# Nautical Terms Q-T



## kjm

Discussion thread for Nautical Terms Q-T. If you would like to add a comment, click the New Reply button


----------



## methc

Re soogee, it is not a weak solution of caustic soda but one of various strengths of Washing Soda or Sal Soda, found in the detergent section of stores, it effectively removes oil, grease, and alcohol stains.


----------



## Govanbill

Smoko. Morning or afternoon coffee or tea break


----------



## benjidog

Hi MethC.

Regarding your comment about Soogee - the only online definitions I can find say the stuff was made from caustic soda and detergent. I must admit that sounds rather potent for the job in hand.

Do other members share methc's view about the composition of Soogee - in which case I will update the entry. Or is he wrong and does it actually contain caustic soda. Or was it made from different ingredients depending on the company, what was being cleaned etc.

Can we have some more views on this please?


----------



## benjidog

Govanbill - I have added Smoko - I am amazed it was not there already!


----------



## MikeK

Agree with methc, soojee used washing soda. (mixed with Teepol ?) I have memories as an apprentice of getting it from a old 40gal drum where it was stored and after a while it turned into a solid chunk that needed hacking at with a deck scraper !

How about 'Tea Bags on a Raft' - Ravioli on toast !

Mike


----------



## trotterdotpom

I've just added "Ringbolt". 

In my brief research, I found that there is a "Ringbolt" Cab Sav produced in the Margaret River area of Western Australia - if anyone's interested, I believe it travels well.

John T.


----------



## Alan Malpas

What about "Sharks on a raft" - Sardines on toast that is....


----------



## mcotting

How about scuttlebutt? Rumors or the water cooler..
And also Topping Off... as in loading liquids


----------



## Pat Kennedy

benjidog said:


> Hi MethC.
> 
> Regarding your comment about Soogee - the only online definitions I can find say the stuff was made from caustic soda and detergent. I must admit that sounds rather potent for the job in hand.
> 
> Do other members share methc's view about the composition of Soogee - in which case I will update the entry. Or is he wrong and does it actually contain caustic soda. Or was it made from different ingredients depending on the company, what was being cleaned etc.
> 
> Can we have some more views on this please?


There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
Pat


----------



## Pat McCardle

Pat Kennedy said:


> There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
> 1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
> 2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
> 3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
> This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
> Pat



Used Teepol mixed with Basil, not the herb but the orange chemical grains, as a Soogi mix. Yet another dangerous way of getting rid of the oil/grease stains off the inside of skylights & upper engine room bulkheads/deckhead as well as taking the skin off the palms of your hands(EEK)

'Slap-Dash', hoying the paint on at a Job & Knock!!


----------



## jmcg

Pat Kennedy said:


> There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
> 1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
> 2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
> 3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
> This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
> Pat


Pat

Not exactly sugi in the correct sense but used for cleaning 

Remember:-

ATLAS for the wooden decks 

FERROTONE for the whitening of the metal over the side before docking in UK following voyage.

They would have to be used in controlled conditions today due to COSHH Regulations.

We used to use waste wadding dipped in white paint and applied by bare skin hands to handrails. Great days.

J


----------



## jmcg

There was also drum loads of powder (much like rough washing powder) that when mixed to porridge like consistancy gave off a pungent smell.

Blue Funnel ships used this a lot -probably ease of procurement from Lever Bros in Bromborough. 

It was pretty effective stuff but also skinned your hands. Latter day chaps in BF took to application of the stuff by small handled broom .

This did not find favour with Bosun on Hector who considered such elements of "the crowd" to be wimps. All such brooms went "over the side "at first opportunity. Back to hand application! 

BW

J


----------



## jmcg

Shell Stanlow manufactured / produced the Teepol as we knew it. Teepol was derived from Dutrex. The production plant at Stanlow was called the "Teepol Plant" on what was known as the "North Side". Here products were refined to Teepol from Dutrex (much much more from the latter.) There was provision to send the liquid down the line to the Multi Purpose Plant which could convert it to other cleaning materials including prilled form. 

I know the Shell chemical tankers visiting Stanlow and Eastham loaded this stuff. The Teepol produced for general application was tame compared to Dutrex.

BW

J


----------



## Pat Kennedy

John, 
Where did the Dutrex come from? Is it a product obtained from crude oil?
I remember the Atlas used for cleaning wooden decks, and have seen it used successfully in cleaning oil caked floors in dock sheds, it is good stuff.
That bosun on the Hector was Joe Bates? I never sailed with him but heard he was best avoided.
Pat


----------



## jmcg

Pat
Yes it was a by product of Arabian Light Crude. When refined again it was used in a multitude of services.

Joe Bates was Bosun on Hector. Joe joined Hector in Belfast as she was being built. Stayed in her for at least 21 years (some say he was in her till her end of BF days). Amazing! Joe never "coasted " except Aussie as he put it. 

He was a very fair hard working Bosun. Disliked deck boys and OS's. Have posted elsewhere over the past week on their plight.

BW

J


----------



## Pat Kennedy

John, 
I heard he also disdained the use of paint rollers, pitching them into the 'big locker' and enforcing the use of brushes, and as you stated earlier, wads of cotton waste, especially when applying red lead.
Not exactly one of life's innovators then.
Pat


----------



## benjidog

Thanks for the comments on Soogee.

I will assemble an entry which I hope does justice to the variations in this cleaning material. I am just glad I never had to use it!


----------



## benjidog

I have also added Sharks on a raft.

Mcotting,

Could you provide a clearer definition of "scuttlebutt" and "topping off" that would be understood by a layman and I will add them also.


----------



## Ray Mac

Doc = Ch.Cook


----------



## Pat Kennedy

A quick flashback to the sugi.
JMCG mentioned powder of some sort in drums.
My memory has suddenly released the words 'Lye Soap'
This,was the powder and was I think, an essential ingredient in the mix. 
Pat


----------



## Ray Mac

Sometimes the Mate got some rigwash from the platforms for sugee I think for the outside housing(Thumb)


----------



## ROBERT HENDERSON

Talking of cleaning materials reminded me of my time in Everards tankers.
In Rotterdam we used to get products called Vecom, one grade was for washing bulkheads etc, another similar to Atlas for wooden decks, and one for tank cleaning. Everards used to let us load six drums, four for tank cleaning, one of each for decks and general cleaning.

Regards Robert


----------



## Andy Lavies

Bank Line soogi-mooji was a handful of washing soda and a handful of glutinous soft soap mixed into a bucket of water - applied with a wad of cotton waste. Never used caustic!
Andy


----------



## ambrose jones

jmcg senior member 

Please can you improve my understanding of the relationship 
between TEEPOL and DUTREX
as I understand it, both were Shell products 
and yes, in later years, TEEPOL was produced at Stanlow 

TEEPOL was invented in 1941 in Burma 
But I have failed to find any indications that DUTREX
is an ingredient in its make up 

DUTREX being a non staining oil, which is a carbon remover 
but which was not patented in the U.S.A. until 09/12 /1978 
some 37 years after Teepol was first used 

Regards
Ambrose


----------



## Brad

I'll, add


ROSIE - was always a rubbish bin. 

SHORT ARM INSPECTION - a check performed for STD's, usually after a lengthy and energetic stint ashore.


----------



## benjidog

Brad said:


> I'll, add
> 
> 
> ROSIE - was always a rubbish bin.
> 
> SHORT ARM INSPECTION - a check performed for STD's, usually after a lengthy and energetic stint ashore.


Both added Brad.


----------



## Pat Kennedy

benjidog said:


> Both added Brad.


Brian, 
If you want to cross reference 'rosie' the alternative word is 'gashbucket'.

And on that theme of disposing of food waste while at sea, there was the 's**t chute', always rigged on the poop in my experience and in Blue Funnel at least, it had a salt water tap plumbed in to sluice the gunge away.
I had many a hairy trip aft to the s**t chute in heavy weather when I was a peggy. 
Pat


----------



## Andy Lavies

*Snotty*

Snotty - general term for an RN midshipman, also occasionally used for apprentices and cadets in the MN.
Andy


----------



## jmcg

ambrose jones said:


> jmcg senior member
> 
> Please can you improve my understanding of the relationship
> between TEEPOL and DUTREX
> as I understand it, both were Shell products
> and yes, in later years, TEEPOL was produced at Stanlow
> 
> TEEPOL was invented in 1941 in Burma
> But I have failed to find any indications that DUTREX
> is an ingredient in its make up
> 
> DUTREX being a non staining oil, which is a carbon remover
> but which was not patented in the U.S.A. until 09/12 /1978
> some 37 years after Teepol was first used
> 
> Regards
> Ambrose


Ambrose

On Stanlow's North Side (Via No 3 Gate) there was a manufacturing (refining) plant that was named the Teepol Plant. It was indeed an old plant -one of the last remaining on that side.There were various varieties of Teepol, usually suffixed by numbers, but all produced in batches on the same plant. The more viscous varieties were just short of wax and were a very dark green - almost brown coloured. 

The raw materials used in producing Teepol at Stanlow included Dutrex. All p/p work was marked up with product identification and flow direction. There was at lease one dedicated tk holding Dutrex. Whether Ester Salts, Sulphur, Amylenes or other related plants were involved in the raw product supply to Teepol plant I do not know. I was not on the "Operators" side. It was by no means a difficult plant to work on as it had plenty of open areas with redundant warehouses and tank farms close by. There was at one time a "Handling and Filling" facility within the warehouse with end products leaving the refinery by rail car. The rail tracks are still there. In my time at Stanlow the "drummed " products including Teepol were filled at a purpose built H&F unit on the "south Side". Units were 45 gall drums. A new facility was subsequently built on North Side. I understand that it is operated by Shell outside of the Manufacturing Complex.



As part of the maintenance crew on "chemicals" at Stanlow the Teepol plant was a regular calling point. Most, but not all of the pipe work was 316 stainless with specialist neoprene or spiraflex jointing at flanges. It was not a particularly labour intensive maintenance plant as some of the "Operators" were capable of,and indeed undertook minor maintenance tasks.

The Dutrex lines were in the pipetracks -overhead and on the ground. There was a loading bay for road tankers where Bulk Teepol and Dutrex was loaded.


I'm not at all sure that Teepol is still made at Stanlow but will find out. Stanlow North Side is but a mere shadow of what it used to be with only the Energy Recovery Plant, SHOP Plant and RM17 still producing.

Hope this helps.

BW

J


----------



## jmcg

Pat. Post #21

Can't recall that name. There was a brown coloured block of soap used for hand dhobi. About 12 inches long about 3 wide and 2 thick. Ok for shorts etc but not skiddies or tee shirts. It had a tendency to scorch the undercarriage and ceratinly not acceptable on a Bluie to be found scratching that area whilst in the wheel house or on w.o.b.

BW

J.


----------



## benjidog

I have added gashbucket, ****e shute and Snotty.


----------



## jmcg

Additional lighting for Far East cargo operations on Blue Funnel vessels could be found hoisted up to "yard arms" on fore and mainmast.

These were big awkward items. They were known as "Clusters". 

Never heard the term used elsewhere. 

BW

J


----------



## Kalamaki Bob

Clusters were used on SSA ships for additional hold lighting on cargo ops. Bl**dy nuisance rigging them and it was always the cadet's job.

Bob


----------



## Pat Kennedy

John, 
Those blocks of brown soap were multi-purpose. as a peggy I used it for scrubbing the deck in the accomodation, and in the messroom I used to chop it up into small pieces and stuff them into an empty jam tin with holes punched in it, and hang it under the hot tap to produce the sudsy washing up water. The suds lasted until the first greasy plate hit the water, then turned into s***. Teepol never made it into the messroom during my peggyship.
As for clusters, I encountered them on all ships I sailed on, and worked on, on the docks. What was , I think, unique to BF was the yardarms you describe on the masts. I dont recall seeing them anywhere else. 
Pat


----------



## jmcg

MT jam tins!

Greengage no doubt!

J


----------



## Pat Kennedy

jmcg said:


> MT jam tins!
> 
> Greengage no doubt!
> 
> J


No one ever ate the greengage jam, but the tins came in handy for all sorts of things. The lampy had a few up forard to wash out the paintbrushes in paraffin. I used to see them hung underneath leaking pipe joints in the engine room, and lots of uses in the galley.
Maybe BF had a greengage plantation as well as that pig farm, cos we got pork every bleeding day in Blueys.
Pat


----------



## Binnacle

*Scuttlebutt*



benjidog said:


> Mcotting,
> 
> Could you provide a clearer definition of "scuttlebutt" and "topping off" that would be understood by a layman and I will add them also.


The Sailor's Word-Book defines Scuttlebutt - A cask having a square piece sawn out of it's bilge and lashed in a convenient place to hold water for present use.


----------



## benjidog

I have added Scuttlebutt - thanks Binnacle.


----------



## trotterdotpom

"Scuttlebutt" in the vernacular also refers to shipboard gossip or rumours.

John T.


----------



## benjidog

Thanks John - have added it as a second meaning.


----------



## trucker

*fishplate*

fish plates.steel plates welded over deck or other plates to repair or reinforce.also known as doublers.seizing wire .used for mousing cargo hooks and shackles.(EEK)also mooring leads i.e panama leads and fair leads.panama lead being fully enclosed so the rope cant spring out or jump.fair lead the mooring passes through a roller.also you had a free standing roller inboard .slightly foreward of the windlass. so you had a direct lead to the winch.this roller known as the old man.same on poop.another m.monkey island ,deck directly above bridge.f. funnel hook. hooked over funnel when rigging staging etc.


----------



## Nick Balls

I notice somebody using the word "Peggy" I wanted to add this to the nautical terms but had no precise definition!!! We used to use it ,as in: acting as the " alley-way cleaner ect, whilst doing a night watchman's job on smaller vessels.
Pretty multi tasking!!! Its a super example of a seafaring word and I wonder just where it came from. Anybody got any thoughts?


----------



## jimthehat

jmcg said:


> Additional lighting for Far East cargo operations on Blue Funnel vessels could be found hoisted up to "yard arms" on fore and mainmast.
> 
> These were big awkward items. They were known as "Clusters".
> 
> Never heard the term used elsewhere.
> 
> BW
> 
> J


Never heard of clusters bein hauled up the yardarm ,But in bank line in the 50s/60s each ship probably had about 40,with about 20spare,they were kept in the mast houses until need in the holds or hanging over the hatch coamings,each cluster had a wooden connector which was plugged into abox in the mast houses,and yes it was always the apprentices job as dusk decended to get all the clusters out and checked.
jim


----------



## jimthehat

Nick Balls said:


> I notice somebody using the word "Peggy" I wanted to add this to the nautical terms but had no precise definition!!! We used to use it ,as in: acting as the " alley-way cleaner ect, whilst doing a night watchman's job on smaller vessels.
> Pretty multi tasking!!! Its a super example of a seafaring word and I wonder just where it came from. Anybody got any thoughts?


PEGGY on bank line white crew ships ,and i assume throughout the MN was the juniormost deck rating(JOS)whose job was to look after and keep clean the ABs mess and do all the general dogsbodys jobs that the bosun required.

JIM


----------



## joebuckham

Nick Balls said:


> I notice somebody using the word "Peggy" I wanted to add this to the nautical terms but had no precise definition!!! We used to use it ,as in: acting as the " alley-way cleaner ect, whilst doing a night watchman's job on smaller vessels.
> Pretty multi tasking!!! Its a super example of a seafaring word and I wonder just where it came from. *Anybody got any thoughts?[/*QUOTE]
> 
> hi nick
> a possible source given in last paragraph of "job description" on this site
> http://www.rhiw.com/y_mor/blue_funnel_02/life_at_sea/peggy.htm


----------



## Pat Kennedy

I thought everybody knew that the peggy was the deckboy, the lowest of the low, the skivvy, the butt of every trick and joke in the book, the hardest worked, and poorest paid, member of the crew.
Nine months of hell.
Still, if you survived, you were on your way to becoming a sailor!
Pat


----------



## Nick Balls

Thanks Joe very good answer! These words are I fear ,no longer common knowledge and need writing down in the Nautical Terms section.
Long time since I saw a British "Cabin Boy" let alone a British AB!


----------



## benjidog

I hope I have captured the key points made about Peggy for you now.


----------



## trotterdotpom

On Australian ships, "Peggy" was a position reserved for ABs or Engineroom Ratings who were unable to perform those duties for one reason or another - they were paid the normal rate as far as I know and actually signed on as "crew attendant" or something like that, I forget now.

John T.


----------



## benjidog

Added the Aussie version as well John.


----------



## ambrose jones

BW / JMCG

Thank you for your reply
It is just that I had failed completley to make any connection between Teepol and Dutrex which I believed was a much later product 
Regards
Ambrose


----------



## jmcg

Ambrose

Teepol is still being manufactured/produced in the UK but not by Shell. I am told that Shell has "sold off" all rights to the product. The original formulation has been replaced.

BW is my salutation for Best Wishes 

BW

J.


----------



## Pat Kennedy

Q;
Port and Starboard quarters. the sides of a ship between the stern and the midships.
Also a 'quartering sea' A sea which comes from either the port or Starboard quarter.
Pat


----------



## benjidog

Pat Kennedy said:


> Q;
> Port and Starboard quarters. the sides of a ship between the stern and the midships.
> Also a 'quartering sea' A sea which comes from either the port or Starboard quarter.
> Pat


Added.


----------



## trucker

dutchmans anchor= left something behind. gripes=securings to keep the life boat snug into the davits.tricing penents=when life boat lowered to embarkation level. penents keep the boat tight onto the fishplates.to be removed before lowering lifeboats.eee there,s loads more.(==D)


----------



## THEDOC

MikeK said:


> Agree with methc, soojee used washing soda. (mixed with Teepol ?) I have memories as an apprentice of getting it from a old 40gal drum where it was stored and after a while it turned into a solid chunk that needed hacking at with a deck scraper !
> 
> How about 'Tea Bags on a Raft' - Ravioli on toast !
> 
> Mike


sh*t on a raft - devilled kidneys on toast


----------



## THEDOC

jmcg said:


> Additional lighting for Far East cargo operations on Blue Funnel vessels could be found hoisted up to "yard arms" on fore and mainmast.
> 
> These were big awkward items. They were known as "Clusters".
> 
> Never heard the term used elsewhere.
> 
> BW
> 
> J


Cargo clusters of a large enamelled reflector with about 5 or 6 60 or 100watt bulbs.


----------



## THEDOC

How about corned dog (universal name in Shell for corned beef).


----------



## Quiney

THEDOC said:


> Cargo clusters of a large enamelled reflector with about 5 or 6 60 or 100watt bulbs.


I remember once forgetting to lift the clusters out of the hold prior to hastily closing the hatch dueto rain. The cable (and seciring rope if used ) was cut through by the rollers and the cluster crashed down onto the tank tops (there's another Q-T term) and smashed all of the bulbs!


----------



## Chouan

trucker said:


> dutchmans anchor= left something behind. gripes=securings to keep the life boat snug into the davits.tricing penents=when life boat lowered to embarkation level. penents keep the boat tight onto the fishplates.to be removed before lowering lifeboats.eee there,s loads more.(==D)


Tricing pennants, to be pedantic.


----------



## Orbitaman

Chouan said:


> Tricing pennants, to be pedantic.


Tricing 'pendants' to be doubly pedantic


----------



## trucker

*tatties*

penents ,pendants. some say potatoes some say tatties ,still make chips.[=P]


----------



## Orbitaman

trucker said:


> penents ,pendants. some say potatoes some say tatties ,still make chips.[=P]


Potatoes or tatties - both acceptable

Penents - wrong, Pendants - correct, thereby lies the difference.

Ask the good Charlie Diston for his view were he still live and he would have put you right in no uncertain terms!


----------



## Pat Kennedy

I thought that pendants was pronounced 'pennants', in the same sort of way that gunwhale is pronounced gunnel, and forcastle is focsle etc etc.
Pat. (pronounced Paddy on some ships)


----------



## ssr481

Red Lead - rust preventative paint .. whenever I'd be on the BROWN and after chipping and painting chipped areas with rustex.. Red Lead would be applied then the standard Haze Gray paint.. sometimes the Mad Painter would come along and use a spray gun...


----------



## Bob Theman

Not sure if this falls in with the theme, but here goes.....
Q. Ships. Allied vessels that looked like conventional merchantmen or were merchantmen specially adapted to counter the threat of U Boats attacking unescorted lone allied vessels by surface gun action. (saved on torpedoes- so more economical of ammo). The Q ships, mostly used during WWI, when ordered to heave to by U Boat then dropped their camouflage or concealing devices to reveal serious gun armament. U Boat commander seeing that he was seriously outgunned tried to dive but Q ships' guns would already have been laid and opened fire before the U boat conning tower disappeared.


----------



## looneylectrics

I just did a search of this thread for Jolly Boat and didn't find it, so what happened? In all my many minutes at sea I don't recall ever having used the Jolly Boat, Is there a big hole in my memory? I don't know! How would I if I had forgotten it?
I can't give an accurate nautical discription of one but I'm sure we have someone who can give us a text book description. To me it was a little thingy that got used when you wanted to go round the big thingy, sort of.

P.S. I'll most likely get my papers for this. A GOOD for conduct and a DR for ability.


----------



## Chouan

Pat Kennedy said:


> I thought that pendants was pronounced 'pennants', in the same sort of way that gunwhale is pronounced gunnel, and forcastle is focsle etc etc.
> Pat. (pronounced Paddy on some ships)


Possibly. A pendant is something that is suspended from something else, same root as pendulous or pendulum, or suspend. A pennant is a particulary long flag, but, was originally a flag hung from a crossbar, I think, so clearly the words are closely related.


----------



## doug rowland

Irish Pennants= Tatty Lashings or untidy ends of ropes, general term for unseamanlike ropework.


----------



## methc

*Soogie*



Pat Kennedy said:


> There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
> 1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
> 2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
> 3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
> This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
> Pat


My knowledge of soogie was gained as a cadet with Lyles aboard the Cape Howe.
I have made it up many times since from washing soda and can say without doubt that it is extremely effective in removing stains as,depending on the strength,it will remove the outer layers of paint.

I was invalided out from the Cape Howe,after my third voyage,on Donaldson's charter to the US West coast, because the bosun substituted caustic soda for washing soda which had all been used up. As was usual on that ship,some days before arriving in Liverpool, as a final touch, the decks were coated with a mixture of the last of the black paint,turpentine substitute and boiler oil.On this occasion,one day out we ran into a head sea from a quite severe gale and consequently the main deck white paint was liberally splashed with the mixture that had not fully dried. I and an hardened AB were given a bucket of soogie and cotton waste each at 0700 and told to get the mess off the white paint.By 0800 the skin of my hands had turned to a nasty grey and was actually hanging off in places showing raw flesh.

The AB complained that even his hardened skin was very soft and many old scars had opened.

The bosun was,shall we say, given a severe talking to.

After final treatment at a first aid station in Liverpool Docks,somewhere, I was paid off and a kind person put my wages in my trouser back pocket.When I got to the ticket office at the railway station,I was unable to get hold of the cash as my fingers were bandaged together,only the thumb being separate.I asked a man, a complete stranger, to get the notes out of my pocket for me which he did. He helped me further by actually buying the ticket and putting the balance back in my jacket pocket.It amounted to some £40. Would that happen today,do you think?

No compensation of course,though I seem to remember getting some cash as sick pay from I don't know where.

I had a month of leave!

As to Teepol, a Shell product,we were given that some years later,about 1952, to use but it wasn't at all effective in getting rusts stains off the paint.Useless in fact.We never thought it was much good on oils stains either.

Were they really happy days?


----------



## joebuckham

Pat Kennedy said:


> I thought that pendants was pronounced 'pennants', in the same sort of way that gunwhale is pronounced gunnel, and forcastle is focsle etc etc.
> Pat. (pronounced Paddy on some ships)


hi pat
pennant or pendant both equally correct when discussing the long thin flags or the loose piece of rope or yarn flying in the breeze named after our kin across the water, but only pendant describes a piece of rope or wire hanging down for the purpose of attaching something to(Thumb)


----------



## Pat Kennedy

Joe, 
There used to be a trick question concerning how many ropes are there on a ship; and the answer was I think, only one; the bell rope.
Mooring ropes are correctly named hawsers etc etc.
What do you think?
Regards, 
Pat


----------



## ccurtis1

Re Peggy.
Didn't it arise from sailing ships days in the RN, when a seaman who had a leg amputated in battle, and therefore could not go aloft, due his wooden peg leg, was assigned mundane duties on deck. He was universally known on board as "Peggy" due to his disability.
Another from Sailing ships days, Quintal. Apart from flogging, don't know what other function he provided on board. Made a great impression in the "Mutiny on the Bounty" movie


----------



## joebuckham

Pat Kennedy said:


> Joe,
> There used to be a trick question concerning how many ropes are there on a ship; and the answer was I think, only one; the bell rope.
> Mooring ropes are correctly named hawsers etc etc.
> What do you think?
> Regards,
> Pat


sticky one that pat, bellrope it is (Thumb) , but not to forget the boltropes on the lifeboat sails. we always talked of head and stern lines, springs and breasts, but the bosun's manual calls them mooring ropes 
b rgds


----------



## northern lad

Re sharks on a raft and other delights does any one remember **** on a raft? Devilled kidneys in a rich brown gravy served on toast, usually for breakfast! Or herrings in, meaning tinned herrings in tomato sauce, served up for nine o'clockers in the R.N.


----------



## john meekin

*jollyboats*



looneylectrics said:


> I just did a search of this thread for Jolly Boat and didn't find it, so what happened? In all my many minutes at sea I don't recall ever having used the Jolly Boat, Is there a big hole in my memory? I don't know! How would I if I had forgotten it?
> I can't give an accurate nautical discription of one but I'm sure we have someone who can give us a text book description. To me it was a little thingy that got used when you wanted to go round the big thingy, sort of.
> 
> P.S. I'll most likely get my papers for this. A GOOD for conduct and a DR for ability.


Joe your memory is sadly lacking mate,we had a jollyboat on the cape grenville,it was housed down aft above the bosuns cabin,we were using it in hong kong to paint the boot topping,thats when my mate found out neither of us could scull,we had to be towed back to the ship by a old sampan lady, very embarrising also we used a slippery knot to tie her up one "smoko",I had to dive into H.K. harbour to retrieve it,remember it Joe, it had a sharp bit at one end and a flat end at the back,it was only 48 years ago.best regards joe, Blacky Meekin


----------



## john meekin

*sugee*



Pat Kennedy said:


> There were three different mixes of sugi in my experience.
> 1 Teepol for general washing down of bulheads etc.
> 2 Soda crystals for more heavy duty use.
> 3 caustic, only for really heavy grease/oil removal.
> This last was dangerous stuff because a splash in your eye could blind you.
> Pat


Pat,do you recall that stuff we used in Bluies to remove the rust stains from white paintwork,I seem to remember we sprayed it on after we sugeed the bulkheads,the paintwork came up like new,it must have been a mild acid ,it stung if you got it on your bare skin,the cranes on the super "Ps" realy looked the part after we finnished them.no health and safty then.

regards to all John


----------



## Pat Kennedy

It must have come along after my time John, We had to scrub and scrub with sugi, and more often than not it was indelible and just got painted over.
Pat


----------



## joebuckham

john meekin said:


> Pat,do you recall that stuff we used in Bluies to remove the rust stains from white paintwork,I seem to remember we sprayed it on after we sugeed the bulkheads,the paintwork came up like new,it must have been a mild acid ,it stung if you got it on your bare skin,the cranes on the super "Ps" realy looked the part after we finnished them.no health and safty then.
> 
> regards to all John


john, we used a commercial brand of phosphoric acid in albyn line and sugar line to coat newly chipped surfaces, and to wipe onto open rust marks. theory was that it formed iron phosphate which if allowed to dry bonded with the paint application.

b rgds


----------



## jmcg

#78

John

I imagine the substance that escapes your memory was called FERROTONE. It came in 25 litre square steel container. Had a most pungent smell. We used it a week or so before arrival Liverpool on any white paintwork that had shown signs of bleeding or rust from under the gunwale(s). Very effective product but required total sugi and wash off before repainting. 

It was nasty stuff though - contained HFA. 

BW
J


----------



## Old Janner

benjidog said:


> Thanks for the comments on Soogee.
> 
> I will assemble an entry which I hope does justice to the variations in this cleaning material. I am just glad I never had to use it!


Brian, Soogee was one of the first names I learnt on joining the Merchant Navy, the soloution that I had to make from the recipe of the chief cook was, take a hard bar of brown dhobi soap, Grate half of it 'Cheese grater' into a bucket, add a small amount of washing soda, add boiling water from the copper galley geyser, stir with brush handle then add cold water to cool, this was good for all sooty paintwork in the galley and was not to harmful on the hands providing you worked quickly. Method was to wash it on with Mutton Cloth then rinse it off with a fresh water mutton cloth. Job to be completed every Saturday evening, after spraying the complete galley with 'Flit' to kill the cockroaches, not uncommon to get half a bucket of cockroaches a week from the galley alone.
We used to clean the copper geyser with a mixture of Vinegar and sugar, always looked nice for Sundays inspection.
We had a liquid soap in BP called By Prox, but the chief steward treated it like gold we were not allowed to use, I cant remeber why, unless he had a way of selling it !!

Spence.


----------



## Old Janner

Other Nautical terms that come to mind, was the "Thunder Box" toilet rigged over the stern for Native workers. "Dead lights" the big metal covers that got screwed down over the port holes in extreme bad weather. 'Wind Shutes' iether the origional metal port scuttles pushed out through the ports to direct fresh air into the cabin (before A/C was put aboard ships) or if missing use of a carboard beer box.
As i was involved with the medical locker at a young age, does any body remember BOT anti VD kits that were available to people who asked, I think these were the for runners of condoms for seamen.
'Blue Unction' a cream used to kill a dose of the crabs, or if not available, Kerosine also did the trick but made you say AHHHHHHHHHH.
'Black Draught' a black liquid clove and bayleaf smelling that was used for constipated persons, much sought after by Indian crews, had to ration it to them.
'Farmer' I think it was the name for the 2nd wheel man the bridge, I am sure somebody will correct me if I am wrong.
'Galley Radio' best gossip for ships orders, normally from the Captains Steward who saw the latest messages and quickly relayed the next orders to the Galley who quickly relayed it around the ship.
"Steel yard" the metal device for weighing items on the ship normally ok for 100 kgs, worked on a sliding counterbalance, but was very accurate, even with the ship rolling.
Spence.


----------



## benjidog

Thanks for the contributions Spence - I am in the process of adding them to the relevant Directory pages.

You might like these limericks I came across:

_Blue unction has only one function : _
_It's used for the killing of crabs_
_Which some calls the "mechanised dandruff"_
_And others the "Sandy McNabs"._

_There was a young woman from Hitchin,
Who was scratchin' her crotch in the kitchen.
Her mother said, "Rose,
It's the crabs, I suppose?"
Rose said, "Yep, and the buggers are itchin'" _


----------



## Pat Kennedy

Spence, 
In your reference to the 'farmer', you said someone wouild correct you if you were wrong, well, here I am.
The farmer didnt do the second wheel, he did the first hour of the watch as standby man, then he went on the look out for two hours, then he did the fourth hour as stand by man. He was responsible for waking the next watch (with tea and toast in most ships I was in)
Best regards, 
Pat(Thumb)


----------



## Bill Davies

*Correct!*


----------



## Bill Davies

Just a brief rider on the above.
It was usual that the Farmer was left in his bunk until those coming off watch decided to call him, which could easily be 20/30 minutes into the watch.

Brgds

Bill


----------



## benjidog

I deliberately didn't put an entry about the Farmer as I was expecting some sort of follow up and thought I would wait and see what other people had to say.

Does anyone know where the term Farmer came from?


----------



## Old Janner

*Farmer*



Pat Kennedy said:


> Spence,
> In your reference to the 'farmer', you said someone wouild correct you if you were wrong, well, here I am.
> The farmer didnt do the second wheel, he did the first hour of the watch as standby man, then he went on the look out for two hours, then he did the fourth hour as stand by man. He was responsible for waking the next watch (with tea and toast in most ships I was in)
> Best regards,
> Pat(Thumb)


Thanks Pat , the grey cells are not as they used to be.
I like to smile when I look back to the 60's and 70's they were the best times of the MN. I wonder what it is like at sea today, not many characters around who could swing the lantern.

Spence.


----------



## Pat Kennedy

Old Janner said:


> Thanks Pat , the grey cells are not as they used to be.
> I like to smile when I look back to the 60's and 70's they were the best times of the MN. I wonder what it is like at sea today, not many characters around who could swing the lantern.
> 
> Spence.


Very true Spence, they were good times, although, after I came ashore I used to look in wonder at these modern ships with no derricks, just a few cranes on deck, and mooring ropes and wires all reeled up on winch barrels, and full air conditioning and single berth accomodation, and I thought I had jacked it in at the wrong time. But, others on this site have said, no, its all gone to hell in a basket, our times were the best.
Regards, 
Pat(Thumb)


----------



## Old Janner

Pat Kennedy said:


> Very true Spence, they were good times, although, after I came ashore I used to look in wonder at these modern ships with no derricks, just a few cranes on deck, and mooring ropes and wires all reeled up on winch barrels, and full air conditioning and single berth accomodation, and I thought I had jacked it in at the wrong time. But, others on this site have said, no, its all gone to hell in a basket, our times were the best.
> Regards,
> Pat(Thumb)


Pat correct me if I am wrong,There is another saying, did'nt the deck crew have to "walk out" the mooring ropes ? What was the fancy splice at the end of a bell rope "Monkey's Dick" or something like that.
Even the women have changed ! some of the dockside pubs had some women who would look after you, now they only want to Roll you.

Spence.


----------



## Pat Kennedy

Spence, 
I think you might mean 'walking back' the rope, which was just paying a rope out from the drum end, under power slowly. 
dog's dick maybe? 
As for the women in sailor's pubs, I have only good memories of them, bless em all!
Your mention of cleaning the hot water urn in the galley reminds me of having to clean the ship's bell on the focsle with lime juice and cotton waste, when I was 1st trip peggy on the Achilles. I recall spending hours on it with no discernible effect, until the galley boy gave me a can of brasso, and became my friend for life.
Pat (Thumb)


----------



## greektoon

"Two blocks" also refers to a certain state of intimacy between a man and a woman.


----------



## i.cossey

Sugie or soogie ? However it was spelt I remember using it in its various levels of toxicity.From chopped up soft soap in a perforated connie onnie tin for washing up,totally usless as Pat has already said to the orange cristals Lye I think it was called, guaranteed to remove as many layers of skin as you dared to risk by continued immersion of your hands. As for other uses I remember buying denim jeans in the states, so dark blue and stiff that they did your street cred no good at all, they had to look worn and faded. A good scrubbing with lye and the a rope through the legs and over the wall for a good rinse. All being well the jeans were retrieved looking paler and feeling less like they were crafted from boiler plate.If it all went tittybang you could pull up your rope to find the knot you had tied was not uo to scratch and your jeans had jumped ship,or your mix of lye was a trifle to strong (I can remember people throwing cristals on to the jeans and leaving them to soak for a while) you could find that your new purchase was looking decidedly aireated and you had beaten todays youth in their ragged look jeans by some forty years.


----------



## trucker

Bill Davies said:


> Just a brief rider on the above.
> It was usual that the Farmer was left in his bunk until those coming off watch decided to call him, which could easily be 20/30 minutes into the watch.
> 
> Brgds
> 
> Bill


100% correct.used to look foreward to the extra zzzzz time.


----------



## Bob Theman

Apropos my post dated 25th February on this thread, I read in the Daily Telegraph this morning mention of the idea of Q ships being deployed to entice the Somali Pirates to have a go and get a surprise


----------



## trucker

*farmer*

post 88.the nearest i can come up with is from ,answers dot com.nauticle slang terms.FARMER THIRD A/B ON BRIDGE WATCH ,SO NAMED BECAUSE WAS PAID FOR DOING "VERY LITTLE".their was a couple more but i don,t think they related to that particular post.no one ever told me whilst at sea what it actually stood for. also walking out.you walked out the anchor ,just above the water line.then take it out of gear,then put it on the brake .ready for dropping.


----------



## todd

re: SHARK`S MOUTH/JAWS
A hydraulic malgotter post used on AHTS` to hold anchor cables etc whilst connecting/dis-connecting gear (usually anchors of oil-rigs,lay barges etc)


----------



## jmcg

#88

I was always under the impression that the term "FARMER" has its genesis in the period when livestock was extensively carried by ship. There would always be a supernumerary on board to tend the livestock. That person would not normally be set other shipboard tasks over his core duty, but could be called upon for particular non routine duties in time of need. He would have more than a smattering knowledge of animal husbandry.

Was always under the impression that that the "Shipper" provided the "farmer". It would appear that this explanation has some merit as the "farmer" had at least 2 hours inactivity during his watch.

Open to other offerings!

BW

J


----------



## i.cossey

Old Janner said:


> Pat correct me if I am wrong,There is another saying, did'nt the deck crew have to "walk out" the mooring ropes ? What was the fancy splice at the end of a bell rope "Monkey's Dick" or something like that.
> Even the women have changed ! some of the dockside pubs had some women who would look after you, now they only want to Roll you.
> 
> Spence.


As I recall the knot on the end of a bell rope was a Turks Head


----------



## Andy Lavies

Monkey's Fist was the knot on the throwing end of a heaving line - sometimes had a weight within to help it carry.
Andy


----------



## Pat Kennedy

I can remember making a woggle with a turk's head knot when I was in the sea scouts, you got a badge for that. But I never saw one made on a ship, although they were in evidence on handrails to ladders and stuff like that.
Pat


----------



## jmcg

#101

It was not unknown to saturate a ball of cotton waste with the residual lead contained in red lead paint and form the monkeys fist over the ball. I have seen it done and indeed did it this way as opposed to plunging the finished "fist" in the red lead afterwards. They commanded a premium price out east, sometimes the heaving line being returned on board minus the "fist".

When red oxide replaced the red lead in the paint the practice petered out.

It was utter humiliation if one "missed" shoreside at first attempt with such an endowed heaving line.

BW

J


----------



## trucker

*post 99*

thought your self [jmcg],and bill davies would have this one sorted by now.if you are researching this one your self ,hope you aren,t claiming short hand money.(Jester)


----------



## jmcg

The "cattle boats" from Rep.of Ireland to the Lairage in Birkenhead (M.V. Meath, Kilkenny, Dundalk) and others (Burns & Laird, Coast Lines) always carried Farmers to augment the seamen.

I am fairly sure that these were non seamen. Perhaps PK can comment on the Lairage activities at Birkenhead. They sluiced down and were finished for the remainder of the day and night. The B&I Line passenger boats Munster, Leinster, and the Burns and Laird ?? Ulster Monarch and Ulster Queen carried a few hundred head to the Lairage also before berthing across the River to passenger disembarkation. 

BW

J


----------



## Pat Kennedy

John, 
I like your new avatar, are you turning into Fred Dibnah?
regards, 
Pat


----------



## Bill Davies

Each one of those 'cattle boats' carried a 'Judas' which was the only one of the cattle to return on board.
Bill


----------



## jmcg

Pat

She is named "Wandering Star". Thirsty *****! Rebuilt from almost dereliction at no cost spared. 

I met the late Fred Dibnah on many an occasion - a great one for the "porter" and a fascinating yarn teller. 

Bill

Seem to recall a very distant reference to "Judas" - would you like to elaborate on the _modi operandi_ of the lairage. My attention(s) at the time were focused on a different class of cow.

Wasn't there a dispute (riotious behaviour) in the late 70's over the shipping of live cattle to Mediterreanean and North African ports? . Are live cattle still lifted?

BW

J


----------



## Pat Kennedy

John, 
It is a fine looking steam traction engine, and I envy you.
Also envy you knowing Fred Dibnah, I thought he was the most interesting character I have ever seen on TV.
I wonder what the health and safety people would make of his method of lashing ten or fifteen wooden ladders together in order to scale a mill chimney.
The man was totally fearless.
Pat


----------



## jmcg

Pat

Marshalls of Gainsborough original builders.

Nothing wrong with lashing 10 or more ladders together to scale a stack or chimney. Rafferty's steeplejacks still do it. 

It is the ones who say it cant be done are the ones that have never done it. 

Our motto is "You tell us what you want to do and we will tell you how to do it safely". I make my living from it!

Will e mail you some more pics.

Now back to cows and ships!

BW

J


----------



## trucker

*avatar*

jmcg,very impresive steam tractor.liked going to steam rallies and classic truck meetings.remember the old steam driven fodens,setinel.even in the late seventies there was one 4 wheeler robey, and an artic still working in colombo docks ,sri lanka.[steam].could steam make a come back?.


----------



## Bill Davies

jmcg said:


> Pat
> Bill
> Seem to recall a very distant reference to "Judas" - would you like to elaborate on the _modi operandi_ of the lairage.
> BW
> J


I can't elaborate much more than I have in that I had cause to travel on the 'Munster' and 'Leinster' in the 50s perhaps once a year.Prior to berthing in Liverpool the ships used to discharge the cattle at the Woodside Lairage. Judas was always first ashore and used to amble up the ramps stopping every so often to encourage the others to follow. The farmers were also there to push the 'laggers' from behind.
There was a pause after the last straggler disappeared and then you would hear Judas making his way back down the ramp and back on board.
That's about it.


----------



## jmcg

Further commentary on Farmer below link.

http://www.pentredu.freeserve.co.uk/pigs.html

BW

J


----------



## trucker

*question*



jmcg said:


> Further commentry on Farmer below link.
> 
> http://www.pentredu.freeserve.co.uk/pigs.html
> 
> BW
> 
> J


seems to answer the question.very interesting really.(Thumb)


----------



## Binnacle

methc said:


> Re soogee, it is not a weak solution of caustic soda but one of various strengths of Washing Soda or Sal Soda, found in the detergent section of stores, it effectively removes oil, grease, and alcohol stains.


In my experience at sea caustic soda was *never* used to make up soogee. I would get the gentleman who made it up with caustic to put his hand in it to test it for strength. Soda and Teepol was the normal practice.


----------



## Binnacle

Re Seven Bell Lunch
This definition is unfortunately rather officer oriented and fails to include the majority of a ship's crew ,firemen/trimmers,sailors, greasers, donkeymen etc. who knew the meal as a "seven bell dinner". This was usually collected by the peggy from the galley at 1120.


----------



## ferrandou

Bill Davies said:


> I can't elaborate much more than I have in that I had cause to travel on the 'Munster' and 'Leinster' in the 50s perhaps once a year.Prior to berthing in Liverpool the ships used to discharge the cattle at the Woodside Lairage. Judas was always first ashore and used to amble up the ramps stopping every so often to encourage the others to follow. The farmers were also there to push the 'laggers' from behind.
> There was a pause after the last straggler disappeared and then you would hear Judas making his way back down the ramp and back on board.
> That's about it.


From Belfast it was Burns and Laird carrying passengers and cattle to Glasgow, I remember the ship used to stop about an hour from Glasgow and unload the cattle, then continue to the main passenger berth. The men who handled these animals were known as cattlemen and were not seamen, a neighbour of mine done this job and he was also a docker in Belfast. Later there were "cattle boats" and carried only cattle and the same manning system was used, seamen for the ship and cattlemen for the cattle. I never heard of cattle being brought into Ireland except for the judas bullock.

Bob Hollis


----------



## ferrandou

Binnacle said:


> In my experience at sea caustic soda was *never* used to make up soogee. I would get the gentleman who made it up with caustic to put his hand in it to test it for strength. Soda and Teepol was the normal practice.


You are correct Binnacle, but this mixture of caustic and Atlas was used for the wooden decks of every Blue Star boat I was on, do not remember it's use on other ships, and perhaps this is where the confusion comes from.
On the Ulster Star the boat deck and the funnel were the love of the bosun's life, every morning 0600 the dayworkers scrubbed and holystoned the boat deck, there was a female passenger in the cabin outside of which the water tap was situated, took about two weeks of her pishing the bed before another passenger, a supernumary doctor, figured out the cause. The 3 feet of hose attached to the tap was a miracle cure.


----------



## Robert D

Hi all,
thought "farmer" came from sailingship days, when a ship was hardup for a crew it was common practise to "shanghai" seamen although not all the shanghaied were seamen, probably never seen a ships wheel before let alone use one maybe thats why theres no steering for the farmer. "Peggy" allways beleived this to be the one put the peg in the hole. In the cramped focsle(probably spelt wrong) it was space saving to have a table that slid up or down a pole/stanchion with holes where the peg was put.
Dont know if "flaking a rope" is included, laying out (often) a mooring rope or wire in a tight zig-zag so it runs out smoothly.


----------



## cryan

These days Sooji is the act of ragging down dirty pipes and metalwork etc as opposed to the mixture. Sooji is an Indian word for semolina so it might come from the fact that the soda crystals or solid part of the mixture looked like sooji? spealt sooji in north India (hindi) and suji in south india (tamil). i have never heard of cadets being called snooty's it was always gadgets. 

Spurling pipe - carries anchor cable from chain locker to the gypsy.
steaming - underway (even on a motor ship)
swinging the lantern - telling sea stories
salty as f*ck - describing an experienced hand


----------



## degsy

jmcg said:


> Further commentary on Farmer below link.
> 
> http://www.pentredu.freeserve.co.uk/pigs.html
> 
> BW
> 
> J


The first ship I sailed on the Douro had a stockmans cabin, from the days she carried thoroughbred horses down to B.A. I have also seen Rafferty's at work . Services Engineer at the Chemical Yard I once worked had the metal boilerhouse chimney's surveyed. Ladder sections where about 5-6 foot with metal sections on the top, the next ladder clipped into this metal and a wire was slung round the chimney to secure each ladder. Me heart was in me mouth watching the guy's lining the ladders up while they where STOOD ON THEM.(EEK)


----------



## Dickyboy

benjidog said:


> Hi MethC.
> 
> Regarding your comment about Soogee - the only online definitions I can find say the stuff was made from caustic soda and detergent. I must admit that sounds rather potent for the job in hand.
> 
> Do other members share methc's view about the composition of Soogee - in which case I will update the entry. Or is he wrong and does it actually contain caustic soda. Or was it made from different ingredients depending on the company, what was being cleaned etc.
> 
> Can we have some more views on this please?


Soogee... A solution of detergent, ie Teepol and water, used for washing, soogeeing, paintwork.


----------



## Dickyboy

'Flemming Gear'
A hand operated system of levers and cranks used to propel a lifeboat.


----------



## Dickyboy

Tension Winch...
A winch that automatically ajusted the tension of mooring ropes, to allow for variations in tide, weather or alteration of the ships draught.


----------



## Dickyboy

'Tennants'......
The best lager in the world.....Definitely!


----------



## Dickyboy

'Diver' 
A washer upper on passenger ships, if I recall correctly


----------



## Dickyboy

'Plaything'
Someone who is frequently asked to do odd jobs by a more senior member of the crew. Bosun's Plaything, Mates Plaything etc. Similar to a 'Gofor'


----------



## Dickyboy

'FOSS'
Phosphoric Acid based liquid used for treating rust and freshly chipped steel. It burned the rust, and left a thin skin that could be painted over. Highly corrosive!


----------



## Dickyboy

'Counterpane'
Outer bunk/bed covering.


----------



## Dickyboy

'Inglefield Clip'
Used for attaching flags to halyards


----------



## Dickyboy

'Thief Strand'
A strand, or strands in a rope of different colours to identify the owner of a rope. Most companies had their own particular colour combination of strands.
Even ropes can get knicked!


----------



## Dickyboy

Sh*t!
Sorry, I've just realised that This thread is for Q - T
Shall I delete them?
I'd just woken up, but not enough obviously.


----------



## joebuckham

Dickyboy said:


> 'Thief Strand'
> A strand, or strands in a rope of different colours to identify the owner of a rope. Most companies had their own particular colour combination of strands.
> Even ropes can get knicked!


hi dicky, always heard this referred to as the *rogue(s)yarn * but still in q-t (Thumb)


----------



## Dickyboy

joebuckham said:


> hi dicky, always heard this referred to as the *rogue(s)yarn * but still in q-t (Thumb)


Rogue's Strand sounds better anyway, and I could of been wrong. Long time ago now.


----------



## Varley

*Ox tail?*

Always ****house-lid in my days at sea (half of those days being before Transit, when the sun still shone at noon and the hambones were needed to "shoot the sun" for real).


----------



## TOM ALEXANDER

trotterdotpom said:


> "Scuttlebutt" in the vernacular also refers to shipboard gossip or rumours.
> 
> John T.


I believe the term "scuttlebutt" derives from an old Navy practise of only allowing so much water to be consumed each day. In order to keep the ration to a predictable level, the water butt was scuttled - had a hole placed at the required level so the butt could hold no more than required. Naturally, crew members would gather around the butt, much like the water cooler in a modern office, and their conversation, usually about their shipboard life became known as "scuttlebutt".


----------



## TOM ALEXANDER

Then there's the "son of a gun". Women coming aboard in the good old days were not allowed below, so wick dipping was done on the upper deck between the guns. Quite often the lass would have no idea who the sailor was who got her in the family way, so her off-spring was referred to as a "son of a gun".

Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey? Iron cannon balls stored near a cannon on a brass triangle, or monkey would not shrink as fast as the brass monkey, and when it got really cold the size difference was such that the ball would start to roll off the brass monkey. (Freeze the nuts off an iron bridge, however, is a completely different expression!)

Heaving the lead - the act, and art of heaving the sounding lead to determine the depth of water ahead of the vessel. Swinging the lead referred to goofing off instead of getting on with the work.


----------



## enzoneo

'Reptile' - 1st Officer on city boats used to callus deck cadets this - inferring that we were the lowest of the low - you can't get any lower than a snake does !


----------



## woodend

*Q*

How about 'quarter points'? I am sure there are still a lot more than I on the site that learnt to steer them.


----------



## Split

If it has not been mentioned, already, The man who took the middle two hours at the wheel was "the farmer" while the other two were on standby. It took me a long time to remember that!


----------



## Pat Kennedy

Split said:


> If it has not been mentioned, already, The man who took the middle two hours at the wheel was "the farmer" while the other two were on standby. It took me a long time to remember that!


I'm afraid you remembered it wrong. 
The farmer did the middle two hours on the lookout, not the wheel.
regards, 
Pat(Pint)


----------



## Split

Crikey! I hoped to get back here before someone corrected me LOL! Now, it is coming back to me. 

I was an apprentice with white crews from 1949 to 1951. It's going back a bit, so please forgive me. I was the third watch member with two bloody good sailors from West Hartlepool. I'll never forget them.

"Come on Ginger, Get yer effin finger out" One used to say.


----------



## Pat Kennedy

Never mind Split, I once turned the wheel to port when the Elbe pilot told me starboard!! Nearly put her in the submarine pens!!
Thats real forgetting!
Regards, 
Pat(Thumb)


----------



## Stephen J. Card

trotterdotpom said:


> I've just added "Ringbolt".
> 
> In my brief research, I found that there is a "Ringbolt" Cab Sav produced in the Margaret River area of Western Australia - if anyone's interested, I believe it travels well.
> 
> John T.



When young ladies came aboard ICENIC in New Zealand to sail to the next port with us it was call a 'Doing a Ringbolt'. 

Stephen


----------



## trotterdotpom

Stephen J. Card said:


> When young ladies came aboard ICENIC in New Zealand to sail to the next port with us it was call a 'Doing a Ringbolt'.
> 
> Stephen


That's what I was on about, Stephen.

John T


----------



## John Rogers

Dickyboy said:


> 'Diver'
> A washer upper on passenger ships, if I recall correctly


I have heard them called Pearl Divers.


----------



## Stephen J. Card

jmcg said:


> Pat
> 
> 
> FERROTONE for the whitening of the metal over the side before docking in UK following voyage.
> 
> We used to use waste wadding dipped in white paint and applied by bare skin hands to handrails. Great days.
> 
> J



After scaling steelwork, give a quick coat of FERROTONE to burn out rust particles. When dry, blast dust off with air hose or brush off. Either use recommended primer right away or better still, give a coat of boiled oil and let dry before painting. Old remedy but it works. Also, when lleaving port. nip round with brush and boiled oil and put a quick dab on anywhere where the paint film has been damaged... decks, hatches, fairleads etc. Stops rust staining until you can repaint.

When painting rails with a wad dipped in paint... coat hands with vaselene. Makes cleanup easy.


Stephen


----------



## 8575

"Tabnab". What's the origin of this name for a biscuit or galley baked lump of concrete, sorry cake!? (Eat)


----------



## slick

All,
'Stockholm Tar' applied to the inside of wooden lifeboats with a Turks Head brush.
What were the only two pieces of equipment that must be secured to the lifeboat at all times and why?
Yours aye,

slick


----------



## Varley

The bung. Because likely to be 'out' and therefore more risk of misplacement.
The bailer? Starting handle (if motorised)?

I await expert correction.


----------



## trotterdotpom

This thread is supposed to be about Nautical Terms Q-T, but it's becoming full of bloody Farmers. Somewhere there is another thread Nautical Terms F, or something. Benjidog (before he went to pastures new) used to sort these things out and was making some sort of Nautical Thesaurus - is that still happening?

Is it worth mentioning Q-Codes: International three letter codes all beginning with Q which were use on wireless telegraphy for brevity and to beat the language barrier.

eg QRM? (Am I being interfered with? - answer: "Don't you know?")

QUE English? Can you speak English? If the answer is No, repeat question with increased transmitter power.

Also "Serang", "Secunny" and "Tindal" - Bosun, Quartermaster and Bosun's Mate on Indian crewed ships.

Also: "Steaming Bonnet" - officers uniform cap.

John T


----------



## Stephen J. Card

Measures of paint 'ROB' (remaining on board) End of month stores lists.........

Under 'W'. 

Never mind 25 ltr drums or 5 ltr pots there was also an amount that Bobbie Campbell, Bosun from Buckie used to call 'a Wee Sippie'. That meant about a pint. His other term, 'a Cun* full' was a bit more but less than a full pot!


----------



## 8575

slick said:


> All,
> 'Stockholm Tar' applied to the inside of wooden lifeboats with a Turks Head brush.
> What were the only two pieces of equipment that must be secured to the lifeboat at all times and why?
> Yours aye,
> 
> slick


For'd painter.


----------



## slick

All,
The two buckets, essential for righting an upturned lifeboat?

Yours aye,

slick


----------

