Sailing Terms That Seem Backwards and Confusing

[Dockhead]

And by the way, neither are "flammable" and "inflammable" opposites which mean the same.

"Flammable" is not a word (or shouldn't be). Like "I could care less", it's a sloppy distortion of a different word. The correct word is "inflammable", where "in" doesn't mean "not", as in "indecipherable", but coming from "inflame" -- to catch on fire.

Yes, I admit that this mistake is so common that the non-word "flammable" has made it into Websters, and some people even promoted its use for safety's sake, because they feared confusion with "non-inflammable". But even if you disagree that it's a non-word, then at the very least, it's an artificial word. The root is "to inflame".

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by cyan

Ah, but currents take you places. Winds take you places.
A North wind takes me South.
A South current takes me South.
Again, this is illogical, Greek Gods notwithstanding.

Illogical to you maybe

Seems perfectly right to me. Current doesn't have an origin. North wind comes from Boreas, of course As every sailor since Odysseus knows

[Bill Seal]

Wind blows FROM, current sets TO.

And a line is hauled either SMARTLY or HANDSOMELY lads.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Bill Seal

Wind blows FROM, current sets TO.

And a line is hauled either SMARTLY or HANDSOMELY lads.

Way, haul away, the good ship is a-bolding,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
Way, haul away, the sheet is now unfold-ing,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!

[Sardean]

I like this topic, i started sailing 10 years ago on race yachts, i studied all the names of all the ropes, i would draw pictures of yachts and get my better half to test me. When i had my trial to get a crew position i made sure i knew the names, i found it very confusing as each "rope" had more than one name like kicker and downhaul. But i fumbled through and got a position as mastman, i must say that calling the ropes by correct names saves confusion, it was like learning a new language. Now on my cruising yacht i call the correct name and colour and location when newbies are onboard, the newbies are bewildered by the amount of lines on a yacht and comment how they enjoy hearing the names.
Hey John take up the lazy head sheet, the thick white and yellow one on the starboard side yes the one on your right, yes thats it, no dont lift it of the winch just pull it, no not to tight

[brookiesailor]

I have sailed dinghies most of my life. With new crew it is, "pull in the jib sheet...no not that one...they white stringy thingy". You keep repeating until they get to understand that the jib sheet is the white stringy thingy.

I sailed in a regatta a few years back with a bunch of women from a different part of the US than I was from. Came to the first tack, "ready about..hard to lee"...and most of them either fell off their feet or overboard as they were completely unprepared for what I was about to do, even though they got "set"

The last one.. We chartered a sailboat, my husband, my son, his friend and I. I was behind the wheel. My husband said, "you need to fall off" at which my son screamed "NO"

[Yellowtulip]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Exactly. "I could care less" is simply a mistake. The phrase is "I couldn't care less."

I think the misused phrase was originally "As if I could care less...." then the first two words were dropped.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

And by the way, neither are "flammable" and "inflammable" opposites which mean the same.

"Flammable" is not a word (or shouldn't be). Like "I could care less", it's a sloppy distortion of a different word. The correct word is "inflammable", where "in" doesn't mean "not", as in "indecipherable", but coming from "inflame" -- to catch on fire.

Yes, I admit that this mistake is so common that the non-word "flammable" has made it into Websters, and some people even promoted its use for safety's sake, because they feared confusion with "non-inflammable". But even if you disagree that it's a non-word, then at the very least, it's an artificial word. The root is "to inflame".

Don't have my Oxford English Dictionary at hand but internet and a search for the etymology of flammable claims it originated in the 1800s derived from Latin flamma or flammare. I would call that pretty legit.

[Caribbeachbum]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Each vocation and avocation has a lexicon that has developed over, sometimes, hundreds of years. Those practicing in such vocations or aspiring to do so need to learn the lexicon, whether they happen to like it or not or they will not understand what is happening or said to them, nor be understood by others in or practicing such vocations/avocations when they speak. Words/terms used in sailing or on the water, boating or aboard ship, have specific meanings particular to that vocation./avocation and environment. Accordingly, regardless of one's "opinions", it behooves one to learn the appropriate language, no?

I'm in full agreement.

All are welcome to refer to the mainsheet on their boats as "that rope over there." But if you do that on my boat, you'll be relegated to cleaning and mopping, since that's all I can count on you to understand.

Now go inspect your baggywrinkles, because sails are expensive.

-

[StuM]

Originally Posted by cyan

Wind vectors (wind arrows) on a map have a speed and direction. However these arrows point in the OPPOSITE way as the arrow on an active wind vane. When the wind moves air to the West, we call it an "Easterlie" or an "East Wind"... because it comes FROM the East. When a boat moves to the West, we call it Westing, or a Westerly departure... becuase it moves TO the West. Backwards, I tell you.

To say nothing of currents - which are described in the opposite way to winds. A SE current ( or set) is moving to the SE, a SE wind is coming from the SE

[deblen]

The actions of ferry passengers when the capt. announces "Attend to muster stations" (during lifeboat drill) may affect your strict belief that proper nautical terms work well with landlubbers.The cafeteria is sometimes over-run.

Another favorite is "whale off the stbd. (or port) bow" during tourist season.

Len

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Sardean

i found it very confusing as each "rope" had more than one name like kicker and downhaul.

To me the "kicker" is the slang term for a kicking strap, which I call a boom vang. The downhaul is the line used to harden the luff of a sail when the gooseneck slides in a track.

While I am at it: "prepare to come about" or ready about is followed by "helms-alee" a tiller or "coming about" on a wheel.

That being said, I like the precision of nautical terms, It lessens ambiguity. Most professions use "jardon" to facilitate communication among their themselves; it is not meant to exclude. Sailing, especially in heavy weather, is the same.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

And by the way, neither are "flammable" and "inflammable" opposites which mean the same.

"Flammable" is not a word (or shouldn't be). Like "I could care less", it's a sloppy distortion of a different word. The correct word is "inflammable", where "in" doesn't mean "not", as in "indecipherable", but coming from "inflame" -- to catch on fire.

Yes, I admit that this mistake is so common that the non-word "flammable" has made it into Websters, and some people even promoted its use for safety's sake, because they feared confusion with "non-inflammable". But even if you disagree that it's a non-word, then at the very least, it's an artificial word. The root is "to inflame".

Interesting. A difference between International/US English and British English. Inflammable is not a legal description for shipping. Gasoline is flammable and it is illegal to label anything as inflammable.

More than some people use "flammable." In fact, I believe everywhere other than the UK (UN shipping numbers and descriptions do not include inflammable).

According to the Oxford English Dictionary:
Usage

The words inflammable and flammable both have the same meaning, ‘easily set on fire’. This might seem surprising, given that the prefix in- normally has a negative meaning (as in indirect and insufficient), and so it might be expected that inflammable would mean the opposite of flammable, i.e. ‘not easily set on fire’. In fact, inflammable is formed using a different Latin prefix in-, which has the meaning ‘into’ and here has the effect of intensifying the meaning of the word in English. Flammable is a far commoner word than inflammable and carries less risk of confusion

[Sardean]

Originally Posted by jackdale

To me the "kicker" is the slang term for a kicking strap, which I call a boom vang. The downhaul is the line used to harden the luff of a sail when the gooseneck slides in a track.

While I am at it: "prepare to come about" or ready about is followed by "helms-alee" a tiller or "coming about" on a wheel.

That being said, I like the precision of nautical terms, It lessens ambiguity. Most professions use "jardon" to facilitate communication among their themselves; it is not meant to exclude. Sailing, especially in heavy weather, is the same.

I thought kicker and down haul can also refer to the ropes that hold the spinnaker pole down
And the mains downhaul is also Cunningham

[cyan]

Originally Posted by thinwater

According to the Oxford English Dictionary:
Usage

The words inflammable and flammable both have the same meaning, ‘easily set on fire’. This might seem surprising, given that the prefix in- normally has a negative meaning (as in indirect and insufficient), and so it might be expected that inflammable would mean the opposite of flammable, i.e. ‘not easily set on fire’. In fact, inflammable is formed using a different Latin prefix in-, which has the meaning ‘into’ and here has the effect of intensifying the meaning of the word in English. Flammable is a far commoner word than inflammable and carries less risk of confusion

That was invaluable!
I think we are doing a good job by carefully overlooking the use of sailing contronymns that would be overlooked if not we were not so not careful.
The moderators have no doubt generously sanctioned the use of drastic sanctions when we are not this careful.
It's as if some of you have dusted me with knowledge that normally comes to me only after an old book is dusted.
I am enjoying the ideas seeded into my mind as sit here seeding my melon dessert, though I think many sailors left as there are only some sailors left.
I lot of terms were tossed out, but only a few of those were tossed out.