The foremost, or inner extremity of the gaff, is furnished with two cheeks forming a semi-circle, which incloses the after-part of the mast so as to confine the gaff close to its respective mast whilst the sail is hoisting or lowering. It is further secured in this situation by a rope passing from one of the cheeks to the other on the fore side of the mast; and to prevent the friction of this rope upon the mast, by hoisting or lowering, several little wooden balls, called trucks, are hung upon it, in the same manner as the holy beads are hung upon a catholic’s rosary.
GAGE. See Weather-Gage.
To GAIN the wind, in navigation, gagner au vent, to arrive on the weather-side, or to windward of, some other vessel in sight, when both are plying to windward, or sailing as near the wind as possible.
GALE of wind, a phrase used by sailors to express a storm or tempest. It is more particularly termed a hard gale, or strong gale.
GALEON, a name formerly given to ships of war, furnished with three or four batteries of cannon. It is now retained only by the Spaniards, and applied to the largest size of their merchant ships, employed on West-Indian voyages, and usually furnished with four decks. They likewise bestow the same name on those vessels, whether great or small, which proceed annually to La Vera Cruz. The Portugueze also have several ships which they send to India and the Brazils, nearly resembling the galeons, and by them called caragues.
GALLED, raqué, the state of a mast, yard, cable, or other rope, when it is deprived of the surface, and chafed by friction. To preserve those articles from being damaged by this effect, it is therefore usual to cover them with skins, mats, canvas, or such materials, in the places where they are the most exposed to it by the rocking of the vessel. See the article Service.
GALLERY, a balcony projecting from the stern or quarter of a ship of war, or large merchantman. In the former, the stern-gallery is usually decorated with a ballustrade, extending from one side of the ship to the other; the fore-part is limited by a partition called the skreen-bulk head, in which are framed the cabin windows; and the roof of it is formed by a sort of vault, termed the cove, which is frequently ornamented with sculpture. See Stern.
The quarter gallery of a ship of 74 guns is represented at large, in the plate referred to from the article Quarter.
GALLEY, galere, a kind of low flat-built vessel, furnished with one deck, and navigated with sails and oars, particularly in the Mediterranean.
The largest sort of these vessels, galeasse, is employed only by the Venetians. They are commonly 162 feet long above, and 133 feet by the keel; 32 feet wide, with 23 feet length of stern-post. They are furnished with three masts, and thirty-two banks of oars; every bank containing two oars, and every oar being managed by six or seven slaves, who are usually chained thereto. In the fore-part they have three little batteries of cannon, of which the lowest is of two 36 pounders, the second of two 24 pounders, and the uppermost of two 2 pounders: three 18 pounders are also planted on each quarter. The compliment of men for one of these galleys is generally 1000 or 1200. They are esteemed extremely convenient for bombarding or making a descent upon an enemy’s coast, as drawing but little water; and having by their oars frequently the advantage of a ship of war, in light winds or calms, by cannonading the latter near the surface of the water; by scouring her whole length with their shot, and at the same time keeping on her quarter or bow, so as to be out of the direction of her cannon.