CROSS-JACK, pronounced crojeck, a sail extended on the lower yard of the mizen-mast, which is hence called the cross-jack yard, vergue seche. This sail, however, has generally been found of little service, and is therefore very seldom used.
CROSS PIECE, rasteau, a rail of timber extended over the windlass of a merchant-ship from the knight-heads to the belfry. It is stuck full of wooden pins, which are used to fasten the running-rigging as occasion requires. See the article Windlass.
CROSS-TREES, barres de hune, certain pieces of timber supported by the cheeks and tressel-trees, at the upper-ends of the lower-masts, athwart which they are laid, to sustain the frame of the top.
CROTCHES, fourcats, (croccia, Ital.) a name given to those crooked timbers that are placed upon the keel in the fore and hind-parts of a ship, upon which the frame of her hull grows narrower below, as it approaches the stern afore, and the stern-post abaft.
Crotches, cornes, are also certain pieces of wood or iron, whose upper part opens into two horns or arms, like a half-moon. They are fixed in different places of the ship, according to the uses for which they may be designed, which is usually to support the spare-masts, yards, &c. The iron crotches are exhibited in plate [II]. fig. 26.
CROW, an iron lever well known in mechanics, and furnished with a sharp point at one end, and two claws at the other, as appears in fig. 27, plate [II].
This instrument is used for various purposes, by shipwrights and mariners; as to remove pieces of timber, and other weighty bodies; and to draw spike-nails, &c. as well as to manage the great guns, by moving them into their ports, levelling or pointing them to a particular object.
To CROWD, forcer de voiles, (cruth, Sax.) to carry an extraordinary force of sail upon a ship, in order to accelerate her course on some important occasion, as in pursuit of, or flight from, an enemy; to escape any immediate danger, &c.
CROW-FOOT, trelingage, a complication of small cords spreading out from a long block, like the smaller parts which extend from the back-bone of a herring. See plate [II]. fig. 27. It is used to suspend the awnings; or to keep the top-sails from striking violently and fretting against the edges of the tops.
CROWNING, the finishing part of a knot made on the end of a rope. It is performed by interweaving the ends of the different brands artfully amongst each other, so as that they may not become loosened or untwisted. The design of these knots is to keep the end of the rope fast in some place assigned for it: they are more particularly useful in all kinds of stoppers.