Jib – a triangular staysail that sets ahead of the foremast
Jib-boom – a spar used to extend the length of a bowsprit on sailing ships.
Latitude – a measure of the north-south position on the Earth's surface. Lines of latitude, or parallels, run east–west as circles parallel to the equator. Latitude ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° at the poles.
Lazarette – a below deck storage area in the stern of the ship
Leeward – the direction away from the wind.
Lee rail – The deck edge on the side of the ship away from the direction from which the wind is blowing. The weather rail is the on the other side of the ship.
Limey – slang for a British sailor or ship. Also called lime juicers. From the British policy of issuing lime or lemon juice to sailors to prevent scurvy on long passages.
Liverpool deck – on some of the later windjammers, an accommodations cabin/deck amidships which spanned the entire beam of the ship.
Liverpool pantiles – slang for hard bread said to resemble roofing tile in shape, consistency and flavor.
Local Apparent Noon – the moment when the sun is observed to be at its highest point in its travel across the sky. By measuring the altitude (the angular distance from the horizon) and noting the time difference between Local Apparent Noon and Greenwich time, a ship's officer can determine the ship's latitude and longitude. See Sun Sight and Sextant.
Longitude – a measurement of the east-west position on the Earth's surface, an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees. Points with the same longitude lie in lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole. By convention, one of these, the Prime Meridian, which passes through the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England, establishes the position of zero degrees longitude. The longitude of other places is measured as an angle east or west from the Prime Meridian, ranging from 0° at the Prime Meridian to +180° eastward and –180° westward.
Lying a-hull – similar to being hove to except that no effort is made to maintain control of the ship's hull in relation to the wind and sea. Sails are furled and the ship is allowed to drift, generally sideways to the seas.
Madame Cashee – a brothel keeper in Callao, Peru immortalized in a sea shanty.
Main mast – the largest mast on a sailing ship. The middle mast on a three masted ship.
Main sail – the main course, the lowest square sail set on the main mast.
Mainstay – stay supporting the main mast leading forward on the centerline of the ship.
Marline – a small, usually tarred, line of two strands twisted loosely left-handed that is used especially for seizing and as a covering for wire rope.
Marlinspike – A marlinspike is a polished iron or steel spike tapered to a rounded or flattened point, usually 6 to 12 inches long, used in ropework for unlaying rope for splicing, for untying knots, opening or closing shackles and a variety of related tasks.
Marlinspike sailor – a sailor who become proficient at knot tying, splicing, ropework, sewing, and use of a marlinspike.
Meridian or line of longitude – half of an imaginary great circle on the Earth's surface terminated by the North Pole and the South Pole, connecting points of equal longitude.
Mizzen – the aftermost mast and smallest mast, the third mast on a three masted ship.
Mooring lines – lines or hawsers used to hold the ship fast against a dock.
Official Log Book – the official record of the voyage, listing crew signing on and off. A record is also kept of discipline, injuries, births or deaths that occur on the vessel, as well musters and drills.
Ordinary, ordinary seaman – a less experienced sailor not rated Able. Not trusted for tasks such as steering without supervision.
Outhaul – a line used to haul or stretch a sail on a yard or boom.
Pannikin – a small metal pan or cup.
Peggy – a sailor assigned to menial tasks.
Pierhead jumpers – the last sailors brought aboard a ship before she sails, often purchased from boarding house masters or crimps.
Pin rail – a strong wooden rail or bar containing holes for pins to which the running rigging is belayed fastened on sailing vessels usually along the ship's rail.
Pisagua, Chile – a port on the Pacific Ocean which was a major nitrate exporter from the 1870s through the early part of the 20th century.
Point of sail – a sailing vessel's course in relation to the wind direction. When the wind is astern the ship is on a "run." When the the wind is coming across the side, the ship is on a "reach." When the wind is more from aft it is a "broad reach." When the wind is on the beam, it is a "beam reach" and when the wind is forward of the beam, it is a close reach. When a ship is sailing as course as close to the wind as possible it is "beating" or "going to weather.”
Poop deck – the raised afterdeck. The helm is aft on the poop deck.
Port Stanley – a port in the Falkland Islands that is the last port of refuge before rounding Cape Horn to the West.
Preussen – a German steel-hulled five-masted ship-rigged windjammer built in 1902 for the F. Laeisz shipping company. Until 2000, the Preussen was the only 5 masted ship-rigged ship ever built. She had a reputation for speed. Captain Barker bragged that he had sailed past the Preussen, although records suggest that the tow ships never crossed paths.
Ratlines – small lines secured horizontally to the shrouds of a ship every 15 or 16 inches forming rungs, allowing sailors to climb aloft.
Reach – a point of sail in which the wind is blowing across the side of the ship. When the wind is more from aft it is a "broad reach." When the wind is on the beam, it is a "beam reach" and when the wind is forward of the beam, it is a close reach.
Reef – to reduce the size of a sail by tying in ropes or gaskets in cringles in the reef-bands which are parallel to the top of the sail.
Río de la Plata – the river of silver, the Spanish name for the River Plate, so named because of the gray color of the silt in the river/estuary.
River Plate – a large estuary between between Argentina and Uruguay formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River.
Roaring Forties – the name given to strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees.
Robands – small plaited lines used to tie the square sails to the yards
Rogue wave – a large and spontaneous ocean surface wave that occurs well out to sea, and is a threat even to large ships. Rogue waves have been known to reach over 100 feet in height.
Rolling hitch – (or Magnus hitch) is a knot used to attach a rope to a rod, pole, or other rope.
Rolling the bunt – when furling a sail, rolling the middle section of the sail up on the yard to be secured with gaskets.
Royals, Royal sails – the traditionally, the highest sails on any mast. Some ships set skysails above royals.) The sails in order from the lowest to the highest – course, topsail (usually upper and lower topsail), topgallant sail (often upper and lower t'gallant sails) and the royals. Some ships set skysails above royals.