Glossary of Nautical Terms - E

E

Earings

Small lines, by which the uppermost corners of the largest sails are secured to the yardarms.

East Indiaman

Any ship operating under charter or license to any of the East India Companies of Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, or the United Kingdom from the 17th to the 19th century.

Echo sounding

Measuring the depth of the water using a sonar device. Also see sounding and swinging the lead.

Embayed

The condition where a sailing vessel (especially one which sails poorly to windward) is confined between two capes or headlands by a wind blowing directly onshore.

En echelon

Forward and aft gun turrets on opposite sides of the ship, example.

Engine order telegraph

A communications device used by the pilot to order engineers in the engine room to power the vessel at a certain desired speed. Also Chadburn.

Engine room

One of the machinery spaces of a vessel, usually the largest one, containing the ship's prime mover (usually a diesel or steam engine or a gas or steam turbine). Larger vessels may have more than one engine room.

Ensign

1. Ensign, the principal flag or banner flown by a ship to indicate her nationality.

2. Ensign, the lowest grade of commissioned officer in the United States Navy.

Extremis

(also known as “in extremis”) the point under International Rules of the Road (Navigation Rules) at which the privileged (or stand-on) vessel on collision course with a burdened (or give-way) vessel determines it must maneuver to avoid a collision. Prior to extremis, the privileged vessel must maintain course and speed and the burdened vessel must maneuver to avoid collision.

Eye splice

A closed loop or eye at the end a line, rope, cable etc. It is made by unraveling its end and joining it to itself by intertwining it into the lay of the line. Eye splices are very strong and compact and are employed in moorings and docking lines among other uses.