DICTIONARY OF

Spike Bowsprit 324 Splice Main Brace
Spike Bowsprit. Single bowsprit combining duties of bowsprit and jib boom.
Spike Plank. Plank running from bulwark to bulwark before mizzen mast of arctic whalers.
Allowed ice master to cross quickly from side to side when navigating ice-lanes.
Spike Tackle. Purchase used by whalers to hold carcase alongside while blubber was
removed.
Spile. A small tapered wooden pin.
Spile Hole. Small hole bored in cask or barrel to allow air to enter when emptying.
Spiling. Curved edge of a shaped strake when laid flat.
Spilings. Perpendicular distances from a line that joins two ends, of a spiling, to points of
the spiling.
Spill. To take wind out of a sail by putting its leech into the wind.
Spilling Line. Rope put on sail, in bad weather, for spilling wind out of sail when clewing
uo.
Spinaker, Spinnaker. Large sail put on side of mast opposite to mainsail when running.
First used, 1886, in H. C. Maudslay's 'Sphinx'. For this reason, was called 'Sphinxer'; later
became 'spinaker'.
Spindle. Strong and firmly supported steel shaft around which a capstan revolves; or which,
when keyed to capstan, will revolve the capstan.
Spindle.* Timber forming the diameter of a 'made' wooden mast.
Spindle Eye. 'Flemish Eye'.
Spindrift. Finely-divided water swept from crest of waves by strong winds.
Spinnaker Boom. Spar that extends the foot of a spinnaker.
Spinning Jenny. Formerly, winch for making rope yarn. Now, platform, suspended from a
swivel and used for uncoiling wire rope.
Spirket. Space between floor timbers of a wooden ship. 2. A large wooden peg.
Spirketing. Inside strake between waterways and the port sills of old wooden ships.
Spit. A projecting shoal.
Spitfire. Name sometimes given to a small jib used as a storm sail in a boat.
Splay Tackle. Purchase extended between heels of sheer legs, to adjust and maintain their
distance apart.
Splice. Join in rope made by intertwining ends of strands. 2. To join ropes by splicing.
Splice Main Brace. To issue an extra ration of rum. The main brace, often a tapered rope,
was spliced only in the most exceptional circumstances.