The Sailor's Word-Book / An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc.

by W. H. Smyth

STAYED FORWARD. This term is applied to masts when they incline forward out of the vertical line; the opposite of [rake] (which see.)

STAYSAIL. A triangular sail hoisted upon a stay.

STAYSAIL-NETTING. See [Bowsprit-netting].

STAYSAIL-STAY. The stay on which a staysail is set.

STAY-TACKLES, Fore and Main. Special movable purchases for hoisting in and out boats, anchors, &c. They plumb the fore and main hatchways, working in conjunction with fore and main yard tackles.

STEADY! The order given to the steersman, in a fair wind, to steer the ship on her course without deviating; to which he answers, Steady it is, sir.

STEADY-FAST. A hawser carried out to some fixed object to keep a vessel steady in a tide-way, or in preparation for making sail from a fast.

STEADY GALE. A fresh breeze pretty uniform in force and direction.

STEALING. The gaining of a rat-line or two in height while waiting on the lower part of the rigging for the order to go aloft. Also, a vessel is said to steal ahead when she moves with the lightest breath of air.

STEAM-CHEST. The reservoir for steam above the water of the boiler; sometimes termed steam-chamber.