BOATING SLANG summary
Jerry Dunn
Hi,
Thanks to everyone who sent boating slang for my book, "Idiom Savant:
Slang As It Is Slung" (Henry Holt & Co., NY, spring 1997). Here's the
summary I said I'd post.
No doubt I've made errors, especially in usage. Maybe you can add example
sentences to some definitions, to show how the terms are properly used.
Please send any corrections, additions, or example sentences to me by
e-mail:
Thanks again very much!
Cheers,
Jerry Dunn
The summary:
Boaters
asshole n. a small loop or kink in a line that is traveling through a
block (pulley), preventing it from passing through. "What's holding up
the starboard side jib sheet?" "There's an asshole in the line!" "Well,
free it up quick, before we go ov- (blub, blub, blub).˛
ballast n. a guest or crew member who is completely useless on a boat.
łWe need a new foredeck man. Mike is just ballast.˛
boom babe n. a good-looking female who helpfully sits on the boom to hold
it out when a sailboat is racing downwind. The boom babe perches right
above the cockpit.
check the tension on the backstay v. to pee off the back of the boat.
(The backstay is a cable from the top of the mast to the back of the boat,
convenient for hanging onto.) łWhen a sailor says, ŚTake the wheel, I
need to check the tension on the backstay,ą everyone else politely turns
their heads and examines various other interesting bits of rigging.˛
chute n. a large spinnaker, which balloons ahead of the boat with a shape
and effect resembling those of a large parachute.
Clorox bottle n. a fiberglass boat (as opposed to wood or metal).
death roll n. when a sailboat tries to carry a spinnaker (large
triangular racing sail) in too much wind, resulting in out-of-control
rocking from side to side. łHey, check out the death roll over there!˛
(usually accompanied by laughter).
Dutch pennants n. the free ends of knots or splices that were left long
enough to reveal poor seasmanship in whomever tied the knot. łLook at the
Dutch pennants on that barge!˛ Syn. Irish pennants.
floating clothesline n. a sailboat, to a powerboat operator; derogatory
Syn. blowboat, ragboat.
furniture store n. a yacht with elaborate cabin appointments. "Have a
look down below. His boat's a regular furniture store."
gunboat n. a souped-up, Miami Vice type powerboat, extremely fast and
noisy; usually derisive. These boats and their operators have reputations
as flashy showoffs. Derived from the ethnically offensive "guinea
gunboat," referring to the supposed popularity of this kind of boat with
Italian-Americans.
gunkholing v. hauling a trailerable sailboat to a lake or stretch of a
river usually inaccessible to those without such a boat, and cruising
around.
hard water n. a rock. łWe ran into some hard water out beyond the cove.˛
Harvey Wallbanger n. a rental boat, so called because their inexperienced
captains are likely not to negotiate docks or lock walls skillfully.
head dweller n. a seasick person.
hobbyhorse v. when a sailboat pitches lengthwise, like a rocking horse.
hole n. an area with no wind. ??
hydraulic sandwich n. a beer or other liquid refreshment on board.
iron jenny n. the engine. (A jenny is a large genoa, or jib sail.) łAll
right, the race is over. Someone want to raise the iron jenny?˛
Iron Mike n. an autopilot steering system. "When they collided, both
vessels were being operated by their Iron Mikes and no one was on watch.˛
lift n. the raising of a drawbridge. łTug Barbara Ann to the Route 88
bridge. Iąm southbound and requesting a lift.˛
mooring n. a heavy and frustrating piece of equipment. łThis *&@% engine
just wonąt start. It would make a better mooring.˛
pointy end n. the bow. Used with tongue in cheek to counter the jargon
sailors have for every piece of equipment and part of the boat. Others:
basement or downstairs (cabin), big rag (main sail), big stick (mast),
puller uppers (halyards), stringy things (lines).
rail meat n. someone whose best use on the boat is using his weight to
balance it.
squids n. the cleaning and dock staff at a marina.
squirt boat n. a jet-driven boat, to a powerboater; derogatory. Rel.
squirt jerk: jet boat operator.
stinkpot n. a powerboat, to a sailboat operator; derogatory. łThat
stinkpot threw up a wake that stopped us dead in the water.˛
T-bone v. to have a collision in which the bow of one sailboat hits the
middle of another boat at a 90-degree angle. łImpressions was T-boned by
Chasing Rainbows right at the finish of the race.˛
tea-bag v. when the boat capsizes to windward in dinghy sailing, dunking
the crew on the trapeze into the water. łWe ran into a hole, and Joe got
tea-bagged.˛
three sheets to the wind adj. drunk. Derived from the idea that a
sailorąs losing control of a sheet (a sail rope) so it flaps free in the
wind is a sign of incompetence. To lose control of three sheets, one
would have to be so drunk that the act of falling down would require
complete concentration.
--
Jerry Dunn
jd...@west.net
Paul Kamen
Not a bad list, but check the etymology of "three sheets to the wind."
My understanding is that it's from windmill jargon.
--
fish...@netcom.com
http://www.well.com/~pk/fishmeal.html
-"Call me Fishmeal"-