DICTIONARY OF

Dead Men's Eyes 108 Deck Hook
Dead Men's Eyes.* Early name for 'Deadeye'.
Dead Neap. Lowest possible high water of a tide.
Dead on End. Said of wind when exactly ahead; and of another vessel when her fore and aft
line coincides with observer's line of sight.
Dead Reckoning. Calculation of a ship's position by consideration of distance logged,
courses steered and estimated leeway. Sometimes said to be corruption of 'deduced
reckoning'; but this is very debatable.
Dead Rising. Those parts of a vessel's floor, throughout her length, where floor timbers
meet lower futtocks.
Dead Ropes. All ropes, or running rigging, that are not led through a block or sheave.
Dead Slow. Minimum speed that will give steerage way.
Dead Water. Eddy water immediately astern of a sailing vessel or boat.
Deadweight. Total weight, in tons, of cargo, stores and fuel carried by a vessel at her
maximum permitted draught.
Deadweight Cargo. Cargo whose specific gravity is such that a vessel loading it will go
down to her marks.
Deadweight Scale. Table, or graph, showing total weight of fuel, stores and cargo, and
corresponding mean draught of vessel.
Deadweight Tonnage. Deadweight expressed in tons avoirdupois.
Dead Wind. Wind directly contrary to ship's course.
Deadwood. Flat, vertical surfaces at junction of stem or stern post with keel. Has no buoyant
effect.
Dead Work.* Old name for 'Freeboard'.
Deals. Planks, particularly of fir, 7 to 11 in. in width and 2 to 4 in. thick.
Decca Navigator. A radio aid for fixing positions up to at least 300 miles from the
transmitter. A master transmitter ashore controls a chain of other transmitters, designated
Slaves. All transmit signals continuously. A ship provided with a special receiver can
receive these signals, the phase-difference between them being measured by Decometers.
The numbers indicated on the Decometers refer to coloured lattice lines printed on
special charts. The ship's position is where the numbered lines cross each other.
Deck. Horizontal flooring, or plating, above bottom of vessel. May be continuous or partial.
Deck Beam. Thwartship member that supports a deck and preserves form of a vessel.
Deck Bridge.* Former name for a navigating bridge.
Deck Cargo. Cargo that must be carried on deck. 2. Cargo that is customarily carried on
deck. 3. Cargo actually carried on deck.
Deck Hand. Seaman, other than officer, who serves on deck. Man of 17 years of age, or
over, with at least one year's sea service.
Deck Head. Underside of a deck.
Deck Hook. Thwartship frame across apron, to strengthen bow
and support fore end of deck.