=prau=—The Philippine name for a type of canoe. Praus may or may not have outriggers. =propeller=—A heavy apparatus somewhat similar to an electric fan in appearance, which, when mounted on the end of a shaft outside the stern of a vessel, below the water line, and set to turning by the engines, moves the ship through the water. =prow=—The cutwater of a ship. =punt=—A small flat-bottomed boat, generally square ended. =quarter=—That section of a ship’s side slightly forward of the stern. The port quarter is on the left side and the starboard quarter is on the right to the observer facing forward. =quartermaster=—A petty officer on board ship, whose duties have to do almost exclusively with steering the ship and with other tasks about the bridge. =quay=—An artificial landing place, generally of greater area than a pier. =quinquireme=—An ancient ship propelled by five banks of oars. =raft=—A group of any timbers bound together to form a float. =ratlines=—Small lines crossing the shrouds of a ship and forming the steps of a ladder by means of which sailors may mount the masts. Pronounced “rat-lins.” =reef=—A low ridge of rock usually just below the surface of the water. (2) To _reef_ a sail is to reduce the area spread to the wind by tying part of it into a restricted space. =reef point=—See POINT. =revenue cutter=—A ship operated by a government to prevent smuggling and otherwise to enforce the law. =ribs=—The members which, with the keel, form the skeleton of a vessel. =riding lights=—The lights a ship is required by law to carry at night while anchored. =rig=—The manner in which the masts and sails of a vessel are fitted and arranged in connection with the hull. =rigging=—The system of ropes on a vessel by which her masts and sails are held up and operated. =roadstead=—A place of anchorage at a distance from the shore. =row=—To propel a boat by means of oars is to row. =royal=—In the built-up mast of a square-rigged ship the fourth section above the deck is the royalmast. Its complete name prefixes the name of the mast above which it rises, as _fore royalmast._ The sail on the royalmast is named accordingly, as _fore royal_. The royal yard is the yard from which the royal sail is spread. =rudder=—A flat, hinged apparatus hung at the stern of a ship, by the movement of which the ship is steered. =running lights=—The lights that a ship is required by law to carry at night while under way. =sail=—A sheet of canvas or other material which, when spread to the wind, makes possible the movement of a vessel. For various sails in use see illustration, page 213. =schooner=—A fore-and-aft rigged vessel with two or more masts, the foremost of which is the foremast. See page 201. =scout cruiser=—A very fast and lightly armoured modern warship smaller than a battle cruiser but larger than a destroyer, used for scouting.