WIND-TIGHT. A cask or vessel to contain water is said to be wind-tight and water-tight.
WINDWARD. The weather-side; that on which the wind blows; the opposite of [leeward] (which see). Old sailors exhort their neophytes to throw nothing over the weather-side except ashes or hot water: a hint not mistakable.
WINDWARD SAILING, or Turning to Windward. That mode of navigating a ship in which she endeavours to gain a position situated in the direction whence the wind is blowing. In this case progress is made by frequent tacking, and trimming sail as near as possible to the wind.
WINDWARD SET. The reverse of leeward set.
WINDWARD TIDE. See [Weather-tide].
WINE OF HEIGHT. A former perquisite of seamen on getting safely through a particular navigation.
WING. The projecting part of a steamer's deck before and abaft each of the paddle-boxes, bounded by the wing-wale.
WING-AND-WING. A ship coming before the wind with studding-sails on both sides; also said of fore-and-aft vessels, when they are going with the wind right aft, the fore-sail boomed out on one side, and the main-sail on the other.
WINGERS. Small casks stowed close to the side in a ship's hold, where the large casks would cause too great a rising in that part of the tier.
WINGS. Those parts of the hold and orlop-deck which are nearest to the sides. This term is particularly used in the stowage of the several materials contained in the hold, and between the cable-tiers and the ship's sides. In ships of war they are usually kept clear, that the carpenter and his crew may have access round the ship to stop shot-holes in time of action. Also, the skirts or extremities of a fleet, when ranged in a line abreast, or when forming two sides of a triangle. It is usual to extend the wings of a fleet in the daytime, in order to discover any enemy that may fall in their track; they are, however, generally summoned by signal to form close order before night. In military parlance, the right and left divisions of a force, whether these leave a centre division between them or not.—Wing-transom. The uppermost transom in the stern-frame, to which the heels of the counter-timbers are let on and bolted.