fothering

We cold just get into the sailroom and got up a new forecourse and stuck it full of oakum and rags, and put itt under the ship's bottom; this is called fothering the ship.

"The Gallant, Good Riou", and Jack Renton 1901 Louis Becke 1884

Only the urgent jettisoning of 50 tonnes of stores and equipment (including all but four of the ship's guns), a delicate operation known as fothering (in which an old sail was drawn under the hull, effectively plugging the hole), Cook's expert seamanship and a great deal of hard pumping saved the vessel and her crew.

Environment news, comment and analysis from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk Ellen Connolly 2010

The captured frigate's hull was so fouled by damage and by fothering, and her upperworks so feebly rigged, that the ship would probably be pushed backward by the opposition of even the most feeble ebbing current.

Sharpe's Devil Cornwell, Bernard 1992

The captured frigate's hull was so fouled by damage and by fothering, and her upperworks so feebly rigged, that the ship would probably be pushed backward by the opposition of even the most feeble ebbing current.

Sharpe's Devil Cornwell, Bernard 1992

His Lordship's gloom seemed justified for, despite the fothering and the pumping, the condition of the damaged frigate seemed to be suddenly worsening.

Sharpe's Devil Cornwell, Bernard 1992

At length Mr Monkhouse suggested that he had seen a vessel saved by fothering a sail -- that is, covering it thickly with oakum, and then dragging it under the ship's bottom to the place where the leak existed, when the oakum, drawn in by the force of the water, would fill up the openings.

Notable Voyagers From Columbus to Nordenskiold William Henry Giles Kingston 1847

While one party was endeavouring to secure the jury-mast which had been carried away, another was employed in fothering a sail: this, filled with oakum, was lowered over the bows and drawn under the keel, where it was hoped the water rushing in would suck it into the leaks, and thus contribute to stop them.

The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader And what befell their Passengers and Crews. William Henry Giles Kingston 1847

At this time the leak had not increased; but that we might be prepared for all events, we got the sail ready for another fothering.

A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13 Robert Kerr 1784

We found also several pieces of the fothering, which had made their way between the timbers, and in a great measure stopped those parts of the leak which the stone had left open.

A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13 Robert Kerr 1784

Got up the Maintopmast and Mainyard, and having got the Sail ready for fothering of the

Captain Cook's Journal during his first voyage round the world 1767