A cleat designed to hold a line in place without slipping. It consists of two narrowing jaws with teeth in which the line is placed.

The distance between a rope's adjacent strands, giving a measure of the tightness of the lay. The shorter the distance, the harder the lay. When a line has been overused and the lay has become slack, it is said to be slack-jawed.

A fitting holding a boom or gaff to the mast.

A genoa jib. A large jib that overlaps the mast.

Search of a vessel, by Customs authorities, for unreported goods.

Document given by authorities certifying that inward clearance formalities have been completed.

A stream of vapor, gas or liquid coming out fast from a narrow orifice.

Cargo thrown overboard in order to lighten the ship and washed ashore.

To cast overboard or off. To discard something as unwanted or burdensome. Goods or equipment may be jettisoned to lighten a ship in danger.

To throw goods overboard.

A landing wharf or pier; a dike at a river s mouth.

On square-rigged ships, the blocks attached to those yards on which studdingsails were set.

The ring bolted to the upper end of the shank of an anchor and to which the bending shackle secures.

The foremost sail; a triangular shaped foresail forward of the foremast.

A rope net to catch the jib when it is lowered.

The lines that lead from the clew of the jib to the cockpit and are used to control the jib.

The stay that the jib is hoisted on. Usually the headstay.

A small jib set high on the headstay of a double headsail rig.

A triangular topsail set above the mainsail in a gaff-rigged vessel.

The act of decoying a ship ashore by means of false lights.