I've done quite a bit of sailing in the past and remember one of my first lessons was just to sit and learn how to tie knots properly. Figures of eights, square knot, sheet bend..etc there was loads of them also the names of ropes (lines) and what each was used for was important to know before I was allowed to sail a jib on my own.
This would have been the same in the past and for the larger boats there would have been even more lines with uses and names which would have needed to be learnt. Potential sailors and crew members were probably not recruited with out firstly knowing the ropes, same as today because it would be dangerous.
Anyway the phrase today is used more to describe someone who has skill and experience in their job or task.
Batten down the hatches
meaning preparing ourselves as best we can in a dangerous situation.
To batten down the hatches is actually a process of securing the deck openings, or hatches, against the effects of bad weather.
meaning preparing ourselves as best we can in a dangerous situation.
To batten down the hatches is actually a process of securing the deck openings, or hatches, against the effects of bad weather.
plenty of scope
This means to have room to move, sufficient wherewithal to carry out a task.
'Scope' is from the greek skopos, meaning to mark or aim and is the length of cable run out when a vessel rides to it's anchor. It is the amount by which a ship swings about it's anchor, it's freedom of movement.
This means to have room to move, sufficient wherewithal to carry out a task.
'Scope' is from the greek skopos, meaning to mark or aim and is the length of cable run out when a vessel rides to it's anchor. It is the amount by which a ship swings about it's anchor, it's freedom of movement.
Weather eye open
Telling someone to keep a weather eye open means we want them to be on alert for sudden change in the situation.
Far out at sea the lookout watched on the weather (or windward) side of the ship. This meant facing into the wind, spray and rain, but the first sign of a change in the weather always came from this side.
Telling someone to keep a weather eye open means we want them to be on alert for sudden change in the situation.
Far out at sea the lookout watched on the weather (or windward) side of the ship. This meant facing into the wind, spray and rain, but the first sign of a change in the weather always came from this side.
First rate
meaning high quality
In Nelsons day the Royal Navy warships were rated on a scale from one to six. The largest of the ships, first rate.
meaning high quality
In Nelsons day the Royal Navy warships were rated on a scale from one to six. The largest of the ships, first rate.
loose cannon
If someone is described as a "loose cannon", they are unpredictable, and likely to cause trouble or embarrassment.
Cannon were secured with breeching, some of the strongest ropes found on a ship. They were mounted on wheels so that they could be quickly moved in and out of gunports but this meant that if they got loose they could career all over the decks, being so heavy (3 tones)they could cause a lot of damage to the ship and injure the crew. Particularly in "choppy" waters (a word i learnt from sailing myself a few years ago. It means rough, with a lot of big waves).
If someone is described as a "loose cannon", they are unpredictable, and likely to cause trouble or embarrassment.
Cannon were secured with breeching, some of the strongest ropes found on a ship. They were mounted on wheels so that they could be quickly moved in and out of gunports but this meant that if they got loose they could career all over the decks, being so heavy (3 tones)they could cause a lot of damage to the ship and injure the crew. Particularly in "choppy" waters (a word i learnt from sailing myself a few years ago. It means rough, with a lot of big waves).
plain sailing
Today, if we say plain sailing, we mean it is easy, or straight forward.
At sea in Kydd's day, plain sailing was using navigation techniques that assume the earth is a flat plane.
Today, if we say plain sailing, we mean it is easy, or straight forward.
At sea in Kydd's day, plain sailing was using navigation techniques that assume the earth is a flat plane.
Bitter end
Taking about "the bitter end", we mean carring on to the very end, in spite of difficulties.
On ship, if the crew lets all the cable run out while anchoring, the rope will come to it's bitter (inner) end. A bitter is a turn of the cable around the mooring bitts at the ship's bow.
Taking about "the bitter end", we mean carring on to the very end, in spite of difficulties.
On ship, if the crew lets all the cable run out while anchoring, the rope will come to it's bitter (inner) end. A bitter is a turn of the cable around the mooring bitts at the ship's bow.
toe the line
If we say to toe the line this is to follow a set of rules of a group. A bit like peer pressure controlling behaviour.
The space between deck planks in a wooden ship was sealed with a mixture of pitch and oakum. These formed a series of parallel lines a half foot apart, running the length of the deck. When a warship's crew was ordered to fall in at quarters, sailors mustered in a given area of the deck and stood with their toes just touching a particular seam.
If we say to toe the line this is to follow a set of rules of a group. A bit like peer pressure controlling behaviour.
The space between deck planks in a wooden ship was sealed with a mixture of pitch and oakum. These formed a series of parallel lines a half foot apart, running the length of the deck. When a warship's crew was ordered to fall in at quarters, sailors mustered in a given area of the deck and stood with their toes just touching a particular seam.
clean slate
Someone who starts with a clean slate is one who has a fresh start, sometimes a cancellation or settlement of debt.
In the age of sail all the current orders at the conn were chalked up on a special slate y the 'quartermaster' (person in charge) Then, variations in the course to steer, prevailing winds, the set of the sails and other vital information were noted or amended. The slate was kept in the binnacle box. The slate was wiped totally clean at the beginning of a new voyage or when the ship was safely at harbor.
No-man's land
Today means something is neither here nor there.
Apparently from what I've read the saying comes form 1769! Universal Dictionary of the Marine The space called no man's land is used to contain any blocks, rope, tackles etc. which may be necessary on the forecastle. It probably derives it's name from t's situation as being neither on the starboard nor larboard side of the ship, nor on the waist or forecastle, but being situated in the middle partakes equally of all those places.
cut and run
Someone who starts with a clean slate is one who has a fresh start, sometimes a cancellation or settlement of debt.
In the age of sail all the current orders at the conn were chalked up on a special slate y the 'quartermaster' (person in charge) Then, variations in the course to steer, prevailing winds, the set of the sails and other vital information were noted or amended. The slate was kept in the binnacle box. The slate was wiped totally clean at the beginning of a new voyage or when the ship was safely at harbor.
No-man's land
Today means something is neither here nor there.
Apparently from what I've read the saying comes form 1769! Universal Dictionary of the Marine The space called no man's land is used to contain any blocks, rope, tackles etc. which may be necessary on the forecastle. It probably derives it's name from t's situation as being neither on the starboard nor larboard side of the ship, nor on the waist or forecastle, but being situated in the middle partakes equally of all those places.
cut and run
...... there's loads of them
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