Nautical language

Painting from the Malta Maritime Museum

by Christine Kling

I am on a research rant today. I have a love/hate relationship with the historical aspect of this series I’m writing. The photos I took while we were in Malta and Turkey have been a huge help with this book — like when I write scenes that take place in 1798 on the very dock pictured above, I just look at that painting and it help my imagination create that world for my characters.

It’s always been important to me to get the language right in the books I write, especially the nautical language. I hate it when I read sailing books and the authors prove how little they know about boats. But now, I am writing more historical chapters in my novels, and it’s very difficult to figure out what they called these things back in the 18th century on boats that are far different than anything I’ve ever sailed on.

So, with this blog post I’m am seeking help from the collective wisdom of our sailor readers. I’m asking for help with my research on the new book. You see, while I know pretty well what to call the parts of the boats I’ve sailed on, I’ve never sailed on a xebec like those picture above or the one shown in this photo of a model in the Malta Maritime Museum.

I know enough to say that it is a lateen rig, but would you call the spars on the sails yards or booms or some other word entirely? And this model above shows a tiller on this vessel. Really? I thought they had wheels on most boats in the 1700’s. Here is a close-up of the aft deck.

Imagine the strength it would take to move that tiller in rough seas! I want to put a wheel on my boat, so that a young woman can steer it. Generally, wheels used blocks to give a mechanical advantage. I’ve steered smaller boats both with a tiller and a wheel and I know how difficult it is to stand even a two-hour watch while steering a boat in heavy seas with a tiller. I haven’t been able to find a photo of a xebec on the web that has a clear enough picture of the after deck to know if any of them had wheels.

And what did they call that aft deck there? Was it the quarterdeck or the poop deck?

The deeper I get into this historical tale, the more I ask myself, why do I have to make it so hard on myself. Will anyone really notice if I get it wrong a few times? The problem is — I will.

So, help me if you can. If you can let me know if they used a wheel on these vessels or what you called all the parts of the rigging, post it in the comments, please. Until then, I’m back to work on this draft.

Fair winds!

Christine

 

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