I was going to relate that a brass monkey was the term for the cannon
ball holder. Kind of like a pool triangle. Which is what I've heard/read
several times. But I checked and found this ...
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq107.htm
John Harker C27 'Prana' #6261 Santa Cruz
Sailor Chef wrote:
Head, much like spinnaker and port/starboard came from the everyday
workings on the early boats. Also, many of our every day sayings come
from the sailing ships, such as "freeze the balls of a brass monkey",
"three sheets to the wind" and "Shanghaied"
Mark, Gratis (6115)
Want to keep your WHOLE PAYCHECK?
PLEASE VISIT http://www.fairtax.org
----- Original Message -----
*From:* David Shaddock <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
*To:* [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
*Sent:* Monday, December 10, 2007 8:49 PM
*Subject:* RE: catalina27-talk: Just a quick hi
Dear Ralph (Amazing Us Once Again Ralph, I mean),
Fascinating… I was pretty sure I’m found the term pushpit in a
book by Hal Roth, whom I believe was born in the 20’s in Ohio. But
maybe he’s “English” the way I’m “Scottish”—several generations
away. Well, at least I was born in 1953, so I’m young enough
(imagine that!) to use foolish slang.
So rail isn’t just the side rails? I like taffrail—but it’s gonna
get a blank look from my wife when I use it the first time.
Not quite as interesting as where the word “head” came from
(relative to boats) but pretty good detective work. Thanks for the
info!
Dave Shaddock
*From:* [email protected]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *Ralph E.
Ahseln
*Sent:* Monday, December 10, 2007 7:56 PM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* Re: catalina27-talk: Just a quick hi
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Shaddock" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>
> Hi, Steve. On my boat, which was built just four units after
yours (#3495),
> I had a pushpit. Well, that's what I called it--got the name from
a book,
> which apparently not everyone has read <grin>. I sold mine to
Mark (since
> he didn't seem to find anyone who wanted to swim in Lake
Ponchartrain) and
> he calls it a Stern Pulpit, something he is fully entitled to do
because
> he's paid for it. I'm welding my own new davit/stern rail system
just to
> avoid the naming controversy.
>
I may have to ....RALE (second definition) with a RALE ( look it
up) about this one.... :-)
Controversy ? Controversy? Nah ...We got no controversy....
Tracing the history of the word " Pushpit " reveals .....
That it's a Slang word that the/* _English_*/_ _sailors invented...
As they would say....
"You know, Old Sod, If there's a PULL-PIT, there must be a
PUSH-PIT ".. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink,...
"And Old boy, after all the English literary character Dr.
Doolittle had an animal called the PushmePullyou.... " Har Har Har !!
"Those Yanks have no sense of humor.. They insist on calling it
.... STERN RAILING.."
"How Colonial of them"...
The English sailor started using the word somewhere around the
1950s. They meant it as a Joke...
You'll not find the word used in any reference manual prior to that...
What you do find is the more correct terms.... TAFFRAIL, or just
plain RAIL,
But IF you are English and born after 1950.... Well,,
ROFLMAO,
ralph ahseln
"Oblio"
Gresham OR
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