Dip the rope

[Poignard]

Wikipedia:

"A rope is a group of yarns, plies, or strands which are twisted or braided together in order to combine them into a larger and stronger form."
""Rope" refers to the manufactured material. Once rope is purposely sized, cut, spliced, or simply assigned a function, the result is referred to as a "line", especially in nautical usage."

Vessels are secured to a pontoon or quay with head and stern ropes. Sails have bolt ropes.

Nautical terminology is not always as exact as some might like.

 

[Lakesailor]

As ropeS!


MD

...

 

[JumbleDuck]

It is a shame not to use the old, correct terminology though, in my opinion (and it is the correct terminolgy, as you can see from the references I gave) and does help clarity.

I can think of no circumstances in which "rope" would be unclear but "line" would be crystal. Can you give a few examples?

 

[BelleSerene]

When I was a lad and went cruising with an uncle, we were helping some guy moor up to a pontoon and he told me to 'stand on that rope'. I asked again and the message came barking back: 'stand on that rope'.

You can probably guess what I did. Which didn't help.

You need to know your audience before using jargon.

 

[lw395]

Wikipedia:

........http://www.marineinstitute.org/nautical terms.htm#R

"ROPE - In general, cordage as it is purchased at the store. When it comes aboard a vessel and is put to use it becomes line."



MD

Sounds 'merican to me...
It's nothing to get highly strung about though!

I'm going to nick the picture of 'dipping the eye' from a few pages back, it's far clearer than any of the yotty books' efforts?

 

[lpdsn]

It is a shame not to use the old, correct terminology though, in my opinion (and it is the correct terminolgy, as you can see from the references I gave) and does help clarity.

MD

One side-effect of this thread is that I browsed the 1943 RN handbook I have, after checking for the non-existance of "dipping the rope" or "dipping the eye" (as a term - the technique is definitely there), it was surprising how much nautical terminology has evolved in the last seventy or so years.

Anyone who thinks they're using historically accurate terminology and could walk up to Nelson and hold a meaningful conversation about a vessel is living in cloud cuckoo land (IMHO). And anyway, he's dead.

 

[JumbleDuck]

When I was a lad and went cruising with an uncle, we were helping some guy moor up to a pontoon and he told me to 'stand on that rope'. I asked again and the message came barking back: 'stand on that rope'.

You can probably guess what I did. Which didn't help.

I'd have stood on the rope, as in "plonked my size elevens on it". What were you expected to do?

 

[lw395]

I'd have stood on the rope, as in "plonked my size elevens on it". What were you expected to do?

stand on= opposite to give way?

 

[IJL]

Language can be used in many ways and sometimes its used to obscure the meaning of what is being said so that only those who are part of the proffesion or hobby can understand. Medicine is full of this, Idiopathic sound so much better that "dont know" .

Sailing is packed with terms that mark you as out as "being in the know" a yacht or ship has many different names for different ropes, this is useful when there is room for confusion. But why do we need diferent names for the Kitchen, the toilet, left and right etc etc The toilet is the toilet be it on a boat a plane or the pub. When language is used to obscure meaning we should hardly be surprised when it does.

 

[Poignard]

Ah me hearties, I wonder how many of today's lubberly swabs would know how to skow an anchor. Or what the difference is between bear up and bear away. Or what a gobstick is used for on a yacht. Or where he would find a sny.

All terms given in books written for yachtsmen during the 20th century.

 

[RichardS]

I'd have stood on the rope, as in "plonked my size elevens on it". What were you expected to do?

OMG. I sense another 300-post thread coming along ..........

Richard

 

[JumbleDuck]

Language can be used in many ways and sometimes its used to obscure the meaning of what is being said so that only those who are part of the proffesion or hobby can understand. Medicine is full of this, Idiopathic sound so much better that "dont know" .

Michael Green, in The Art of Coarse Sailing, defined a coarse sailor as one who in times of crisis forgets all nautical language and shouts "For God's sake turn left". That's me, that is.

 

[SimonFa]

Language can be used in many ways and sometimes its used to obscure the meaning of what is being said so that only those who are part of the proffesion or hobby can understand. Medicine is full of this, Idiopathic sound so much better that "dont know" .

Sailing is packed with terms that mark you as out as "being in the know" a yacht or ship has many different names for different ropes, this is useful when there is room for confusion. But why do we need diferent names for the Kitchen, the toilet, left and right etc etc The toilet is the toilet be it on a boat a plane or the pub. When language is used to obscure meaning we should hardly be surprised when it does.

The one thing I insist on with non sailing visitors is that they understand port and starboard before I let them have a play on the helm. As I explain it to them I don't want any confusion as to whose left or right if I am facing them and tell them to turn left or right. The rest of the terms I'm indifferent about for non-sailing visitors and deliberately don't use nautical terms or if I do it is part of an explanation.

 

[lw395]

The one thing I insist on with non sailing visitors is that they understand port and starboard before I let them have a play on the helm. As I explain it to them I don't want any confusion as to whose left or right if I am facing them and tell them to turn left or right. The rest of the terms I'm indifferent about for non-sailing visitors and deliberately don't use nautical terms or if I do it is part of an explanation.

Have you tried sailing with teachers?
You may have to explain that 'forwards' means 'towards the pointy end' not 'towards the primary teacher'.
Maybe it should be spelt 'forewards'? </pedant>

 

[Habebty]

I say chaps, can someone direct me to the nearest "last word" thread?

 

[Poecheng]

I say chaps, can someone direct me to the nearest "last word" thread?

Noooo.....its getting a bit sleepy and I am waiting to just sneak in there and get the last word. You've done it now !!

 

[adwuk]

 

[Lakesailor]

We've got all that stuff at hand

 

[BelleSerene]

I'd have stood on the rope, as in "plonked my size elevens on it". What were you expected to do?

Turned out he meant me (a 12 year old or so) to take the rope and do nothing but await further instructions. Sort of 'stand [ready by] that rope'.

Still seems daft to me, 35 years later.

 

[oncewaswafu]

Apologies if it's been mentioned already, too many posts to read through. When I was being trained by the RN, many moons ago, the term employed was 'through footing' Why? God knows!