wing and wing—In a fore-and-aft vessel it is possible, when running directly before the wind, to haul the sails on one mast out to starboard and those of another mast out to port. This is said to be sailing wing and wing.
wreck—A wreck is the destruction of a ship. The ship herself or the remnants of her after the catastrophe.
wreckage—Goods or parts of a ship cast up by the sea after a shipwreck.
xebec (pronounced “zebec”)—A small three-masted vessel, lateen rigged, and often with an overhanging bow. Common in the Mediterranean.
yacht—A pleasure boat. The term is indefinite in application, and generally means only the more elaborate pleasure craft owned by the wealthy.
yard—A spar suspended from a mast for the purpose of spreading a sail.
yaw—To yaw in a sailing vessel is to deviate from the true course. It is often the result of having an inexperienced man at the wheel.
yawl—A sailing vessel equipped with two masts, the main and the jigger. (In England the jigger is often called the mizzen.) The mainmast is the larger of the two and supports one or more jibs, a fore-and-aft mainsail, and sometimes a topsail. The jiggermast carries a small fore-and-aft sail, and the mast is set astern of the tiller or wheel. For illustration see page [201].
zenith—The point directly overhead.