fife rails

The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea | 2006 | 510 words | Copyright

fife rails.
1. The rails erected on the bulwarks which bounded the poop and quarterdeck of old sailing warships, East Indiamen, and the larger merchant vessels. As well as being decorative, they were useful in providing a convenient means of securing the clew lines of the sail when under sail.

2. The circular or semicircular rails around the base of masts of sailing vessels which hold the belaying pins to which the halyards are belayed. They could also be positioned by the chain-plates.

See also pinrails.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"fife rails." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"fife rails." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-fiferails.html

"fife rails." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-fiferails.html

Learn more about citation styles