FORECASTLE. That part of the upper deck forward of the fore mast; or, as some say, forward of the after part of the fore channels. (See PLATE 1.) Also, the forward part of the vessel, under the deck, where the sailors live, in merchant vessels. FORE-FOOT. A piece of timber at the forward extremity of the keel, upon which the lower end of the stem rests. (See PLATE 3.) FORE-GANGER. A short piece of rope grafted on a harpoon, to which the line is bent. FORE-LOCK. A flat piece of iron, driven through the end of a bolt, to prevent its drawing. FORE MAST. The forward mast of all vessels. (See PLATE 1.) FOREREACH. To shoot ahead, especially when going in stays. FORE-RUNNER. A piece of rag, terminating the stray-line of the log-line. FORGE. _To forge ahead_, to shoot ahead; as, in coming to anchor, after the sails are furled. (See FOREREACH.) FORMERS. Pieces of wood used for shaping cartridges or wads. FOTHER, or FODDER. To draw a sail, filled with oakum, under a vessel's bottom, in order to stop a leak. FOUL. The term for the opposite of clear. FOUL ANCHOR. When the cable has a turn round the anchor. FOUL HAWSE. When the two cables are crossed or twisted, outside the stem. FOUNDER. A vessel _founders_, when she fills with water and sinks. FOX. (See page 52.) Made by twisting together two or more rope-yarns. _A Spanish fox_ is made by untwisting a single yarn and laying it up the contrary way. FRAP. To pass ropes round a sail to keep it from blowing loose. Also, to draw ropes round a vessel which is weakened, to keep her together. FREE. A vessel is going _free_, when she has a fair wind and her yards braced in. A vessel is said to be _free_, when the water has been pumped out of her. FRESHEN. To relieve a rope, by moving its place; as, to _freshen the nip_ of a stay, is to shift it, so as to prevent its chafing through. _To freshen ballast_, is to alter its position. FRENCH-FAKE. To coil a rope with each fake outside of the other, beginning in the middle. If there are to be riding fakes, they begin outside and go in; and so on. This is called a _Flemish coil_. FULL-AND-BY. Sailing close-hauled on a wind. _Full-and-by!_ The order given to the man at the helm to keep the sails full and at the same time close to the wind. FURL. To roll a sail up snugly on a yard or boom, and secure it. FUTTOCK-PLATES. Iron plates crossing the sides of the top-rim perpendicularly. The dead-eyes of the topmast rigging are fitted to their upper ends, and the futtock-shrouds to their lower ends. FUTTOCK-SHROUDS. Short shrouds, leading from the lower ends of the futtock-plates to a bend round the lower mast, just below the top. FUTTOCK-STAFF. A short piece of wood or iron, seized across the upper part of the rigging, to which the catharpin legs are secured.