DICTIONARY OF

Old Dreadnought 241 Open Water
Old Dreadnought. Nickname given to Admiral Boscawen on account of his valorous
conduct in H.M.S. Dreadnought.
Old Grog. Nickname given to Admiral Edward Vernon, 1684-1757, who wore a grogram
coat in bad weather. He was the first to dilute seamen's rum.
Old Horse. Salt beef.
Old Ice. Ice that was not melted during previous summer.
Old Man. Colloquial name for the commander of a merchant vessel.
Oleron. Island at mouth of river Charente, France. Gave its name to the famous maritime
'Laws of Oleron'.
Ombrometer. A rain gauge.
Omega. A global position-fixing system using Very Low Frequencies and comparing phases
of signals (as in Decca) received from earth-based transmitters by reflection from satellites
in fixed orbits.
On a Bowline. Said of a vessel when sailing close-hauled with bowlines taut.
One for Coming Up. Final pull on a rope to obtain rather more than is required, and so
allow for slight loss when turning up.
On the Wind. Close-hauled.
Oomiaks. Sealskin canoes used by Eskimo.
Ooze. Deep-sea deposit composed of very fine grains of foramimfera, shell, diatoms, and
other substances.
Opening a Transit. Moving to one side of a transit line so that there is an angle between the
objects previously in transit.
Open Bearings. Two bearings of the same object, one taken before running a known
distance and the other after running it. Used in common pilotage for finding ship's position
at second bearing.
Open Boat. An undecked boat.
Open Cover. Development of "Floating Policy". Has no limit to value that may be shipped.
Premiums not payable until closings are made and policies are issued.
Open Hawse. Said of cables when riding by two cables, one on each bow, and each cable
leads directly to its anchor.
Open Hawse to the Gale. Said of a vessel when moored open hawse with the wind right
ahead.
Open Link. The unstudded link in each end of a shackle of cable.
Open Pack. Pack-ice in which there are some navigable lanes of water.
Open Policy. 'Floating Policy.'
Open Roadstead. Roadstead that has good anchorage ground but is not sheltered from
winds.
Open Sea. The sea when observer is in such a position that there is an uninterrupted sea
horizon. 2. Sea in which there is no shoal water. 3. Sea outside territorial limits.
Open Water. Unobstructed water. 2. Navigable waterway through ice.