Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site utcsri.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcsri!hogg From: hogg@utcsri.UUCP (John Hogg) Newsgroups: net.rec.boat Subject: Re: "s e l f b a i l i n g " Message-ID: <1259@utcsri.UUCP> Date: Tue, 16-Jul-85 09:18:46 EDT Article-I.D.: utcsri.1259 Posted: Tue Jul 16 09:18:46 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 16-Jul-85 09:34:06 EDT References: <87@biomed.UUCP> Reply-To: hogg@utcsri.UUCP (John hogg) Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto Lines: 24 Summary: "Self-bailing" in the context of boat advertisment means whatever copywriters want it to mean. But here is a sailor's (as distinct from a powerboater's) point of view: A "self-bailing" cockpit is scuppered and has its sole above the waterline; seacocks (if any) are normally left open. Thus, the sole is always dry unless a large wave has just come aboard. A "self-bailing" dinghy has transom and/or suction ("Elvstrom") bailers and can be sailed dry. Of course, some dinghy cockpits are in addition "self-bailing" by the definition given above. Nautical jargon has a very old and rich history, which is a nice way of saying that words and definitions are hopelessly imprecise. There are many words for which I can't give you an unambiguous definition without context. You happen to have asked about a comparatively recent one. And while I'm wasting phone charges, are there any other Shark 24 sailors out there? -- John Hogg Computer Systems Research Institute, UofT {allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsri!hogg