BOARD AND BOARD. Alongside, as when two ships touch each other.
BOARDERS. Sailors appointed to make an attack by boarding, or to repel such attempt from the enemy. Four men selected from each gun were generally allotted as boarders, also to trim sails, tend pumps, repair rigging, &c.
BOARD HIM. A colloquialism for I'll ask, demand, or accost him. Hence Shakspeare makes Polonius say of Hamlet,
"I'll board him presently."
To make acquaintance with; to fasten on.
BOARD HIM IN THE SMOKE. To take a person by surprise, as by firing a broadside, and boarding in the smoke.
BOARDING. An assault made by one vessel on another, by entering her in battle with a detachment of armed men.
BOARDING-BOOK. A register which has for its object the recording all particulars relative to every ship boarded, a copy of which is transmitted to the admiral under whose orders the ship is employed. (See Guard-book.)
BOARDING-NETTINGS. A framework of stout rope-netting placed where necessary, to obstruct an enemy's boarders.
BOARDING-PIKE. A defensive lance against boarders.
BOARDLINGS. Flippant understrappers of the admiralty and navy-boards.
BOARD OF TRADE. A committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of commercial matters.
BOAT. A small open vessel, conducted on the water by rowing or sailing. The construction, machinery, and even the names of boats, are very different, according to the various purposes for which they are calculated, and the services on which they are employed. Thus we have the long-boat and the jolly-boat, life-boat and gun-boat, but they will appear under their respective appellations.—A bold boat, one that will endure a rough sea well.—Man the boat, send the crew in to row and manage it.
BOATABLE. Water navigable for boats and small river-craft.
BOAT-BUOYS. Means added to increase the buoyancy of life-boats, &c.
BOAT-CHOCKS. Clamps of wood upon which a boat rests when stowed on a vessel's deck.
BOAT-CLOAK. A mantle for the officer going on duty; when left in the boat it is in the coxswain's charge.
BOAT-DAVIT. A curved piece of timber with a sheave at its outer end, which projects over the boat's stern, while the inner end is shipped into a cleat on each side of the bottom of the boat, for weighing anchors when needed. (See Davit.)
BOAT-FAST. See Painter.
BOAT-GEER. A general name for the rigging and furniture of a boat.
BOAT-HIRE. Expenses for the use of shore-boats.
BOAT-HOOK. An iron hook with a straight prong at its hinder part; it is fixed upon a pole, by the help of which a boat is either pulled to, or pushed off from, any place, and is capable of holding on by anything.
BOATILA. A narrow-sterned, flat-bottomed boat of the Gulf of Manar.
BOATING. Transporting men, munitions, or goods, in boats.
BOAT-KEEPER. One of the boat's crew who remains in charge of her during the absence of the others. In small vessels he is sometimes called the boatman.
BOAT-NAILS. Those supplied for the carpenter's use are of various lengths, generally rose-headed, square at the points, and made both of copper and iron. (See Nails.)
BOAT-ROPE. A separate rope veered to the boat to be towed at the ship's stern.
BOAT'S CREW. The men appointed as the crew of any particular boat, as the barge's crew, cutter's crew, &c.
BOAT'S-GRIPES. Lashings for the secure stowage of boats. (See Gripes.)
BOAT-SKIDS. Portable pieces of plank used to prevent chafing when a boat is hoisted or lowered. (See Skids.)
BOATSWAIN. The officer who superintends the boat-sails, ship's-sails, rigging, canvas, colours, anchors, cables and cordage, committed to his charge. He ought also to take care that the blocks and running ropes are regularly placed to answer the purposes for which they are intended, and that the sails are properly fitted to their yards and stays, and well-furled or reefed when occasion requires. He pipes the hands to their several duties, seeing that they attend his call, and ought to be in every way a thorough seaman. Although termed boatswain, the boats are not in his charge. They, with the spars, &c., and stores for repair, belong to the carpenter. The boatswain is the officer of the first lieutenant; he gives no order, but reports defects, and carries out the will of his superior.
BOATSWAIN-BIRD. Phaethon æthereus, a tropical bird, so called from its sort of whistle. It is distinguished by two long feathers in the tail, called the marling-spike.
BOATSWAIN-CAPTAIN. An epithet given by certain popinjays in the service to such of their betters as fully understand the various duties of their station.
BOATSWAIN'S MATE. Is an assistant to the boatswain, who had the peculiar command of the long-boat. He summons the watch or crew by his whistle, and during his watch looks to the decks, and has peculiar calls for "grog," "'bout ship," "pipe to breakfast," "sweepers," &c.
BOATSWAIN'S STORE-ROOM. Built expressly for boatswain's stores, on a platform or light deck.
BOATSWAIN'S YEOMAN. See Yeoman.
BOAT THE ANCHOR. Place the anchor in-board in the boat.
BOAT THE OARS. Put them in their proper places fore and aft on the thwarts ready for use.
BOB. A knot of worms on a string, used in fishing for eels; also colloquially, it means a berth.—Shift your bob, to move about, to dodge, to fish.—Bear a bob, make haste, be brisk.
BOB. The ball or balance-weight of a clock's pendulum; the weight attached to the plumb-line.
BOBBERY. A disturbance, row, or squabble; a term much used in the East Indies and China.
BOBBING. A particular method of fishing for eels—
"His hook he bated with a dragon's tail,
And sat upon a rock, and bobb'd for whale."
BOBBING ABOUT. Heaving and setting without making any way.
BOBBLE. The state of waves when dashing about without any regular set or direction, as in cross tides or currents.
BOBSTAY-COLLARS. These are made with large rope, and an eye spliced in each end; they are secured round the bowsprit, on the upper side, with a rose lashing. They are almost entirely superseded by iron bands.
BOBSTAY-HOLES. Those cut through the fore-part of the knee of the head, between the cheeks, for the admission of the bobstay; they are not much used now, as chain bobstays are almost universal, which are