What is a " spare man"

[SkiprJohn]

Anyone know where the term originated? Spent nearly 30 years in the (US) Navy and have been sailing more than 40 and never heard it before.

Could be a merchant term from a country that isn't US?

I'm always curious to learn new terms like "trunk monkey." Very handy.

kind regards,

[hpeer]

Over the summer I read Kipling's Captains Courageous.

I'll bet not one person in 100, maybe 1,000, can read that book today and understand much of what is going on. Yet, Kipling was writing for the masses at the time. He expected people to understand nautical terms and the language of the day included many references to maritime Canada locales.

My how things have changed.

[akfish]

I have read two books in my life and Captains Courageous was one of them...