CARPENTER of a ship, charpentier, an officer appointed to examine and keep in order the frame of the ship, together with her masts, yards, boats, and all other wooden machinery.
It is his duty in particular to keep the ship tight; for which purpose he ought frequently to review the decks, and sides, and to calk them when it is found necessary. In the time of battle he is to examine up and down, with all possible attention, in the lower apartments of the ship, to stop any holes that may have been made in the sides by shot, with wooden plugs provided, of several sizes, for that purpose.
CARTEL, cartel, a ship commissioned in time of war to exchange the prisoners of any two hostile powers; also to carry any particular request or proposal from one to another: for this reason the officer who commands her is particularly ordered to carry no cargo, ammunition, or implements of war, except a single gun for the purpose of firing signals.
CASTING, in navigation, abattre, the motion of falling off, so as to bring the direction of the wind on either side of the ship after it had blown for some time right a-head.
This term is particularly applied to a ship when her anchor first loosens from the ground, when she is about to depart from any place where she had anchored; and as she had probably rested at anchor with her head to windward, it is plain she must turn it off, so as to fill the sails before she can advance in her course, which operation is called casting.
Hence she is said to cast the right way, or the wrong way. See Trim.
CAT, chatte, a ship employed in the coal trade, formed from the Norwegian model. It is distinguished by a narrow stern, projecting quarters, a deep waiste, and by having no ornamental figure on the prow.
These vessels are generally built remarkably strong, and carry from four to six hundred tons; or, in the Language of their own mariners, from twenty to thirty keels of coals.
Cat, capon, is also a sort of strong tackle, or complication of pullies, to hook and draw the anchor perpendicularly up to the cat-head. The use of this machine is represented in plate [II]. fig. 14.
CATAMARAN, catimoran, a sort of raft or float, formed by the fastening a number of poles to each other sideways, and laying boards, planks, &c. on the top, so as to convey goods or passengers to some distant place by water when no boat can be procured. This, however, can only be performed when the surface of the water is not much agitated.