Deleted Member Posted July 7, 2020 Posted July 7, 2020 Fathom out...working out how deep the water was beneath a ship in shallow channels, by using a weighted rope, with knots tied at each fathom. A fathom is the distance between fingertips on outstretched arms, about 6 feet. Variable because of different statures of individual people.
Ta**** Posted July 7, 2020 Author Posted July 7, 2020 As in....'I,can't fathom that individual,' Another one could be the saying,,,,,,,'Don't tie yourself in knots'!....
Deleted Member Posted July 7, 2020 Posted July 7, 2020 A rather sweet aside to the fathom and its finger tip to finger tip measure, is that when people embrace, or hug, they're said to be fathoming.
Ta**** Posted July 7, 2020 Author Posted July 7, 2020 I am going to make a list of all these at the end, with corresponding meanings lol
Ta**** Posted July 7, 2020 Author Posted July 7, 2020 Another one is......"Let's batten down the hatches".
Ta**** Posted July 7, 2020 Author Posted July 7, 2020 9 hours ago, Earbreather said: Everyone should join this topic, we need all hands on deck please though, I do hope there are no loose cannons around. We should take this topic on-board and not give it a wide berth. Always remember do not be down in the doldrums. Well, time for me to have a drink, no doubt I shall be three sheets to the wind, so bottoms up everyone. Thanks for helping to STEER this thread in the right direction....Lol
Goldenrich Posted July 7, 2020 Posted July 7, 2020 Hi tammy, does it just have to be navy orientated?
Goldenrich Posted July 7, 2020 Posted July 7, 2020 Like a ship without a rudder, or, I see no ships only hardships
Deleted Member Posted July 7, 2020 Posted July 7, 2020 Log book, a written record started on sailing ships to track the speed of the vessel. A piece of wood with a very long rope attached, with marks or knots every half a mile ( or equivalent to 500 paces), was thrown over board. A sailor would keep a check on how many knots went over the side within a particular measured time, using known sand timer lengths. The navigator would then be able to calculate the speed of the vessel and write it in the ship's log book. The rope and its log would be wound in until the time the navigator wanted to check again.
Ma**** Posted July 7, 2020 Posted July 7, 2020 Posh, Port outward starboard home, the well off would choose this when traveling on ship, not sure what advantage you got, depends on which way you was sailing surely.
Deleted Member Posted July 7, 2020 Posted July 7, 2020 In answer to Wilkie...The well-to-do, in Victorian times, would do The Grand Tour from UK into the Mediterranean, visiting the sites of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. As Victorian ladies didn't like to have too much sun, they would travel out in port side cabins ( and therefore be on the North side of the ship whilst sailing in the Med). Then on the return journey, transfer to starboard side, to again be on the North side of the ship, in the Med.
Ma**** Posted July 8, 2020 Posted July 8, 2020 6 hours ago, Leatherfox2010 said: In answer to Wilkie...The well-to-do, in Victorian times, would do The Grand Tour from UK into the Mediterranean, visiting the sites of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. As Victorian ladies didn't like to have too much sun, they would travel out in port side cabins ( and therefore be on the North side of the ship whilst sailing in the Med). Then on the return journey, transfer to starboard side, to again be on the North side of the ship, in the Med. Ah, yes, I was thinking about going across the Atlantic, or going to the med they wouldn't benefit, so it was going to the med, thanks,
Ta**** Posted July 8, 2020 Author Posted July 8, 2020 Another Naval saying..... "Don't let the cat out of the bag" This again refers to the darker side of Naval life. The Cat o' Nine tails was usually kept in a bag until needed, and only taken out if a sailor was to be punished. Nowadays we use the saying to mean, if you let the cat out of the bag, it's going to mean trouble!
MistressTinaCDTV Posted July 8, 2020 Posted July 8, 2020 'The bitter end' is the last bit of rope that attaches an anchor to the boat.
Deleted Member Posted July 8, 2020 Posted July 8, 2020 Another couple that I don't think have been mentioned yet (apologies if they have & I've missed them) are: "Foot loose" - the bottom edge of the main sail was called the "foot". If this was not secured the sail would hang loosely & flap & swing wildly, there by making it very difficult to control. "Touch & go" - this comes from if a boat was negotiating a particularly shallow stretch of water, sometimes the underside would come into contact with the bottom; however if the boat had enough momentum & there were no solid obstacles on the bottom, it would continue on it's way without becoming grounded or stuck fast.
Ta**** Posted July 8, 2020 Author Posted July 8, 2020 I don't know if the term, " Lock, stock and barrel" might be a nautical term . If someone has any information on that.......?
Deleted Member Posted July 8, 2020 Posted July 8, 2020 1 hour ago, TammyNatalia said: I don't know if the term, " Lock, stock and barrel" might be a nautical term . If someone has any information on that.......? This phrase doesn't have maritime origins. Rather, it refers to the 3 main components of the old muskets. The "lock" was so-called because that is what the operating mechanism resembled; the stock was the wooden butt-end of the musket; & then there was the barrel. These 3 components would have been made separately by 3 different craftsmen. So the saying came about by the putting together of the 3 separate components to make the whole.
Leisa Posted July 11, 2020 Posted July 11, 2020 Not sure if this qualifies but batten down the hatches it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Ta**** Posted July 11, 2020 Author Posted July 11, 2020 Yes 21 minutes ago, Leisa said: Not sure if this qualifies but batten down the hatches it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Yes, that is a nautical saying. The battening down of hatches and walkways on a ship was done when bad weather threatened. The hatches would be covered with tarpaulin and edged with thin wooden batons to stop them blowing off Source: theyachtmarket.com - Nautical Sayings and Phrases
Ta**** Posted July 11, 2020 Author Posted July 11, 2020 Another well known Maritime phrase is, ...to Keel Over, ...normally taken to mean ,,,fall over, or faint ....It was also a sailors term for dying When the boat's keel is lifted out of the water it will likely capsize. So to be on an 'even keel' means calm and steady.
Th**** Posted September 1, 2020 Posted September 1, 2020 On 7/7/2020 at 5:25 PM, Leatherfox2010 said: Fathom out...working out how deep the water was beneath a ship in shallow channels, by using a weighted rope, with knots tied at each fathom. A fathom is the distance between fingertips on outstretched arms, about 6 feet. Variable because of different statures of individual people. On that topic we also have "Deep Six" , Deep Six is the depth of six fathoms. Back in the pre modern diving times anything lost at Deep Six was gone forever. This is why burials at sea have to occur at depths greater than six fathoms. "Splice the Main brace" - is a phrase that changed its usage while still in the Navy. Doing running repairs on the rigging of the large sails of tall ships was a dangerous job in battle. More so as no knots could be used an the rope had to be woven together. So as an incentive an extra rum ration was given as a celebration on completion of the work. Hence "Splice the Main brace" morphed into the order to issue an additional ration of alcohol to the crew.
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