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What does "The wind was two points on her quarter" mean?
Recently, I ve been engrossed in Patrick O Brian s Master and Commander. While the book is near amazing, the terminology used is quite confusing, especially to someone with no prior naval experience. The companion to this novel, A Sea of Words, is invaluable in assisting one decipher the complex language used in the story. Unfortunately, for all its help, I still don t have a full understanding of the 32 points of the compass rose. For example, on page 150, it states "With the wind two points on her quarter". From which direction is this? I understand basic terms like fore, aft, port, starboard, leeward, and windward, but if someone could help me understand more precise directions, it would be much appreciated.
For some reason, my computer has neglected to recognise the apostrophes in my question. My ignorance in technology far surpasses that of naval terms, so I'm not going to bother editing it. Please ignore this mistake.
2 Answers
- Karen LLv 76 years agoFavorite Answer
The quarter on a ship is the same thing as the "quarter panel" on a car. It's the sternmost (or rearmost) section of the side of the ship or car. A ship with the wind two points on the quarter has the wind coming from closer to the stern than from a right angle directly onto the side.
Draw yourself a compass rose, 32 points on a circle. Here's a good picture of one with all the points listed: http://www.nciwormshead.org.uk/training/compass/68...
Name the 16 major points, use a line only to represent the lesser 16 points and put lines from all the points to the centre. Put in an arrow from south to north to represent the direction the wind is coming from, from the south. Put in a ship travelling along the NNE line of the rose. That ship has the wind two points on its quarter, as does a ship travelling NNW, only on the opposite quarter.
If that's a little hard to understand, then go outside and stand in some wind, or stand in front of a fan, with the wind coming directly onto your back. Turn 1/16th of a circle, 22.5 degrees, to your left. You now have the wind on your port quarter.
Wind on the quarter is an easy point of sail for most sailing vessels. It's safe, fast and efficient, and produces better and pleasanter motion than most other points of sail, with less rolling and pounding. If a sailor tells you they had the wind on the quarter all day, it means they had a good sail, not too demanding on boat or crew. In sailing terms, it represents easy times.
- TheSicilianSageLv 76 years ago
When the Wind is two or three Points on the Quarter, the Ship is taking a Lurch.
