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Sailing
Questions about wind-propelled water vessels, their maintenance, handling and rules governing their use.
2,485 Questions
Gate is an archaic dialect of the word 'gait', meaning method or style. Thus, a 'nautical gate' is a sailor's style of walking or marching. The most well-known use of the word is in Cream's song Pressed Rat and Warthog, where there is a play on the word's first usage, to the second usage where 'The bad captain madman had ordered their fate. He laughed and stomped off with a nautical gate. The gate turned into a deroga tree and his peg-leg got woodworm and broke into three'. The second usage infers a wooden swinging gate, as would be the case if one had a wood leg. Here the captain's arrogance and bad karma caught up with him as one's fate tends to do.
What is the term for the depth of the water needed to float a boat clear of the buttom?
The term is draft.
Why were sailors in the past susceptible to scurvey?
Lack of fresh food, ie vegetables and fruit, which contained Vitamin C and would have prevented scurvy.
What were the square sails called on ships?
"Square sails" which are not really square, were/are referred to as four-cornered sails.
Who was the First man to be given credit for sailing around the world?
Magellan s voyage was the first to sail around the world, though he did not complete the voyage.
The word came into English usage in 1756 to mean a small three-masted vessel, but goes further back to the Arabic word shabback, meaning "small warship".
In restricted visibility a power driven vessel underway gives which sound signal every two minutes?
One prolonged blast
Not everyone is able to handle a life at sea. The ship is constantly rolling with the waves. Storms can cause a ship to sink. Todays' ships have GPS, and satellite phones. There are also rescue planes. In the 1700's, it was much more dangerous to live on a ship.
What is the big sail on a boat called?
It's usually called the Mainsail, or as sailors pronounce it, the "mains'l". It is sometimes called the "sheet" too, though that is more generic.
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The "sheet" is the line that controls the sail's angle across the boat.
What is the best sailboat to sale single handed?
Depending on your weight, Topper for 45-65 Kg, Laser Radial for 65-75Kg and Laser Full rig for75Kg +
What you is the stern keel sail and mast?
The aftermost sail in a multi-masted boat is typically the mizzen, but in some rigs can be called the spanker as well.
