BACK—(1) To go backwards. (2) Act of the wind in changing direction counterclockwise. BACKSTAY—Piece of standing rigging leading aft. BAIL—(1) To rid a boat of water by dipping it out. (2) A rigid member supporting two end points, as the bail    (handle) of a bucket or the support for an accommodation ladder. BALLAST—Weight (solid or liquid) loaded into a ship to increase stability. BAR—A long, narrow shoal across a harbor entrance. BA R G E — ( 1 )   A   b l u n t - e n d e d ,   f l a t - b o t t o m e d , waterborne craft, usually nonself-propelled, used to  haul  supplies  or  garbage.  (2)  A  type  of motorboat assigned for the personal use of a flag officer. BATTEN—(1) A long strip of steel wedged against the edges of tarpaulins on a hatch to make the hatch watertight. (2) Removable wood or steel members used in ship’s holds to keep cargo from shifting. BATTEN DOWN—The act of applying battens to a hatch.  Extended  to  mean  the  closing  of  any watertight fixture. BATTLE  LANTERN—A  battery-powered  lantern for emergency use. BEAM—(1) The extreme breadth (width) of a vessel. (2) A transverse frame supporting a deck. BEAR—The  act  of  locating  a  particular  point,  or bearing, as “The lighthouse  bears  45.” BEAR A HAND—(1) Provide assistance, as “Bear a hand    with  rigging  this  stage.”  (2)  Expedite,  as “Bear a hand  with readiness for sea reports.” BEARING—The  direction  of  an  object  from  an observer, measured in degrees clockwise from a reference  point.  See  MAGNETIC  BEARING, RELATIVE BEARING, and TRUE BEARING. BECKET—(1) An eye for securing one end of a line to a  block.  (2)  A  rope  eye  on  a  cargo  net.  (3) Shortened form of becket bend. BECKET  BEND—A  knot  used  to  tie  two  lines together. BELAY—(1) To secure a line to a fixed point. (2) Order to disregard a previous order or to stop an action, as “Belay   the last order,” or “Belay   the small talk.” B E L OW — D o w n w a r d ,    b e n e a t h ,    o r    b e y o n d something, as to lay  below;  below  the flight deck; below  the horizon. BEND—To join two lines together; the type of knot so used. BERTH—(1)  A  bunk.  (2)  A  duty  assignment.  (3) Mooring space assigned to a ship. BIGHT—The middle part of a line or a loop in a line. BILGE—(1) Bottom of the hull near the keel. (2) To fail an examination. (3)  Bilge  water is foul water, so to apply the term to something implies that it is worthless. BILLET—Place or duty to which one is assigned. BINNACLE—Stand containing a magnetic compass. BINNACLE  LIST—List  of  persons  excused  from duty because of illness. BITT—Cylindrical upright fixture to which mooring or towing lines are secured aboard ship. BITTER END—The free end of a line. BLOCK—A  frame  containing  a  pulley,  called  a sheave, around which a line (known as a   fall) is attached. BLOCK AND TACKLE—See PURCHASE. BOARD—(1) The act of going aboard a vessel. (2) A group of persons meeting for a specific purpose, as an investigation board. BOAT—A small craft capable of being carried aboard a ship. BOAT BOOM—A spar rigged out from the side of an anchored or moored ship to which boats are tied when not in use. BOAT FALLS—Tackle used to hoist and lower a boat in davits. BOATHOOK—A  staff  having  a  hook  at  one  end. Used for fending a boat off, hooking a line, and so forth. BOATSWAIN’S  CHAIR—A  seat  attached  to  a gantline for hoisting a person aloft. B OAT S WA I N ’ S   L O C K E R —A  compartment, usually forward, where line and other equipment used by the deck force are stowed. BOLLARD—A strong, cylindrical upright fixture on a pier to which a ship’s mooring lines are secured. AI-2