DICTIONARY OF

Go About 154 Gorge
Go About. To go from one tack to the other, when under sail, by putting ship's head through
the wind.
Go Ahead. To move forward through the water. 2. To take station ahead of another vessel.
Goal Poster. Nickname given to a vessel having a rectangular girder structure athwart upper
deck to support derricks. Stump mast is usually stepped in middle line of transverse girder.
Go Astern. To reverse engines so that vessel moves stern first. To move through water stern
first. To take station astern of another vessel.
Gob Line. Back rope of a martingale. 2. A length of rope used in a tug to bowse in the
towrope. Gog Rope.
Go by the Board. Said of a mast that breaks close to the deck.
Godfray's Azimuth Diagram. Devised by Hugh Godfray to facilitate the finding of true
azimuth from latitude in, apparent time, and declination of observed heavenly body.
Godown. Oriental name for a storehouse or warehouse.
Going Free. Sailing with wind abaft the beam.
Going Large. Sailing with wind abaft the beam.
Golden Number. Every 19 years Moon goes through her changes on different dates, and
then repeats them on these dates; this is called the 'Lunar Cycle' and was adopted in 433 B.C.
The Golden Number of any year is the number it is in the Lunar Cycle. To find it: Add 1 to
the year A.D. and divide by 19. The remainder, up to and including 19, is the Golden
Number.
Gold Slide. Adjustable attachment to a mercurial barometer for giving resultant of
corrections for index error, height of instrument above sea level, variation in gravity due to
latitude, temperature. Correction is read from a scale alongside a small thermometer, and is
noted before reading barometer. Invented by Col. E. Gold, D.S.O., F.R.S.
Gondola. Venetian boat rowed with one oar. Has a cabin amidships and an extended and
ornamental stem piece.
Gondolo. Ship's Longboat of the 16th century.
Gonies. Albatrosses.
Goods. Articles that are bought and sold.
Goole Fender. Fender placed across stem of vessels moving in Goole docks to prevent
damage to low dock sills.
Gooseneck. Projecting iron fitting with ring or band at its outer extremity. Used for
studdingsail yards and similar purposes. 2. Iron that connects end of a spar or boom with its
pivot.
Goosewing. Course or topsail with weather clew hauled out, lee clew hauled up and
buntlines taut. 2. A studding sail. 3. Wing and wing.
Gopher Wood. Timber used for building Noah's ark. Probably cypress wood.
Gore. 'Goring Cloth.'
Gore Strake. Strake that tapers to a point before reaching stem.
Gorge. Aperture, in a wood block, through which rope is rove. More usually called
'swallow*.