GIRT-LINE, cartahu, a rope passing through a single block, on the head of the lower masts, to hoist up the rigging thereof; as also the persons employed to place the rigging and cross-trees upon the mast-heads. The girt-line is therefore the first rope employed to rig a ship, and by means of this all the rest are drawn up and fixed; after which it is removed till the ship is to be unrigged.
GONDOLA, a sort of barge, curiously ornamented, and navigated on the canals of Venice; also a passage-boat of six or eight oars, in other parts of the coast of Italy.
GOOGINGS, femelles, certain clamps of iron bolted on the stern-post of a ship, whereon to hang the rudder, and keep it steddy; for which purpose there is a hole in each of them, to receive a correspondent spindle bolted on the back of the rudder, which turns thereby as upon hinges. There are generally four, five, or six googings on a ship’s stern-post and rudder, according to her size, and upon these the rudder is supported, and traverses from side to side as upon an axis. See Helm.
GOOSE-NECK, a sort of iron hook fitted on the inner end of a boom, and introduced into a clamp of iron, or eye-bolt, which encircles the mast, or is fitted to some other place in the ship, so that it may be unhooked at pleasure. See Boom.
GOOSE-WINGS of a sail, the clues or lower corners of a ship’s main-sail, or fore-sail, when the middle part is furled or tied up to the yard.
The goose-wings are only used in a great storm to scud before the wind, when the sail at large, or even diminished by a reef, would be too great a pressure on the ship, in that situation.
GORING, langue, that part of the skirts of a sail, where it gradually widens from the upper part or head, towards the bottom: the goring-cloths are therefore those, which are cut obliquely, and added to the breadth. See Sail.
GRAPPLING, (grapin, Fr.) a sort of small anchor, fitted with four or five flukes or claws, plate [IV]. fig. 5. and commonly used to ride a boat or other small vessel.
Fire-Grappling, grapin d’abordage, an instrument nearly resembling the former, but differing in the construction of its flukes, which are furnished with strong barbs on their points, fig. 4. plate [IV]. These machines are usually fixed on the yard-arms of a ship, in order to grapple any adversary whom she intends to board. They are however more particularly useful in fire-ships, for the purposes described in that article.
GRATINGS, caillebotis, a sort of open covers for the hatches, formed by several small laths or battens of wood, which cross each other at right angles, leaving a square interval between. They are formed to admit the air and light from above into the lower apartments of the ship, particularly when the turbulence of the sea or weather renders it necessary to shut the ports between decks; and also to let the smoke escape from the lower decks in the time of battle.