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Subject: Re: Easter Island, and boxhauling
From: E.R.Kooi (E.R.Kooi@XXX.XXX)
Date: Sun Oct 27 2002 - 11:11:14 EST
Dear navigators, a bit late but I, being a Dutchman, could not resist to
react to the remarks made about "boxhauling" and "bak zeil".
A rather common expression in the Dutch language is "bakzeilhalen", meaning
in non-sailing terms "back out of it", "go back on it", "back down"
etcetera. It is however an original sailing term meaning "to back the sails"
in such a way that the wind stops the ship or even forces it backwards.
I therefore think that it is quite probable that boxhauling is coming from
bakzeilhalen. One of the meanings of "halen" is pull; thus "bakzeilhalen"
means "pulling back the sails".
Fr. gr. Eppo R. Kooi.
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: Navigation Mailing List
>
> Hal Mueller's posting from Easter Island included:
> ..........
> Why is it called "boxhauling"? There's a Dutch expression "bak
> zeil", back sail, which means to renege on a promise; it sounds like
> it also has the connotation of reneging surreptitiously or
> indirectly, equivocating. I'm no linguist, but I'm certain that
> "boxhauling" is derived from that Dutch expression.
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