cable – a strong rope made of twisted fibers; also, a unit of distance equal to 1/10 of a nautical mile.
cackle fruit – eggs.
capstan – a rotating cylinder adorned with handspikes to allow several men to pull a cable by walking forward and winding the line around the cylinder.
captain’s daughter – another term for the cat o’ nine tails.
careen – to purposely beach a vessel so that work can be performed on the hull.
carouser – someone who enjoys drunken revelry.
case shot, aka canister – a metal cylinder filled with projectiles and loaded into a cannon, effectively turning it into a giant shotgun. Particularly deadly as a close quarters antipersonnel weapon.
cat o’ nine tails (or cat) – a whip, often made of rope, consisting of a handle and nine cords, employed in a public whipping ceremony as punishment for sailors committing an offense.
chain shot - two projectiles connected with chain. When fired from a cannon, the contraption tumbles end over end through the air, and is effective at destroying rigging and sail.
chandler, or ship-chandler – a person who sells ships equipment, for example rosin, turpentine, tar, pitch, linseed oil, sperm whale oil, tallow, lard, varnish, twine, cordage, rope, hemp, oakum, tools, etc. May also be responsible for acting as a go-between between the ship and officials in a port.
chantey (also chanty, shantey or shanty) – a repetitive, call-and-response song used to synchronize activity between sailors. For example, sailors pulling a line might all tug on the last word of each line of the song.
Charlie Noble – the smokestack of the galley. The name comes from a captain who insisted that his crew polish that feature of his ship. The term post-dates the Golden Age of Piracy.
chase – the act of pursuing another ship, or being pursued. During the heyday of sailing ships, chases could last for days, with each ship in party in a chase being in very close range of the other the entire time. In an extended chase situation, even a single mistake in handling lines or sails would give the opposing ship a large advantage.
chase guns – cannons placed on either the bow or stern of the ship, positioned to fire at another vessel ahead or behind the ship, respectively.
clipper – a very fast sailing ship of the 19th century characterized by multiple masts with a square rig. Clipper ships generally post-date the Golden Age of Piracy.
coaming – any vertical surface on a ship designed to deflect or prevent entry of water. It usually refers to raised section of deck plating around an opening, such as a hatch.
cockswain – the person in charge of a small boat. Traditionally, a coxswain would be responsible for the captain’s barge, a small boat used in transferring the captain from ship to shore.
code of conduct – see Pirate Code
coffer – a strongbox for storing valuables
colors – a flag identifying a ships political affiliation
come about – to maneuver a ship so that the bow passes through the direction of the wind, effectively moving the wind from one side of the vessel to the other.
corsair – traditionally French privateers operating out of Saint Malo with a Letter de Course from the king; the word has come to (very loosely) be applied to pirates as well.
coxswain – The person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering.
crimp – an individual who was responsible for tricking or forcing seamen into joining a crew, as in a press gang. Also applied to any untrustworthy character.
crow’s nest – an observation platform located near the top of a ship’s mast, frequently surrounded by a protective railing.
cutlass – a short, curved sword sharpened on one edge, favored by sailors for its ability to perform in close quarter combat.
