SPIRKITTING. That strake of planks which is wrought, anchor-stock-fashion, between the water-way and the lower sill of the gun-ports withinside of a ship of war.—Spirkitting is also used to denote the strake of ceiling between the upper-deck and the plank-sheer of a merchantman; otherwise known as quick-work.
SPIT. A bank, or small sandy projection, with shallow water on it, generally running out from a point of land. Also, meteorologically, very slight rain.
SPITFIRE-JIB. In cutters, a small storm-jib of very heavy canvas.
SPITHEAD NIGHTINGALES. Boatswains and boatswains' mates, when winding their calls, especially when piping to dinner.
SPLA-BOARDS. Planks fixed at an obtuse angle, to reflect light into a magazine.
SPLICE. The joining of two ropes together. Familiarly, two persons joined in wedlock.—To splice. To join the two untwisted ends of a rope together. There are several methods of making a splice, according to the services for which it is intended; as:—The long rolling splice is chiefly used in lead-lines, log-lines, and fishing-lines, where the short splice would be liable to separation, as being frequently loosened by the water.—The long splice occupies a great extent of rope, but by the three joinings being fixed at a distance from each other, the increase of bulk is divided; hence it resembles a continuous lay, and is adapted to run through the sheave-hole of a block, &c., for which use it is generally intended.—The short splice is used upon cables, slings, block-strops, and, in general, all ropes which are not intended to run through blocks.—Spliced eye forms a sort of eye or circle at the end of a rope, and is used for splicing in thimbles, bull's-eyes, &c., and generally on the end of lashing block-strops. (See [Eye-splice].)
SPLICE THE MAIN BRACE. In nautical parlance, to serve out an extra allowance of grog in bad weather or after severe exertion.
SPLICING FID. A tapered wooden pin for opening the strands when splicing large ropes; it is sometimes driven by a large wooden mallet called a commander.
SPLINTER-NETTING. A cross-barred net formed of half-inch rope lashed at every rectangular crossing, and spread from rigging to rigging between the main and mizen masts, to prevent wreck from aloft, in action, from wounding the men at the upper-deck guns. They are frequently used at the open hatchways to prevent accidents.
SPLITTER. A man engaged in the Newfoundland fisheries to receive the fish from the header, and, with a sharp knife, dexterously to lay it open.