Clench

The clenched boat nails technique
By Robin Gates
During the exceptionally low tides of March I was following in the excavations of a bait digger when a jumble of crooked shapes caught my eye - not fossilised ragworm but old copper boat nails ...

Clinch or Clench: To secure a fastener by bending down the end that protrudes through the pieces to be fastened.
Close-Hauled: Sailing as close to the wind as possible, or nearly so.

A "nail-sick," clencher-built boat should be hauled up on the beach and filled with water. Every leak should be marked on the outside with chalk or white paint. After all the leaks have been discovered, run the water out of her and dry her thoroughly.

Clench: A method of fixing together two pieces of wood, usually overlapping planks, by driving a nail through both planks as well as a washer-like rove. The nail is then burred or riveted over to complete the fastening.

nail-sick - On a clench-built boat, when the nail fastenings have become loose in a boat.
Napier diagram - A graphic plot of compass deviation values. This diagram provides a means of converting between magnetic and compass directions.

See also: Boom, Mast, Line, Running, Top