Port the helm, the order to put the helm over to the larboard side of the ship. Used instead of larboard, on account of the amity of sound between the latter word and starboard.

Quarter, that part of a ship's side which lies towards the stern, or which is comprehended between the aftmost end of the main chains and the side of the stern, where it is terminated by the quarter-pieces.

Rake a ship, is when the broadside sweeps another's decks fore and aft, either by lying athwart her bows or her stern. Rake means also the inclination of the masts, bowsprit, stem, or sternpost.

Reef, to reduce a sail by tying a portion of it to the yards with points.

Ride, to be held by the cable.

Round to, is when going large or before the mind, to come round towards the wind by the movement of the helm.

Ship the tiller, &c., is to fix it in its place.

Slipping the cable, unsplicing it within, a buoy and buoy-rope having been previously affixed to it, to show where the ship has left her anchor.

Splicing, the mode by which the broken strands of a rope are united.

Spring, to anchor with a, is, before letting go the anchor, to cause a smaller cable or hawser to be passed out of a stern or quarter port, and taken outside of the ship forward, in order to be bent or fastened to the ring of the anchor intended to be let go, for the purpose of bringing the ship's broadside to bear in any given direction.

Spring a mast, yard, or any other spar, is when it becomes rent or split by an overpress of sail, heavy pitch or jerk of the ship in a rough sea, or by too slack rigging.

Squadron, an assemblage of ships of war in numberless than ten. See Fleet.

Stand on, to keep on the same course.

Starboard, the right side of the ship, when the eye of the spectator is directed forward, or towards the head.

Stay, to stay a ship, is to arrange the sails and move the rudder, so as to bring the ship's head to the direction of the wind, in order to get her on the other tack.

Steer, to manage a ship by the movement of the helm.

Tack, is to change the course from one board to another, or to turn the ship about from the starboard to the larboard tack, or vice versa, in a contrary wind.

Tant, or taunt rigged, means when a ship is very lofty in her masts. All-a-tanto, is said when a ship, having had some of her masts struck, has rehoisted them.

Taut, a corruption of tight.

Thrum a sail, is to insert in it, through small holes made by a bolt-rope-needle, or a marline-spike, a number of short pieces of rope-yarn or spun-yarn, in order, by the sail's being drawn over a hole in the ship's bottom, to assist in stopping the leak.

Tow, to draw a ship or boat forward in the water, by means of a rope attached to another vessel or boat, which advances by the effort of rowing or sailing.

Turning to windward. See Beating.

Unmoor, is to reduce a ship to the state of riding by a single anchor and cable, after she has been moored or fastened by two or more cables.

Unship, is to remove any piece of timber, wood, &c., from the place in which it was fitted.

Wake of a ship, is to be immediately behind or in the track of her. It also means when a ship is hid from view by another ship.

Warp a ship, is to change her situation by pulling her from one part of a harbour, &c., to some other, by means of warps (ropes or hawsers), which are attached to buoys, to other ships, to anchors sunk in the bottom, or to certain stations on the shore, as posts, rings, trees, &c. The ship is then drawn forward to those stations, either by pulling on the warps by hand, or by the application of some purchase, as a tackle, windlass, or capstan.

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