absolute bearing The bearing of an object in relation to north, either true bearing, using the geographical or true north, or magnetic bearing, using magnetic north. absentee pennant A special pennant flown to indicate the absence of a ship's commanding officer, admiral, his chief-of-staff, or an officer whose flag is nonetheless flying (a division, squadron, or flotilla commander). above-water hull The hull section of a vessel above the waterline the visible part of a ship.

Pirates would hide their crews below decks, thereby creating the false impression that an encounter with another ship was a casual matter of chance. above board On or above the deck in plain view not hiding anything. 'Ready about' is the order to prepare for tacking. about To change the course of a ship by tacking. A merchant seaman qualified to perform all routine duties, or a junior rank in some navies. abeam On the beam, a relative bearing at right angles to the ship's keel. It is usually the last resort after all other mitigating actions have failed or become impossible, and destruction or loss of the ship is imminent, and is customarily followed by a command to 'man the lifeboats' or life rafts. It is an order issued by the Master or a delegated person in command, and must be a verbal order. abandon ship An imperative to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent overwhelming danger. 'two points abaft the beam, starboard side' would describe 'an object lying 22.5 degrees toward the rear of the ship, as measured clockwise from a perpendicular line from the right side, center, of the ship, toward the horizon'). abaft the beam Farther aft than the beam: a relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow (e.g. See also back and fill abaft Toward the stern, relative to some object (e.g. It is used to heave to or to assist with tacking. In a fore-and-aft-rigged vessel, a headsail is backed either by hauling it across with the weather sheet or by tacking without releasing the sheet. This is a dangerous situation that risks serious damage. A sudden wind shift can cause a square-rigged vessel to be 'caught aback' with all sails aback. The purpose may be to reduce speed (such as when a ship-of-the-line is keeping station with others), to heave to or to assist moving the ship's head through the eye of the wind when tacking. On a square-rigged ship, any of the square sails can be braced round to be aback. A aback A sail is aback when the wind fills it from the opposite side to the one normally used to move the vessel forward.

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