Going about - what commands?

Woodlouse said:
I'm a bit horrified that some feel that using the correct terms in sailing is pretentious. Talk about dumbing down. Why don't we say left and right? Or front and back (or even sharp end, blunt end). What do you call a halyard? The rope to pull the main up? Heaven help you if you use words like hoist, or reef. Do you call a tiller a steering stick? Do you wish that a tiller didn't work back to front?

FFS. I have nothing against people using simple terms than anyone can understand. But to say that the correct terminology is old fashioned and ridiculous is inverse snobbery at it's worst.

I understand people can be totally anal about what terms you use on boats, but to disregard it all is ignorance.

And to be honest, I'm quite proud that I can say two or three sentences in detailed sailing talk and a complete landlubber won't understand a word I've said. It means I don't feel bad about not having learnt a foreign language.
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Say what you like on your own boat, and I will do likewise :)
Where the nautical term provides a useful and unambiguous means of communication, then I use it. But I sail with inexperienced crews a lot of the time and deliberately try to avoid nautical words because if I ask somebody to do something, I want them know what it means. So, yes, I usually talk about the 'front' and 'back' of a boat. This habit spills over into sailing even with more experienced crews, but amazingly they still understand me! So where exactly is the downside?

Oh there is one exception to this- on some of the boats I sail we use the gaelic equivalents for "are you ready?" and "let's go" which sounds rather nice, to my ears.
 
Ubergeekian said:
Some things are perfectly sensible. Port and starboard, for example, are independent of the way someone is facing. Some are OK but not strictly necessary - "Ted, can you go up to the front and be ready with a fender" seems just as good to me as "Ted, can you go forrard (or to the bow) and be ready with a fender". And some terms are, to me, just irritatingly pretentious. Veering some scope instead of letting out some chain, for example, or snottledog instead of bung.

And while we're on the subject, where did ferry-glide come from? Twenty years ago nobody used the term: now every other article in every sailing magazine wears it proudly on its sleeve.
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I think ferry glide was a canoeing term 30 years ago FWIW.
Top Tip, be careful with the technical term 'Forwards' when sailing with teachers. You might think it means 'towards the sharp end' you may find they think it means 'towards teacher'.

I found this out heading up with a 1200sqft spinnaker. 'Pole Forwards' 'oh b@gger'
 
Well scupper me starboard flip-flop mateys, you lubbers need yer mainbraces parcelled. Able bodied? My hawsepipe. Black spot boys, black spot!!!
 
...merely confuse unless you have been shown and taught each stage of the procedure and learned the phrase attached to it.


Yoho ho, thats me job!! :)
 
I was taught

Ready About
Lee Oh (or Ho - dexlysia rules KO)

Which worked fine intil I sailed with a skipper called Leo, who insists on

"Ready to tack"
"Tacking"

as Lee oh is more likely to work like this

"Ready About"

"Lee oh"

(Leo pops head up from companionway)

"Yes Ste - aargh!"

(Main sheet garottes Leo)
 
"Ready about", and wait for the crewman to reply with a "Ready".
"Lee-oh" in a loud voice. The only exception to this is if I've a crewman called Leo aboard and to save the poor guy's shredded nerves I replace "Lee-oh" with "Tacking".
 
Stemar said:
Lee Oh (or Ho - dexlysia rules KO)
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Pretty sure it's "ho", from merriam-webster:-
Main Entry: ho
Pronunciation: \ˈhō\
Function: interjection
Etymology: Middle English
Date: 15th century
—used especially to attract attention to something specified <land ho>

and Dictionary.com:-
ho
–interjection
1. (used as a call to attract attention, sometimes specially used after
a word denoting a destination): Westward ho! Land ho!

Stemar said:
"Ready to tack"
"Tacking"
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I think I prefer that, might try it out should I ever manage to get in a boat again.
 
snowleopard said:
On half-boats I always call below 'stand by to tack the galley'. ;)
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I knew a chap once with an old wooden boat which had a charcoal stove down below. He had to tack the chimney when going about!


Me - I just shout, "I'm changing direction, KEEP YER FECKIN' HEADS DOWN"
Usually works!

:D
 
Interesting variations. I've always understood (and used) "Lee-Oh" to announce that the helm is going down and we're committed to the manoever, rather than to indicate passing head to wind.

I follow the norm, "Ready about", "Lee-Oh". However especially when cruising I normally announce or explain the intention well before hand.
 
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I guess the tradition is a little different in Amurrica. We were taught:

"Crew, prepare to tack!"

"Ready about?" [crew: "Ready!"]

"Helm hard alee!"

I've never heard "lee oh" before. We do say "jibe ho" when jibing.

And of course "helm hard alee" is when the helmsman has initiated and is committed to the manuever, not when the head passes through the wind, as someone said. Head passing through the wind is observed by everyone (especially when one gets caught in irons).
 
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Ubergeekian said:
And while we're on the subject, where did ferry-glide come from? Twenty years ago nobody used the term: now every other article in every sailing magazine wears it proudly on its sleeve.
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I don't know why it has become fashionable, but it seems to me a useful concept without a simple plain-English equivalent.

There are not many short-distance vehicle ferries left in Scotland, but I cross the Corran Ferry frequently and am familiar with it heading into the stream and crossing the Narrows crabwise, and I have always assumed that was the origin of the phrase.
 
verbosity

I learned sailing in Germay and true to the national fable for thoroughness I believe there were EIGHT commands for a jibe. Don't ask me - I forgot :p
 
Re: verbosity

I know this thread is quite old, but here is my contribution.

Back in the late 50's I was taught that "Lee-ho" was an abbreviation of "Let go".

So our sequence was:
Helm: Ready to go about (crew to stations)
Crew: Ready
Helm: Helm down (tells the crew that the manoeuvre has started)
Helm: Lee-ho (when the head sail has backed enough to push the boat across the wind)

This sequence helps inexperience crew so that they know when to let go. You will have already briefed them so they know what to expect.
 
I sail single handed, even when I've got a crew.

"Grandpas's going to tack now"
Move child from low side to high side of cockpit.
Press +10 & +1 simultaneously. ( or -10 & -1)

"Don't worry about your colouring book. I'll get it in a minute."
Transfer the winch handle to the other side.

"Don't worry. I won't forget the pencils."
Take the active sheet out of the self tailer and hold it until the sail backs a bit.

"Just let go of that rope there's a good girl / boy. I don't want you to get hurt."
Cast off the old sheet and haul the new one until the jib's about right.

"Here's your colouring book."
Let the speed build then adjust the autohelm to point a bit higher.

"Here, take your pencils"
Haul the traveller up the track, or let it down, as required.

"I don't know where the red crayon went. Perhaps it fell down the cockpit drain."
Tidy the sheets in preparation for the next tack in a few minutes.
 
"ready about"

aye ready

Helms-a-lee

"Let Draw"

(the last command because we have to back the jib to help the boat through the wind, and crew sometimes tempted to change it to the new tack too soon- or too late- )
 
Ready about - given when I think I might be tacking
Hang-on - given when I realise I don't want to just yet after all
OK, ignore that - given when I realise I don't need to tack at all
Sorry, readyaboutleeoh - given when I realise I was right first time and we won't make the mark

Racing is not my forte.

On RAFSA sailing charters out of BKYC we tended to use "99" for the warning followed by "change hands" when putting the helm over, which did confuse the examiner on my 35 sq mt ticket.
 
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