CHART—Nautical counterpart of a road map,
showing land configuration, water depths, and aids
to navigation.
CHECK—(1) To slow or ease; to check a line is to pay
out just enough line to prevent its parting when
under a strain. (2) To investigate or examine
something.
CHEEK—One of the sides of a block.
CHOCK—Deck fitting through which mooring lines
are led.
CHOW—Feed.
CHRONOMETER—An accurate clock used in
navigation.
CLAMP DOWN—To sprinkle the deck with water
and dry it with a swab.
CLEAT—A metal casting with two projecting arms to
which a line is belayed.
COAMING—Bulwark around a hatch opening.
COFFERDAM—A void between compartments or
tanks of a ship for purposes of insulation.
COIL—To lay down a line in circular turns piled
loosely on top of one another.
COLLISION BULKHEAD—A bulkhead, stronger
than normal, located forward to control flooding in
the event of a head-on collision.
C O L O R S —(1) The national ensign. (2) The
ceremony of raising and lowering the ensign.
COMBATANT SHIP—A ship whose primary
mission is combat.
COMPANIONWAY—Deck opening giving access to
a ladder (includes the ladder).
COMPARTMENT—Interior space (room) in a ship.
COMPLETE DECK—Any deck that extends the
length of a ship from side to side.
CONN—Station, usually on the bridge, from which a
ship is controlled; the act of controlling the ship’s
movements.
COURSE—A ship’s desired direction of travel, not to
be confused with heading, which is the direction in
which the bow is pointed at any given instant.
COVER—(1) To protect. (2) A shelter. (3) Headgear,
and the act of donning same.
COXSWAIN—Enlisted person in charge of a boat.
DARKEN SHIP—To turn off all external lights and
close all openings through which lights could be
seen from outside the ship.
DAVITS—A crane or mechanical arms that project
over the side of a ship and are used to lower or hoist
a boat in or out of the water.
DEAD AHEAD—Directly ahead; a relative bearing
of 000. Dead astern is 180 relative.
DEAD IN THE WATER—A ship that has stopped
and has no way on, or no movement through the
water.
DECK—Horizontal planking or plating that divides a
ship into layers.
DECK SEAMANSHIP—The upkeep and operation
of all deck equipment.
DEEP SIX—To throw something overboard.
DIP—The act of lowering a flag partway down the
staff as a salute to, or in reply to a salute from,
another ship.
DISTANCE LINE—A line stretched between two
ships engaged in replenishment or transfer
operations under way. The line is marked at
20-foot intervals to help the conning officer in
maintaining station.
DIVISION—(1) A main subdivision of a ship’s crew
(1st, E, G, and so forth). (2) An organization made
up of two or more ships of the same type.
DOCK—Commonly refers to any pier or wharf; but,
strictly speaking, it refers only to the space
alongside a pier or in drydock.
DOG—(1) A lever or bolt and thumbscrews used for
securing a watertight door. (2) The act of dividing a
4-hour watch into 2-hour watches.
DOG DOWN—To set the dogs on a watertight door.
DOG WATCH—The 1600 to 1800 and 1800 to 2000
watches.
DOLPHIN—(1) A cluster of piles at the end of a pier.
(2) A porpoise.
DOUBLE UP—To double mooring lines for extra
strength.
DRAFT—The vertical distance from the keel to the
waterline.
DRAFT MARKS—The figures fastened to the stem
and stern, the center of which indicates the draft of
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