LOST, passé, the state of being foundered or cast away; expressed of a ship when she has either sunk at sea, or struck upon a rock, shelf, or lee-shore, where she has beat to pieces by the violence of the sea.
LOW-WATER, that state of the tide, in which the reflux has fallen to its greatest depression from the sea-coasts, or rivers of any country. See the article Tide.
To LOWER, amener, to ease down gradually, expressed of some weighty body, which is suspended by tackles, or other ropes, which, being slackened, suffer the said body to descend as slowly or expeditiously as the occasion requires. Hence
Lower handsomely! and lower cheerly! are opposed to each other, the former being the order to lower gradually, and the latter to lower expeditiously.
LUFF, lof, the order from the pilot to the steersman to put the helm towards the lee-side of the ship, in order to make the ship sail nearer the direction of the wind. Hence, luff round, or luff alee, envoie, lof tout, is the excess of this movement, by which it is intended to throw the ship’s head up in the wind, in order to tack her, &c.
A ship is accordingly said to spring her luff, faire une olofée, when she yields to the effort of the helm, by sailing nearer to the line of the wind than she had done before. See also Hauling the wind, and Steering.
Luff-Tackle, a name given by sailors to any large tackle that is not destined for a particular place, but may be variously employed as occasion requires. It is generally somewhat larger than the jigger-tackle, although smaller than those which serve to hoist the heavier materials into and out of the vessel; which latter are the main and fore-tackles, the stay and quarter-tackles, &c.
LUG-SAIL, treou, a square sail, hoisted occasionally on the mast of a boat, or small vessel, upon a yard which hangs nearly at right angles with the mast. These are more particularly in the barca longas, navigated by the Spaniards in the Mediterranean.
LYING-TO, or Lying-by, en panne, the situation of a ship when she is retarded in her course, by arranging the sails in such a manner as to counteract each other with nearly an equal effort, and render the ship almost immoveable, with respect to her progressive motion, or head-way. A ship is usually brought-to by the main and fore-top-sails, one of which is laid aback, whilst the other is full; so that the latter pushes the ship forward, whilst the former resists this impulse, by forcing her astern. This is particularly practised in a general engagement, when the hostile fleets are drawn up in two lines of battle opposite each other. It is also used to wait for some other ship, either approaching or expected; or to avoid pursuing a dangerous course, especially in dark or foggy weather, &c.
Lying-to in a storm. See the article Trying.