- Fanfare
A double winch driven by an electric motor and brake to
stream fanfare noisemakers aft of the screws to decoy
acoustic torpedos away from the screws.
- Fathometer
Depth finding Sonar with the monitor unit usually mounted
in the pilothouse. It is maintained by the sonarmen.
- Fids
Wooden marlinspikes.
- Fife rail
The horizontal plank/pipe next to the flag bag that was
pierced with holes to hold belaying pins used to secure
signal halyards.
- Fighting Neckerchief
The black silk neckerchief with four or five one ounce
lead sinkers sown into it for use as a weapon in places
of liberty such as New York.
- Fish
See "Torpedo"
- Flags
A signalman.
- Flake Down
As in to "flake down a line". To lay out a line flat on
the deck in a coiled rectangular pattern to assure safety
when paying out the line when it will be used so that no
sailor's leg or foot gets caught in a loop.
- Flat hat
The brimless winter hat worn by sailors until it was
abolished about 1960. Originally the hat had the name
of the sailor’s ship printed on a silk headband. Later
the silk headband just had “U.S. Navy” printed on it.
A few old salts still use the expression “I hope to sh-t
in your flat hat!” to express (emphatically) their
agreement about something.
- Flemish
Coiling a line so that it lies flat on the deck in a
spiral as opposed to being flaked/faked or coiled.
- Fore
Front. Not just a golfing term, "Arnie".
- Foul Weather Gear Locker
The best place in the ship to sleep undetected (under a
pile of coats) by officers or higher ratings who are all
looking for those with nothing to do to make them work.
- Frap the lines
To tie the mooring lines together with small line in order
to prevent chaffing
and to facilitate the placement of rat guards (and of
course the navy would do it anyway just because it looks
nice.)
- Freshwater Navy
US Coast Guard.
- FUBAR
Like SAFU, an acronym sigifying that something is “f…ed up
beyond all recognition.”
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