"Sewed" or "sued", that is the question

[Plomong]

In a post on the thread "Suez Canal Blocked" on 23rd March last, Kukri used the phrase "She’s fully laden and well sued up out of her draft forward." when referring to the plight of the Ever Given.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I seem to recall that the correct spelling is "sewed", but I could be wrong, very wrong. Age plays its own tricks.

So my question is: Which is (more) correct, "sewed" or "sued", and what does the term mean anyway ???

Plomong

 

[PeterV]

A ship is sued once it is aground.

 

[TwoFish]

Not a term I had previously come across, but from the OED:

sew, v.4
3. Nautical.

a. Of a ship: To be grounded, to be high and dry; also (with specifying addition), to have its water-line (so much) above the water.

c1588 in State Papers Defeat Spanish Armada (1894) I. 16 For that she was aground and sewed two foot, and could not be gotten off.
1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. ix. 45 When the water is gone and the ships lies dry, we say she is Sewed; if her head but lie dry, she is Sewed a head; but if she cannot all lie dry, she cannot Sew there.
1694 Narbrough's Acct. Several Late Voy. 166 The Water did Ebb, and the ship Sued above 3 Foot.
1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 178 At Low-Water she Sued about one Foot and a half.
1750 T. R. Blanckley Naval Expositor (at cited word) When a Ship at low Water comes to be on the Ground to lie dry, they say, she is Sewed; and if she be not quite left dry, they say, she Sews to such a Part.
1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine at Sewed If a ship runs aground on the tide of ebb, and it be required to know if she has sewed, the water line..is examined, and this mark being found above the water, she is said to be sewed by as much as is the difference.
1882 G. S. Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 109 If the water has left her two feet, she has sued two feet.

and from the Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea:

SEW, to, an old maritime word which was used to describe a ship which had run ashore and had to await the next tide before refloating. She was said to be sewed by the difference between the level of the water and the floatation mark on her hull, e.g., she is sewed two feet if the level of the water is two feet below her normal flotation mark. The pronunciation of the word is sue.

 

[Plomong]

Thank you both, especially TwoFish -- spot on.

 

[Kukri]

Thank you. I enjoyed that.

 

[Stemar]

I learned a new meaning for a word or two today.

 

[Frogmogman]

I knew it was sewed, but had no idea it was pronounced sued, so thanks for that.

 

[PeterV]

I’ve learnt too, I’ve only heard the word before when entering floating docks and just assumed how it was spelt.

 

[Birdseye]

Thank you. I enjoyed that.

Really?

 

[Kukri]

Really?

Yes. Like PeterV I had only heard the word and assumed that it was spelled as it is pronounced. Frogmogman on the other hand had read it but not heard it. I find that rather pleasing, in a quiet way.

 

[mjcoon]

Yes. Like PeterV I had only heard the word and assumed that it was spelled as it is pronounced. Frogmogman on the other hand had read it but not heard it. I find that rather pleasing, in a quiet way.

Lots of potential puns. I have just wondered if anyone has written a story about an argument at a Rowing Club leading to someone being beaten over the head with a skull...

 

[Poignard]

Per Falconers Dictionary of the Marine:

SEWED, the situation of a ship which rests upon the ground till the depth of water sufficient to float her is diminished by the reflux of the tide. Thus if a ship runs aground on the tide of ebb, and it be required to know if she has sewed, the water-line or mark on her side, stem, or stern-post, where the surface of the water reaches when she is afloat, is examined, and this mark being found above the water, she is said to be sewed by as much as is the difference.