DICTIONARY OF

Swash 341 Swinging Boom
Swash, Swatch. Narrow channel, or indentation in a sandbank, or between a sandbank and
the shore.
Swashway, Swatchway. Swash, Swatch.
Sway. To hoist an upper mast or yard.
Sway Away. Order to hoist a yard, or upper mast.
Sweat Up. To haul on a rope to hoist the last possible inch or so.
Sweep. Long oar used in barges and lighters for turning them. Only used rarely for
propulsion. Formerly used in small sailing vessels. 2. To propel with sweeps. 3. To search
for a sunken object by towing a bight of wire until it is brought up by the object. 3. To search
an area of the sea with two or more ships working in concert. 4. The harmonious curve of a
vessel's line or plating. 5. Circular frame on which tiller moved in certain olden ships.
Sweeping and Creeping. Searching an area of the sea-bed with a sweep wire and a grapnel.
Sweepings. Cargo, such as grain, that has escaped from its bags and has been swept up in
the hold. Is delivered to consignee as 'sweepings'.
Swell. Succession of long and unbroken waves that are not due to meteorological conditions
in the vicinity. Generally due to wind at a distance from the position.
Swifter. Extra stay or backstay. 2. Foremost shroud of lower rigging. 3. Rope secured in
slots at end of capstan bars, to prevent bars from coming out of poppets of capstan while
heaving.
Swifting. Tautening up by passing trapping turns. So applied to 'undergirding'. Swifting in
of shrouds is done when refitting ratlines. Middle shroud is tautened and those on either side
of it are slightly slackened. Ratlines are then fitted. When swifting turns are taken off, the
shrouds are set up-so tautening the ratlines.
Swig. To get maximum pull on a rope by pulling on it, at right angles to its direction, after it
has been hauled taut and turned up.
Swim. Overhanging portion of bow or stern below maximum load line. It increases a
vessel's flotation as she sinks deeper in the water.
Swim-Headed. Said of barges with bows, or ends, that are flat and inclined upwards and
outwards from the bottom.
Swing. To move sideways at a constant distance from a point ahead such as swinging to an
anchor. 2. To put ship's head through all points of the compass to ascertain compass errors
on all directions of ship's head.
Swinging Boom. Boom pivoted on ship's side and secured at right angles to fore and aft
line, and horizontal, when in harbour. Used for the securing of duty boats not immediately
needed. Originally, was the lower studdingsail boom.