Frapping a ship, ceintrer, the act of passing three, four, or five turns of a cable round the hull, or frame of a ship, in the middle, to support her in a great storm, when it is apprehended that she is not strong enough to resist the violent efforts of the sea. This expedient however is rarely put in practice, unless in very old ships, which their owners are willing to venture to sea as long as possible, by ensuring them deeply.
FREEING, affranchir, the act of pumping, or otherwise throwing out the water which has leaked into a ship’s bottom at sea, &c.
FREEZING, a sort of ornamental painting on the upper part of a ship’s quarter, stern, or bow. It consists generally of armour, instruments of war, marine emblems, &c.
FREIGHT, or fraight of a ship (affretement) the hire, or a part thereof, usually paid for the carriage and conveyance of goods; or the sum agreed, upon between the owner and the merchant for the hire and use of a vessel.
Freight also implies the lading or cargo which she has aboard.
FRESH, when applied to the wind, generally signifies strong, but not violent or dangerous: hence when the gale increases, it is said to freshen.
To FRESHEN the hawse, refraichir, to relieve that part of the cable which for some time has been exposed to the friction in one of the hawse-holes, produced by the rocking and pitching of a ship as she rides at anchor in a high sea.
When a ship remains in such a situation, it is always necessary to wrap some old canvas, mat, leather, or such like material, round that part of the cable which rubs against the stem, &c. The matter used for this purpose is called service: but as the violent agitation of the ship, produced by the tempest, or sea, as she rides in an open road, must communicate a great friction to the cable, the service will consequently be soon worn through: it is necessary therefore to have it frequently renewed by a fresh application of the like materials, behind the former, for the preservation of the cable, on which every thing depends; and this renewal of service is called freshening the hawse, a circumstance which cannot be too vigilantly observed.
FRESHES, souberme, imply the impetuosity of an ebb-tide, increased by heavy rains, and flowing out into the sea, which it often discolours to a considerable distance from the shore; inasmuch as the line, which divides the two colours, may be perceived distinctly for a great length along the coast.
FRIGATE, (fregate, Fr.) in the navy, a light nimble ship built for the purposes of sailing swiftly. These vessels mount from twenty to thirty-eight guns, and are esteemed excellent cruizers.