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THOMPSON'S COAST PILOT. 165 Shank, the beam or shaft of an anchor. 7 Shank-painter, the rope by which the shank of the anchor is held up to the ship's side; it is also made fast to a piece of iron chain, in which the shank of the anchor lodges. : To shape a course, to direct or appoint the track of a ship, in order to prosecute a voyage. 3 Sheer. The sheer of a ship is the curve that is between the head and the stern upon her side.--7'he ship sheers about ; that is, she goes in and out. To sheer off, to remove to a greater distance. Sheers are spars lashed together, and raised up, for the purpose of getting out or in a mast. Sheet, a rope fastened to one or both of the lower corners of a sail, in order to extend and retain it in a particular situation. When a ship sails with a side wind, the lower corners of the main and fore-sails are fastened by a tack and a sheet, the former being to 'windward, and the latter to lee- ward. The tack is never used with a stern wind, whereas the sail is never spread without the assistance of one or both of the sheets. The staysails | and studdingsails have only one tack and one sheet each. The staysail-tacks are fastened forward, and the sheets drawn aft, but the studdingsail-tacks draw the outer corner of the sail to the extremity of the 2 while the sheet is employed to extend the inner corner. To sheet home, to haul the sheets of a sail home to the block on the yard- arm. To shift the helm, to alter its position from right to left, or _ from left to right. To ship, to take any person, goods, or thing on board. It also implies to fix any thing in its proper place ; as, To ship the ony to fix them in their -- rowlocks, Ship-shape, in a seamanlike manner; as, That mast is not rigged ship-shape, Put her about ship-shape, ete. Shivering, the state of a sail hen fluttering in the nk Shoal, shallow. 3 Shoe of the anchor, a small block of wood, convex on the back, and hav- ing a hole sufficiently large to contain the point of the anchor-fluke on the fore side: it is used to prevent the anchor from tearing the planks on the ship's bow, when ascending or descending. : 3 To shoot ahead, to advance forward. Sltore, a general name for the seacoast of any country. To shorten sail, used in opposition to make sail. Shrouds, a range of large ropes extended from the mast-heads to the right and left sides of a ship, to support the masts, and enable them to carry sail. Sinnett, a small plaited rope made from rope-yarns. 22