TRUSS-PENDANT. That part of a rope-truss into which the truss-tackle blocks are seized.
TRUSS-PIECES. The fillings in between the frame compartments of the riders, in diagonal trussing.
TRUSS-TACKLE. A gun-tackle purchase applied to the ends of the truss-pendants, to bowse them taut home to the mast.
TRUSS UP, To. To brail up a sail suddenly; to toss up a bunt.
TRY, To, or Lie-to, in a Gale, is, by a judicious balance of canvas, to keep a ship's bow to the sea, and, with as much as she can safely show, prevent her rolling to windward in the trough of a sea. Close-hauled under all sail, a vessel gains head-way within six points of the wind; but in trying she may come up to five and fall off to seven: so that a vessel does not hold her own. If the vessel be in proper trim, or properly stowed, she will naturally keep to the wind; but custom, and deficiency of seamanlike ability, have induced the lazy habit of lashing the helm a-lee.
TRY BACK FOR A BEND, To. To pay back some of the bight of a cable, in order to have sufficient to form the bend.
TRY DOWN, To. To boil out the oil from blubber at sea in whalers.
TRYING THE RANGE. A lubberly mode of estimating the distance of an enemy's ship or fort by firing a shot at it.
TRYSAIL. A reduced sail used by small craft in lieu of their main-sail during a storm. Also, a fore-and-aft sail, set with a boom and gaff, in ships, synonymous with the spencers of brigs and schooners, and the spanker or driver of ships. (See [Storm-trysail].)
TRYSAIL-MAST. A spar abaft the fore and main mast, for hoisting the trysail.