DICTIONARY OF

South Equatorial Current 321 ______ __Spanking
South Equatorial Current. A term often used to denote the Equatorial Current by those
who consider the North-East Trade Drift to be the North Equatorial Current.
Southerly Burster (Buster). Wind off S and SE coasts of Australia during summer and
autumn. Usually develops from a wind between North and West, which chops round and
brings cold and stormy conditions.
Southern Cross. The conspicuous constellation Crux.
Southing. Distance, or difference of latitude, made good in a direction due south. Of a
heavenly body, is its meridian transit south of observer.
South Seas. Former name for South Pacific Ocean.
South-West Monsoon Currents. Drift currents set up in China Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of
Bengal, off coasts of Burma and west India by South-West Monsoon.
Sou'wester. Oilskin headgear having projections to protect back of neck, ears, and eyes. 2.
South-westerly gale.
Span. Length of rope, with eye in each end, stretched between two points of attachment.
Span Block. Block hooked or shackled into eyes of a span lying across a mast cap and
around mast.
Spanish Burton. Purchase made with two single blocks. Rope spliced in head of moving
block, rove through standing block, then through moving block. Hook inserted in second
drift between standing and moving block. Gives power of three, but only a short lift.
Spanish Fox. Made by unlaying a yarn, smoothing it down, and laying it up in the opposite
direction.
Spanish Bowline. Rather complicated manipulations of a bighted rope to form two separate
and permanent loops in the bight. Rarely, if ever, used nowadays, but was formerly used in
jury rigging.
Spanish Reef. A lubberly reef. Made by settling yard of a square sail, or knotting the head
of a jib.
Spanish Windlass. Simple and powerful mechanism for heaving together two parts of rope.
Short round bar is laid across two parts of rope and a small line is passed round the two
parts. Ends of small line are passed over cross bar, and marline spikes inserted into ends by
marline spike hitches. By using cross bar as fulcrum the two ropes are drawn together.
Spanker. Fore and aft sail, spread to a gaff and boom, on after side of after mast of a ship or
barque. Sometimes called 'Driver'. Name was given to after mast of a five-masted ship.
Spanker Boom. Boom on after side of after mast of a ship or barque, to which the foot of
spanker was stretched.
Spanker Gaff. Spar to which head of a spanker is stretched.
Spanking. Applied to a wind, or movement of a vessel, to denote brisk and lively.