Glossary of Nautical Terms - G

G

Gaff

1. Gaff rig: The spar that holds the upper edge of a four-sided fore-and-aft mounted sail.

2. Fishing gaff: A hook on a long pole to haul fish in.

Gaff rigged

A boat rigged with a four-sided fore-and-aft sail with its upper edge supported by a spar or gaff which extends aft from the mast.

Gaff vang

A line rigged to the end of a gaff and used to adjust a gaff sail's trim.

Galleass

1. A an oared warship of the 1500s equipped with a gundeck, larger and equipped with more sails than a galley.

2. A flat-bottom commercial sailing vessel of the North Sea and western Baltic Sea.

Galleon

A large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries.

Galley

1. Galley, the kitchen of a ship.

2. Galley, a type of ship propelled by oars used especially in the Mediterranean for warfare, piracy, and trade from the 700s B.C. to the 1500s A.D., with some in use until the early 1800s.

3. A type of oared gunboat built by the United States in the late 18th century, akin to a brigantine but termed "galley" for administrative and funding purposes.

Galliot

See #Fusta.

Gam

A meeting of two (or more) whaling ships at sea. The ships each send out a boat to the other, and the two captains meet on one ship, while the two chief mates meet on the other.

Gammon iron

The bow fitting which clamps the bowsprit to the stem.

Gangplank

A movable bridge used in boarding or leaving a ship at a pier; also known as a "brow".

Gangway

An opening in the bulwark of the ship to allow passengers to board or leave the ship.

Garbling

The (illegal) practice of mixing cargo with garbage.

Garboard

The strake closest to the keel (from Dutch gaarboard).

Garboard planks

The planks immediately either side of the keel.

Gash

Any refuse or rubbish which is discarded into a refuse container or dustbin which is known as "gash fanny" (South African Navy).

Gash Fanny

Refuse container or dustbin.

Gennaker

A large, lightweight sail used for sailing a fore-and-aft rig down or across the wind, intermediate between a genoa and a spinnaker.

Genoa or genny (both /ˈdʒɛni/)

A large jib, strongly overlapping the mainmast.

Ghost

To sail slowly when there is apparently no wind.

Gibe

See #Gybe.

Gig (Captain's gig)

A boat on naval ships at the disposal of the ship's captain for his or her use in transportation to other ships or to the shore.

Gin-pole

A pole that is attached perpendicular to the mast, to be used as a lever for raising the mast. Also jin-pole.

Give-way (vessel)

Where two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve a risk of collision, this is the vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of the other.

Glass

A marine barometer. (Older barometers used mercury-filled glass tubes to measure and indicate barometric pressure.)

Global Positioning System

(GPS) A satellite based radionavigation system providing continuous worldwide coverage. It provides navigation, position, and timing information to air, marine, and land users.

Go-fast boat

is a small, fast boat designed with a long narrow platform and a planing hull to enable it to reach high speeds – also called ‘a rum-runner’, or, more recently, ‘a cigarette boat’.

Going about or tacking

Changing from one tack to another by going through the wind (see also gybe).

Gooseneck

Fitting that attaches the boom to the mast, allowing it to move freely.

Goosewinged

Of a fore-and-aft rigged vessel sailing directly away from the wind, with the sails set on opposite sides of the vessel—for example with the mainsail to port and the jib to starboard, to maximize the amount of canvas exposed to the wind. Also see running.

Grapeshot

Small balls of lead fired from a cannon, analogous to shotgun shot but on a larger scale. Similar to canister shot but with larger individual shot. Used to injure personnel and damage rigging more than to cause structural damage.

Grave

To clean a ship’s bottom.

Graving dock

A narrow basin, usually made of earthen berms and concrete, closed by gates or by a caisson, into which a vessel may be floated and the water pumped out, leaving the vessel supported on blocks; the classic form of drydock.

Gripe

Temporary eye in a line(rope).

Grog

Watered-down pusser's rum consisting of half a gill with equal part of water, issued to all seamen over twenty. (CPOs and POs were issued with neat rum) From the British Admiral Vernon who, in 1740, ordered the men's ration of rum to be watered down. He was called "Old Grogram" because he often wore a grogram coat, and the watered rum came to be called 'grog'. Often used (illegally) as currency in exchange for favours in quantities prescribed as 'sippers' and 'gulpers'. Additional issues of grog were made on the command 'splice the mainbrace' for celebrations or as a reward for performing especially onerous duties. The RN discontinued the practice of issuing rum in 1970. A sailor might repay a colleague for a favour by giving him part or all of his grog ration, ranging from "sippers" (a small amount) via "gulpers" (a larger quantity) to "grounders" (the entire tot).

Groggy

Drunk from having consumed a lot of grog.

Ground

The bed of the sea.

Grounding

When a ship (while afloat) touches the bed of the sea, or goes "aground" (qv).

Growler

A small iceberg or ice floe which is barely visible above the surface of the water.

Gun deck

1. Up through the 19th century, a deck aboard a ship that was primarily used for the mounting of cannon to be fired in broadsides.

2. On smaller vessels (of frigate size or smaller) up through the 19th century, the completely covered level under the upper deck, even though in such smaller ships it carried none of the ship's guns.

3. On marine seismic survey vessels, the lowest deck on the ship, which carries the seismic source arrays, consisting of air guns arranged in clusters.

4. In naval slang, to fabricate or falsify something; in modern usage, meaning especially to falsify documentation in order to avoid doing work or make present conditions seem acceptable without having made a real effort to improve them.

Gunport

The opening in the side of the ship or in a turret through which the gun fires or protrudes.

Gunner's daughter

see #Kissing the gunner's daughter.

Gunwale (/ˈɡʌnəl/)

Upper edge of the hull.

Gybe or jibe (both /ˈdʒaɪb/)

To change from one tack to the other away from the wind, with the stern of the vessel turning through the wind. (See also going about and wearing ship.)