KEVEL-HEADS. Timber-heads, used as kevels. KINK. A twist in a rope. KNEES. (See PLATE 3.) Crooked pieces of timber, having two arms, used to connect the beams of a vessel with her timbers. (See DAGGER.) _Lodging-knees_, are placed horizontally, having one arm bolted to a beam, and the other across two of the timbers. _Knee of the head_, is placed forward of the stem, and supports the figure-head. KNIGHT-HEADS, or BOLLARD-TIMBERS. The timbers next the stem on each side, and continued high enough to form a support for the bowsprit. (See PLATE 3.) KNITTLES, or NETTLES. (See page 51.) The halves of two adjoining yarns in a rope, twisted up together, for pointing or grafting. Also, small line used for seizings and for hammock-clews. KNOCK-OFF! An order to leave off work. KNOT. A division on the log-line, answering to a mile of distance. (See page 17.) LABOR. A vessel is said to labor when she rolls or pitches heavily. LACING. Rope used to lash a sail to a gaff, or a bonnet to a sail. Also, a piece of compass or knee timber, fayed to the back of the figure-head and the knee of the head, and bolted to each. LAND-FALL. The making land after being at sea. _A good land-fall_, is when a vessel makes the land as intended. LAND HO! The cry used when land is first seen. LANYARDS. Ropes rove through dead-eyes for setting up rigging. Also, a rope made fast to anything to secure it, or as a handle, is called a _lanyard_. LARBOARD. The left side of a vessel, looking forward. LARBOWLINES. The familiar term for the men in the larboard watch. LARGE. A vessel is said to be going _large_, when she has the wind free. LATCHINGS. Loops on the head rope of a bonnet, by which it is laced to the foot of the sail. LAUNCH. A large boat. The LONG-BOAT. LAUNCH HO! High enough! LAY. To come or to go; as, _Lay aloft!_ _Lay forward!_ _Lay aft!_ Also, the direction in which the strands of a rope are twisted; as, from left to right, or from right to left. LEACH. (See LEECH.) LEACHLINE. A rope used for hauling up the leach of a sail. LEAD. A piece of lead, in the shape of a cone or pyramid, with a small hole at the base, and a line attached to the upper end, used for sounding. (See HAND-LEAD, DEEP-SEA-LEAD.) LEADING-WIND. A fair wind. More particularly applied to a wind abeam or quartering. LEAK. A hole or breach in a vessel, at which the water comes in. LEDGES. Small pieces of timber placed athwart-ships under the decks of a vessel, between the beams. LEE. The side opposite to that from which the wind blows; as, if a vessel has the wind on her starboard side, that will be the _weather_, and the larboard will be the _lee_ side. _A lee shore_ is the shore upon which the wind is blowing. _Under the lee_ of anything, is when you have that between you and the wind. _By the lee._ The situation of a vessel, going free, when she has fallen off so much as to bring the wind round her stern, and to take her sails aback on the other side.