SCANTING, addoner, the variation of the wind by which it becomes unfavourable to a ship’s course, after having been fair or large. It is distinguished from a foul wind, as in the former, a ship is still enabled to sail on her course, although her progress is considerably retarded; but in the latter she is obliged to deviate from the line of her course, as explained in the article Tacking.
SCANTLING, the dimensions of any piece of timber with regard to its breadth and thickness.
SCARF, empature, (scherven, Dutch) a particular method of uniting two pieces of timber together by the extremities.
When two pieces of timber are joined together, so that the end of one goes over the end of the other, being tapered so that the one may be let into the other, and become even, they are said to be scarfed: such are the keel-pieces. But when the ends of the two pieces are cut square, and put together, they are said to butt to one another; and when another piece is laid upon, and fastened to both, as is the case in all the frame-timbers, this is called scarfing the timbers; and half the piece which fastens the two timbers together is reckoned the length of the scarf. Murray’s Ship-building.
SCHOONER, a small vessel with two masts, whose main-sail and fore-sail are suspended from gaffs reaching from the mast towards the stern; and stretched out below by booms, whose foremost ends are hooked to an iron, which clasps the mast so as to turn therein as upon an axis, when the after ends are swung from one side of the vessel to the other.
SCOOP, écoupe, a little hollowed piece of wood, employed to throw water out of a boat into the sea, which is usually called bailing the boat.
SCRAPING, the act of shaving off the dirty surface of the plank, in a ship’s side or decks, particularly after a voyage, or when the seams have been covered with a new composition of melted pitch or rosin. The instrument with which this is performed is accordingly called a scraper, and is represented in fig. 4. plate [IX].
After the sides of a ship are sufficiently scraped, they are varnished over with turpentine, or a mixture of tar and oil, or such materials; which preserves the planks from being rent or split by the sun and wind, and gives the ship a more gay and spendid appearance on the water.
SCUDDING, (Skutta, Swedish) the movement by which a ship is carried precipitately before a tempest.
As a ship flies with amazing rapidity through the water, whenever this expedient is put in practice, it is never attempted in a contrary wind, unless when her condition renders her incapable of sustaining the mutual effort of the wind and waves any longer on her side, without being exposed to the most imminent danger. See the article Trying.