Part 49

Is the Art of finding all the Varieties of the Ship's Motion.

Plank

Is sawed out of the strongest Beech, Elm, and Oak Timber, brought on to the Ship's Sides, and the latter used for laying their Decks, is cut from four Inches to one Inch and an Half thick; all above four Inches is called thick Stuff; and that cut out of Timber which grows compassing two Ways, is called Croaky; and such whose Edges happen to be circular, is called Snying.

Plates

Backstay Chain

Has a dead Eye, Iron bound at one End, through which the Lanyards of the Shrouds and Back Stays are reeved; and the other End has an Eye through which the Chain Bolt is drove into the Ship's Sides.

Puttock

Are for Fore-top-mast Shrouds, as the Chain are for the low Shrouds, but with this difference, the dead Eyes are bound into the Plates, and they have Hooks at the End of them.

Top

Are square and small, nailed on the Rim, through which the Puttock Plates go, and prevent their wearing the Top away.

Platts

Are made flat, out of Rope Yarn, and waved one over another, their Use is to save the Cable from galling in the Hawse.

Pointing

Is when the Strands of a Cable, or Rope about two Feet, are untwisted, and afterwards made less towards the End, in a tapering Manner, where it is made fast, with Marline wove into the Yarns; the Design of which is, to keep the Rope from raffling out, or that none may be cut off and stole away.

Pointers

Are Pillars in an oblique Position from the Floor Rider-heads on each Side, (pointing) or meeting each other at the Middle of the Gundeck Beams.

Poop

Is the Floor or Deck over the Round-house, being the highest or uppermost Part of the Hull of a Ship.

Ports

Are those Holes in a Ship's Side through which her Guns are put out.

Port the Helm

Signifies to put the Helm to the Left or Larboard Side; but they never say, Larboard the Helm, but always Port; though it is proper to say, Starboard the Helm, when it is put to the Right Side. A Ship is also said to heel a Port, when she swims not upright, but leans to the Left Side.

Port Last

The same as the Gunwale of a Ship; therefore a Yard is down a Port Last, when it lies down on the Gunwale.

Potts

Are allowed the Boatswains for dressing their Victuals in, and to the Carpenters for heating Pitch.

Preventers

Are Ropes of different Sizes, cut into short Lengths, and knotted at each End, to be ready in Case a Shroud should be shot or broke, that they may be seized to them.