Backstays. Stays running from a masthead to the vessel's side, slanting a little aft. (See Stays.)
Bagpipe. To bagpipe the mizzen, is to lay it aback by bringing the sheet to the weather mizzen rigging.
Balance-reef. A reef in a spanker or fore-and-aft mainsail, which runs from the outer head-earing, diagonally, to the tack. It is the closest reef, and makes the sail triangular, or nearly so.
Bale. To bale a boat, is to throw water out of her.
Ballast. Heavy material, as iron, lead, or stone, placed in the bottom of the hold, to keep a vessel from upsetting.
To freshen ballast, is to shift it. Coarse gravel is called shingle ballast.
Bank. A boat is double banked when two oars, one opposite the other, are pulled by men seated on the same thwart.
Bar. A bank or shoal at the entrance of a harbor.
Capstan-bars are heavy pieces of wood by which the capstan is hove round.
Bare-poles. The condition of a ship when she has no sail set.