GANGWAY—(1) The opening in a bulwark or lifeline
to provide access to a brow or an accommodation
ladder. (2) Given as an order it means “Clear the
way.”
GANTLINE—Line used for hoisting and lowering a
boatswain’s chair.
GENERAL ALARM—A sound signal of a pulsating
ringing tone used only on board ship for calling all
hands to general quarters.
GENERAL QUARTERS (GQ)—The condition of
full readiness for battle.
GIG—Boat assigned for the commanding officer’s
personal use.
GIRDER—A longitudinal supporting a deck.
GRANNY KNOT—A bungled square knot.
GRAPNEL—A small, four-armed anchor used to
recover objects in the water.
GRIPE—Device for securing a boat at its davits or in a
cradle.
GROUND TACKLE—Equipment used in anchoring
or mooring with anchors.
GUNWALE—(Pronounced gunnel.) The upper edge
of the sides of a ship.
GUY—A line used to steady a spar or boom.
HALF DECK—A partial deck below the main deck.
HALYARD—A light line used to hoist a flag or
pennant.
HAND—A ship’s crew member.
HANDSOMELY—Slowly and carefully.
HARD OVER—Condition of a rudder that has been
turned to the maximum possible rudder angle.
HASHMARK—(Service stripe.) A red, blue, or gold
diagonal stripe across the left sleeve of an enlisted
person’s jumper or coat; each stripe indicates 4
years service.
HATCH—A square or rectangular access in a deck.
HAUL—To pull in or heave on a line by hand.
HAUL OFF—Changing a vessel’s course to keep
clear of another vessel.
HAWSEPIPE—Opening through which the anchor
cable runs from the deck out through the side of the
ship.
HAWSER—Any heavy wire or line used for towing or
mooring.
HEAD—(1) The upper end of a lower mast boom. (2)
Compartment containing toilet facilities. (3)
Ship’s bow.”
HEADING—The direction toward which the ship is
pointing at any instant.
HEAVE—To throw.
HEAVE AROUND—(1) Th act of hauling in a line,
usually by means of a capstan or winch. (2)
General term for “Get to work.”
HEAVE IN—Take in line or cable.
HEAVE OUT AND TRICE UP—Announcement
given at reveille to persons sleeping in hammocks.
It means “Get up and lash up your hammocks.”
This term now applies to ships equipped with
bunks.
HEAVE TO—Stopping or reducing headway of a
vessel just enough to maintain steerageway.
HEAVING LINE—A line with a weight at one end
that is heaved across an intervening space for the
purpose of passing over a heavier line.
HELM—Mechanical device used to turn the rudder;
usually a wheel aboard ship; a lever in boats.
HELMSMAN—Person who steers the ship by turning
the helm.
HIGHLINE—The line stretched between the ships
under way on which a trolley block travels back
and forth for transfer of material and personnel.
HITCH—(1) Used to bend a line to or around a ring or
cylindrical object. (2) Common term for an
enlistment.
HOLD—Large cargo stowage space aboard ship.
HOLDING BULKHEAD—The innermost of a series
of bulkheads that form the tanks and voids of the
torpedo protection.
HOLIDAY—Space on a painted surface that the
painter neglected to cover.
HOOK—Familiar term for the anchor.
HORN—One of the projections of a cleat.
HOUSE—The act of two-blocking (pulling up tight)
an anchor in its hawsepipe.
AI-6
