A, B, Sea: A Loose-Footed LexiconRowman & Littlefield, 2014 M05 9 - 382 pages A, B, Sea is an entertaining, comprehensive guide to the language and lore of 21st-century seafarers. This playful mariner’s glossary of nautical terms includes definitions for and cross-references to everything from aft to zenith, brass monkey to tuna tower. This second edition includes many new entries, some purely from the swashbuckler vernacular, and others for serious sailors. Packed with practical advice, this is a dictionary with a difference: many words are illustrated by passages from classic books of the sea, others by the author's experiences aboard an American schooner with a European engine and two boxes of tools. Sample entries from this informative and entertaining dictionary include: Bermuda Triangle: Given a choice between alien creatures and bad weather combined with inept seamanship and navigation, you should vote for the latter every time. The US Coast Guard certainly does. carry away, to: when any part of the standing rigging or a spar breaks it is said to have "carried away." What you say is probably unprintable. seasickness (mal de mer): a form of motion sickness usually brought on by a feeling of well-being and euphoria. Reputedly comes in two stages: during the first you fear you might die, during the second, you fear you might not. The most reliable cure: Stand under a tree. |
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Common terms and phrases
anchor ashore astrolabe Atlantic berth bilge boom bottom buoy cabin called Captain celestial celestial navigation chart chronometer ciguatera coast cockpit ColRegs compass course crew cruising deck diesel dinghy distance engine English fish fitted fore-and-aft foresail forestay Global Positioning System Glonass haul head helm hull inflatable island Jack Jack London John Byron Joshua Slocum keel keep knots land light longitude mainsail marine Mary Celeste mast means metal meters miles mizzen nautical nautical miles navigation NavRules Navy North ocean onboard originally passage Patagonia pilot port position pron pull radio reef rope Royal Navy rudder running sailing boat sailing vessel sailors seafarers secure ship ship’s shore side signal skipper Slocum South spar speed starboard steering stern tack tide traffic separation scheme tropical turn usually voyage watch waterline waves weather wind windward yacht