Explorers
Terms
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- longitude
- Imaginary lines that run north-south on the surface of the earth.
- chip log and reel
- A devise for measuring the speed of a vessel through the water. It consist of a triangular piece of wood, weighted on one side and attached to a line with knots at set lengths.
- amidships
- The middle of the ship, either lengthwise or widthwise, or both.
- fore
- The front part of a ship.
- gunwale
- The top rail of the side of a boat or ship.
- traverse board
- A tool that recorded the course of a ship during a four-hour period of time (the watch). It consisted of a wood piece marked out with a compass rose and eight holes for pegs as that point on the compass was run by the ship.
- dhow
- A long, flat sailing vessel that is lateen-rigged and found to be used in the Indian Ocean along the east coast of Africa, the Arabian peninsula, Pakistan, and India.
- bearing dial
- A navigational device used to determine the position of the sun and moon when the Pole Star was not visible, especially during constant daylight of summer.
- sand glass
- A tool to measure the passage of time on a vessel, also called an ampolletta, used before chronometer.
- mainmast
- On ships with two or more mast, it is the secondmast.
- deck
- floors on a ship
- quadrant
- An instrument for determining the altitude of heavenly bodies. It is a quarter of a circle with a plumb bob suspended from its apex. Held vertically and aligned wit hte sun or star, the plumb line falls across the scale of degree markings from 0-90 degrees on the curved edge, indicating the angle of elevation.
- rudder
- A devise mounted near the stern of a vessel to control directions.
- sail
- An assemblage of cloth cut to various sizes amd shapes. It is designed to catch the wind and use its force to propel a vessel.
- rib
- The frames or timbers of a ship that rise from the keel to form the shape of the hull.
- cross-staff
- An early sixteenth-century instrument for measuring the altitude of a heavenly body. It is a square shaft and a sliding cross-piece set at right angles to the shaft. It measures in degrees and minutes.
- square-rigged
- Square or retangular sails on two or more masts.
- cog
- A twelfth-century Northern European trading vessel that was clinker-built and square-rigged.
- clinker
- The edges of the planks are overlapped to form an irregular exterior.
- foremast
- The forwardmost mast on a vessel with three or more masts.
- hand lead and line
- A tool to find the depth of water near the coasts. It's a rope with length markings, attached to a lead weight of about seven pounds. The depth of the water is equal to the length of line lend out. Tallow is at the bottom of the rope to pick up material from the bottom.
- draft
- The depth of water required to float a vessel.
- bilge
- The lowest part of a vessel's hull; where any water in the hull collects.
- hull
- The outer body of a vessel.
- port
- The left side of the vessel.
- compass
- An instrument whose magnetized metal needle aligns itself with the magnetic fields of the earth. Chinese are said to have invented it.
- lodestone
- A magnetized piece of iron ore that can pass its north-south properties to an iron needle. Needle can be used to make a compass.
- lateen rigged
- A triangular sail set at an angle to a short mast.
- keel
- The backbone of a ship. The principle timber of a wooden ship.
- compass rose
- A circle divided into 32 points for a total of 360 degrees and printed on a chart as a means of determining a course of a vessel.
- caravel
- A small three-masted vessel developed in the fourteenth century. It could be rigged with lateen or square-rigged sails.
- scurvy
- A deficiency of vitamin C caused by a lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet. One of the major causes of death in sailors.
- dead reckoning
- Estimating location and speed using a variety of different methods including wind, waves, bird sightings, and currents.
- planks
- The timber forming the outmost covering of the hull.
- latitude
- Imaginary lines running east to west on the surface of the earth.
- seaman's astrolabe
- A simple device used for measuring the altitude of the sun or a star for fixing one's approximate latitude.
- stern
- The back of a vessel.
- back-staff
- A navigational instrument introduced in the sixteenth century for measuring the altitude of the sun.
- Carrack
- A square-rigged ship with two to four mast.
- astrolabe
- An astronomical instrument used by ancient Greeks and others to measure the height above the horizon of celestial bodies.
- sundial
- A tool that aligned projects the shadow of the sun on a scaled surface, indicating the time of day.
- starboard
- The right side of a vessel.
- mizzenmast
- The third mast on ships with three or more masts.
- mast
- A vertical pole usually made of wood or metal that supports the sails.
- North Star
- A star found at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper and almost at the north celestial pole. Polaris
- bow
- The front of a vessel.
- poop
- A partial deck above the main deck located aft.
- meridian
- A great circle passing through the poles and separating the east and west hemispheres.