DICTIONARY OF

Lay a Hold 196 Leading Lights
Lay a Hold. To put down the helm and come close to the wind.
Lay Along. To list; to lean over.
Lay Days. Days allowed by charter party for loading and /or discharging cargo.
Lay In. Order given to men on foot ropes of a yard when they are to come in to the mast.
Laying Hook. One of the hooks in a rope-making machine. End of strand is attached to it
when laying up the rope.
Laying on Oars. Holding oars at right angles to fore and aft line of boat with blades
horizontal and parallel to surface of water. Is used also as a sarcastic term for idling, or not
pulling one's weight.
Laying Up Returns. Return of part of premium paid when an insured vessel has been laid
up for 30 (sometimes 15) consecutive days.
Lay Out. Order to men at mast to extend themselves at intervals along a yard. 2. To keep a
vessel at a certain place until a specified time has elapsed.
Lay the Course. To keep a ship's head on a required course.
Lay the Land. To cause the land to sink below horizon by sailing away from it.
Lay Up. To put torsion in yarns and strands so that they form rope or cordage. 2. To take a
ship out of service and moor her in a dock or harbour.
Lazarette, Lazaretto. Storeroom containing provisions of a ship. 2. Ship or building in
which persons in quarantine are segregated.
Lazy Guy. Guy that consists of a single rope and is used for moving or temporarily
securing, a boom or derrick when little weight is involved.
Lazy Painter. Additional painter that is of smaller size than proper painter. Used when
mooring for a short time and no great strain is anticipated.
Leach. Leech of a sail.
Lead (Leed). Direction in which a rope goes, or is guided, by blocks, sheaves, fairleads,
cleats, etc. 2. Open-water channel between ice-sheets. 3. Arrangement of a slide valve so
that some steam is admitted to exhaust side of piston a little before end of stroke.
This cushions end of stroke, and ensures adequate steam for the commencement of return
stroke. 4. Setting of crank of one engine a certain distance in advance of another.
Lead (Led). Shaped mass of lead—weighing 10-14 Ib.-used with a marked line when
ascertaining depth of water or nature of sea bottom.
Lead Ballast. Used in sailing yachts to keep centre of gravity as low as necessary. Previous
to 1846, iron ballast was used. After 1876, the lead was put into the keel.
Leading Block. Block used for altering the direction of a rope led through it.
Leading Lights. Two or more lights that identify a leading line when they are in transit.