Ship Lingo

Ship Types
Brig: These two-masted, square-rigged ships are employed as fast merchant vessels, but are also often armed as corsairs or privateers. They're lighter than frigates, but able to carry a comparable armament. Brigs flying pirate flags are the scourge of the Seas.

Brigantine: Two-masted ships with square rigs on their foremasts only, brigantines are smaller than brigs, and are slightly more maneuverable, though they cannot sport the same armament. Brigantines are often employed as armed merchants, escorts, privateers, or corsairs.

Caravel: Small lateen-rigged ships characterized by a high sterncastle, caravels are generally employed in cargo or fishing, but sometimes armed for raiding.

Catamaran: A catamaran is a small vessel formed of two hulls or floats held side by side by a frame above them. Very fast but not rugged enough for warfare, they're most often used in tropical climes for fishing and transporting cargo. Some island tribes, however, sometimes use catamarans to carry their warriors into battle, board unwary ships at anchor, or raid.

Galley: A galley is propelled mainly by one to three tiers of oars, but also sports lateen sails. Galleys are often used by slavers, though they're occasionally employed as short-range warships. They are heavily armed with ballistae, catapults, and even bow rams. With a shallow draft, galleys are especially useful in shoal waters and rivers, and can move quickly using their powerful banks of oars. Galleys do not handle high seas well due to their low profile, and can founder in rough conditions.

Felucca: With lateen sails on one or two masts, feluccas are fast, sleek vessels employed for fishing and transporting cargo, and-rarely-as warships. Feluccas have a shallow draft and can navigate rivers easily, employing both sails and oars.

Galleon: An eminently durable design characterized by lofty forecastles and sterncastles, galleons are used as heavily armed merchants or warships. They are square-rigged on the foremast and mainmast, and lateen-rigged on the mizzen.

Junk: Having square sails set on masts that are often stepped off the centerline of the ship, a high stern, and a flat bottom, junks are slow, sturdy craft employed as cargo vessels and warships by Tian nations.

Longship: With their narrow, open hulls, single square sails, and large numbers of oars that provide most of the propulsion, longships are commonly used by Ulfen for transport cargo and raiding.

Schooner: Characterized by a long keel and fore-and­aft-rigged gaff sails and jibs, schooners are fast, and can sail very close to the wind. They are used for fishing and as fast merchant vessels, but are rarely armed, relying on superb maneuverability to evade trouble.

Battleship: Often called line-of-battle ships, these vessels are used as main forces by large navies. Battleships commanded by commodores often head squadrons, hunt pirates, or escort merchant fleets or expeditions. With upward of 40 ballistae, three to four catapults, and often 200 fighting sailors, such a ship is rarely tangled with by a lone corsair.

Catawar: This large, shallow-draft warship has two hulls connected by a broad, firm platform, and is usually rigged with lateen sails. Each hull can be fitted with ioo oars, and the vessel can support large numbers of soldiers, archers, and siege engines. Despite its size, the craft can maneuver well using its huge banks of oars. Catawars are often used for harbor protection or in blockades.

Frigate: Three-masted and square-rigged, frigates are the smallest of the "rated" ships-those commanded by an officer of captain rank. They're fast and heavily armed, with one or two decks ofballistae and a bow-mounted catapult. Frigates can hoist a huge number of sails, require large crews, and are often manned with specially trained fighting marines for boarding actions.

Man-o'-War: These sailing behemoths are the height of military naval engineering. Generally fleet flagships commanded by admirals, men-o' -war rarely leave port with fewer than a dozen other warships accompanying them. With up to 50 ballistae on three or four decks, half a dozen heavy catapults, and hundreds of fighting sailors, marines, clerics, and wizards, these intimidating ships are virtually unstoppable.

Dirrections
Aloft and Alow: In the upper and lower rigging of a sailing ship, respectively.

Beam and Abeam: A vessel's width, and at right angles to the centerline of the ship's keel, respectively.

Belowdecks: Beneath the solid "weather deck" of a ship. There is no "downstairs" aboard a ship.

Bow and Stern: The forward-most and aft-most extensions of the deck.

Fore and Aft: Forward and rearward aboard a ship. Also "afore" meaning in front of, and "abaft" meaning behind.

Port and Starboard: The left and right direction or side, when facing the ship's bow. Parts of a Ship The following terms are used to describe the various parts of a sailing ship or other seafaring vessel.

Ship Parts
Bilge: The lowest interior compartment of a vessel.

Bollard: A post to which ropes are secured.

Boom: A fore-and-aft rigged spar supporting the lower edge of a sail.

Bowsprit: A spar extending forward from the bow to support forward sails.

Crow's Nest A platform for a lookout near the top of a mast.

Draft: Measure of how deep the ship is, from the keel to the waterline.

Forecastle: The often-raised forward part of the weather deck of a vessel. Also called the "fo'c'sle."

Gaff: A spar to support the top of a fore-and-aft sail; also a hooked pole for landing fish.

Galley: A vessel's kitchen.

Helm: A wheel or tiller by which a ship is steered.

Hull: The outer body of a ship.

Jib: A triangular sail suspended from a forward stay.

Keel: The bottom of a hull, and the main source of a vessel's structural strength.

Lateen Sail: A fore-and-aft rigged triangular sail set on a sloping yard.

Launch: Any small boat used to travel between the ship and a dock, shore, or another ship (such as a gig, cutter, jolly boat, barge, or pinnace).

Mast: A long spar rising from the keel or deck of a ship and supporting the yards, booms, and rigging.

Mizzen: Any rigging belonging to the aft-most mast ofa ship.

Quarterdeck: The part ofthe deck abaft of the mainmast.

Ratlines: Ropes or lines that serve as steps for going aloft.

Sheet: A rope for adjusting a sail.

Shroud: Any rope converging from both sides of a ship to support a mast.

Spar: Any pole meant to support a sail.

Stay: Any rope for steadying masts on a fore-and-aft axis.

Stemcastle: A ship's enclosed, aft-most elevated portion.

Transom: The flat back panel forming the stern of a ship.

Waist Deck: The upper deck amidships-the working area of the deck.

Weather Deck: The unenclosed deck or decks of a vessel, which are exposed to the weather.

Yard: The spar from which square-rigged or lateen sails are supported

Miscellaneous
Copperbottom: Originally a slang for ships from the Isle's navy but is now applied to all Isles ships. Many Isles ships are fitted with copper plated bottoms for speed and extra protection, mainly against Razorback Whales.

Calf Poacher: Someone who kills young whales. Calf poaching is a crime that carries a death sentence in the Isles. The term calf poacher has carried well beyond the Isles and is a general term for a villainous sailor.

Grog: Watered down rum ration, preferred beverage of choice on long voyages.

Grognard: A veteran sailor