Historic nautical term

[DanTribe]

I was watching a rubbishy film on TV [The Vikings] when a captain ordered his archers to man the Fore Castle.
This term is still used but now contracted to foc'sl.
This started a discussion, why the term after castle is not used now.
Logically, this would be contracted to ars'l.
Perhaps it is still used, but only in reference to the person sitting at the back of the boat

 

[alant]

I was watching a rubbishy film on TV [The Vikings] when a captain ordered his archers to man the Fore Castle.
This term is still used but now contracted to foc'sl.
This started a discussion, why the term after castle is not used now.
Logically, this would be contracted to ars'l.
Perhaps it is still used, but only in reference to the person sitting at the back of the boat

Maybe because, when attacking another boat, you don't go backwards & use the ars'l end.

 

[John.edwards]

from Wiki

"Aftercastle (or sterncastle, sometimes aftcastle) is the stern structure behind the mizzenmast and above the transom on large sailing ships, such as carracks, caravels, galleons and galleasses. It usually houses the captain's cabin and perhaps additional cabins, and is crowned by the poop deck, which on man-of-wars provided a heightened platform from which to fire upon other ships; it was also a place of defense in the event of boarding. "

but I do like your shortened version. there were a few of those ars'l types on another thread today with video of charter yachts in paradise

 

[ferrispeterchris]

What do you call the quarterdeck of a Spanish warship? The Hacienda! Boom Boom.

 

[Seatrout]

'A r s e' is a nautical term. It is the underside of a wooden block.

Try 'c u n t l i n e'. That is a splicing term for the groove between strands of a rope.

Perhaps they should be 'naughty-cal' terms.

 

[prv]

Try 'c u n t l i n e'. That is a splicing term for the groove between strands of a rope.

Indeed, and there's a splice called a cunt splice due to a certain anatomical resemblance. But you will often see it written in books as a "cut splice", even though there's no cutting involved in making it.

Pete