Flare

A pyrotechnic distress signal — handheld red flares are for close-range visibility, parachute red flares for long-range, and orange hand smokes for daylight surface signalling.

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Related F-terms

Fairway

The centre portion of a navigable channel.

Fathom

A legacy unit of depth equal to six feet (1.8288 m).

Forestay

Standing rigging running from the bow (or stemhead) up to the mast, to which the foresail …

Fractional rig

A rig in which the forestay meets the mast below the masthead (e.g. 7/8 or 9/10 of mast he…

Freeboard

The vertical distance from the waterline to the deck edge.

Fake (flake)

To lay a rope down in wide, overlapping loops so it can run out without snagging.

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