DICTIONARY OF

Fore Ganger 143 Fore Topmast
Fore Ganger. Short piece of rope, grafted on harpoon, and to which harpoon line is bent.
Fore Halliard. Halyard. Rope by which a foresail is hoisted.
Fore Hold. Foremost hold in a cargo vessel.
Fore Hood. A foremost plank in side of a wooden vessel.
Fore Hook. A breast hook.
Foreign Agreement. Articles of agreement, between Master and crew, entered into when a
vessel is going outside Home Trade limits. Signed, by all parties concerned, in presence of
superintendent of a Shipping Office.
Foreign Going Ship. Ship trading to ports outside British Isles and other than ports between
Elbe and Brest inclusive.
Foreland. Land projecting some distance seaward.
Forelock. Flat piece of metal that is passed through protruding end of shackle pin to prevent
its accidental withdrawal. Lower end is split so that it can be splayed.
Forelock Hook. Winch in rope making tackle block. Used for twisting yarns into strands.
Foremast. Forward mast in a vessel having two or more masts.
Fore Peak. Space between fore collision bulkhead and stem plating.
Fore Rake. That part of a vessel forward of a vertical line passing through fore end of keel.
Fore Reach. To continue making headway while going about under sail. Sometimes used as
meaning to overtake, or shoot ahead
Fore Runner. Name sometimes given to bunting that marks end of stray line in line of a log
ship.
Foresail. In a vessel having two sails, is the foremost sail. In fore and aft vessels having two
or more masts it is the foremost gaff sail. In square-rigged vessels it is the fore course.
Fore Sheet. Rope or tackle by which clew of foresail is controlled and adjusted to wind.
Fore Ship.* Former name for bows, or forecastle.
Foreshore. Land that lies between high and low water marks on a beach. 2. Inclined surface
on seaward side of a breakwater.
Fore Shroud. Standing rigging that supports and stays a foremast in a thwartship direction.
Forestaff.* Cross Staff used when facing an observed object.
Forestay. Stay of foremast, extending from head of mast to a position forward of it.
Fore Stem.* Former name for the stem of a vessel.
Fore Top. Platform, at head of foremast, to give spread to fore topmast rigging.
Foretopman. Man whose station is in fore top, or at fore topmast, when working aloft. In
R.N. the name is still used to denote a man belonging to one of the four quarters into which a
watch is divided.
Fore Topmast. Mast next above fore lower mast.