I find a cable or two is still a handy term when describing close distances between vessels or a vessel and an object. I used the term when working but it may be going out of fashion.
When I was an SIU AB we used to call it the “Brotherhood Head!”
Now, where I am, if you embark on a voyage you are said to sail.
“We sail at 0800.”
“Take a look at the sailing schedule.” Etc.
Every once and awhile a guy comes along who says, “You sail? Where are your sails? You mean you’re steaming! Like, ‘We’re steaming at 20 knots’, or, ‘We’re steaming for Seattle tomorrow’.”
Which seems just as wrong, to me at least. If you want to go that way, if you’re on the 99% of the world’s vessels that don’t use boilers for propulsive force, you’re motoring. No other verb exists that connotes the use of diesel motors/engines.
And yet the use of “motoring” is unknown amongst mariners. (I still use “sail”.)
In the 19th century anchors with a stock could not be housed in the hawse pipe and were catted using the cat heads.
Car ships have no main deck. At least there is no mention of a main deck anywhere, drawings and so forth.
The cargo decks are 1 - 12, the decks above 12 deck are the boat deck, second deck, nav deck.
The most likely candidate for being called the main deck is 6 deck which is the deck the stern ramp is but it’s not really a weather deck. The boat deck is the deck is most often assumed to be the main deck presumably because that’s where the accommodations are and it most closely resembles a traditional main deck.
This rampant cultural misappropriation has to end now!
Yes, lets let this one fetch. and hit it with a belaying pin. But don’t drop it over the gunwhales.
Cable is a landlubber term for wire rope. In reality, “cable” is a lay of rope, ie you take 3 right hand lay ropes and twist them together left and you now have a cable. That’s also what used to be used to hold the anchor back before chain so there’s still occasional references to the “anchor cable”.
I most often hear “cables” for distance used when in a crowed anchorage or similar situation. Usually when someone thinks another ship is getting to close so rarely used for distances over a half mile.
Anchor chain length overseas is given in “shackles”, don’t know that “shots” is used outside the U.S. Port control will call and have ships shorten up to “three shackles on deck” when the pilot is expected shortly.
Well heck, I’ve been a landlubber all this time and didn’t know it… So, is it a tow wire or a tow cable? Push wire or push cable? I have used both terms, but at the end of the day it is made out of steel. Back in the day did you recieve a wire or cable to communicate with another party? Nomenclature evolves quite often as we age. What does one refer to as the length of a shackle? Or a cable?
1 shot = 1 shackle.
1 cable = 0.1 mile.
Same thing only different caption. 1 shot=90 ft.
Cable and shackle are very prevalent terms with almost every nationality beside Americans. Once you start hearing talk of cables over the VHF, your ears perk up.
Every mate should be familiar with the vernacular though.
The term cables, plus the fact the person saying it sounds like they are shouting.
Just to add to the confusion Cable-laid rope has a left-hand lay. Each of the three strands consists of 3 strands laid up right handed. Sometimes called water laid.
Hawser- laid is the common 3 strand rope.
There is also shroud laid and square laid. The latter commonly found as polypropylene mooring lines.
In British warships the only rope onboard is the bell rope all the rest are lines or cordage.
Don’t forget the cat o’ nine tails.
“Cable” can also mean a message. . . .yet not specifically nautical. . .
So is a wire. I see baggy wrinkles when I look in the mirror but not the nautical kind.
*edit: catural misappropriation has to end meow!
Motoring describes a generator that is being pushed by its alternator or a pump that is being pushed by its fluid. Its rather something to be avoided, mariner or not.