Talk:Cathead

Latest comment: 3 years ago by Idumea47b in topic Nautical Use

Pronunciation edit

How is this pronounced? I feel like this should be specified since I want to make the 'th' sound but I have a feeling it is cat-head.Imosa (talk) 23:12, 19 December 2012 (UTC)Reply

It's prounounced, Cat Head

Nautical Use edit

Additional nautical use of the term

When at anchor, the anchor rope (called a cable or catfall) was secured to this 

An anchor _rope_ is called a rode, not a cable. Aboard ship, ropes are never called ropes or cables, they are called lines. an anchor line is called a Rode...Never heard it called a cable before. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 138.162.0.42 (talk) 18:18, 16 June 2017 (UTC)Reply

You've never heard of an anchor cable? What is the purpose of the cable tier, where they stow the weighed anchor cable, if it's not called a "cable"? A roding is a small anchor line for a dory or fishing boat, as opposed to the large cables or chains used by larger ships. Perhaps a large ship's anchor cable and anchor are a form or roding, which is probably a term for the entire system, cable/line anchor and all. In any case, the cable tier is definitely a thing, and if "cable" is wrong usage then Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester are sadly mistaken. "Lines" are the ropes in the rigging. If it's not part of the rigging, it's not a "line". Lines are made of ropes and cables, or later "wire rope", also called cable in modern use. Anchor roding is made of cables and hawsers, or chains. Make sense? In any case, a cable is what it is, even if sailors don't call it that. And I'm dubious about that claim.

Idumea47b (talk) 02:20, 8 September 2020 (UTC)Reply