Nautical Term: Dead light
Definition of Dead light
A steel disc, known as a dog, which is secured over a porthole by being dogged down. This process ensures the disc remains in place to prevent the breakage of the porthole glass and the subsequent intrusion of water. Moreover, securing the dog over the porthole also effectively seals off any light from penetrating through, resulting in a ‘deadlight’ condition.
For instance, imagine a situation where a ship’s crew is preparing to enter a potentially dangerous stormy area of the ocean. To ensure the ship remains as secure as possible during this challenging weather condition, the crew takes extra precautions, such as dogging down the dogs over all the portholes to secure them against potential breakage. This effective application of the ‘deadlight’ condition helps ensure the ship and her crew remain as safe as possible even during the most challenging of weather conditions.
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