An Universal Dictionary of the Marine / Or, a Copious Explanation of the Technical Terms and Phrases Employed in the Construction, Equipment, Furniture, Machinery, Movements, and Military Operations of a Ship. Illustrated With Variety of Original Designs of Shipping, in Different Situations; Together With Separate Views of Their Masts, Sails, Yards, and Rigging. to Which Is Annexed, a Translation of the French Sea-terms and Phrases, Collected from the Works of Mess. Du Hamel, Aubin, Saverien, &c.

by William Falconer

In order to give the reader as distinct an idea as possible of the ribbands, we have, besides the above representations, exhibited a perspective view of them in the frame or skeleton of a small vessel, referred to, from the article Timber.

RIBS of a ship, a figurative expression for the timbers. See that article.

Ribs of a parrel. See Parrel.

RIDERS, a sort of interior ribs, fixed occasionally in a ship’s hold opposite to some of the principal timbers, and reaching from the kelson to the beams of the lower-deck, and sometimes higher, in order to strengthen her frame. They are bolted to the other timbers, to support them when it is apprehended the ship is not sufficiently strong in the part where they are fixed; which is generally amidships.

The riders have also their floor-pieces and futtocks, and sometimes their top-pieces, all of which are scarfed to each other in the same manner as in the timbers.

The riders ought to be stationed so as to lie between two ports of the lower deck, and to correspond with the timbers to which they are attached, in such a manner, as that the scarfs of the riders may be clear of those of the timbers. They are scored upon the kelson, clamps, and thick-stuff of the bottom. They are secured by bolts, which are driven from without, so as to penetrate the outside planks, the timbers, the clamps, and the riders; on the inside of which last they are fore-locked. See those articles.

These pieces are rarely used in merchant-ships, because they would be extremely inconvenient in the hold, besides occupying too large a space thereof; neither are they always used in vessels of war, at least till after the ship is enfeebled by several cruizes at sea.

RIDGE, a long assemblage of rocks, lying near the surface of the sea, so as to intercept the passage of a ship under sail. See also Reef and Shallow.

RIDING, when expressed of a ship, is the state of being retained in a particular station, by means of one or more cables with their anchors, which are for this purpose sunk into the bottom of the sea, &c. in order to prevent the vessel from being driven at the mercy of the wind or current. See Mooring.

Riding athwart, the position of a ship which lies across the direction of the wind and tide, when the former is so strong as to prevent her from falling into the current of the latter.