Part 9

Bonnets

Are small Sails to be laced on upon the Main or Foresails, and Jibbs of Sloops, Yachts or Hoys, when fair, or to be taken off in foul Weather.

Boom

When a Ship makes all the Sail she can, they say she comes Booming; also those Poles with Bushes or Baskets on the Top, which are placed near Lakes, to direct how to steer into a Channel, are called Booms.

Booms

Fire

Are made out of long Sparrs, and fitted with a Spud of Iron at the End, and ferril'd; their Use is to prevent Fire-ships boarding, or fending off any others that may fall on board them.

Flying Jib

Runs up the Bowsprit, from which the flying Jib sail is hoisted.

Studdingsail

Goes along the Yards, through Irons fixed on them, that when they sail before the Wind, the studding Sail being set, causes the Ship to go through the Sea with greater Swiftness.

Boom Irons

Are made with two Rings, the large one clips the Yard, and the Booms go through the small one.

Boothose Tops

Are laid on about three Strakes of Plank below the Waters Edge with Tallow, and are generally given Ships when ordered on a Cruize.

Bowles

Are allowed the Boatswain, for the Use of the Men to put their Provision in.

Bowsprits

Of the Growth of New-England or Riga, are always wrought into sixteen Squares, before brought from thence, and are received into Store by their Diameter in Inches.

When on board, they lie steeving on the Head of the Stern, having the lower End fastened to the Partners of the Fore-mast, and a Gammoning reeved several Times through the Knee of the Head, and farther supported by the Fore-stay. It carries the Sprit-sail-yard, (Sprit-top-mast in three Deck Ships) Jack Staff and flying Jib Boom.

Bowline

Is a Rope fastened in three or four Parts of the Leech of the Sail, which is called the Bowline Bridle, but the Mizon Bowline is fastened at the lower End of the Yard.—All Sails have it except the Spritsail and Sprit-top-sail, and therefore those Sails cannot be used close by a Wind; for the Use of the Bowline is to make the Sails stand sharp, close, or by a Wind.

Bowline Knot

Is a Knot that will not slip, by which the Bowline Bridle is fastened to the Cringles.

Bowse

Signifies as much as hawl or pull, thus, hawling upon the Tack is called bowsing upon the Tack, and when they would have the Men pull altogether, they say, Bouse away.

Braces

All the Yards in a Ship, except the Mizon, has two; there is a Pendant made with an Eye, which goes round the Yard Arms, at whose other End there is a Block, through which the Brace is reeved, and their use is to square, traverse, or right the Yard, that is, to bring it so, that it shall stand at Right Angles with the Length of the Ship. The Main Brace comes to the Poop, the Main-top-sail Brace to the Mizon Top, and thence to the Main Shrouds; the Fore and Fore-top-sail Braces come down by the Main and Main-top-mast Stays, and so all the rest: But the Mizon Bowline serves for a Brace to that Yard, and the Cross Jack Braces are brought forward to the Main Shrouds, and the Mizon-top-sail Braces go through Blocks at the Mizon Peek.