P

PAINTER	A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used for making her fast.
PALM	A piece of leather fitted over the hand, with an iron for the head of a needle to press against in sewing upon canvass. Also, the fluke of an anchor.
PANCH	(See PAUNCH.)
PARBUCKLE	To hoist or lower a spar or cask by single ropes passed round it.
PARCEL	To wind tarred canvass, (called parcelling ,) round a rope.
PARCELLING	(See PARCEL.)
PARLIAMENT-HEEL	The situation of a vessel when she is careened.
PARRAL	The rope by which a yard is confined to a mast at its centre.
PART	To break a rope.
PARTNERS	A frame-work of short timber fitted to the hole in a deck, to receive the heel of a mast or pump, &c.
PAZAREE	A rope attached to the clew of the foresail and rove through a block on the swinging boom. Used for guying the clews out when before the wind.
PAUNCH MAT	A thick mat, placed at the slings of a yard or elsewhere.
PAWL	A short bar of iron, which prevents the capstan or windlass from turning back. To pawl , is to drop a pawl and secure the windlass or capstan.
PAY-OFF	When a vessel's head falls off from the wind. To pay . To cover over with tar or pitch. To pay out . To slack up on a cable and let it run out.
PEAK	The upper outer corner of a gaff-sail.
PEAK	(See A-PEAK.) A stay-peak is when the cable and fore stay form a line. A short stay-peak is when the cable is too much in to form this line.
PENDANT or PENNANT	A long narrow piece of bunting, carried at the mast-head. Broad pennant , is a square piece, carried in the same way, in a commodore's vessel. Pennant . A rope to which a purchase is hooked. A long strap fitted at one end to a yard or mast-head, with a hook or block at the other end, for a brace to reeve through, or to hook a tackle to.
PILLOW	A block which supports the inner end of the bowsprit.
PIN	The axis on which a sheave turns. Also, a short piece of wood or iron to belay ropes to.
PINK-STERN	A high, narrow stern.
PINNACE	A boat, in size between the launch and a cutter.
PINTLE	A metal bolt, used for hanging a rudder.
PITCH	A resin taken from pine, and used for filling up the seams of a vessel.
PLANKS	Thick, strong boards, used for covering the sides and decks of vessels.
PLAT	A braid of foxes. (See FOX.)
PLATE	(See CHAIN-PLATE.)
PLUG	A piece of wood, fitted into a hole in a vessel or boat, so as to let in or keep out water.
POINT	To take the end of a rope and work it over with knittles. (See REEF-POINTS.)
POLE	Applied to the highest mast of a ship, usually painted; as, sky-sail pole .
POOP	A deck raised over the after part of the spar deck. A vessel is pooped when the sea breaks over her stern.
POPPETS	Perpendicular pieces of timber fixed to the fore-and-aft part of the bilge-ways in launching.
PORT	Used instead of larboard . To port the helm , is to put it to the larboard.
PORT or PORT-HOLE	Holes in the side of a vessel, to point cannon out of. (See BRIDLE.)
PORTOISE	The gunwale. The yards are a-portoise when they rest on the gunwale.
PORT-SILLS	(See SILLS.)
PREVENTER	An additional rope or spar, used as a support.
PRICE	A quantity of spunyarn or rope laid close up together.
PRICKER	A small marlinspike, used in sail-making. It generally has a wooden handle.
PUDDENING	A quantity of yarns, matting or oakum, used to prevent chafing.
PUMP-BRAKE	The handle to the pump.
PURCHASE	A mechanical power which increases the force applied. To purchase , is to raise by a purchase.