FORE-AND-AFT SAILS. Jibs, staysails, and gaff-sails; in fact, all sails which are not set to yards. They extend from the centre line to the lee side of a ship or boat, so set much flatter than square-sails.
FORE-BAY. A rising at a lock-gate flooring. Also, the galley or the sick-bay.
FORE-BODY. An imaginary figure of that part of the ship afore the midships or dead-flat, as seen from ahead.
FORE-BOWLINE. The bowline of the fore-sail.
FORE-BRACES. Ropes applied to the fore yard-arms to change the position of the fore-sail occasionally.
FORECAST. A storm warning, or reasonable prediction of a gale from the inferences of observed meteorological instruments and phenomena.
FORECASTLE. Once a short deck placed in the fore-part of a ship above the upper deck; it was usually terminated, both before and behind, in vessels of war by a breast-work, the foremost part forming the top of the beak-head, and the hind part, of the fore-chains. It is now applied in men-of-war to that part of the upper deck forward of the after fore-shroud, or main-tack block, and which is flush with the quarter-deck and gangways. Also, a forward part of a merchantman under the deck, where the seamen live on a platform. Some vessels have a short raised deck forward, which is called a top-gallant forecastle; it extends from the bow to abaft the fore-mast, which it includes.
FORECASTLE-DECK. The fore-part of the upper deck at a vessel's bows.
FORECASTLE-JOKES. Practical tricks played upon greenhorns.
FORECASTLE-MEN. Sailors who are stationed on the forecastle, and are generally, or ought to be, prime seamen.