Interesting little Nautical related facts

[Red Cat Jenny]

Mapmakers will often insert a tiny piece of incorrect information in their maps to prevent the illegal reproduction of their work. Called a “copyright trap,” the fake text might be a bogus street name or even the mapmakers’ initials hidden in the corner of a city park

"Hey BlackJohn...is this true?"

People didn’t always say “hello” when they answered the phone When the first regular phone service was established in 1878, people said “ahoy.”

When first published as a serial in Young Folks magazine, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island was titled The Sea Cook

Dog watch is the name given to the 1600-1800 and 1800-2000 watches aboard ship. The 1600-2000 4-hour watch was originally split to prevent men from always having to stand the same watches daily. As a result, sailors dodge the same daily routine, hence they are dodging the watch or standing the dodge watch.

more to follow...

[capn'rob]

The Dog Watch not only switched the watch but gave each watch (half of the crew) a two hour break for dinner and some time to mend clothing or a little of the Arts of the Sailor.

[celtaban]

People didn’t always say “hello” when they answered the phone When the first regular phone service was established in 1878, people said “ahoy.”

Actually, the story I heard is this: When the telephone was first coming into use, there was some popular disagreement about the proper thing to say when answering. Bell (inventor of the telephone) was consulted, and, being a Scot, suggested, "Hoy, hoy." (Brits who drop their aitches say "Oi," we say "hey" - same word, same meaning, different accents.) Bell is said to have answered his phone that way, but it never really caught on.

So is the Scots "hoy" the source of "ahoy," or did "ahoy" derive from some other expression?

[Mission]

People didn’t always say “hello” when they answered the phone When the first regular phone service was established in 1878, people said “ahoy.”

Actually, the story I heard is this: When the telephone was first coming into use, there was some popular disagreement about the proper thing to say when answering. Bell (inventor of the telephone) was consulted, and, being a Scot, suggested, "Hoy, hoy." (Brits who drop their aitches say "Oi," we say "hey" - same word, same meaning, different accents.) Bell is said to have answered his phone that way, but it never really caught on.

That's what I've read. I suspect one reason that it may have become "ahoy" was that it would be easier to say than "Hoy, hoy." (Try saying "Hoy, hoy." It is difficult to enunciate. This may sound silly, but it's the reason that the Spanish combine "a" [to] and "el" [the} into the contraction "al." "A el" is hard to enunciate in front of some words.)

[Sjöröveren]

Mapmakers will often insert a tiny piece of incorrect information in their maps to prevent the illegal reproduction of their work. Called a "copyright trap," the fake text might be a bogus street name or even the mapmakers' initials hidden in the corner of a city park

"Hey BlackJohn...is this true?"

Here's a link to "The Map Room", an excellent blog about maps and mapping. It has several links to various discussions about copyright traps. They are apparently quite real. I gather data which is used in map making, but since our clients rely on us to provide accurate data, we don't insert spurious data into our work. I suppose it's up to our clients to do that if they wish.

[Old Crow]

Nothing I love more than finding modern expressions with Nautical origins.

I'm sure you are all familiar with:

Pooped

Dreadnought (not just a guitar)

Loose Cannon

Taken Aback

Three Sheets to the Wind

Let the Cat out of the Bag

Enough Room to Swing a Cat

I'm not remembering more right now, but am always noticing them. Anyone else?

[Captain McCool]

Heh, I was always fond of the explanation that the "dog watch" is so called because it is "Cur-tailed", as is suggested to comic effect by Stephen Maturin in one of Patrick O'Brien's Napoloenic sea novels.

[Blackbead]

People didn’t always say “hello” when they answered the phone When the first regular phone service was established in 1878, people said “ahoy.”

Actually, the story I heard is this: When the telephone was first coming into use, there was some popular disagreement about the proper thing to say when answering. Bell (inventor of the telephone) was consulted, and, being a Scot, suggested, "Hoy, hoy." (Brits who drop their aitches say "Oi," we say "hey" - same word, same meaning, different accents.) Bell is said to have answered his phone that way, but it never really caught on.

Oh! I see now why Montgomery BURNS always answers his phone "Ahoy, hoy"!

It's the superstitions of the sea that I've always found fascinating. Wren's feathers, not beginning a voyage on certain days, women on board ship, whistling aboard ship, that sort of thing. There's so much history and a sense of tradition to these stories and the resulting beliefs. That sort of thing appeals to me and brings a feeling of order to the life.

Blackbead

[Mission]

I always figured they did that to show how out of touch Mr. Burns was.

[Blackbead]

Out of touch with the modern world, I agree. Which is especially funny since he's the owner of the nuclear power plant. But dead on, pun intended, with his Scottish ancestor!

[Red Cat Jenny]

Slush Fund

Most people think this term originated in the smoke-filled boardrooms of corporate America. Surprisingly, however, it can be traced back to some clever ship cooks who saved the slushy mix of fat and grease that was left over after every meal.

The slush would be stowed away in a secret hiding place until the ship returned to port. The cooks would then sell the fat to candle makers and other merchants, earning themselves a tidy sum in the process. Thus, the term “slush fund” refers to an illicit cash reserve.

By and Large

A sailing vessel was considered seaworthy if it could sail both “by” (into the wind) and “large” (with the wind). This term has come to mean “generally speaking” in modern parlance

[MarkG]

Slush Fund

Most people think this term originated in the smoke-filled boardrooms of corporate America. Surprisingly, however, it can be traced back to some clever ship cooks who saved the slushy mix of fat and grease that was left over after every meal.

The slush would be stowed away in a secret hiding place until the ship returned to port. The cooks would then sell the fat to candle makers and other merchants, earning themselves a tidy sum in the process. Thus, the term "slush fund" refers to an illicit cash reserve.

By and Large

A sailing vessel was considered seaworthy if it could sail both "by" (into the wind) and "large" (with the wind). This term has come to mean "generally speaking" in modern parlance

Pork Barrel (as in politics) probably came from the same source as slush fund. See http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2197/whats-the-origin-of-slush-fund

Mark

[capn'rob]

Slush Fund

Most people think this term originated in the smoke-filled boardrooms of corporate America. Surprisingly, however, it can be traced back to some clever ship cooks who saved the slushy mix of fat and grease that was left over after every meal.

The slush would be stowed away in a secret hiding place until the ship returned to port. The cooks would then sell the fat to candle makers and other merchants, earning themselves a tidy sum in the process. Thus, the term "slush fund" refers to an illicit cash reserve.

By and Large

A sailing vessel was considered seaworthy if it could sail both "by" (into the wind) and "large" (with the wind). This term has come to mean "generally speaking" in modern parlance

Pork Barrel (as in politics) probably came from the same source as slush fund. See http://www.straightd...n-of-slush-fund

Mark

The cook would hide what he could because the "Slush" was important to the raising of Yardarms. Sailors were sent aloft on the topmasts with a bucket of slush and worked their way down applying this lubricant to those segments of the masts where yardarms were raised and lowered. The topsails were the primary sails. Prior to the mid 19th century they were of the longest hoist with several reef points. In foul weather you did not want that Yardarm fetching up against the mast. In later years with the coming of the Clippers, the sails began to reach for the Sky. From the T'Gan's'l or Top Gallant Sail, Rose the Royals, Sky sails Star Sails and just to make more speed, extend the yardarms with "Stu'n's'l Bones". Yards that extended from the yard itself and would set sail that extended the width of the square sails greatly. Steam put an end to that all too soon. There is one Clipper Ship in operation today that sails with guests. It was built in Holland and Christened the "Amsterdam". I've been aboard of She but just in port. That's what I got.

[capn'rob]

p.s. You can recognize the sections of masts that are Slushed. They are not painted as are most that have yards on fixed cranes.