rifes, with her mafts erefted, after having been preft down on one fide
by the effort of her fails, or a heavy fquall of wind.
S.
SCARFING, when two pieces of timber are to be joined Together by
the ends, if the ends are cut fquafe, another piece is laid upon, and
faftened to both, and this is called fear'fing.
SETING, the aft of obferving the fituation of any dlftant objeft by
the compais, in order to djfcover the angle which it makes with the
.neareft meridian.
SHEET, a rope faftened to one or both the lower corners of a fail
to extend and retain it in a particular flation.
SHROUDS, a range of large ropes extended from the maft-heads to
the right and left fide of the fhip, to fupport the mafts, and enable them
to cajrry fail.
5 SKIDS,
SKIDS, or SkeeOs, are lortgcampaffing pieces of timber, fbrmedfo
as to anfwer the vertical curve of a flnpVfidK- They are notched below
fo :as to fit clofely upon the witesr and’ as they are intended to preferve
the planks o f the fide, when any weighty body is hoifted or lowered,"
they extend from the main wale ro the top of the fide; and they are retained
in this pofitlon by bolts or fpike-nails,
SPRING, a crack or breach running tranfvcrfeiy or obliquely through
.any part of a rnaft or yard, fo as to render it unfafe to carry the ufual
quantity of fail thereon.
S p r i ng is alfo a rope paffed out of one extremity of a' fhip and'at-
tached to a cable proceeding from the other, when ftieTies-at anchor. It
is ufually done to bring the fhip’s broadfide, or battery of capnoa, to
bear upon fome diftant objeft.
• SPRITSAIL, a fall attached to a yard which hangs under the bowfprit.
SQUALL, a fudden and violent blaft of wind, ufually ocfeafioned by
the interruption and: reverberation of the wind from high mountains.
STANCHION, a fort of fmall pillar of wood or iron ufed*for"various-
purpofes in a fhip; as to fupport the decks; the quarter-rails, thenetings,
and awnings.
STANDING, the movement by which a fhip advances towards a
certain objeft, or departs from it'.
STARBOARD, the right fide Of a ftiip when the eye of the fpeftator
is direfted forward.
To STAY, the fame as to tack; the contrary to wear, which fee;
hence the phrafe to mifs flays when fhe fails in the operation.
STIFF, the quality by which a‘fhip is enabled to carry a fufficient
quantity of fail, without hazard of overfetting.
STREAKS, orSTRAKES, the uniform ranges of planks on the bottom
and fides of a fhip.
To STRIKE, to run afhore, or to beat upon the ground in paffiftg
over a bank or fhallow.
STUDDING-SAILS, certain light fails extended, in moderate and
fteady breezes, beyond the lkirts of the principal fails, where they ap-
. pear as wings upon the yard-arms.
e a SURF,