SHEER

Definitions

1. 1. The longitudinal upward curvature of the deck, gunwale, and lines of a vessel, as when viewed from the side.
2. 2. The position of a vessel riding at single anchor and swinging clear of it.
3. 3. A turn or change in a course. Give the canoe a sheer and get nearer to the shore. Cooper.
4. 4. Shears See Shear. Sheer batten (Shipbuilding), a long strip of wood to guide the carpenters in following the sheer plan. -- Sheer boom, a boom slanting across a stream to direct floating logs to one side. -- Sheer hulk. See Shear hulk, under Hulk. -- Sheer plan, or Sheer draught (Shipbuilding), a projection of the lines of a vessel on a vertical longitudinal plane passing through the middle line of the vessel. -- Sheer pole (Naut.), an iron rod lashed to the shrouds just above the dead-eyes and parallel to the ratlines. -- Sheer strake (Shipbuilding), the strake under the gunwale on the top side. Totten. -- To break sheer (Naut.), to deviate from sheer, and risk fouling the anchor.