FLOOD, flood tide.  See “Tide.”

FORE AND AFT.  In classification of vessels, indicates those whose sails, when set, stretch from forward aft; more nearly lengthwise than across.  Opposite to square-rigged.

FOREMAST, fore-topmast, etc.  See “Spars.”

FORESAIL, fore-topsail, etc.  See “Sails.”

FOUL, to.  To entangle, to collide.  A foul anchor, when the cable gets round the anchor.

FOUL, wind.  A wind which prevents the vessel heading the desired compass course, compelling her to beat.

FREE, wind.  A wind which allows the vessel to head the course desired.  The amount to spare from the close-hauled course is sometimes designated.  E.g., the wind four points free; the wind would allow the vessel to come four points nearer the wind than her course requires.

FRIGATE.  See “Vessel.”

GAGE, weather and lee.  A vessel, or fleet, is said to have the weather gage, when it is to windward of its opponent.  Lee is opposite to weather.

HAUL, to.  To haul (to) the wind is to change the course to that nearest the direction whence the wind comes.

  To haul down the colors:  to strike, to surrender.

HEAVE DOWN.  To incline a vessel on one side, by purchases at the lower mastheads.

HEAVE-TO. (HOVE-TO.) To bring-to, (which see), and then to lay some sails aback, in order to keep the ship without movement ahead or astern.

HEEL, to.  To incline a vessel on one side by shifting the weights on board, such as guns.  “On the heel”:  to be thus inclined.

HELM.  The tiller, or bar, which like a handle turns the rudder, and thus changes the course of the vessel.

  Port the helm.  To put the tiller to port, which turns the vessel’s
  head to the right; to starboard the helm is the reverse.

  Helm down.  Tiller to leeward, vessel’s head to windward; helm up,
  the reverse.  See “Rudder.”

HULL.  The body of a vessel, as distinguished from the spars, or engines.

HULL, to. (HULLED.) A cannon ball striking the hull of a vessel is said to hull her.

JIB.  See “Sails.”

JIB-BOOM.  See “Spars.”

KEEP, to.  To keep off, or away, is to change course away from the wind or from an enemy.  See “To bear up.”

LARGE.  See “Course.”

LEE.  The direction toward which the wind blows.  “Under the lee of,” protected from wind and sea by land, or by a vessel, interposed.

  Lee Tide.  See “Tide.”

LEECH.  The vertical side of a square sail.  The upper and lower sides, horizontal, are called head and foot.

LEEWARD (pronounced looard).  Direction of movement, or of bearing, opposite to the wind.

LIE-TO, to.  To bring the vessels head on, or near, the wind, and remain nearly stopped.  Usually in heavy weather, but not always.

LINE ABREAST. See p. 122.