DICTIONARY OF

Warranty of Seaworthiness 378 Water Ballast
Warranty of Seaworthiness. One of the 'Implied warranties' in marine insurance. The mere
fact of applying for an insurance policy implies a warranty, by the applicant, that the ship is
seaworthy in all respects.
Warwick Screw. Rigging screw with sides of shroud cut away to allow the placing of
locking blocks on square ends of screws when set up; thus preventing any slacking back.
Wash. Broken water at bow of a vessel making way. 2. Disturbed water made by a propeller
or paddle wheel. 3. Blade of an oar.
Wash Board. Wash strake.
Washing Down. Said of a vessel when she is shipping water on deck and it is running off
through scuppers and freeing ports.
Washington Conferences. International marine conferences held in Washington, U.S.A.,
between October and December, 1889. Largely concerned with regulations for preventing
collision at sea.
Wash Port. Aperture, in the bulwarks of a vessel, that allows water on deck to flow
outboard.
Wash Strake. Upper strake of a boat's side planking. 2. Special lengths of wood fitted
longitudinally above gunwale of a boat to give more freeboard when under sail.
Watch. Period of time, normally four hours, into which an nautical day is divided. The
period between 16 hrs. and 20 hrs.—4 p.m. to 8 p.m.—is divided into two 'dog' (docked)
watches, so that similar watches are not kept on consecutive days. 2. Group into
which crew is divided for duty; port or starboard watch if into two watches. To keep, or
stand, a watch is to be on duty for a watch.
Watch and Watch. Keeping alternate watches throughout.
Watch Bell. Bell used for striking the half hours of each watch.
Watch Bill. Nominal list of men in a watch, together with their special duties and other
relevant particulars.
Watch Buoy. Buoy moored in vicinity of a light-vessel to mark her position, and to give
warning if she should drag her moorings.
Watching. Said of a mark buoy when it is fully floating.
Watch Tackle. Small tackle consisting of one single block, one double block, and a rather
short fall. Used for general purposes on deck. Formerly used for getting a small but strong
pull on running rigging. Also called 'Handy Billy'.
'Watch, There, Watch. 5 Call made when using a deep-sea lead and line. Is called when the
last bights of line are going out of one man's hand, and warns next man that his bights will
run out.
Water. To take in water for drinking or boiler purposes. To pump fresh water into a ship.
Water Anchor. Sea anchor. Drogue.
Water Bailiff. Name sometimes given to the Customs Officer of a port.
Water Ballast. Water carried by an unloaded vessel to increase her stability and give greater
submersion to her propeller. Usually carried in double bottom, deep, and peak tanks.