Stories from the Cockpit — CR Leech ED*, Past Commodore

Over the coming months I will include some humorous old nautical sayings, which will intrigue all and offer an explanation as to their origin.

Tack - To shift the course of a sailboat from a direction far to the right, say, of the direction in which one wishes to go, to a direction far to the left of it.

Toe - Stub your “toe”? Well then, it’s time to brush up on your nomenclature! In nautical terms, a toe is a catchcleat or snagtackle. A few others - head - boomstop; leg - bruisefast; and hand - blistermitten.

Uniform - As worn by yacht club members and other shore hazards, a distinctive form of dress intended to be visible at a distance of at least 50 meters which serves to warn persons in the vicinity of the long winds and dense masses of hot air associated with these tidal bores.

Vang - Name of German sea dog.

Varnish - High-fiction coating applied as a gloss over minor details in personal nautical recollections to improve their audience-holding capacity over frequent retellings.

Stories from the Cockpit — CR Leech ED*, Past Commodore

Over the coming months I will include some humorous old nautical sayings, which will intrigue all and offer an explanation as to their origin.

Tack - To shift the course of a sailboat from a direction far to the right, say, of the direction in which one wishes to go, to a direction far to the left of it.

Toe - Stub your “toe”? Well then, it’s time to brush up on your nomenclature! In nautical terms, a toe is a catchcleat or snagtackle. A few others - head - boomstop; leg - bruisefast; and hand - blistermitten.

Uniform - As worn by yacht club members and other shore hazards, a distinctive form of dress intended to be visible at a distance of at least 50 meters which serves to warn persons in the vicinity of the long winds and dense masses of hot air associated with these tidal bores.

Vang - Name of German sea dog.

Varnish - High-fiction coating applied as a gloss over minor details in personal nautical recollections to improve their audience-holding capacity over frequent retellings.